eBays ETA on shipping screwing sellers over

Once again eBay is making changes. In the all the years we have been selling online eBay has made more changes in the past 5 years then Amazon and etsy combined!

Why is that?  Who really knows, but I am noticing a new things that is really bothering me. Does eBay own the post office now? Amazingly they know delivery dates. Why does eBay think its ok to tell a buyer when they will get the item?  Ive been doing this for many years and yea there are others doing this a lot longer than I have.  But one thing is always the same, the post office service is unpredictable.  How can eBay say an item would take 4 days to get across the country?

Let me explain:

I had a buyer purchase an item on Saturday May 25th after 5PM pm here on the east coast, so 2PM on the west coast. The buyer is located in the state of Washington.  Well naturally we could not ship as our local post office closes at noon on Saturday, not to mention it was already after 5PM anyway!  Sunday we packed it and knew it would not go out until Tuesday because Monday was Memorial day and the post offices across the US would be closed.  Tuesday came we took the package to the post office and it was on the way.

On June 3rd I notice we got a 'neutral' feedback and wonder what now!  Well this buyer is complaining because the package is 3 days late and we are wondering how is that possible.  After researching it, the order is telling the buyer that this item is 'Fast N Free' and will arrive on or before May 31st, how is that possible?  How is it possible for us to ship an order on Saturday when everything is closed and how is it possible they were told it would be delivered on May 31st?  And why does the USPS indicated it would be delivered on June 3rd?  And why does the buyer blame sellers when packages arrive 'late' according to eBay?

This buyer is not taking the time difference or the fact we are on the opposite coast as they are into consideration.  Nor the fact that it was a holiday weekend.

So we call eBay, they think Im asking for feedback removal and I keep reminding them thats not why I was calling. Why would eBay promise to a buyer that a package would arrive by a certain date?  Why would they not take into consideration the fact that the buyer purchased this out side of 'normal business hours' and it was impossible for us to ship the same day? Had it been any other day we would have been able to ship the same day.

When I review my listing Im thinking its because it has 'FREE' shipping!  Ive changed the shipping zip code to NC, FL and CA and it consistently shows the item will arrive in 4 days, how is that possible?  They of course say the feedback would not be removed and I continue to say thats not why I was calling.   Then they tell me I should contact the buyer and ask them to change it!  But this is not something I created, we've done nothing wrong, we never told the buyer it would arrive May 31st,  its something eBay created!

You've seen it,... I have shipped packages to Hawaii that arrive in 4 days, I have also shipped packages 4 hours north of my location and seen it take 2 weeks!  How can they be allowed to make false promises to buyers?

Another peeve I noticed is the time, have you ever tried to print a label after 6PM and it still shows todays date?  If I go to purchase an item after 6PM it will still say it would be shipped today even if it can not be.  Not until around after 8PM if I try to print a label would the system actually adjust the date for the following date.  Call me crazy but they should not include Saturday at all since every location has various hours on Saturday and some are not even open on Saturday.

Their posted hours are on the pacific coast time which leaves the east coast with an unfair advantage.   They need to reconsider their program that gives these ETAs and modify it.

Yet another negative feedback on eBay

Im at the end of my rope, Im so temped to just close my eBay store.  But then I remember I do have so much positive feedback and I shouldn't let one or two rotten apples spoil the bunch right?

So here I am blogging about my experiences, why do I do that?  Well I hope to educate others and share what happened to me and what I did. Sometimes I do not handle situations properly but majority of the time I do and I still get bit in the butt for it.

I am an individual running a business. I sell on multiple platforms online and I have a store, a brick and mortar.  Ive noticed since I have moved in a number of things going missing.  Guess it goes with the territory of operating a store.  On occasion something would just disappear and I would not notice until someone online buys it and I cant find it! So now I look like an idiot trying to sell something I do not have in inventory. It does not happen often but once in a while.

A few weeks ago I got an order for a beanie. I was a little surprised as we just cleaned up our 'hat' section and I dont remember seeing one of those.  Well I looked and looked every where I could think of and I could not find it.  I emailed the buyer with an apology and refunded the money they paid.  This was in a few hours of the purchase.  A few days later I noticed the transaction was still 'waiting to be shipped'... so I called eBay.  They tell me there is a glitch where pay pal is not telling eBay I refunded money to the buyer and that I should just archive the transaction so I 'dont see it'.  So I do and think nothing of it.  Mistakes happen and most people are understanding in this situation, others are not.

Imagine my surprise when last friday I notice a negative remark! The buyer claims I never refunded the money & I wasted their time! Im floored!  So I think back and research, I refunded almost 3 weeks ago! Not only that I did email they buyer. So I call eBay about their glitch causing a buyer to think I did not refund them.  Well too bad it does not qualify for feedback removal so I am stuck with it, I tried to email the buyer and guess what? The email bounced back! Imagine that, how pissed was I. I submitted a feedback adjustment but thats all up to the buyer.   Now I wait and since the buyers email does not work my message will just go unanswered.

Monday morning I wake up to yet another negative remark!  I dont think I have ever gotten two in a matter of 3 days in my whole eBay life!  I check my account on the mobile app for questions and check feedback at the same time.  So no idea whats going on or who the buyer was. I needed to check into it when I get into my store.

