There's been a lot of dialogue the last several days about "immediate" shipping. PLEASE define for me what YOU mean by immediate shipping by posting in the comments section of my blog at http://bethssoapbox.blogspot.com/
Posts/comments on Facebook will not be included (the point of a blog is to build a blog following not to enrich facebook any more than they are already rich..ya know?)And then watch this blog later for a follow-up post on the so-called "Industry Standards"
Here's the question again - DeFINE Immediate shipping.
What does that mean to you (and please include info on whether you are a buyer only or a buyer/seller or a seller only)
Use quantifiable terms: is immediate within 4 hrs, 12 hrs, 2 days, 2 weeks or 3 mos?
If you buy today (SUNDAY) do you realize I can't ship most stuff today? So what do you expect in that situation?
If you buy at the start of last weekend's 3 day weekend, how does that change your perception of "immediate" shipping or does it.
During the run-up to a holiday like Christmas, Valentine's Day or Mother's Day are you willing to pay extra for expedited shipping to get the item faster?
Besides higher shipping are you willing to pay for Premium Processing time (mean I really will drop what I'm doing, wrap/pack the item and take it straight to the Post Office)
This is NOT a debate over whether we should be doing immediate shipping. It's a discussion of the definition of immediate shipping. All other remarks will be deleted so please don't do that.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
My buyer expectations of immediate shipping vary based on the type of company I am purchasing from. With a large company, i.e. Amazon, immediate shipping means the same business day. If I am shopping with a small company on eBay, Etsy, etc. immediate shipping means 48 hours. I am also fine with reasonably longer shipping if the seller has good communication.
Easy-immediate ship is by end of business Monday - Friday, but same day if possible. I do ship on weekends, mostly because I want to move out as much as possible. During the week, I try to time my trips to the post office so I can squeeze in as many last minute orders as possible-just to get them off the plate.
Also, I am in a extreme quick ship mode the next 10 days because many of the items purchased from me are for Fathers Day.
Immediate shipping really is just whatever meets the needs of the buyer. I guess I am reminded of this from a sales call made with my boss at the time about 25 years ago. It was one of our biggest customers and they were ready to place a large order with us. The buyer asked "When can I have it?" and my boss replied as usual we will get it to you in 6-8 weeks. We flew back from the visit expecting the order on the fax right away. Well we quickly learned they paid more and ordered from someone else who could deliver it in 4 weeks which is when they needed the stuff. The order was ours if the answer would have been "When do you want it?"
Since I have the item, the mailing supplies and a post office open till 6PM I'm going to process the order immediately. It takes me the same amount of time whether I do it today or tomorrow, so I can use that time that I might have done it tomorrow for listing or another activity.
Great Post to make us all think. I mainly sell and seldom buy anything online. To me immediate ship is the same day or up to and including the next day.These are business days. If it sells at 4 in the afternoon I will pack it in the evening but it won't go out til the next morning.
I have always wanted to get stuff out of the house as soon as it is sold maninly to have it gone as much as for fast shipping. I have one day shipping and since I don't sell a huge amount I am able to do this.
I mainly sell on AZ and there is a 2 day shipping requirement there.
I know immediate ship means so many different things to so many people.
Post a Comment