Question: I ordered <insert-title-here> on <insert-date-here> and website said it will be delivered by <insert-todays-date-here>.
It is around/on/past that date and it is not here yet.
Can you please tell me why and when will I receive the item I promptly paid for?
Answer. 99% of the time when an item is not delivered in time it is because carrier had problems delivering it.
To verify this is the case please look at the tracking information available by simply using Google with your tracking number if no link for tracking is provided.
The tracking number for items ordered via eBay is available under the order details in the "My Purchases" section of the eBay menu on the left side of the "My eBay" home page.
The tracking number for items ordered at our site is currently available only under the PayPal details for the payment. We are working on making it vailable through the site, but it is problematic since PayPal does not provide means of automatically obtaining generated shipping labels and tracking numbers.
Once you look up the tracking number and see what the carrier says about it, see if the item was shipped at all.
Our normal shipping time is 1 business day. Sometimes that can extend to 2 or 3 days, but rarely.
Generally, if you do not see carrier reporting that they've received the package within 2 business days you have all the good justification to call us.
Once the package has entered the carrier system we are just as helpless about it as you are. We can only watch what is happening and wait until it appears at one end.
USPS in particular is well known to delay , damage and lose packages. We do not mean that as an offense to them or trying to unvervalue them in any way. It is just a fact that has to be recognized and considered.
We recognize the fact and deal with its consequences in several ways:
First, in many cases USPS is still significantly cheaper than private carriers and customers are very sensitive to price.
Second, while USPS is known to damage and lose packages occasionally so do others. Most common issue is delay, not destruction or loss. 8 out of 10 times or so USPS may delay to update information for the package, delay the package, but ultimately delivers it.
We have seen delays as long as 3 months (seriously!), but usually it is 7 to 10 business days within which time they tend to sort themselves out.
Third, until package is confirmed delivered by the carrier we are technically responsible for it. Which is to say that if it gets lost we have to take the hit and provide replacement or refund.
The question on when a package can be considered lost is an important one.
As per the above we have found that carriers (mostly USPS) tend to sort sorable problems within 7 to 10 business days of detecting those problems.
Therefore we give them that time before we take action.
So does PayPal and what that means is that even if a cutomer opens up a case, PayPal gives vendors time to respond, which time is about as much, so practically we can wait out. If tracking number shows that item was deliverd that is fine and case can't win.
If item is not delivered we're responsible anyway, with and without a PayPal resolution case.
Fourth, we do not promise delivery dates at our site. It is because we know better than to do that.
eBay, on the other hand, is responsble to its sharholders for attracting buyers faster than Amazon, so they do what they have to do even knowing it can be misleading. If you dig deep enough you will find out their delivery dates are only "approximate".
They do not stress it probably because who would advertise a date only to say it may not be correct, right?
Note there are some exceptions. Certain courier services are covered with insurance and guaranteed to be delivered within a certain time frame. At the time of creating this article this is only the USPS Express Flat Rate service available for some parts and components for some of our eBay listings.
As of the date of this article all listings at www.coppelltvrepair.com come with standard First Class, Priority, FedEx Ground or FedEx SmartPost (essentially FedEx branded USPS parcel service). None of those is guaranteed for time.
In conclusion, if you believe your package should have been delivered today, but it hasn't do not panic. Yes, it is unpleasant, but there is nothing we or you can do about it unless:
1) It has been more than 1 business day since the purchase and tracking number you have found still does not show carrier has picked up the package
or
2) Package shows as having been picked up by carrier, but tracking information was not updated for 10 business days
In either of those two cases feel free to contact us!
