eBay Sellers Delaying Shipping

I have been buying a lot of coins lately on eBay. If you are a higher volume seller there is a decent chance I may have purchased from you. One of the things that irks me is when I purchase something (whether through auction or BIN) and the seller takes a long time to ship the item. I always pay within 24 hours. The only exception is if I'm bidding on other items from the same seller which don't end within 24 hours. In that case I still go out of the way and send a message to the seller letting him know I'm waiting for another auction(s) of theirs to end.

I expect the seller to ship the item within 3 days of my payment (not counting Sunday). I don't see any reason (other than they are away and have their status updated as such) why someone cannot ship an item within that time frame. Okay, maybe another exception is you are 100+ miles from the nearest post office. If that is the case then I also believe the seller should inform the buyer of this via message.

From now on I will leave neutral or negative feedback (and less than 5 stars) if the seller takes more than 72 hours from time of my payment.

 

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I can't think of a time when I've shipped a coin more than 24 hours after it was paid for. Usually everything goes out same day...but yes, it is annoying when you've paid for something and it's just sitting somewhere, next to your money...

However, I think leaving lower DSR's (star ratings) is a better option than a negative feedback. I kind of feel like those are reserved for really bad transactions or sellers.

I've had the PO take three weeks to get an item where it was going, though - something totally out of my control, and yet the buyer held me responsible (even though it was shipped same day.) That's frustrating, to say the least.

 

Yes, post office is sometimes slow, however seller should have marked item as shipped. In which case the buyer knows the seller did his part in a timely manner.

I have yet to give negative or neutral feedback. I've also never given less than 5 stars. You have to really be a horrible seller to get feedback below positive or 5 stars from me. I'm no longer going to be so lenient. I will start by rating lower than 5 stars and if really bad then consider neutral or worse. I honestly don't see my self ever having to give a negative cause I usually buy from sellers with already high feedback. It would have to be an abomination on the sellers part.

As long the seller handles things timely and professionally, I have nothing but the highest praise. Even if something arrived broken I would hold it against the postal service before I discredit the seller - unless I have good reason to believe seller is at fault.

 

While I agree it is a good policy to ship with 3 days of the sale ending...there are all kinds of things that can happen to slow down this process. I think it would be EXTREMELY bad form on your part to leave negative or neutral feedback if they ship a little slow. Now, if they are taking weeks to ship something...that's a little different. My personal opinion is nothing other than positive feedback should be left unless you have attempted to discuss the matter via messages.

I think this new policy of yours might cause you more problems than it's worth.

 

I was our shop's main eBayer for a long time in my teenage years, and indeed a number of things can happen that can muck up the works. That said, I think you're right -- so long as you make that three business days. Our insurance policy prohibits us from shipping on Fridays (don't ask me why, something about it sitting immobile too long over the weekends), for example.

And while many post offices do have limited Saturday hours these days, a lot of sellers (especially "major volume" guys) are doing this as their 9-5 Monday - Friday full time day jobs -- so running to the post office on Saturday may not be something they're likely to do.

That said, if I took 4 business days to ship a package whatever the reason instead of 3 (maybe I was out sick for 2 days, maybe I dropped the ball, whichever) ... and I got negative feed back for it (especially if there were no communication from you!), I would immediately block you from ever buying anything of mine again. Think twice about alienating your virtual coin store!!

 

On ebay, negative feedback is usually reserved for really bad service.

Instead, I would leave a low star rating (1 or 2 stars) for the seller, because that will start to cost them in the pocketbook if they consistently don't bother to ship in a timely manner.

 

Excellent points by everyone. To be clear, I would only rate negative if the person totally dropped the ball. It's the last thing I would want to do. As I stated previously, I have never given a negative feedback, ever. I've never given anything less than perfect actually (rating and stars). The only thing I have done is not left any feedback if I wasn't completely satisfied and felt the description was a little less than accurate. That has been rare though.

I like the suggestions from you all. It has also helped me understand the sellers side of things. I think Amanda makes a good point in that some sellers are full timers (Monday-Friday) so Saturday is an off day for them. I think in all fairness (now that I think about it), maybe 5 business days should be the threshold before I contemplate reduction in feedback (starting with stars).

Thank you all.

 

This is exactly right. As long as you get the right product and it gets there in a reasonable time frame (not talking a 3 week delay accompanied by BS emailed excuses), positive feedback with low star rating and an explanation is the best way to go! Negative Feedback REALLY eff's up a seller's life.


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Junior Numismatist, Alhambra Coin Center

www.lifeatthecoinshop.com
www.facebook.com/lifeatthecoinshop

 

Im with you Endevour. I usually do my buying on ebay on Sundays which is usually my one down day a week. So I expect the coin to go out no later than Tuesday, maybe Wednesday the latest. But it urks me when I am still waiting almost two weeks later for the coin to arrive. A quick message is all that it takes.

I understand what Amanda is saying about working a full day and not being able to get to the post office, but with ebay nowadays, they make it so easy to print shipping labels and get your stuff out quickly and easily. That was always my issue whenever I sold things on ebay was trying to get to the post office. My work keeps me busy some days from 6-6 and I just don't have time to run out to the PO. But now I just print off my labels at home and stick it in my mailbox or run by one of the local drive up boxes in town. Its out within 24hours.

