Etsy’s Estimated Delivery Times Wrong!! Half the time the Carrier advises…

[CocoRoseCollectibles]

Has anyone noticed the Delivery windows Etsy advises on the orders aren’t the same as the carriers?! 

I shipped a package from Canada to Mexico using Canada Post Small Packet Air. The approximate delivery window according to Canada Post is 10 - 14 business days, which is what I advised customer in shipping confirmation email. The ship date was April 18th, with Mexico having a stat holiday during the ship period the estimated delivery date is May 3- May 9th, or thereabouts. There is no tracking or guaranteed delivery date with this service, just an approximation. The customer reached out on May 9th to say the package hadn’t arrived yet. I advised the delivery date was approximate and that it will most likely be there by next week and if it still hadn’t arrive by May 16 then to let me know. On the morning of May 12, the customer opened a case to say he hadn’t received the item (didn’t request a refund or say anything other than it hadn’t arrived). And within the exact same minute the case was opened, Etsy stepped in and gave him a full refund, without giving me a chance to upload the shipping receipt or respond..nothing. When I called Etsy, they advised it’s an automatic feature…ie Etsy immediately refunds all cases opened for shipments without Tracking! 

So first, I’ve had a delay on this shipping service once before…years ago…and Etsy advised that I upload a copy of the receipt showing that I had dropped the parcel off at Canada Post and then told the customer to wait another two weeks..as they had chosen the shipping service without tracking (I offer all services). That seemed a reasonable step in this process. This time though…I had no ability to respond, upload a receipt…nothing…they fully refunded and closed the case within the exact same minute it was opened. I have no ability to appeal the decision, nothing. 

Secondly, after calling Etsy about this case (their customer service has vastly improved and is much more accessible and all reps I’ve spoken to were good, patient etc), I went back into the order and noticed that Etsy’s Delivery window was way off. As mentioned I shipped April 18th…and Etsy’s delivery window..which gets mentioned in final shipping confirmation to customer, and is also on the order page, had an estimated delivery of April 26 to May 4th, but Canada Post’s delivery window was May 3 to May 9! It’s no wonder the customer opened a case. What I was advising my customer wasn’t the same as Etsy’s Delivery window. 

So there is a technical glitch. After looking at other orders using this service (the most popular choice for outside North America)…Etsy’s delivery windows aren’t jiving with Canada Post’s. At a closer look…it appears that the delivery window is being based off the order date…and not the ship date! I will endeavour to call Etsy again tomorrow and advise them …there is zero chance of an item getting to its destination in half the time the carrier advises. 

I understand that if I shipped using Etsy labels then they may have let me have a say or backed me up…but Etsy has recently advised that shipping with Etsy labels program will not count towards your own discount program with your carrier. So, if you ship a lot or have other stores outside of Etsy, this will hurt your discount levels on your business account with your carrier. 

Anyhow…double check that the Etsy Delivery window matches up with your carrier’s, especially if there isn’t tracking and call it in to Etsy. TBH, I haven’t even looked at the delivery windows for tracked packs so not sure if they’re an issue too?! Luckily the Tracking would circumvent a refund..but still it’s an issue that should be fixed. After all..most of us don’t ship the same day of the order and the customer will be looking at the dates Etsy advises. It also opens us up more to scammers…if they know there is this glitch..it’s a really easy way to get items for free. At the end of the day the customer got their item for free, I have back the money Etsy took from my account for the refund and Etsy is out of money for the order and shipping. So not good for Etsy, for our customers expectations and experience or for us and the amount of time spent trying to rectify each order this affects.

[PrimFun]

The information for the estimated delivery comes from the postal system.  Etsy is not in control of that.

I have not had any glitches with delivery dates in the 10+ years I have been on Etsy.  I've had other glitches but not this one at all.

I just recently shipped on a day different from my processing time frame.  It gave me the correct information about when it would be delivered and what the buyer expects.  It gave me the different delivery dates for both.   The package arrived as stated

When you ship do you get the package scanned so the number is entered right away when delivered to the post office?  That may be one source of issue with dates. 

I'm not sure about calling Etsy for very important issues.  I'm not thrilled with Chat or phone as they are not actual Etsy employees but oursourced service.

[CocoRoseCollectibles]

Thanks for your input.  I did wonder if it was Canada Post’s dates that were coming through wrong on Etsy as it is a Plug-in. I haven’t had this issue with tracked packages. But this service, Small Packet Air, is by far the most popular choice for packages outside Cda/USA, so I allow it to be an option for those customers as Tracked can double the shipping cost. 

