eBay to Roll Out Guaranteed Delivery for 20 Million Items

by: E. Tomchin

It's ridiculous.  Many packages are going to fail to meet the guarantee and eBay is going to blame it on the sellers.  There are so many reasons I don't sell on eBay anymore and this just adds one more.

by: mindelec

remember when hal was bragging about becoming a powerseller?  doesn't sound like he learned a damned thing about the realities of selling on ebay...

" Carrier Leave If No Response.  Meaning: Free (no questions) item replacement on any claim of no receipt"

yeah amazon no longer accepts delivery confirmation as proof of delivery UNLESS shipping is purchased from amazon at a slightly higher cost than purchasing it elsewhere...  learned that the hard way a few months ago on a $40 book.

by: Toledo Maude

Slowly over time, I have seen eBay turn my eBay business from a promising growth platform to the ''death of 1,000 cuts''.

Since 2003, my eBay strategy has been to forget about selling my soul to the eBay devil in hopes qualifying for questionable eBay seller perks and simply list my items and hoping for a few sales.  Also, I started diversifying my listings.  Thanks Etsy!

This month and last month, I noticed that I no longer qualify for the lowest level Power Seller and the minimal Top Rated Seller status.  Mother would spin in her grave if she knew.  

EBay business was slow before that and now the future does not look good for this long time eBay seller.  However, Etsy is producing better and better results for a fraction of the grief and fees chared by eBay.

Now this latest wonderful ''seller's tool'' will not be offered on my eBay listings.  But I have to wonder about the short and long term negative impact on my eBay sales.  Ah those wonderful algorithms!

by: pace306

The point is - theres NO NEED for this "program", its a pure waste of time and money.

Even a 3 yr old understands that this is eBays "me too" way of saying - "we are as good or better then Amazon and Walmart".

eBay also "understands" that doing a program this way "costs them nothing".

How many times do you think eBay will actually pay out? VERY LITTLE - if you have been an eBay seller. I'd have to guess it will be the same amount as when eBay pays out for Returns Fraud.

Its the classic "emperors new clothes" story, just updated for 2017 viewing.

Sure, I believe eBay when they say its "optional" ... so is taking returns ... until the MBG policy over-road ALL sellers policies.

If eBay wanted to do this, all they had to do is pay to upgrade ALL TRS and TRSP shipments from FC mail to Priority Mail. It would be less then the $5 game and no one whos not a good shipper would be left out.

But that assumes (again) that eBay actually plans on paying out .... Id bet anything that the pay outs stop after 2 days.

eBay never looks to improve the site on their dime, they never have and never will - and this wont be ANY different.

Great - you get a shiny new badge - does it make up for the fact that eBay just took %10 away from you (TRSP sellers) or have you forgotten so soon (how much eBay loves you).

This is what playing at SXSW gets you.


We need more ecommerce and less Sopranos on eBay.... maybe one day ... but im not holding my breath.

by: Ming the Merciless

Actually sellers will pay twice for this program if they choose to participate -- first the even higher fees and then if the THIRD PARTY DELIVERY SERVICE fails to deliver it on time.

Does anyone really expect ebafia to pay? Theyu may for a while until the lower discount slush fund dies up, and then it will be the sellers' responsibilities.

Despicable piranhas -- Wenig, Lawton, and Burke.

by: Rexford

The race to the bottom on pricing isn't enough. eBay implement these schemes that take money out of sellers' pockets left and right.

Great business partners, eh?

by: Bob

I've been selling on EB for almost 12 years.  I'm a TRS Plus.
I've jumped through most of the hoops every year to get where I am.  And I have gotten more sales each year.
But this is one hoop that I won't jump through.  Recently a Buyer who bought a birthday present too late, tells me they expect to receive it on the date promised.  I don't promise a date because I don't deliver the mail.  But using EB's ''On or before'' delivery estimate, she looked at that as a promise date.  Lucky for me it was delivered on that date.  So when Guaranteed delivery arrives on EB, and the package doesn't, Sellers will have to pay for half of the cost of the refund, probably get negative feedback, and maybe even loose the sale, loose more if you shipped it free, and either the Buyer keeps the item, or you pay half the cost of shipping to get it back.
All Sellers should avoid this terrible idea buy NOT buying into this stupid scheme.
Sellers often complain about things, but never get together.  This is one thing that we can get together on.
Sellers: Do Not sign up for Guaranteed Delivery ! Please.

by: Marie

@Bob

Some things in what you have stated aren't in the policy as it was announced.  You are mixing together the two different options which is I think is causing the misunderstanding.

