posted on October 19, 2000 04:02:28 PM new
Well after having so many problems with packages being very late and people thinking they were never going to get them. A few have even went so far as to posting negative feedback. I called the post office and complained. The post master told me that all mail going out bookrate and parcel post is taking alot longer, that they are backed up. She said that they mailed a package bookrate to a city 36 miles away, just to see how long it took and it took 4 days to get there.
I am now going to have to insist on everyone paying priority mail, and insist on everyone paying for insurance, which before was optional. But I am a little upset because I got a negative from someone who today wrote and said she finally got the item and it was post marked the date I said I mailed it. That really BITES. I got a negative for a item I mailed and the bidder was happy with, and ebay will do nothing to remove it. I am also having to refund money for a item to save myself from getting another negative. Even though the person refused the optional insurance. And I also have been forced to go to a exchange feedback policy, where as before I would leave feedback as soon as I got payment. I always figured that I am honest, I get payment, mail the item immediately, and post feedback, and I will never have any problems. But lately my posting possitive feedback right way has hurt me. People are more likely to post a negative without trying to work it out or wait for the item, as soon as they see you have already left them a negative. Some things are just a loose loose situation!
posted on October 19, 2000 04:28:15 PM new
Rooki: Instead of 'having' to only offer priority mail (which has its delays) couldn't you just put something in your TOS that states:
"After speaking with my postmaster I have found that bookrate and parcel post are taking much longer to arrive than normal. Please keep this in mind."
posted on October 19, 2000 04:32:59 PM new
I wont, only because I am tired of the nasty emails from people wanting there money back on items that were mailed, and I have no way of having it traced because they refused insurance. And at least priority gives you somewhat of a guerantee of 2-3 days delivery.
posted on October 19, 2000 04:33:59 PM new
The few items I have shipped book rate have always taken much longer than priority. I had one large book take 3 weeks, and this was last year.
posted on October 19, 2000 05:50:58 PM new
I have found great differences between various post offices. The one near my work (Harbor City, CA) is so slow....., however, the 2 nearest my home (Seal Beach, and Los Alamitos, CA) are very fast. Packages mailed from Seal Beach/Los Alamitos arrive within 2 days even if going to the east coast, while Harbor City may take forever.
As for delivery confirmation, I only use it if item is shipped to apartment or business. The post office is now supposed to give you a printed receipt showing zip code mailed to and date. This helps with tracing "slow" items. Delivery confirmation is not insurance--it just states item was delivered.
posted on October 19, 2000 06:48:56 PM new
It is not just limited to book rate...I mailed a payment to Ebay priority mail and it still hasn't been recieved...It was mailed out on October 3rd...
posted on October 19, 2000 07:34:02 PM new
I have to stand up in defense of the post office. I always ship priority rate (insured) except for books which go book rate unless specified otherwise. I've had a package get to England in 6 days and most of the others in the US arrive within a couple of days. I always ship on the day after I receive payment, and sometimes the same day if I'm headed for the PO. In the two years I've been selling, I've only had one item get lost and two broken, and I ship a lot of fragile glassware. Today I got an e-mail from a guy who said "All I can say is Holy Cow! The packaged arrived here so fast that I had to
blow out the fire. Speed is the answer here. The item is great and I really
appreciate (it). Again, thanks a lot and I have left (with
speeeeeeed) a positive written response." The lady from England said I was "brilliant" and one from a town near me said it was a "miracle." With ego-boosting feedback like that, I'm sticking with priority and my home-town helpful post office guys.
