Frustration with ebay at this time of year.....

[IrishPrint]

Where Ebay predicts how long it thinks post will take, is wildly inaccurate - and unreasonable customers open cases as soon as they know there's no tracking number - ebay gives them a refund and the product's gone, and feedback gets crippled.

It's wildly infuriating that every year at this time, that we need to account for a large chunk of profits disappearing into thin air because of how little ebay valued sellers and how lop sided their internal policies and procedures are.

Last year was before we opened our gift shop, but having been in retail for a while and used ebay under my older brands - this does my head in.

This year has taken it to a whole other level for me.

[UK Printed Mugs]

Indeed. That's why we shut up shop around 10 days before Xmas each year. The stress of dealing with people who are trying to buy personalised gifts last minute is not worth it. Especially if people don't send images straight away.

[James990]

The same problem is happening on Amazon.

I have actually told Amazon that they are complicit in the fraud that is going on with refunding customers their money when we all know dam well that they are late because of the post, and the customer is lieing when they either don't admit to receiving the item eventually or that yes they did but just want a refund!

I have been having a ding dong battle with one customer who called my telephone number which is not on Amazon, but is on that packing slip that I include with each item I send out!! So if he didn't receive the item how comes he knows the telephone number!!!?

[IrishPrint]

Indeed. That's why we shut up shop around 10 days before Xmas each year. The stress of dealing with people who are trying to buy personalised gifts last minute is not worth it. Especially if people don't send images straight away.

I set away today until Jan 2nd, will i come back to a bunch of refunds or does setting the shop to away give me until that date to respond to cases?

[James990]

I'm shutting both tomorrow at 12 and re-opening after Christmas.

[UK Printed Mugs]

I'm afraid you will have to respond to cases still. Or just ignore them and take the hit when eBay auto refunds them. Holiday mode basically means nothing when it comes to communication. We all take the hit for the failure of Royal Mail and eBays policy of loving buyers and hating sellers.

[mrs maggot]

Been really lucky (she says hanging on to dear life to the wooden desk) had 4 people email me rather than opening up a dispute, all of their stuff was posted on either the Saturday before the snow or the Monday of the snow, I replied telling them the items were definitely posted as I remember walking in the snow as it was too bad to drive. They have all since had their items, a little late, but they have had them.

I had 2 cases opened again for the same reason, I replied to them, asking them to wait a few more days for them to arrive due to the weather, both responded, saying they would wait, and have since closed their cases.

I always reply to the case, without refunding, although eBay hates it, regularly emailing me telling me "you have not responded" ie: you have not refunded them. Quite often it is just down to the customer getting a reply that you are aware of a delay.

I also send everyone of them a message at the moment it reads : Item posted today 2nd class as per listing, it is unlikely that this item will arrive before Christmas despite eBay's dates given, as these vary from Royal Mails website. Please allow extra time for delivery thank you.

It also helps if you normally do same day dispatch, to lengthen your dispatch time, as it gives a wider delivery point, we change ours regularly if we are away at a show, rather than shut the shop.