Obvious Christmas warning

soolin

This is pretty obvious, but remember last posting dates and remember to factor in the proposed strikes in the days leading up to Christmas.

These RM dates DO NOT take into account the strikes- so factor those in when deciding how close to the wire you will risk selling this year 
Get ready for Christmas 2022 | Royal Mail Group Ltd

With delays and strikes the limit for overseas postage needs to be factored in for anyone who posts direct.

In previous years couriers have also struggled seemingly taken unawares that people post more at Christmas, so when using couriers make sure you allow a bit of extra time for any Christmas rush that will occur.

With Christmas on a Sunday this year it is likely that ebay will get confused and forget to add two extras days for no post in England and with New Year also effecting post it could easily happen that an INR could be opened and closed with very few actual delivery days available.

I am considering closing entirely on the 18th , but may close earlier as most of my post goes 2nd class and with the strikes is unlikely to get there for Christmas. I will make a decision nearer the time. I usually open again at around 3pm on Christmas Eve when it is too late for buyers to expect anything to arrive, but without fail each year I still get questions at 5pm on Christmas Eve asking if I could guarantee it for Christmas Day! 

olgadapolga

soolin said:

I will make a decision nearer the time. I usually open again at around 3pm on Christmas Eve when it is too late for buyers to expect anything to arrive, but without fail each year I still get questions at 5pm on Christmas Eve asking if I could guarantee it for Christmas Day! 

Last year, we had a buyer desperate for an item who contacted us at about 4pm Christmas Eve. They drove over five hours in total to get it and I think that they got home at about 1am Christmas Day. I offered them a non-alcoholic drink and use of the bathroom facilities but the offer was refused as they just wanted to get home asap.

soolin

Just an update , RM have changed  their last posting dates to reflect the strikes. For 2nd class you’ve got just over a week only before that cut off date, so do think carefully about your eBay and other sales 

https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates#lastpostingdates

Norman_Castle

Not sure if this has been asked on another thread, are sellers obliged to refund for late arrival of purchases and if so are ebay taking account of the strikes? I've just relisted about 10 items, no time tonight but I'm considering removing them or working out courier costs for some of them. 

Recently had an enquiry about sending a £60 item to Japan. I considered ebay shipping but what if its delayed by RM on the way to the UK hub, would I have to refund?

Edit. Just found this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6408323/ebay-seller-protection-during-strikes#latest

soolin

Norman_Castle said:

Not sure if this has been asked on another thread, are sellers obliged to refund for late arrival of purchases and if so are ebay taking account of the strikes? I've just relisted about 10 items, no time tonight but I'm considering removing them or working out courier costs for some of them. 

Recently had an enquiry about sending a £60 item to Japan. I considered ebay shipping but what if its delayed by RM on the way to the UK hub, would I have to refund?

Edit. Just found this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6408323/ebay-seller-protection-during-strikes#latest

There is a thread already that covers this, but I can’t remember what I titled it!

Basically though, whilst eBay will remove ‘late’ defects due to the strikes, they won’t stop buyers opening an INR and forcing sellers to refund. The same applies to GSP items sent to the hub and if you ship direct overseas, then to that as well.  I tend to manipulate my dispatch time and extend it when a strike day approaches, and also intend to put my holiday settings on well before Christmas this year and just have an extended Christmas break. 

I have also been emailing buyers who buy ‘parcel’ size items from me offering them a courier instead of Rm at no extra cost, but I rarely get a response, and everyone so far who has responded has asked to stick to RM .

MR1988

I think it's just starting to pile up. I've had 3 late deliveries and buyers who are not patient. Even though I messaged buyers right after ordering about the delays and have upgraded to 24 Hours Tracked delivery items are still late these days and I'm getting some unpatient buyers messaging about their items. Really considering to put my shop on Holiday until January and just enjoy the time off or look into alternatives for delivery as Royal Mail is not cutting it anymore.

If items were listed during promotion FVF offer, would revising dispatch times make void the promotion?

soolin

MR1988 said:

I think it's just starting to pile up. I've had 3 late deliveries and buyers who are not patient. Even though I messaged buyers right after ordering about the delays and have upgraded to 24 Hours Tracked delivery items are still late these days and I'm getting some unpatient buyers messaging about their items. Really considering to put my shop on Holiday until January and just enjoy the time off or look into alternatives for delivery as Royal Mail is not cutting it anymore.

If items were listed during promotion FVF offer, would revising dispatch times make void the promotion?

It should not affect the FVF promotion 

soolin

Just a reminder, the last posting date for RM 2nd class and RM48 is this coming Monday, the 12th.

olgadapolga

MR1988 said:

Really considering to put my shop on Holiday until January and just enjoy the time off

Yep, we've just decided to put the holiday settings on. The situation is only going to get worse and Christmas is stressful enough. It's going to hurt, financially, but sometimes knowing when to "quit" is more important!

forgotmyname

Ordered some items at the tail end of last month and the seller put the tracking info  (21 digit code), estimated delivery was the
2nd Dec.  Even though ebay send messages regarding the postal strikes and delays in posting they still sent me a message
stating they noticed the package had not been delivered yet and that I could open a case.

Thought the seller maybe drop shipping from China but it arrived 2nd class and none of the usual label on a label type of packaging
that it normally arrives in.

If your buyers are opening not received claims then it maybe because ebay are telling them to.

soolin

Some sellers on other forums are reporting problems with eBay ‘protection’ so be careful if you are still selling. It looks like the majority of negatives left for slow delivery are being removed automatically, but there are reports that some neutrals are being left as eBay say it doesn’t affect seller metrics.

Also INR claims are still being allowed within the usual time frames and sellers in some areas are looking at huge losses with these early claims needing to be paid. The other issue of course is that whilst these claims need to be paid there’s a good  chance goods will still arrive which means RM won’t refund on a claim either. 

My holiday settings are on but I forgot I had an offer out which someone bought yesterday afternoon. I had a 2 day dispatch with Rm 2 nd class and it is showing delivery from 16th-19th December. My despatch by date is the 15th, despite RM strikes today and tomorrow. I’m going to print a label tomorrow to stop an automatic defect and drop it off on Friday , which will leave me vulnerable for an INR from the 20th - just in time for the next round of strikes and then the Christmas shut down. 

So be warned if you are still selling !