The "has shipped" message is generated when the vendor goes to the shipper's website and prints the shipping label. The "received by shipper" message is generated when the PACKAGE is actually in their custody.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Here's another thing..This one kinda irks me..
When I pay by Pay-Pal I get a order has shipped even though its Sunday or a Federal goof off day-aka Holiday and the post office is closed and the friendly mail person is enjoying the time off..
Here's why..As soon as the seller prints my address Pay-Pal automatically sends "Your order as shipped! notice.
BTW..The fastest turn around was from MBK from time of order to delivery by USPS priority three days.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I have bought a number of one-off items from several small sellers on E-Bay over the past 2 years, and received nothing but the best of service (and communication)- I remember dealing with the UPS pickup service at our family business- the regular dropoff/pickup was M-F, and Saturdays, you had to call for a special pickup if you had one. Give some of these guys a break- they are working on small margins in many cases and need to balance their delivery service usage against their sales activity in the most efficient manner. Given the quality of service I have had- even with electronics parts purchased from Hong Kong with a 2 week+ time frame, the fact that I can get pretty much what I want (except that darned Grain Belt Beer Boxcar, I will opt for a bit of patience over raising my blood pressure.
If you can't get a response from the seller, then ask E-Bay to intervene- their business relationship with the seller gives them some leverage.
Cedarwoodron
As others have pointed out, most larger Internet sellers don't drop off packages with the shipper. Rather, they place their shipping request into the shipper's computer system and then wait for the shipper to pick up the package from the Internet seller's place of business. That does not necessarily occur on the same day.
Case in point. I recently ordered an item from Tony's Train Exchange on a Thursday morning. On Friday afternoon, I received a notice that the item was shipped. Although I paid extra for UPS, TTE mistakenly shipped USPS. I quickly emailed to point out the error. I then heard nothing until Monday afternoon when TTE emailed me to report that they were able to change to UPS before USPS picked up the package. So, the reported shipping on Friday did not actually happen until Monday, three days later.
Regarding USPS 2 Day Priority Mail, that is a joke. On two recent occasions, I shipped items that I sold by USPS 2 Day Priority Mail, and I personally dropped off the package at the Post Office, paying extra for the 2 Day. In one instance, it took three weeks and in the other instance it took 7 days, and both packages were dropped off on Monday mornings. In my experience, 2 Day Priority means nothing to USPS and it is routinely ignored. To make matters worse, USPS Tracking is an even bigger joke than 2 Day Priority. It is normal to see nothing on USPS Tracking until the package is delivered.
My advice is to always use UPS or FedEx, preferably FedEx, cheaper and faster, and FedEx delivers on Saturday whereas UPS takes the day off on Saturday.
Rich
Alton Junction
Whatever I order locally here in Germany, it reaches my doorstep not later than 3 days after I turned in my order. I recently received a package mailed from Oregon and it took only 6 days to get here. That deserves a ! OTOH, a package I sent to a friend in Louisiana took a month to get there. It hit Ft. Worth/Dallas airport two days after I posted it, but took over three weeks to clear customs and get delivered. That´s clearly a .
I have also noticed that when the shipping label is printed, it might show up as shipped, but it might not even be in the "system" until it is actually picked up and scanned by the shipping agent.
Mike.
My You Tube
I think that part of it may be that you can take packages to a shipping point, but that point may not picked up daily by a truck to get it moving. Though I don't know how to do it, I understand you can print up a USPS label at home which enters the package into the system, but if you don't put it out for pick up, it doesn't move. A given online retailer may only be picked up two or three times a week, even though the labels are printed up and the package recorded in the system at the time it is packaged and labeled.
Just my thoughts.
Have fun,
Richard
Many times the item is packed and waiting for pick up by the carrier. When the sender go on-line and makes the request for pick up, the notice seems to go out. It may not be even picked up until the next day. If parcel tracking is available, you can see this happening. Also, many of the parcels are 5 business day shipping. Some of the package delivery firms are giving a discount if the shipper will wait until a certain day for pick up - They are balancing their workload.
Back in the late 60's, I would mail an order to America's Hobby Center(remember them?), and it would take 2-3 weeks before the package arrived! What really amazes me is how fast a Netflix DVD gets back to Netflix and a new DVD arrives at my door!
Jim - and I see that the forum software did it's thing with the formatting again!
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
It seems we all are "guilty" of wanting the item in our hands as soon as we press "enter" when we order something online. Just like being in a store and walking out with it. I know I am.
I have also waited about 2 weeks and NEVER recieved a "order has shipped" or even "order is on hold" notice, and have called to be sure they actually got my order, and strange how it gets processed that afternnon!
And so, to avoid the business's operations being "targeted" as to inquiries as to "when will my order be here", they seem to illegitimately tell us "order has shipped" when it hasn't actually left the building with Elvis.
Secondly, some places DO have the item "in the shipping box ready to go" thusly "shipped", but only have the shipper pick up on certain days or when there are enough orders to actually go out, OR to space it out so the shipper doesn't get ovewhelmed. Reember last Chrismas? the SHippers got overburdoned? At least UPS did on "2 day shipping" items.
There have been a number of {disappointed} threads about ebay shippers who only ship once or twice a week, causing the same turmoil as you describe above.
It is the sign of the electronic age, I guess.
You takes yer chances, just like taking chances in driving all the way to the store to find they don't have what you want in stock.
Just keep it in mind the next time you order something. From anybody.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I don't know if anyone else has this problem or has noticed but it seems that more and more of even the good internet shops we deal with, no names because they are still good and in some cases the only places to get what we need for our hobby, but it seems that they are much more frequently sending out an "order has shipped" notice and the item ordered does not show up at UPS,FED EX, or the USPS for several days. Just had an order from one shop, well known and respected that took 7 days for Priority 2 day shipping, although it only took 2 days from the acknowledement from USPS that the item had been actually picked up until delivery. I wouldn't mind the time involved but would rather have a notice that shipping would be in a few days instead of shipped when it hasn't been.