Exaggerated Warnings from ebay on postal delays?

[heartovermind]

I had two buyers tell me after they purchased ebay

told them about our strike in a message.

I list on ebay.ca. But I jumped on ebay.com
without logging in, searched for one of my items,
only to find the color flagged warning about a
handling + delivery time of more than 12 business days -

the date in to Jan.

Last week I sent 5 parcels to the US, some Tracked Packet,
some Expedited, every single one was in the buyer's hands
by 5 business days tops. I had one at my post office Friday
delivered in the southern US on the following Wed, that was
Tracked Packet.

Why is ebay warning US buyers about the parcels not arriving by
Xmas in the listings? Is this because of the strike? 

or telling them after they purchase? it is freaking buyers out after or

perhaps stopping others from purchasing

[sylviebee]

That explains why sales have dropped to almost nothing.

I've been shipping as usual and items have been getting delivered normally.

EBAY STOP already!  What is the point of telling buyers not to buy from us?

[momcqueen]

What’s your handling time set to?

[sylviebee]

I'm pretty sure they're also manipulating the way our items are seen.    I've been listing a rash of items not previously listed and that ALWAYS gets me a lot of views.

This time I'm getting a fraction of the views I normally get.

I wasn't angry with the PO but now I am.  I've been involved in one type of business or another for over 40 years which depends on the PO for shipping and during that time the PO has been out on strikes regularly.  Every time they strike they disrupt my business.

Now they're claiming that one reason for the problem is that they have to deliver heavy packages.......... but that's a lot of BS.  This strike and strike again routine started long before their jobs required much package delivery at all.   They're doing to this to us because they can.

Who else can hold an entire country hostage making unreal demands and earning some pretty unreal wages for jobs which don't require years of specialized training?  Every job has some risk of injury and so does theirs and theirs doesn't stand out as special.  Sure it's true that not everyone can do their job but that can be said for every job out there but no ones else that I know of strikes on a regular basis like the Canadian PO.

[ypdc_dennis]

Interesting.

My ebay.CA listings with calculated shipping

Using a USA address:

viewed on ebay.CA: "within 6-11 business days" (Dec 10-Dec 17)

viewed on ebay.COM: Dec 10-Dec 17

...

However, using a Canadian address:

viewed on ebay.CA: "within 8 business days" (Dec 12)

viewed on ebay.COM: "delivery estimate is greater than 8 business days" (Dec 13-Dec 21)

---

My ebay.CA listings with flat rate shipping

Using a USA address:

viewed on ebay.CA: "within 7-11 business days" (Dec 11-Dec 17)

viewed on ebay.COM: between Dec 11 and Dec 17

-..-

[snoopwiz]

Sample note (on Nov 28) from a buyer of mine who made their purchase on Nov 21, we shipped Nov 22 (USPS via CCE), tracking number posted) and was one day away from being delivered to them in the US of A.

"I received a message that the postal workers are on strike. Has the order been shipped yet? Should I cancel this order if not? This is a Christmas gift.
Thanks
Brian"

[cumos55]

Listings  for books in History > Canada were compared when viewed on eBay Canada, compared to eBay.com

Within Canada delivery times can extend  to Christmas

From the US to Canada, delivery estimates can be up to the end of January 2019

From Canada to the US  the delivery estimates could range up to 20 business days.

Not possible to determine if this was standard before the strike... or something new after the strike

On eBay Canada a range for delivery estimate is presented as business days

On eBay.com a range for delivery estimate  is presented as actual dates

[sylviebee]

............ and that's the kind of off-shoot I wasn't considering until I read this thread.

I've found that my actual delivery times for shipping to the States haven't been affected but there are all sorts of related issues with the way eBay is stepping in to stop others from buying from us.

I didn't slow down my listing............. in fact I've listed more new stuff than I have in a long time......... but sales are almost non-existent during a time when they should be at a premium.  It's not the actual possible delays that have been a problem for me.

It's the perception that buyers have of our Post Office and that will last for some time even when things are back to normal.

[cumos55]

The uncertainty of delivery by buyers is there .... but may not be a true reality.

It is this uncertainty  that puts a delivery date for  every parcel in the mail in question.

It is because of this certainty that my choice ......  most likely...  most definitely ... will be to keep my store on vacation.... even though  an email from eBay said taking my store off vacation was a viable option.

[cumos55]

The listings in my store on vacation do not show these "new" delivery estimates.....

They appear to be  the estimates that were in place as of September 17, 2018, when the store was placed on vacation.

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@sylviebee wrote:

... It's the perception that buyers have of our Post Office and that will last for some time even when things are back to normal.

---

I agree. There is a time delay in Buyers realizing there may be a postal problem, followed by another delay in realizing the problem is over.

In 2016, many Buyers did not worry about the postal dispute until September -- after the 2 year contact was finalized.

For me, things were back to normal by end of Nov/2016.

...

This time I expect May or June 2019 for things to settle. Especially since I don't see CUPW agreeing to any negotiated contract (no matter how favourable)  by the end of January under the back to work legislation.

-..-

[silverpinups]

Canadian on-line sellers continue to be collateral damage as the bickering between Canada Post and the CUPW continues..... 

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

I am definitely seeing a longer shipping time for my items if you check dot com vs dot ca to USA. Maybe something to throw @tyler. Sending mixed signals to US buyers. Not cool!!! Also see 7 to 8 days delivery by expedited to my house on dot ca. 11 to 16 days to my house on dot com. More things to make one say hmmmm!!! Faster to ship to USA than to my home address.

-CM

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:

I am definitely seeing a longer shipping time for my items if you check dot com vs dot ca to USA. Maybe something to throw @tyler. Sending mixed signals to US buyers.

---

Did you check with a USA address?

 I'm only seeing a difference if I have a Canadian address when checking shipping. No difference for a USA address when viewed on a computer (not sure what a handheld device reveals).

[forester_studios]

I just rechecked 2 expedited parcels I shipped to Ontario and Quebec. They were shipped on November 20th and 22nd. The delivery dates have been pushed back again to December 13th! When I spend money on expedited I expect better delivery times than this. I fully understand the situation and that CP has suspended on delivery guarantees, but this is pathetic. Never again Canada post, I will be refocusing and going in a direction not relying on a broken company to deliver next Christmas(ie couriers).

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

Yes, checked first on dot ca to 90210 and then on dot com to 90210 on a PC. Thought for the heck of it to check to my home postal code for both and got those previous results. I think we should be seeing consistency between sites. Does this have any connection to why Canadian sellers generally are having fewer sales currently? Would not be a difficult leap!!!

-CM

[Anonymous]

I bought an item in China and then it was cancelled due to China Post informing the seller that China cannot ship anything to Canada due to mail strike even it was over a few days ago!!

[momcqueen]

Perhaps Canada Post has not yet asked those partners in the Universal Postal Union to reverse the hold on sending their mail into Canada as a result of the labour disruption.