Ebay related: Do you show shipped before it's shipped?

bsshog40

I was just wondering. I bought an item on ebay and the item shows shipped but no tracking number. So I emailed the seller and they say that their software will show shipped once the item is paid for even though it hasn't shipped. That seems very misleading to me. Do any of you sellers use a similar software?

Kliao

No. For me it shows shipped once I’ve paid for and printed the shipping label.

Joe_360

Same here.

For me it shows shipped once I’ve paid for and printed the shipping label.

derryb

when label is printed in PP or Ebay, item will show tracking number and "shipped" before it gets to usps. Tracking normally shows when it actually got to usps.

PhilLynott

If I sell something on ebay or here or anywhere my average time from confirmed payment to out of my hands at the post office is like 2 hours. I know higher volume places can't do that but I don't think they should mislead by pretending they can and marking it shipped instantly. At the end of the day though it's not a big deal really just a minor annoyance.

ms70

.....

AUandAG

Yeah, ebay has no clue as to when you hand it over to the PO so they only go by when the label is printed.
That being said if it is mailed in a non-printed envelope (label not printed through ebays system with the PO) then the seller can mark it shipped without tracking at all.
I do this on coins that fit in a business sized cardboard mailer in a regular business sized envelope. Just use two stamps and don't print a label. I have to manually go into the ebay system and mark it as shipped. Ebay cannot track such a package.

bob

bsshog40

The seller said it was their software that auto marked shipped. He said he would send me a trkg # when it actually ships. So I'm presuming that their software isn't part of ebay.

Cougar1978

No - once I print shipping label it will show shipped.

airplanenut

Does it not show the tracking number at all, or just not show tracking information (ie, time stamps as the package moves through the system)? I'm much more versed in the seller view of a transaction than the buyer's side, but there are times when I go to order details and it looks like there's no tracking loaded (I see a link to add tracking--oh no! my software didn't load it properly) and then when I click on it, it takes me to another page where I can add another number, but the correct number is there. If the same thing happens in your view, it may be that the number is there and valid, but eBay is cranky and having trouble showing it to you.

MWallace

If you have a tracking number, go to usps.com and type it in there. It'll say something like Shipping label printed, awaiting acceptance by USPS.

Jimnight

Yes ... been there.

tommy44

As others have stated above if a label is printed via eBay or PayPal it gets marked as shipped and the buyer is notified regardless of whether it is actually dropped off or picked up by the post office, including the tracking number. For lower priced items, especially foreign bank notes or postcards, I simply hand address the envelop and apply appropriate first class postage then mark as shipped when I actually mail it, no tracking number involved.

oldabeintx

What I find annoying are the sellers who print the label, but sit on the package for a few days before actually delivering it to the PO. When I was a seller, worst case next day. I probably shouldn't constantly track, would help my blood pressure.

TwoSides2aCoin

As soon as I buy a label it says shipped. Tracking starts after the USPS receives it with a scan.

Walkerfan

The system marks It as ‘shipped’, once it’s paid for and shipping label created but not actually taken to the post office yet. Once it’s dropped off at post office, the tracking info will then say ‘accepted’. I found that out pretty quickly.

jesbroken

This is going on all the time now. I get shipped notices with a tracking number and if you check, the P.O. says it hasn't received the item to ship yet, just that a tracking number has been issued. Probably happens more than not. Don't get me wrong the item most always ships within the day or 2, just not when the tracking number is issued.
Jim

bsshog40

Ok, so I bought my item 2 days ago. Later that day I received an email from ebay that the item has shipped. There was a shipped folder on the item. So I didn't see a tracking number and I waited til yesterday to see if they could provide me with a tracking number as I live in the county and our mailman is not very reliable. Here is the response that I received from the seller.

**Hi Bobby,

Thanks for your inquiry. We will send you a message with the tracking information once the item has been shipped.

Our fulfillment software automatically marks each item as shipped once the buyer has paid so that’s why you see the status as shipped on this order. Apologies for the confusion.

Any other questions, please let us know.**

Davideo

I question that there is a fulfillment software that notifies eBay it has shipped before a label is created. Unless there is a special "eBay Hack Mode" you don't want fulfillment software to say it has shipped until it has. Perhaps it does have that mode simply to avoid getting flagged for not shipping in a timely manner, and in the software it still shows as unshipped.

bsshog40

@Davideo said:
I question that there is a fulfillment software that notifies eBay it has shipped before a label is created. Unless there is a special "eBay Hack Mode" you don't want fulfillment software to say it has shipped until it has. Perhaps it does have that mode simply to avoid getting flagged for not shipping in a timely manner, and in the software it still shows as unshipped.

This is what I figure also. Ebay shows I should receive the item by Sept 18th which is friday. I still have not received a tracking number from them, so no way it's here by friday.

bsshog40

So I just got a tracking # with Bluecare express. Says will be delivered by thurs. Hmmmm

OPA

@bsshog40 said:
Ok, so I bought my item 2 days ago. Later that day I received an email from ebay that the item has shipped. There was a shipped folder on the item. So I didn't see a tracking number and I waited til yesterday to see if they could provide me with a tracking number as I live in the county and our mailman is not very reliable. Here is the response that I received from the seller.

**Hi Bobby,

Thanks for your inquiry. We will send you a message with the tracking information once the item has been shipped.

Our fulfillment software automatically marks each item as shipped once the buyer has paid so that’s why you see the status as shipped on this order. Apologies for the confusion.