There are two option inside this program.

One is regarding your stated handling time ONLY with label verification.

Two is D2D, this one I see as very risky.  But for some it could be a viable option they want.

The policy also offers some FB protection.  There are some advantages to the first option in this program that may very well help you and others.  Especially since you are TRS Plus [which means your handling time is within the rules of this program] and if you offer free shipping on any of your listings.

I'm not trying to encourage you to opt into the program, but I do encourage you to do a little more research on the program before firmly dismissing it as an option as you might be passing on something you already do as a TRS Plus seller so there is no additional compliance for you but there could be additional benefits for you to take advantage of.

by: Bob

@Marie
"If a guaranteed item arrives late, the buyer can request to have their cost of shipping refunded. If the shipping was free, then the buyer will receive a coupon to be used towards their next eBay purchase. Alternatively, the buyer can also choose to return the item at no cost."

If late Buyer can request to have the cost of shipping refunded.  Who do you think will pay this?  The Seller will pay 1/2 half ebay 1/2. If the shipping was free the buyer receives a coupon to be used toward their next purchase.  Seller pays 1/2 ebay pays 1/2.  The Buyer can choose to return the item if delivered late.  Seller looses sale, looses money paid for free shipping, pays one half of the return.
You are wrong if you think ebay is going to pay for it all.  
p.s. There is no such thing as Seller Protection in reality.

by: Marie

I can only share with you what I've learned from what I've read so far on the subject.  Certainly many things can change between now and the time they actually release the program.

''If late Buyer can request to have the cost of shipping refunded.  Who do you think will pay this?  The Seller will pay 1/2 half ebay 1/2.''  There are two options in this upcoming policy.  So when learning how this program is going to work it can be a little confusing if you don't recognize the differences.

If a seller has opt'd into guaranteed their handling time (0/1 day) and they meet that but the delivery is still late, the seller WON'T have to pay anything if the buyer request their original shipping back, Ebay will cover it whether it is through cash or coupon.  I don't remember reading anything about a 50/50 liability, but that is interesting.  

Yes, buyers can choose to return an item if it is late.  But if the seller opt'd into the 0-1 day shipping and meet their obligation, Ebay refunds or gives a coupon to the buyer for the original shipping and the return shipping label.  The seller would be responsible to refund the product price once the item was returned.

If the seller did not meet their obligation on 0-1 shipping, then the seller would refund the shipping IF the buyer requested it.

In saying this, my guess would be that unless you are seeing return request now because the buyer feels it arrived late, you may not see much of an uptick when this policy goes into affect and if you opt in.  Buyers typically want or need what they purchased.  But until the programs starts and we have some time in using it, the impact is hard to say.

If a seller has opt'd into D2D and delivery is late, no matter the reason, then seller will pay.

by: comet

Seems  as  if  this article  has  been revived.  Somehow I must have  missed it  the first  go round.  

I  don't do "Free Shipping"  now  nor  will I ever unless  the PO  decides to give ME free shipping!

I already  have noticed  that FeeBay  is  CHANGING  my shipibng!  I  haver a SET SHIPPING PRICE  with in the US  for a lightweight item I ship  all the time.  HOWEVER!  Last week I noticed that ebay is showing  this price TO THE BUYER-but  when I went to see  the "Print Shipping Label" section  the shipping  there that I am paying a "cut"  of  is over a dollar more!  

Why would I EVER  trust  FleeceBay  to  get ANYTHIING right--except  lining their own pockets????  

It's on me  to  look further into  the amounts  ebay is  charging ME  for--and I DO NOT USE EBAY SHIPPING OR PRINT THEIR LABELS!  Putting  THEM in CHARGE  of  my  shipping  times  and  potentially costing ME  when the PO  screws  up----ain't  NEVER gonna happen! And unless I  sell nothing--whuich is  next to what I am selling NOW--FleeceBay is already hiding  my items  and only opening  "windows"  occasionally--why ELSE  would I be  suddenly selling THREE of the SAME items to--Canada?  And  then THREE of  those same items again to--Kentucky?  And NONE to--anywhere ELSE?  (They also reported that I had over 800 views  on a pair of kids  snow boots--in ONE DAY!)  Sheesh.