Suggestion to vendors

[shorthair]

Recently, I bought something from a vendor recommended by someone here, and while the attention was pretty decent and prompt, there were a couple things missing: tracking number on shipping, and all questions answered.

One thing that addresses both of these was that I asked for a tracking number and the question wasn't even answered, let alone given a number. I'm not saying anyone here does this, but just to emphasise: both for reasons of assurance and to avoid general hassle, go the extra millimeter (or maybe centimeter) and provide a tracking number for items shipped.

In my case, though he said it'd be two days (um, yeah, okay), it turned out to be five. Then UPS didn't come to my door, so not even a note left, plus the office staff missed it in the pile the two times I went and asked if anything came. So, after a week goes by I'm bugging this guy about not getting it. Of course, not getting my questions answered made me a little suspicious, but I was convinced of at least the earlier reputability of this vendor that was conveyed by the person who recommended. I did finally pick up the items, and they appeared to be in excellent shape - but the affair was a little, unnecessarily, messy.

[AlexC]

Great topic. I'm not a vendor or anything like that but anytime I sell anything I have to ship I always send an email to the buyer with the tracking # right away.
That way my job is done and the buyer can be at ease that they're not getting ripped off. A few seconds to send an email avoids a lot of frustation.   

[Stobe]

Depending on the number of sales received from this site, it could get a little time consuming, I imagine.

Everything I sll and ship is via USPS Priority, and I believe paypal sends a tracking number to the buyer.  But historically, the tracking number didn't update until a few days later, and it is only a delivery confirmation number anyhow.  It doesn't actually "track" anything.

For websites that ship UPS, and have it intergrated into their ecommerce, its nice and easy.  But as far as I know, most vendors here are doing this all part time, and all manually.  That's probably why getting tracking numbers may be slow.

My 2 cents (free shipping)

-Stobe

[pointdablame]

I agree with Stobe... most folks here (including a good chunk of the vendors) seem to use USPS as their primary shippers, and their Delivery Confirmation numbers are totally useless.

I send people numbers after a sale and it remains as "Electronically notified" until after the person is playing with their new item.  If you use UPS or FedEX, I agree its good practice to send out the tracking #, but they don't appear to be used much by folks here (at least in my experience).

[divemaster127]

The only tracking usps offers is on express shipping, regular priority is for delivery confirmation only, it only updates when the order is delivered, so the only real benifit is for the seller
dm

[NightGod]

If you are shipping Priority and ask the people at the counter to scan the boxes when you drop them off, then the tracking gets a bit better-at the very least the buyer knows the day it's in the mail, I've even seen it get a couple of scans along the route, as well.

But it only happens if they actually hit it with the scanner at the drop-off site, otherwise you'll never see anything on it until it's in the buyer's hands.

[Samstag]

I just shipped a non-priority package with delivery confirmation using an automated kiosk and it tracked the origin, one regional site along the way, and the destination.  I also signed up for email tracking at the usps site and that worked pretty well although it doesn't update until each evening.

[shorthair]

I just shipped a non-priority package with delivery confirmation using an automated kiosk and it tracked the origin, one regional site along the way, and the destination.  I also signed up for email tracking at the usps site and that worked pretty well although it doesn't update until each evening.

Mm, I was unsure about USPS. Good to know.

[Stobe]

A few weeks ago when USPS hiked up their rates on priority, I recall reading something about tracking vs. just confirmation.  But I ship priority every day and haven't noticed any difference yet (except the prices ).

-Stobe

[Buddabing]

Okay. Report your experience in the wiki.

[shorthair]

Okay. Report your experience in the wiki.

Hm. Didn't know there was a wiki place for that.