Turns out this person purchase a dozen crystal suncatchers from me, this person just put feedback that said: 1/2 the products sent were chipped and damaged.  So on my drive in Im thinking maybe it was damaged in transit cause I know I packed it tight with tissue paper and well it was going to Canada.   So I get into the office and get this email:


**** I copy and print exactly as written, we simply remove contact info: 


Hi There,

I'd like you to know that I've left negative feedback w/out contacting you for the following reasons. I received my box in perfect condition, no damage. When I opened the box and un-wrapped each of the individual crystals I found no crystal pieces to indicated it was damaged in shipping but yet at least 1/2 of them were damaged, ie: many of the crystal pieces at the bottom were chipped & damaged. Leading me to believe that these were wrapped and shipped to me knowing the condition of the product - damaged, as mentioned box was in perfect condition & there was no crystal debris, so it didn't happen in shipping. I purchased these as an added bonus to my brides maid & family gifts for our wedding and cannot not use half of them as they are so damaged I wouldn't even hang them in my own window.

Thank you so very much for wasting my time....



What a slap in the face!  I have never had a fight in my life so all I could do was shake, a few hours later as I write this now Im thinking Bridezilla? I also reviewed feedback they have left for others and this person is a negative nelly. This is what I call buyers that a chronic when it comes to leaving negative feedback.  We also pulled out the rest of our crystals for examination and did not find anything wrong with them. So I have no idea what this buyer is talking about.

Well I reply, it was short and simple.

We are not in the business of sending damaged merchandise. We would be happy to refund you upon return of said items. When we packed these we did not see any visible damage, nor were we looking as they are still in their original packaging received from the manufacture. Perhaps its a manufacture defect.

All you needed to do was send us an image of the 'defect' and we would have sent replacements. 



The crystals are still in the baggies I got them in from the manufacture, all I did was pull them out and place them into tissue paper and into a box for shipment. If there were chips I didnt notice them as I was not looking for them.  I didnt think I was rude in my email at all. I tell everyone if they just send me an image of the defect or damage I would help them out.  At this point I really didnt want to help them since they seemed to be set in their decision.

Then I get this reply:

Looks like you are in the business of sending damaged products, I see several other complaints, some even stating their product was damaged in the same way. I've already given them to my niece to hang in her outside tree house, only good place for them. I have a right to cop an attitude as I was sold crap, you on the other hand, another story. They were not in manufacturer pkging... they were wrapped in used, ripped, tissue paper... I'll just take my business elsewhere in the future. You're clearly blind if you couldn't see the chips & shards missing from the large hanging crystals.

I'd appreciate if you stop continuing to waste my time... here's a thought, maybe sell un-damaged products! :)


So now Im heated cause they didnt read my email I wrote before, they accuse me of selling 'crap' and that I am 'blind'!  Who says that kind of stuff?  I wrapped them in NEW tissue paper not used and they were never shipped in manufacture packaging besides how would they know if thats how I got them or not?  And even admits to having an attitude. Again I didnt think my reply was rude.  So the buyer decided to give them away. Seriously if you got something that was not in good condition wouldnt you contact the buyer? Ask for a refund? Replacement?

My reply:


Im trying to be nice here, and your being rude and obnoxious. I said I still have the crystals in the original packing, which I took out and wrapped in tissue paper when it was shipped. Thanks for reading my email and seeing only what you want. Ive blocked you already just stay away from us and we will no longer see you in the future. 


Figured Im done right? Well no - they had to put another knife in my chest with this reply:

Rude and obnoxious? Grow up! You are a real beaut! Have a great day!


At which point I asked them to stop harassing me or I will report them.

Unfortunately the only thing I can do about it reply to the feedback left for me.  Which may or may not tell my story since the buyers can reply to my reply and make the situation look even worse than it was!  Which this buyer did.

I was so hurt, people forget that I have feelings and I have to stop taking the feedback personally. It almost feels like they are saying Im a horrible person.  I try my best to do everything right and all it takes is one person to bring me down. This business is cut throat already buyers dont need to aggravate the issue.

So I have to remember negative feedback is like having scars. Thankfully some scars eventually go away.  Im going to attempt to report this buyer in any case. Lets see what happens.

www.stores.ebay.com/luzsbrain

Buyers not following the rules

So I like to write about my adventures on eBay and Amazon to give others the feel on how it is to sell in these platforms.

Just the other day I got a complaint from a buyer on Amazon - the complaint was the item they purchased exploded in transit and spilled all over them. They wanted a refund and they wanted me to pay for their dry cleaning! I was so mortified I was not sure what to do. Amazon is so strict and if this person filed a compliant I was sure to lose the money anyway. So I refunded the amount they paid, sent a replacement AND give them money towards dry cleaning! Yes I believe I was taken advantage of but I believe it will be a done deal and this person would 'go away'. Its been a week and I have not heard anything new and Im hoping it stays that way.

Now I get another complaint from someone on eBay this time. The complaint was the item they received was damaged. They complained about how I sent the item in a polybag and not a box and I am not a good seller, you get the idea. Well I ask for am image of the damaged item. The book had some bends in it but was not totally damaged. I asked that they send it back and they refused. They said its unusable and they demanded a refund without a return. They also said that they would give me such negative feedback if I didnt 'do the right thing' . I couldnt believe the nerve of this person.

Now eBay policy says I do not have to issue a refund until the item is returned. It also says if someone threaten to leave negative feedback & demands a refund without returning an item I can report them for feedback extortion! So what did I do? I reported them. They have not left feedback as of yet, but they gave me 7 days to refund the money before they do. And when they do I will report it again!

Now I wondered if this really does work and it does. I had someone a few months ago do the same thing and another seller told me about feedback extortion and well this persons feedback was removed. Had I knew about that sooner I would have used it and had another removed.

Too many times buyers say that they will refuse to send something back and demand a refund. Its against the rules! Dont let anyone do that to you!