eBay is a great place to buy and sell. It's become the marketplace of choice for so many of us when looking for just about anything. In just about all cases, we are not disappointed with the items we buy, quite a record considering the millions upon millions of transactions that take place on this site.
Shipping, however, is a whole new story. One that bears close scrutiny by the buyer and particularly the sellers, as it can easily cost repeat business and disgruntled buyers, who will not leave positive feedback and 5 star ratings. What I am talking about here is use of what I call "sub-standard" shipping services, such as UPS Mail Innovations, FedEx Smart Post and DHL Global Mail.
Many times sellers are offering free shipping and advertising FedEx or UPS shipping. After you purchase or win a bid, you may have issues tracking your package, and then find that your item or items have been shipped by one of the less expensive methods noted above. More discouraging is when the seller CHARGES you full shipping prices and then uses one of the cheap shipping methods so they can make extra money. Recently I paid almost Priority Mail shipping prices and the merchant placed a 5 ounce item in a plastic bag mailer, attached a label and shipped it. It took 10 days to get from New York to California by UPS Mail Innovations. They could have at least shipped First Class Mail for a little over two dollars and I would have had the item in 3 to 4 days. Needless to say, I will never do business with that seller again as they indicate that is their way of shipping, and they are not going to change.
Issues:
1. Many of the items in eBay are available from international sellers at a much cheaper price and will arrive at your door within two weeks or so. Many also ship free. I choose to buy from a US seller to get my items faster and then they use this archaic shipping method, so it takes almost as long as overseas shipping. So what is my incentive to buy from sellers who have the identical item for more money and slow shipping? None. And who lie about the real method of shipping to boot?
2. And for shippers who actually have the nerve to charge upscale rates for this service when they ship at super economy rates. Frankly, eBay should cease offering any of these sub-standard services. OR, require sellers to tell you in advance exactly what service they will use.
3, The "expected arrival dates" on your screen do not match anywhere with the actual date from these services. So, you can feel free to file a complaint in the Resolution Center if you do not receive your item within reasonable time. Maybe that will help people do the right thing with these shipping services.
Finally, the U. S. Postal Service is not happy with these partnerships, at least at the local level. The shipper tenders the package to FedEx, UPS, or DHL who then moves it about the country on their own schedule, by ground of course. The slowest way possible. After it reaches a ground shipper terminal, it then is tendered to a Post Office somewhere near you. But wait, the actual information must be sent electronically to the Post Office that releases that package so it can be sorted and delivered to you. That may take several additional days. I have had packages from 600 miles away take 7 days, two of those days sitting 30 miles away while the Post Office waits for the authorization to deliver.
This is happening all over the retail field as well. One company charges $13.95 for an order over $75 and then ships it by UPS Mail Innovations taking 8 days. from 500 miles away. In a soft plastic bag, no less, weighing about a pound.
It's buyer beware and seller beware. Losing your repeat business due to bad shipping policies will cost you lots in the long run. People want their items fast and failure to do so, advertising shipping slyly and not being truthful about the real method you are using will cost you big in the long run.
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