how long do sellers wait before contact or dispatch

jetplane

Can anyone advise me on how long a seller usually waits before contacting the buyer or dispatching an item? I don't sell on ebay but I do buy and I always pay immediately through paypal. In the past the seller has always contacted me either the same or next day and dispatches the next day or tells me the day of dispatch.

I currently have two purchases in my list which confirmed that I paid on 6/7/12. I know it's only 3 days including the weekend and delivery says 5 working days but I have never had a seller not contact me.

Have I just been fortunate and am I being impatient?

Thanks

soolin

Sellers are now penalised if they contact buyers (daft I know) as it means buyers get to,leave stars for communication , if they don't contact and have other criteria in place then they get automatic 5 stars.

I have no real preference as to whether I get a despatch email or not, I just want my item so tend to start getting worried only after a week.

i_love_freestuff

I send a message when I send an invoice but other than that do not contact the buyer unless there is a problem. I always mark the item as sent and leave a copy of the tracking number so they can see. I do not think that sending a further message is needed tbh as soolin said sellers can be marked down. Damned if you do damned if you dont.

I would wait a few days longer before you start to even think about it not arriving.

jetplane

Oh I didn't realise. I thought the reason sellers contacted me was so that I would give good feedback for communication. Usually I get a message saying thanks for speedy payment I will dispatch on .... then my account shows dispatched. So it would actually seem more unusual that I have sellers that do this.

So is it correct that a seller might dispatch but it not show up on my account?

Crowqueen

It's not being penalised, it just suits sellers not to contact.

However, they also need to mark as dispatched within one day of end of auction, so even if they haven't contacted you for that reason, they won't get the auto-5*s unless they also ship promptly.

I don't mark down at all for that reason - the seller would have to be actively rude - and I "penalise" myself by contacting my buyers to say I've shipped an item, but those who do think it's best not to contact also need to remember auto-5*s only get given out if they also ship promptly too.

Not everyone contacts or has time to contact their buyers individually. Don't start panicking until after a week has passed with no item or contact.

lovinituk

As soon as a seller marks the item as dispatched that should trigger an automated 'item has been dispatched' message. It will also show the dispatch icon in your ebay account.

jetplane

It wasn't so much as I was worrying as just wondering whether it was unusual. Having said that it is now 3 days since the end of auction on these items and neither is showing as dispatched on the ebay icon so your reply's confirm to me that that they haven't been dispatched. I will just keep an eye on these two. Thanks

lovinituk

jetplane wrote: »

neither is showing as dispatched on the ebay icon so your reply's confirm to me that that they haven't been dispatched.

...or it has been sent but the seller hasn't yet marked them as dispatched!

What does the dispatch time say on the listing, as in how long have they said until they actually send it? Private (and some business!) sellers might not dispatch for days.

starrybee

Was the 5 days for overall delivery or just for dispatch?

Sunday doesn't really count, so really it has only been two days, not three, since you paid for your purchase (potentially three if you paid early in the morning...)

Either way I wouldn't be worrying just yet. If it is a 5 day dispatch then then that is unfortunate but it does mean they have till Wednesday/Thursday to send it. Or they may just be too lazy to update it on ebay and it could turn up on your door tomorrow!

jetplane

lovinituk wrote: »

...or it has been sent but the seller hasn't yet marked them as dispatched!

What does the dispatch time say on the listing, as in how long have they said until they actually send it? Private (and some business!) sellers might not dispatch for days.

Ah thanks so they can dispatch but not mark it. It says delivery estimated within 4 - 6 working days and is usually dispatched within 1 day of payment clearing. The other one says delivery estimated within 5 - 7 days and usually dispatched up to 3 days after payment clearing. I assume working days don't include sat & sun.

starrybee wrote: »

Was the 5 days for overall delivery or just for dispatch?

Sunday doesn't really count, so really it has only been two days, not three, since you paid for your purchase (potentially three if you paid early in the morning...)

Either way I wouldn't be worrying just yet. If it is a 5 day dispatch then then that is unfortunate but it does mean they have till Wednesday/Thursday to send it. Or they may just be too lazy to update it on ebay and it could turn up on your door tomorrow!

It's just me being impatient due to the fact that I have always received contact within 48 hours, which I now see is not the norm

spaceman5

what about the other way?, I sold something last night and have not heard anything from buyer regarding payment, how long do I leave it?, I dont understand it personally, when I make a bid I know exactly when the auction is due to end, and if I win I always pay within 15 minutes of the auction ending and certainly no longer than a hour afterwards, I thought this was how everybody does it but to keep me waiting without explanation I think is a bit off