eBay.com Web Site Technical Questions and Answers

[Mark Twain]

Ebay 12/19/20 Update. I've bolded what I think is most important. One of the mods might want to pin this: https://community.ebay.com/t5/Announcements/Seller-Protections-extended-for-shipping-delays-and-Northeast/ba-p/31444414

Further complicating carrier delays from record-breaking shipment volumes, a major winter storm has hit the Northeast and could impact some deliveries. We are continually monitoring carrier networks, shipping performance, and are also closely following the inclement weather paths. To those sellers who may be affected by severe weather, please stay safe.

 

We are extending estimated delivery dates and are adding additional time to receive an initial carrier scan for all sellers. This additional time for the first physical carrier scan will be applied to transactions from November 15th through the end of the year. Because the December standards evaluation period is this weekend, we will review and adjust your standards as needed retroactively to mid-November. 

 

A reminder of how you and your business are protected during this time:

eBay will acknowledge your products were shipped on time when any one of the following happens:

• Tracking shows a physical carrier scan any time within your stated handling time.  Effective November 15, this includes an additional 2 days  from the standard handling time window you’ve committed to in your listings to accommodate extended delays 
• Buyer answers “Yes” to item arrived on-time when leaving feedback
• Tracking shows a delivery scan within the latest delivery date for the shipping service selected  

Even in cases where a buyer may see a faster delivery estimate, your shipment will be considered on time if it arrives by the latest day for the shipping service. For example, if you use a standard shipping service with a 1-5 day delivery time plus your stated handling time of 2 days, the item needs to arrive within 7 working days. If your package is delivered any time during this period, we recognize that you shipped on-time.

  

We will automatically remove any defects, and associated negative or neutral feedback for “item not received” cases closed without seller resolution when: 

• Tracking was uploaded and has a physical scan from the carrier before the case was opened.
• A delivery scan shows the item was delivered after the case was closed. 
• In addition, these cases will not impact your service metrics rating.   

We continue to monitor and evaluate carrier transit time and delays and we’ll make adjustments where necessary.

[ravenb99]

1 hour ago, brickvoyeur said:

I've been giving the buyers an option. If they want it, they can resend payment. If not, a package intercept. Have yet to have a buyer opt for the package intercept.... but I expect that to change in a few days. The bright side is after the refund, the secondary direct PayPal payment is void of the eBay fees. Their loss for not protecting me better

In the end, if necessary, I'll eat the intercept cost to avoid being out the product and the money.

lol the success of a postal intercept is low to begin with,  doing one now would be like winning the lottery.

[Phil B]

My last sent package that was up in limbo is out for delivery today ... phew. But I'm big time FBA and only a few EBay and BL/BO orders.

LEGO shipments OTOH are still all over the place. Have a few orders from 12/8 that are still in "Pre-shipment" according to USPS. 

[exracer327]

wrong thread

Edited December 23, 2020 by exracer327

[BrickLegacy]

https://amp.detroitnews.com/amp/4003771001?__twitter_impression=true

Sorry, it appears the article is behind a paywall.

Summary from a reporter:

Four days spent waiting in a truck cab. Bottles of urine left on the ground outside. Fights over attempted cutting in line.

Drivers delivering holiday packages to Metro Detroit face hellish conditions amid a crush of shipments and a thin postal workforce

[Bold-Arrow]

19 minutes ago, BrickLegacy said:

https://amp.detroitnews.com/amp/4003771001?__twitter_impression=true

Sorry, it appears the article is behind a paywall.

Summary from a reporter:

Four days spent waiting in a truck cab. Bottles of urine left on the ground outside. Fights over attempted cutting in line.

Drivers delivering holiday packages to Metro Detroit face hellish conditions amid a crush of shipments and a thin postal workforce

yup, lets make fun of the Motor City. @BrickLegacy knows no shame. 

[exciter1]

I'm having USPS stuff stuck in Newark, NJ since 12/10 as well. 

