Buyer expects delivery before the dispatch date?

[BirdzyShop]

How does this make any sense?

I need to ship by Dec 20th but the buyer expects to have it delivered by Dec 19th?

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/q8weiamgnee66vz32y8gu/etsy.png?rlkey=x0proin3b0j7pehp3m0d1kt39&dl=0

[CryzalisMasksUK]

It is obviously a glitch, did the buyer contact you for quicker delivery?

[digitaldoodlebug]

If your processing time has a range, then the first EDD can fall in before the end of it. Say I have a 1-5 day processing. If ordered today I have to ship by the 18th (absolute latest). But I could ship tomorrow so etsy shows the first day of arrival to be the 13th or 14th. 

[BirdzyShop]

That's a problem. So why have a range then?

[digitaldoodlebug]

Because it can arrive within that range. They can't say it will arrive any one day when there is a range of possibilities. If you don't want a processing time range you could set it to just 5 days. There would still be an EDD range as shipping time varies. But it would not start before your 5 days. Provided you ship around 5 days as etsy also takes into account our shipping history...

[JustMeToo]

@BirdzyShop   When I am given a timeline by a buyer that is under a month, I refuse to do the transaction.  It is not my problem if they don't purchase with plenty of time to spare, and I'm not going to worry about it arriving on time.  As the saying goes "lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine".  I would rather enjoy my business.

[SimplyInvitingLLC]

It's definitely a glitch they are not going to fix. It's been in my shipping labels section for over a year now. Yesterday an order that came in that isn't technically supposed to ship until Monday, the buyer's expected delivery start date was... YESTERDAY! Same Day arrival? All the nopes. Don't panic... my work around is putting a line in the Shipping Notes to buyer:  "Your order is expected to arrive at the latest by..." and then put the end date E gives you. It seems to only pertain to USPS Ground Advantage orders (aka Standard Shipping), as all of my Priority orders don't have the "may arrive late" warning. Also, since it's been in my dashboard, I have never had any issues with delivery lateness.

[DougsVintageStore]

Its been like this for months, wonder why they dont fix it.

Maybe to keep us on our toes to get things shipped soonest.

[Adorabilities]

Etsy thinks you may ship on the first day of your processing time. If you did, they think the earliest it could arrive is Dec. 19. They're not beginning the date range on the very last day of your processing time.

What's funny to me is when it says something like:
"May Arrive Late"
And then the delivery date and "buyer expects" are exactly the same date.

[homegrownhat]

I’ve just searched the threads to ask about this. I had two US orders last night. One has a buyer expects date 20-23rd Dec. I have a processing time of 5 days as I make to size order. The 2nd has a buyer expects date of 23rd Dec - 9th January. 
I have message both to check if it’s a gift because neither of them will get there by the holidays from the UK but messages don’t seem to be 100% reliable either.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

Also send a copy of the message to their email.

If they expect it in time for the holidays, inform them that is not possible or realistic unless using a overnight express courier service.

If they are aware, it may not get to them in time for the holidays, proceed with the order. If they want to chance it with normal post and want it in time, I would cancel and refund.