At any rate, Canada Post, on their site, is giving different, correct, delivery date windows than what is on Etsy. Just had another order, to the UK, ships out May 16th and Etsy estimated a delivery of May 24 to June 7th. That’s a delivery window starting at 6 business days (and doesn’t account for 2 stat holidays in that window). Canada Post has the Delivery window for this service at 10-14 business days. Neither Etsy or Canada Post windows are accounting for two stat holiday during this period. Anyhow, for whatever reason these dates aren’t aligning 🤷‍. Fortunately in this case both Etsy and the Cda Post windows close on the same day so not a big deal other than the customer may be looking for the parcel earlier than it could ever be there. But with the Mexican one, the Etsy window closed too early…allowing the customer to open a case. And Etsy fully refunded and closed the case before I had a chance to respond.

Etsy Customer Service said the system is programmed to step in and process a full refund now as part of the Buyer Protection Plan for untracked packages. Which would be fine except it isn’t taking into account possible explanations for the delay or in this case a software glitch and a stat holiday. This would have been a nightmare if this was happening during Covid with all the delays at various post & custom office, or a weather related issue, etc. I guess what I’m realizing now is we really need to have a chance to respond to all cases, regardless of shipping method, in case there is a reasonable explanation for a delay. Not to mention, this shipping service is approximate delivery date. So that’s a wee bit of a pickle too. The method of dealing with this before worked pretty well. Etsy asked for proof package delivered to the post office as it is untracked, uploaded it to case file, they ask customer to wait x amount of time and so on.

Etsy Customer Service was very helpful; the case has been escalated to their IT dept, but still my time and Etsy’s money lost. So, yeah..heads up to those who ship Small Packet Air internationally…if the delivery window is incorrect and shorter than Canada Post’s, I’d give Etsy a call and rectify asap…before the delivery window closes. Fingers crossed Etsy is able to fix this glitch sooner rather than later!

[TickleYourWitch]

I find the Canada Post estimates (they're bot Etsy's) pretty accurate. Mexican mail delivery is notoriously unreliable. 

[CocoRoseCollectibles]

It defo was a surprise…not something I’ve had an issue with before. It’s just with Small Packet Air the dates don’t line up. And I’ve never had Etsy resolve a case the same minute it was opened! Lol. They did say that was new (see my crazy long reply on the board for more info). If I had a chance to respond and alert them to date issues, they would have advised customer to wait. Sadly, can’t undo a closed case.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

Remember when Etsy minded their shop (when was the last time sign-in worked properly?) and did not insinuate themselves into ours?

I don't know about everyone else, but things went just fine for me and for my customers.
Everyone got their orders; everyone was happy.

[TheKiltedKnitter]

I've always thought there was something weird going on with Etsy's delivery dates. I'm in Australia, and the distances some of our domestic letters have to travel is large. The order I currently have was ordered yesterday (14th May - Sunday so I couldn't post it). The dispatch by date is 18th May and the range of the delivery date is 18 May - 7 June. Obviously it is not going to get from one side of Victoria to the other on the same day, so this makes no sense to me. I generally just post as soon as I can (mostly the next day) and cross my fingers.  

[GlitterHazeBoutique]

I have noticed this as well. It’s extremely frustrating. I will ship something internationally and Etsy’s estimated delivery dates sometimes started before the package even has to be mailed out. Absolutely ridiculous 

[JoolsbyAveril]

I don't know if this is the right thread. But I'm angry

 First you deactivate one of my items, which by the way was made up of lapis and crystals. There was no reason to deactivate it. Now I see you have my online shipping and tracking at 67%. I have always given a tracking # and estimated delivery time to all of my customers. Is this a ruse to make me  buy your etsy labels?

Averil Muraay

[CraftyCornishMaids]

you can download the CSV, to see what orders etsy think were not marked as shipped on time with tracking, 
and whether it's the date that is the problem, or the shipper/tracking number

The item has to be marked, and the shipper and tracking number entered on the order, by the ship by date, it can't be done later.

I don't buy etsy labels, but I do enter the number, and mark as complete, by the ship date,

you don't need to buy etsy labels.

[SimplyNorthDesigns]

I know this is a slightly old thread but I'm having this problem now. Canadian shop here and all orders are weeks off of Etsys estimates to buyers. I have a 1-6 day processing time window and on day one of this im already being told that the order will arrive later than Buyer expects it... I'm sorry, WHAT ETSY?! Then you just get the we'll forward your concern on and then never hear from Etsy ever again regarding said matter. Did anyones dates ever clear up??

[WildGrowthCreations]

If it's not a technical glitch, then I feel Etsy is punishing us for being faster than our processing times sometimes.

My processing times are 3 days. My timelines are the tracked packet USA, set with the system. My labels are Etsy labels. Today I sent one out that did not need to go out for another 2 days, and I got a "Buyer Expects this date!!" notification.

It wasn't even supposed to ship for another two days.

When I needed all three days, I stopped getting these notifications.

After sending the packages out on the same day a few times, I'm now getting these notifications.

I though Etsy's goal was to encourage us to send mail faster, but I have to admit, this makes me want to stop being fast if it's going to lie to my customers about their delivery dates.