Despatch times-can I have your feedback ?

mishkanorman

Hello,

Just been reading an interesting post on another site, where a seller was having a moan about a buyer who sent an email complaining (very nicely) that they were disappointed to find that even though they paid immediately the item wasnt despatched for a further 3 days. The seller felt this was completely unreasonable, I disagree, So it got me thinking,


There have been several big debates over what postal service to use, but whats the general turnaround time most people have on their despatches, and do you always state this in the listing ?? And for buyers, assuming you paid via paypal how long do you expect to wait ?

I normally post the next working day, I advertise 1-2 working days.


mishka

davilown

mishkanorman wrote:

Hello,

Just been reading an interesting post on another site, where a seller was having a moan about a buyer who sent an email complaining (very nicely) that they were disappointed to find that even though they paid immediately the item wasnt despatched for a further 3 days. The seller felt this was completely unreasonable, I disagree, So it got me thinking,


There have been several big debates over what postal service to use, but whats the general turnaround time most people have on their despatches, and do you always state this in the listing ?? And for buyers, assuming you paid via paypal how long do you expect to wait ?

I normally post the next working day, I advertise 1-2 working days.


mishka

All depends on what day it is and whether you work family commintments etc. I will normally dispatch mine 3 days after payment because then i know it should have cleared from my paypal ac.

:beer: monster

Moglex

I think a lot of people post the next working day so that's what people come to expect.

If something takes a little while, I remind myself that not all (or even most) ebayers are running businesses and it may not be possible for them to get to a post office every day.

Certainly moaning that something took an extra three days (assuming the listing didn't promise immediate dispatch) seems a bit excessive.

apprentice_tycoon

I always state in my listing, my invoice, my thank you letter and my ME page (so that's everything the buyer will see) that I'm currently sharing a car so I can only send parcels 3 times a week, I never have any bother just 'take your time' sort of emails back and then good feedback when the parcel is quicker than they anticipated.
As it is I can get to the post just about everyday as my husband is home most of the time so most things go out on the next day but it just gives me a bit of leeway.

cjos66

I don't think 3 days is unreasonable, 3 weeks yes, we don't all sit by our computers waiting for an auction to end we have lives outside of eBay.

Just send a polite email apologising and that should shut them up and if it doesn't what can they do? There is no cause for complaint and no action to be taken as they have paid and you have despatched the goods.

When it comes to which method of dispatch to use I always use the PO but there again I've never sold anything to warrant an alternative but I always state how the item will be dispatched.

hjb123

I post at the next available opportunity - normally this is the next day but as I live a distance from a post office this can often be 2 or 3 days. Sometimes I cant always access the computer on the day the item finishes so that can add an extra day to the process.

If I havent received an item within a week then I start to wonder what has happened to it but not before.

If I am unable to post the item within the next 24 hours I keep the buyer informed of everything and explain my inability to post it and will post it tomorrow or when I will be able to and will inform them when despatched.

baffcat

mishkanorman wrote:

Hello,

Just been reading an interesting post on another site, where a seller was having a moan about a buyer who sent an email complaining (very nicely) that they were disappointed to find that even though they paid immediately the item wasnt despatched for a further 3 days. The seller felt this was completely unreasonable, I disagree, So it got me thinking,


There have been several big debates over what postal service to use, but whats the general turnaround time most people have on their despatches, and do you always state this in the listing ?? And for buyers, assuming you paid via paypal how long do you expect to wait ?

I normally post the next working day, I advertise 1-2 working days.


mishka

If someone pays via paypal, I despatch the first time I'm near the PO. Even payments received by cheque usually mean I despatch then too.

I try to make clear, in all my communications with buyers and potential buyers, that I TRY to despatch within a working day of receiving cleared funds. Ninety nine percent of people with whom I deal are happy about the delivery times they get, even though by far the majority are sent 2nd class post. Very occasionally I slip to despatching three days after clearance of funds, and still the majority of my feedback (now approaching 1900) mention positively the speed of delivery.

Saying this, I recently had one guy message me to complain on a Tuesday morning that he hadn't received an item (23p 2nd class postage) that he'd paid for on the Saturday before Saturday evening. I pointed out, very politely, that it had left the on the first available occasion, and it was now in the hands of the PO, to which he replied that he'd received another package that morning, also paid for on the Saturday, also 2nd class, saying 'That's service!'. I couldn't seem to get it across to him that whatever delivery period he got, from me or anyone else, using the same service, was down purely to the PO.

*sigh*

Baff