​Ebay rolls out guaranteed delivery program

By

P J Gach

Published
Mar 21, 2017

Ebay plans to step up things and get orders to customers at a much faster clip. Rolling out their new Guaranteed Delivery program this summer to United States-based customers, the e-commerce giant promises that some 20 million eligible products under the program will arrive in three days or less.

 
The auction powerhouse is has also released a new set of incentives to woo sellers. They include highlighting a seller’s merchandise in searches, and creating filters to find items that offer three, two, or one day delivery in return for speedy shipping.
 
"While the majority of items on Ebay already ship within 3 days or less, as well as for free, Guaranteed Delivery will give shoppers even faster delivery options and the confidence that their items will arrive on time," said Hal Lawton, Senior Vice President of North America at Ebay in a press release.

Why is Ebay stepping up their shipping? The obvious answer is to compete with Amazon. The e-commerce behemoth's successful Prime program and two day shipping has essentially made it almost obligatory for any e-commerce platform to deliver quickly and cheaply. Essentially, Ebay had to come up with a better shipping offer, both to attract consumers but also retain its sellers.

To assist sellers’ compliance with the program, Ebay has created two new tools. They are: a new work day calendar with cut-off times and expanded shipping rate tables. Both tools should allow the seller to create accurate delivery times and rates. If the seller cannot comply in the strictures of the new program, Ebay’s buyer protection clauses step in. A customer can request a refund on shipping charges. If the item was shipped free, the customer can request a $5 coupon to be used in conjunction with their next purchase.
 
Any seller can participate in this program provided they meet the requirements stipulated by Ebay. The site has 1.1 billion listings that are available at any time. And with 167 million active buyers on the site (on any given day), these incentives could move a seller’s profit margin directly into the black, not to mention brand loyalty on both sides of the deal.