[Lego Lass]

3 hours ago, exciter1 said:

I'm having USPS stuff stuck in Newark, NJ since 12/10 as well. 

Atlanta Peachtree is my current nemesis…two items ordered on 12/1 and "Pending Acceptance" in this hellhole since 12/9. And my last item shipped out via eBay, unfortunately also stuck in purgatory here since 12/12. Double damn you Atlanta!!

[zaphoid]

Christmas Eve and I've still got 5 shipments stuck in USPS Purgatory, surprisingly none of them have opened INR cases yet.

[KShine]

1 hour ago, zaphoid said:

Christmas Eve and I've still got 5 shipments stuck in USPS Purgatory, surprisingly none of them have opened INR cases yet.

I don't even want to count them.

[KvHulk]

I dont even look at my shipments unless I'm contacted by a buyer. No sense in stressing over things I have no control over.
Thinks its time for mimosas...

[Darth_Raichu]

1 hour ago, zaphoid said:

Christmas Eve and I've still got 5 shipments stuck in USPS Purgatory, surprisingly none of them have opened INR cases yet.

Have you set "Text & Email Updates" on those tracking #s ?  That worked surprisingly well to get my packages through the glut.

I have 1 left in limbo.  When asked for refund, I just directed buyer to open INR

[zaphoid]

48 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Have you set "Text & Email Updates" on those tracking #s ?  That worked surprisingly well to get my packages through the glut.

I have 1 left in limbo.  When asked for refund, I just directed buyer to open INR

through some Christmas miracle everything is now showing delivered.

 

50 minutes ago, KvHulk said:

I dont even look at my shipments unless I'm contacted by a buyer. No sense in stressing over things I have no control over.
Thinks its time for mimosas...

I watch mine because I typically don't leave feedback until something shows a delivered.

[Brickshopper]

1 hour ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Have you set "Text & Email Updates" on those tracking #s ?  That worked surprisingly well to get my packages through the glut.

I have 1 left in limbo.  When asked for refund, I just directed buyer to open INR

I am curious as I have seen this logic before. Do you think it is the fact you signed up for updates that helped the package along or Is it, and always was it, just going to be delivered when it gets delivered???/ Like someone on the other end sees you signed up for updates and gives your package special treatment finds it and speeds it along on its journey. I am curious as to why otherwise logical people would think they can influence the delivery time of the package after it is shipped by signing up for updates..???

[BrickLegacy]

I am curious as I have seen this logic before. Do you think it is the fact you signed up for updates that helped the package along or Is it, and always was it, just going to be delivered when it gets delivered???/ Like someone on the other end sees you signed up for updates and gives your package special treatment finds it and speeds it along on its journey. I am curious as to why otherwise logical people would think they can influence the delivery time of the package after it is shipped by signing up for updates..???

My best guess is it triggers something internally which results in the package getting prioritized based on a performance metric.

I’ve had success with this before but I’m not sure if its helped during the Xmas pandemic.

I’ve signed up for about 30 alerts hoping for a miracle...

[Phil B]

4 hours ago, zaphoid said:

Christmas Eve and I've still got 5 shipments stuck in USPS Purgatory, surprisingly none of them have opened INR cases yet.

I have a Target UPS order for which a label has been created on the 17th but UPS is still waiting for the shipment. I thought that with UPS I wouldn't have any of the delay shenanigans, but it looks like the delay is on the Target side in sending the package to UPS.

In other news, had a nervous buyer who started messaging me about his USPS package being stuck without updates last week. Decided to use the official USPS protocol for a missing or delayed package and used their online form to notify the receiving post office for an investigation. To my surprise, after the package got delivered yesterday, they called me to inform that the item was now delivered. Never thought they would have time for that - was a nice gesture.

[exracer327]

I have have three packages with USPS (I hand delivered them myself) had no movement for 10+ days.  

