eBay

gemaddict · ‎10-16-2015

If it's not eBay then it's CP. Due to an unusual amount of orders taking as much as four weeks to arrive to my U.S. buyers, with one never making it all, I did what eBay always wants us to do and sent an order Tracked Packet U.S.A. This was on Oct.7. I decided to check on it's status today and found that all the tracking number says is electronic information has been submitted by shipper and once the shipment arrives in our facility tracking status and the expected delivery date will be updated. Check back for updates or sign up for email notifications. WHAT????

I go to my local post office and was advised to call CP and put in a claim/ticket. I gave them all the necessary info and was told it could take up to 10 days to investigate. In the meantime I have no idea what to do.

I had trouble with this sale from the start. This buyer has a score of one, there is a good chance that English is not their first language. They had purchased two lots of the identical item. I combined it, sent an invoice. They didn't pay so I resent the invoice. I go to check the next day and the invoice is uncombined and one order is paid for and the other is sitting there with eBay advising me to open an unpaid item claim. 😞 I have never had a conversation with this person and it's not for the lack of trying. They have never responded to any of my messages. Now this fiasco. I have never believed in curses but I am beginning to wonder what is going on...wrong planet alignment perhaps?

I do have a question or two. I asked CP if there has ever been a case of a Tracked Packet not being scanned but was still in the system and got delivered and they said yes..very rare but it has happened. For all the stops a package makes along the way I find it a bit hard to believe that it could get through and NEVER be scanned. So do I wait a few more days (it's been out 9) and then contact the buyer to ask if they have received it? Should I do it right away? What pray tell do I do when they don't reply..because given past dealings I doubt they will. Do I call eBay to explain the situation? I'm wondering if I should just hang on in case the customer actually does receive it. I am not taking this well because I have had more problems in the past six weeks then I have had in the whole time I've been selling. It's mind boggling really.

Truthfully I am also upset because under the new system I would already be finished as a seller thanks to issues that are beyond my control. I don't expect I will still be a seller here after the new year and possibly be done even sooner given the sudden unpredictability of CP and the "shake my head" decisions eBay is making. Sigh.

momcqueen · ‎10-18-2015

@gemaddict wrote:
I did hand it to the postal clerk. My mistake was thinking that that was enough. Instead of standing there and waiting for it to be scanned I made the poor judgement to assume I had nothing to worry about and walked away. Not going to happen again.

I don't really do a lot of tracked shipping as quite a bit of what I sell costs less then the price of tracked shipping. I am going to try to be as optimistic as possible about continuing on as a seller here but it is very difficult. As I have said many times previously, I've never had so many problems with shipping as I have these past six weeks and I know I would already be finished as an eBay seller based on the changes that are coming our way.

Well, it should have been enough to hand it to them, you're right! Was it an envelope? They probably chucked it into Lettermail and went back to rapid gum-chewing. I stand there and give everyone the stink-eye not only until it is scanned but also I have the printed receipt that shows Proof of Shipment in my hand. It took some getting used-to being at the counter and its often looooooong lines but there is no other way now. In my opinion, of course. I know other sellers swear the letterboxes are fine and dandy but for me, no.

If you're finding the problems all recent, is it possible there is someone new and/or problematic that has been hired at the counter you use? Are you always using the same authorized dealer? If so, call Canada Post Corporation and complain. I am a big pain in the rear, I do. At one time, after Canada Post eliminated liability on Small Packets Air but before they incorporated bar codes, I had a very long, very passionate conversation with a woman somewhere higher in the chain of command at Canada Post who I somehow managed to get connected to about the inherent and obvious problem this lack of accountability created and shortly thereafter, the bar codes were implemented.

Sometimes you might be lucky. Sometimes you might just be the tipping point. I don't flatter myself that I was in that case but it was clear from the moment that she took the phone, that I wasn't speaking to Customer Service any longer. It might have made the difference.

gemaddict · ‎10-19-2015

mjwl2006 wrote
Well, it should have been enough to hand it to them, you're right! Was it an envelope? They probably chucked it into Lettermail and went back to rapid gum-chewing. I stand there and give everyone the stink-eye not only until it is scanned but also I have the printed receipt that shows Proof of Shipment in my hand. It took some getting used-to being at the counter and its often looooooong lines but there is no other way now. In my opinion, of course. I know other sellers swear the letterboxes are fine and dandy but for me, no.

Yes it was an envelope and I do believe it must have been chucked into Lettermail. While I have had similar problems in the length of delivery time they have been few and far between. The amount of times that it has happened lately is really unusual.

I live in a small city and when I do hand outgoing mail over the counter I always take it straight to CPC and not an outlet. I haven't seen any new counter employees. I do use letterboxes for a portion of my light packet items and it has been mainly amongst those that have had lengthy delivery times. One that went missing was over the counter, no tracking just light packet. The biggest change here for postal services is the fact that they ended home delivery. The parcel delivery and letter bin pick up that was accomplished by independent contractors (and done well) is now done by CPC . I am thinking because it is all new to CPC employees it could be part of my problem. This change happened mid August. Hmmmmm.

The fumbling around was so bad at first that when someone I know went to pick up her mail from the neighbourhood mailbox they are all OPEN with mail in them! Not only that she said the mail in hers was not even for her. So yes the goings on here are suspect and I really haven't trusted them much since then...sigh.

I did mention the unusual extended delivery times to CPC and about the mail going missing but you can imagine how that went. CPC is not the only one handling the mail. It goes through customs and is also handled by a foreign mail service. Ship everything with tracking (lol) blah blah blah. In the meantime it seems like it would be a good idea if I start practicing my stink-eye as I do believe I'm going to need it 🙂 Thanks for all the help!

Anonymous · ‎10-23-2015

I find the length of mail delivery of Tracked Packet amusing.

To USA it usually take about 2 weeks while to France, it took 4 business day!! Duh to USPS for being so slow to move the items!!

lady.stark · ‎10-30-2015

It is not just Tracked Packet that is fast oversea. My light and small packets to France rarely take more than 5 business days, with an everage of 4. One time, it even arrived in 3. But with US shipping... it varies, although the average would be around 7 business days.

One thing to consider though... the US is a MUCH bigger country than France.