 

Ebay sellers aren't Amazon. If a seller makes it to the post office within one week, we're all good as far as I'm concerned.

 

To my fellow cynical CTer....that is not acceptable. The only time it would be acceptable is if there was some kind of notice on the ebay site letting the buyers know that there will be some delay or at least a common courtesy email letting the buyer know about a potential delay. I have no problem with a delay, I just want to know about it. I think that is what Endevour is saying too.

Cynical is they typical description that I give some of these old timer coin dealers. They tend to forget simple common courtesies. I always send a quick email letting a buyer know that I received their coin in and I can't tell you the number of times that I get a reply thanking me for taking the time to let them know because no one ever does that. A simple common courtesy which took me all of 2 minutes to type.

 

It's acceptable to me. I've never met a coin that I couldn't live without for a couple of weeks.

 

You and I are apparently not buying the same coins then. LOL!

 

While I agree timely shipping is courteous and good for business, I also understand people often have little control over when they can get to it. Take myself for instance. I rarely sell on Ebay, but I always try to get the item out as soon as the payment clears, which Ive noticed takes between one to 14 days in some instances. Not my fault. Then I have to be home from work to mail it. When I go to work I'm gone three days and cannot mail anything. I usually have 10 hours notice prior to leaving for work, no schedule. I'm not losing 3K in pay to have a package in the mail next day if thats what it comes down to. So, people have circumstances in life, whether they are excusable or not.

 

You are an exception. Most eBay sellers are not unable to mail a package for 3 straight days. With that said, you should update your status to unavailable for the time you're out (if you have listings that could close within your unavailable period). I don't know what you do for work, but what if you get stuck at work a 4th or 5th day? Or if that's not possible, then what if the day you return you have an emergency to deal with, then what? You've already kept the buyer waiting 1-3 days. I just think it's the appropriate course of action to keep the buyer informed when a package doesn't get shipped within 3 days of payment clearing.

I don't view the seller informing the buyer of a delay as something that is polite. I view it more as the proper thing to do. Especially when you consider it only takes a couple minutes through a message.

 

I disagree...many eBay sellers do it as a side job/hobby. Many do it full time and are very efficient...but those who do it on the side need to find the time to get to the post office. It can sometimes be hard to get there within a day or two. I think for a smaller seller...if it ships within a week that is acceptable.

 

Thank you Camaro for your replies. They have gotten me to see things a little different (from a sellers perspective). I'm glad I started this thread cause I normally get a little frustrated when a seller doesn't ship the item by the 3rd day. After reading the comments on this thread I now feel like 5 days is more appropriate.

 

Unless we're talking about Amazon Prime, very few things you buy online get shipped within 1-3 days! I'm talking department stores and electronics and everywhere in between!


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Junior Numismatist, Alhambra Coin Center

www.lifeatthecoinshop.com
www.facebook.com/lifeatthecoinshop

 

this is a touchy subject. i have had sellers not send something for 3 weeks. they keep BSing that it was sent, etc, etc. and then when i receive it, it is postmarked from 3-4 days prior to that day i received it. so they basically lied for over 2 weeks. there are a bunch of reasons why, some shadier than others, but regardless, i paid for an item, i received it, and that doesnt earn a negative. now, if i catch you lying, that may earn a neutral. if you type messages in broken english, ebonics, dont answer my messages, then i am going to spank you on the 5 star rating. spank you hard.

i recently won a coin, and 3 weeks passed without receiving it. seller claimed he sent it lets say Jan 5th. I message on the 6th and request tracking as it has been marked as shipped but theres no info. seller doesnt respond till 7-8th. first off, thats insane. this is your BUSINESS. if i didnt reply to a client within 30 mins i lost that client. seller responds on 7-8th he cannot find the tracking or that he didnt ship it with tracking. this is a $200 coin. and he has 2500+ ratings. youre not a noob, how do you do that? thats really rolling the dice. so jan 26th rolls around, still no coin. seller then puts his foot in his mouth. he claims that he has to refund my money, as he has no more of that item. well, thats when i got really mad. this is a pretty rare piece. the only other listing on ebay for this is.....thats right, his BIN listing showing he has, not1, not2, but FOUR more. i bring this to his attention. i voice my concern with his lack of shipping in a timely manner, shipping in a protected method, and his lack of inventory control.

so what should i have done at this point? before i get raked across the coals for my answer, i am curious what others think i should have done.

 

You should have immediately opened a claim in eBay/PayPal. They would immediately take funds out of the seller's account and hold them "in escrow" until they look into the matter. You have a chance to state your side, exactly as you just did. The seller then has a limited time to essentially tell his side and provide DOCUMENTATION that he shipped, and shipped when he said he did. If he can't provide EVIDENCE to support his claims, you win, you get your money back, and the shady seller has a very nasty black mark on his record.


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Junior Numismatist, Alhambra Coin Center

www.lifeatthecoinshop.com
www.facebook.com/lifeatthecoinshop