Any other questions, please let us know.**

Total b.s. I do not believe that there is a software that will indicate shipped when payment is received, but not a shipping label created.

FYI,,,If a label is printed on weekends or when the PO is not open, the label itself may indicate a following or next PO business day shipping day, ( the seller has that option to date the shipping label), however, ebays system will indicate: shipped when the label was printed.

MasonG

@OPA said:
Total b.s. I do not believe that there is a software that will indicate shipped when payment is received, but not a shipping label created.

You're wrong. I use Auction Tamer and it will mark a listing as shipped on eBay when you record the sale through AT without needing to create a shipping label. I just did it.

derryb

@bsshog40 said:

@Davideo said:
I question that there is a fulfillment software that notifies eBay it has shipped before a label is created. Unless there is a special "eBay Hack Mode" you don't want fulfillment software to say it has shipped until it has. Perhaps it does have that mode simply to avoid getting flagged for not shipping in a timely manner, and in the software it still shows as unshipped.

This is what I figure also. Ebay shows I should receive the item by Sept 18th which is friday. I still have not received a tracking number from them, so no way it's here by friday.

Ebay "estimated" or "guaranteed" delivery date is an ebay algorithm based on seller's handling time and method of shipping. It's just an ebay estimate that the seller has no control over.

derryb

@OPA said:

FYI,,,If a label is printed on weekends or when the PO is not open, the label itself may indicate a following or next PO business day shipping day, ( the seller has that option to date the shipping label), however, ebays system will indicate: shipped when the label was printed.

When printing shipping labels on line be sure to select the correct day of mailing. Labels created in the evening or the weekend will show the wrong date. I have had shipments denied at the counter and returned to sender for this.

OPA

@MasonG said:

@OPA said:
Total b.s. I do not believe that there is a software that will indicate shipped when payment is received, but not a shipping label created.

You're wrong. I use Auction Tamer and it will mark a listing as shipped on eBay when you record the sale through AT without needing to create a shipping label. I just did it.

If that's the case, it's a flaw in their program & needs to be addressed & corrected by ebay.

MasonG

@OPA said:
If that's the case, it's a flaw in their program & needs to be addressed & corrected by ebay.

Unless eBay eliminates the option of marking an item shipped without tracking as "shipped", there's not much they can do about it.

bsshog40

@MasonG said:

@OPA said:
If that's the case, it's a flaw in their program & needs to be addressed & corrected by ebay.

Unless eBay eliminates the option of marking an item shipped without tracking as "shipped", there's not much they can do about it.

Agree. Once you sell an item, you can mark shipped without giving a tracking #. I don't mark shipped until I drop it at the post office but I think after marking shipped, putting in a tracking# is just an option.

CoinJunkie

@OPA said:

@MasonG said:

@OPA said:
Total b.s. I do not believe that there is a software that will indicate shipped when payment is received, but not a shipping label created.

You're wrong. I use Auction Tamer and it will mark a listing as shipped on eBay when you record the sale through AT without needing to create a shipping label. I just did it.

If that's the case, it's a flaw in their program & needs to be addressed & corrected by ebay.

Not everything sold on eBay gets shipped with tracking. You can also mark any sold item as shipped manually. You can subsequently add a tracking number manually, as well. I don't know how eBay determines whether the seller met the stated shipping time in such instances.

EDIT: Even if the item ships with tracking, postage may be paid at the PO or by a non-eBay app, so the manual entry methods must exist for those cases.

derryb

@bsshog40 said:

@MasonG said:

@OPA said:
If that's the case, it's a flaw in their program & needs to be addressed & corrected by ebay.

Unless eBay eliminates the option of marking an item shipped without tracking as "shipped", there's not much they can do about it.

Agree. Once you sell an item, you can mark shipped without giving a tracking #. I don't mark shipped until I drop it at the post office but I think after marking shipped, putting in a tracking# is just an option.

You can also undo the marked as "shipped" in a drop down ebay window if your software marks it "shipped" too early.

derryb

@CoinJunkie said:

Not everything sold on eBay gets shipped with tracking. You can also mark any sold item as shipped manually. You can subsequently add a tracking number manually, as well. I don't know how eBay determines whether the seller met the stated shipping time in such instances.

Ebay algo uses the first scan by the shipping company to determine actual ship date. Although ebay algo uses the stated shipping time to determine it's "expected" or "guaranteed" delivery date, I believe actual ship date (determined by first scan at the shipper) only matters if seller is getting Top Rated status and FVF discounts.

EDIT: Even if the item ships with tracking, postage may be paid at the PO or by a non-eBay app, so the manual entry methods must exist for those cases.

PP label purchases will auto update ebay "shipped" and tracking number which can also be manually entered, changed or removed in ebay by the seller. Registered requires purchase at usps counter and shipped/tracking info can be entered manually at both PP and ebay. Seller is in control of ebay display of "shipped" and "tracking" data.

MasonG

@bsshog40 said:
I was just wondering. I bought an item on ebay and the item shows shipped but no tracking number. So I emailed the seller and they say that their software will show shipped once the item is paid for even though it hasn't shipped. That seems very misleading to me. Do any of you sellers use a similar software?

I answered the question about software in the affirmative in an earlier comment. As a followup to that, aside from responding to buyers' inquiries through the eBay message system, I do not rely on eBay for invoicing/managing sales or contacting buyers. As far as "misleading" goes... I send an email to the buyer telling him when his item is being shipped so if there's any misleading going on, it's being done by eBay.

bsshog40

Well my item showed up today, one day earlier than ebay predicted.