I went to: https://emailus.usps.com/s/ 

There are six options below where you enter the tracking number.  Top, left is "Where is my package?"  When you fill in all the info (ship-from name/addr, ship-to name/addr, etc.) it will show on the tracking info that you initiated a "Where is my package inquiry". 

So far, one package magically showed up and is supposed to be delivered today.  The other two are still in limbo.  But the buyers appreciated my initiative.  Being a small-fry it's not too much trouble for me to fire these up when there is no movement.  I can't imagine doing this for dozens let alone hundreds of shipments.

[Darth_Raichu]

3 hours ago, Brickshopper said:

I am curious as I have seen this logic before. Do you think it is the fact you signed up for updates that helped the package along or Is it, and always was it, just going to be delivered when it gets delivered???/ Like someone on the other end sees you signed up for updates and gives your package special treatment finds it and speeds it along on its journey. I am curious as to why otherwise logical people would think they can influence the delivery time of the package after it is shipped by signing up for updates..???

My only logical explanation is it sends out distress signals to the Keebler Elf, Dobby, Deedlit, and Legolas to help deliver the packages

[ravenb99]

the text updates definitely gets them moving,  I do them after 6 days ,  had to make a special ringtone for texts though so I don't keep looking at phone,  getting 500+ texts a day from USPS is pretty fun.

Good news down to 27 undeliverable from 11/28 to Dec 11.  Plus nice seeing a string of 10 delivered texts.  Haven't made up a list of Dec12th and forward, still to many out there.

 

 

[Mark Twain]

the text updates definitely gets them moving,  I do them after 6 days ,  had to make a special ringtone for texts though so I don't keep looking at phone,  getting 500+ texts a day from USPS is pretty fun.
Good news down to 27 undeliverable from 11/28 to Dec 11.  Plus nice seeing a string of 10 delivered texts.  Haven't made up a list of Dec12th and forward, still to many out there.
 
 

I concur but have no clue how this is remotely possible given the sheer volume of packages. They’re likely moving them in batches and if a certain number from a batch get dinged they pull them to the front. There’s simply no way that they cherry pick through to find individual packages and then nudge them along.

[ravenb99]

6 minutes ago, Mark Twain said:

I concur but have no clue how this is remotely possible given the sheer volume of packages. They’re likely moving them in batches and if a certain number from a batch get dinged they pull them to the front. There’s simply no way that they cherry pick through to find individual packages and then nudge them along.

Yeah they are all batched and tagged from what they say. So would assume they get buried and if enough notices come through they are found.  I've had strings of packages not moved together so assume all sitting in the same cart.  I know a few postal inspectors were at our locations this week making them scan everything in the office.  Got in trouble for it so also could bring that on if enough are done.   Definitely not looking for each one but probably more a cart or batch that gets buried.   Also not as successful through this but in normal season it's worked 99.9% of time for me the last 2 years.   

[Brickshopper]

If everyday at 5:45 I text the sun and remind him to come up. (This works 100% of the time BTW). Did I cause it to happen or is it something that would happen anyway that I did not influence whatsoever but misunderstood the correlation and causation of two unrelated events.... Like these items will be delivered  99.9% of the time anyway so how do we know the text update is what caused the 99.9 % of packages to be delivered as they would if there were no text updates???? 🤪

[Bold-Arrow]

U know it is bad when your cousin’s husband sends you this . 

[Fcbarcelona101]

For those of you that have continued using USPS (or have restarted), have you seen any changes over the last couple of days in regards to delivery delays? Wondering when it may be ok to start shipping 1st Class and Priority again (I realize it has only been a couple of days and the backlog is huge, so it will probably take a while for it to go back to "normal")

[House Schubert]

priority package shipped on the 14th is out for delivery today.  Wash. DC to KC

[exciter1]

I have stuff shipped at the end of November still sitting in Columbus, PA, NJ, all over the East Coast.