Top 50 China Dropshippers

If you have an eBay online dropship business or are an eBay seller of any type, you should be paying attention to the new changes coming concerning shipping.

These changes in shipping options were announced back on July 13th as part of the Fall Seller Updates, and are set to go live on September 20th.

Here is what eBay has to say about these changes:

“Industry-standard shipping terms—Economy, Standard, Expedited and One Day —are coming  the week of September 20th. These shipping options will be displayed prominently along with estimated delivery time on the item page and in checkout. Listings will be automatically updated with the new terms. If you currently use “Standard Flat Rate Shipping”, “Expedited Flat Rate Shipping” or “Other (see description)” you may want to update your listings with one or more of the new options.”

eBay’s theory is that this change will save time for sellers because questions about shipping cost and time of delivery are key reasons why buyers or prospective buyers contact sellers.

So, eBay says that starting this month, shipping options will be prominently displayed with an expected time of delivery time frame using “industry standards.”

Buyers, eBay says, will have a familiar, consistent experience, clear choices and the right expectations for delivery.

eBay claims that this will make for a more streamlined experience for sellers since they won’t have to spend as much time answering shipping related questions, and also improve DSRs.

Doesn’t this all sound just wonderful?

Yes, it does.

However, many sellers feel that there is a fly in the honey. Why? Because there will only be four shipping options with the estimated time frame for delivery as follows:

1. Economy: 1-10 business days
2. Standard: 1-5 business days
3. Expedited: 1-3 business days
4. One-day: One business day

These estimated delivery times are supposed to factor in the sellers handling time.

So, if you sell items that weigh less than 13 ounces and have been using First Class Mail, this will apparently fall under “Standard Delivery” and have a delivery time of 1-5 business days.

That doesn’t allow much of a handling time for the seller, does it?

Furthermore, how is that supposed to furnish the buyer with a better idea of when to expect their widget? There is quite a difference between one day and five days!

Besides, with standard shipping, even Priority Mail, do we honestly believe something is going to be delivered in as little as ONE day?

Of course not.

So, as usual, eBay’s changes will just muddy the already murky water on the marketplace. You should be watching for these changes and adapt your online dropship sales eBay listings accordingly.

If you liked this article, you may also like this one: 

How to Write Effective eBay Titles for Drop Ship Products

 

Start your own online dropship business today!