eBay announces new "on-time delivery metric" and returns policy

In a post on its website, entitled “Simpler, more objective seller standards”, eBay said that it was introducing the changes so that sellers’ performance (particularly with regard to delivery) would “rely more on objective data instead of subjective buyer inputs”, postandparcel.info reports.

With regard to the new on-time delivery metric, ebay told sellers that orders will be registered as being on time as long as they meet any one of the following criteria: item tracking status shows as ‘Accepted’ within your stated dispatch time, item tracking status shows as ‘Delivered’ within your estimated delivery time and the buyer confirms that the delivery was made on time.

Deliveries will be registered as late when tracking information are not uploaded and buyer confirms the items arrival after the estimated delivery date. Moreover, tracking testifies to no acceptance scan within the stated dispatch time and the items arrival after the estimated delivery date. In addition, the buyer either does not confirm that the item arrived on time or states that the item arrived after the estimated delivery date, the source cites.

The new system will come into effect from 20 February, 2016. In the same website post, eBay also announced that, from 1 May 2016, it will be extending the required returns period for eBay Top-rated sellers from 14 days to 30 days for most listings.