Free postage DSRs

worbikeman

Am I right in thinking that if I offer free 1st class postage (as per ebays new requirement for premium status) I cant be marked down in my stars for sending it 2nd class?

soolin

worbikeman wrote: »

Am I right in thinking that if I offer free 1st class postage (as per ebays new requirement for premium status) I cant be marked down in my stars for sending it 2nd class?

If you offer free 1st class then it needs to be sent that way otherwise I think buyers will hit your other stars for being dishonest with them. I suspect this strategy would be see your dispatch stars hitting rock bottom within a handful of sales.

For TRS you need a free option, I use 2nd class , and also a premium option that is usually deemed to be special delivery for which an additional charge can be made. I also offer 1st class at a premium.

worbikeman

Why would they hit my other stars if the other categories were up to scratch? That would be dishonest of them.

soolin

worbikeman wrote: »

Why would they hit my other stars if the other categories were up to scratch? That would be dishonest of them.

what more dishonest than telling them they were getting 1st class and actually,using 2nd?

If you tell them you are sending 1st class then the delivery estimates would be based on that and of course your 2nd class could be slower and buyers see 'despatch' as equalling 'delivery' time so yes, I think your other stars would suffer. I think there would also be an argument for hitting communication stars as well on the basis your info communicated to them was wrong. Also possibly,item description if buyers believe the whole auction constitutes 'item description' as of course your auction terms would be wrong.

It is a recipe for disaster, if you want to use 2nd class then use that as the free option and offer 1st class at a premium.

worbikeman

What you're saying is that if a buyer is unhappy with any one category they are perfectly at liberty to dis all the categories regardless of whether it is deserved in those other categories?
In that case, what is the point of those categories?

soolin

worbikeman wrote: »

What you're saying is that if a buyer is unhappy with any one category they are perfectly at liberty to dis all the categories regardless of whether it is deserved in those other categories?
In that case, what is the point of those categories?

I pointed out the reasoning a buyer *might* use to hit the other stars for a dodgy seller. As for the reasoning behind the stars, I'm not sure any of us have really worked that out yet.

However, a seller prepared to be dishonest with his or her buyers is, I believe, likely to find that buyers will retaliate in kind.

worbikeman

I didnt state that I deliberately send 2nd class.
Only that I send 2nd class.
It could be my mistake, since many of my listings are as you suggest - 2nd class free, 1st class charged for.
Is the buyer quite justified in giving bad stars on all categories for their item arriving a day later than expected just because they cant downgrade my p&p stars?
Bearing in mind the arrival estimates are just that - estimates.

Strapped

worbikeman wrote: »

Why would they hit my other stars if the other categories were up to scratch? That would be dishonest of them.

I would mark down the dispatch star. And comment on it too. Because I would see it as dishonest and calculating.

campdave

As a one off mistake, your stars wouldn't suffer. If you were doing it regularly, most people probably wouldn't be fussed to make an issue of it, but some people would probably mark you down.

It's up to you what you do, you're the one that will suffer any consequences of low ratings.

soolin

worbikeman wrote: »

I didnt state that I deliberately send 2nd class.
Only that I send 2nd class.
It could be my mistake, since many of my listings are as you suggest - 2nd class free, 1st class charged for.
Is the buyer quite justified in giving bad stars on all categories for their item arriving a day later than expected just because they cant downgrade my p&p stars?
Bearing in mind the arrival estimates are just that - estimates.

You are obviously a large volume seller to be getting TRS discounts and as such I am surprised you feel there is any logic sometimes in the stars we are left. We all try to maintain 5* and we all know that for many reasons, some valid some patently not that we often drop to getting a 4* or even lower on some occasions. Since we know buyers can be flakey sometimes it seems odd to do anything that would make them consider hitting any stars.

However, in answer to your actual question as long as you offer free postage then you can only be left 5* in that category. You cannot though be protected against low stars elsewhere, poor feedback or a complaint to ebay that you are deliberately misleading buyers .

worbikeman

What actually happened was that I had packaged up an item and put 2nd class on it. Being Sunday night it hadnt gone yet but later I noticed the error and wondered what would happen if it had gone as such.
I dont think my buyers would mark me down in other categories as I make sure of being exemplary in every respect.

Just dont make a habit of it!:D

(PS as a stamp seller and my clients being stamp collectors I can even put particularly valuable, if 2nd class, stamps on which I am sure they would be more than happy with!)