A place where you can find almost everything, and at an attractive price, is the largest eBay online auction. Here, sellers and buyers from all over the world meet, and purchases are sent to different parts of the world. This site works both as an auction and as a regular online store where you can purchase goods at a fixed price. It’s worth mentioning about the latter separately - sometimes these are really ridiculous amounts for pretty high-quality things, although anything happens. In any case, if you are a shopaholic, then not glancing at eBay will be a crime! However, despite the obvious advantages of shopping at this auction store, many of our compatriots still hesitate to make their first order. And why? Because I heard a lot of myths that the goods do not go to Russia or that things just do not reach their destination, they are delayed for several months, etc. Listen, it's not so complicated. Rather, on the contrary, it is very simple and convenient. Not for nothing that the services of this online auction are used by people around the world. In order to dispel your doubts and help you figure it out, we’ll tell you how delivery takes place and how to track an eBay package sent to you by a seller from another part of the world.
Choosing a product and receiving information about the seller
You have visited an online store or auction on eBay. In order to sort the goods by the method of their purchase, use the special search functions, choosing only "buy it now" or "auction" (participate in the auction). Next to the description of the selected item, you will see information about the seller himself, his rating, delivery method, as well as the price including delivery or information that it is free (as a rule, this occurs with sellers from Asia).
Seller reviews - guarantee successful delivery
After you have chosen the thing you like, do not rush to purchase it. Now, if you want to protect yourself, read on eBay reviews about the delivery of things purchased from the person whose product you are interested in. They are an integral part of the work of the entire auction and are very important for its participants. If the seller picks up some negative reviews, they simply will not buy anything from him. This is clear. If there are a lot of positive assessments, then this is a signal of reliability: you don’t have to worry that something will be wrong with the delivery or the thing itself. Thus, eBay is a self-regulating system, and there are almost no scammers or dishonest participants here. If everything suits you, then buy a thing, having previously contacted the seller. Depending on how the sale of a particular product is carried out, a payment method is chosen : immediately or after the end of the auction at the last bid price. Payment occurs through PayPal.
Delivery Options with eBay
How can items purchased at eBay be shipped? Delivery depends, first of all, on which method of purchase you have chosen - directly from the seller or through an intermediary. There are pros and cons in each case. In the latter, an obvious drawback is the final cost of the goods, which can significantly increase when using intermediary services. This option should be chosen if the seller does not deliver to Russia (for example, sells only in the US). In all other cases, it makes no sense to resort to the help of an intermediary.
Delivery without the ability to track the package
On the page of the selected product there is information on how the delivery takes place. Some sellers choose the cheapest option, in which the parcel cannot be tracked. Usually this is free shipping on eBay (it is also very slow). If possible, it is better to refuse such a transaction, or be prepared to remain in ignorance until the parcel finally reaches your post office. This option is suitable for cheap orders, for which you don’t mind losing money for something unforeseen.
Tracking packages delivered by different delivery services
Most sellers on eBay are Americans, for which our citizens love this service so much. Things from America are usually very high quality even at a low cost, such can not be found in online stores in China or Korea. So, these sellers, as a rule, stop on delivery by means of USPS. This is the United States Post Office, known as a very reliable and well-functioning organization. Your parcel is delivered to the border with Russia precisely by its forces. Moreover, this is carried out in the shortest possible time - from 2-3 to 5-7 days maximum (but this is rare). How to track a parcel with eBay while your product is in America? You can do this directly on the site of the American postal service.
Tracking the parcel after crossing the border
Further, the parcel is delayed at the border, where the customs control passes . Products shipped by USPS are generally not particularly inspected (unlike commercial services). Then, the Russian Post takes up the matter, which can be "transported" with your parcel from a week to two or three. Where to track a parcel with eBay after crossing the border? You will be able to observe relevant data about everything that happens with your order on the Russian post site.
The fact is that often the seller indicates only the final delivery service in the product information, so buyers can not find their package until it leaves American land (or another foreign country). In this regard, the delivery indicated on eBay should not mislead you, much less make you worry if the goods are not found on the specified service, and the seller claims that he sent it.
Parcels sent by express service
Above we talked about government delivery services. Their indisputable advantage is their cheapness and greater confidence on the part of customs (they are rarely checked and very quickly checked). However, in terms of waiting time, they lose commercial. Therefore, many prefer to use courier services. These are the well-known EMS, DHL, UPS and others. The order will be delivered in a short time and directly to your door. Of course, the cost in this case is slightly higher, but for someone the time is more important. So, if by Russian Post an order with eBay will take 3-4 weeks, then when using EMS it will arrive for 2 weeks. In addition, each package is automatically insured (about $ 100).
How to track an order with eBay if you choose courier delivery? Very simple. All information will be available on the website of the service you use (EMS or any other). In addition, there are special resources that provide tracking services for mailings, regardless of which delivery method was chosen.
Special services for tracking packages
There are special resources designed to facilitate the task of tracking orders sent by mail. There are a lot of them, but the most popular of them are as follows:
- PostTracker;
- TrackitOnline
- "Where is the parcel";
- "Rides Somewhere";
- "My package".
You can register on one of the mentioned resources and receive up-to-date information on the movements of your parcel by Email. There are special applications for computers and smartphones that perform the same functions. For example, a convenient program for Windows is Track Checker. In order to use these services or the official resources discussed above, you need to know one very important detail - the track number of your parcel. We will talk about him further.
How to track delivery from eBay using a track number?
The track number is a unique postal identifier that is assigned to each parcel at the time of its sending. He will be able to answer you the question of how to track the goods on eBay after its purchase. This number gives the buyer information about all the stages of the movement of his order.
You can find the track number on the eBay website in your personal account. It will be indicated next to the photo of the paid and shipped goods in the "My eBay" tab. If you cannot find it, or there is a dash in the corresponding column, then there may be several reasons for this:
- This type of shipment does not provide the ability to track the parcel (cheap delivery);
- your purchase has not yet been poisoned;
- the order has been sent, but to get information on it you need to contact the seller (maybe he just didn’t indicate this data).
If you received the corresponding number, then make sure that it meets the international format. This is necessary in order to be able to track the parcel.
Track number in international format
The track number should have the following form (in the indicated order):
- two capital letters (indicate the type of post office);
- nine digits (the first eight are the unique number of the item, the ninth is the verification code);
- two uppercase letters (sending country).
For unregistered international mail items weighing no more than 2 kg, the designations LA-LZ are used, for registered - RA-RZ. If the weight exceeds 2 kg, then CA-CZ. If the parcel is issued by express shipment, then EA-EZ. Parcels sent by express delivery can have their own international track numbers, which are tracked along the entire order path, regardless of the territory in which it is located.
If the indicated track number fails to track the parcel on any of the above services, then most likely it has not yet been registered with the postal services. It is worth waiting a few days, and then contact the seller to clarify the circumstances.
Tracking reseller orders
As we already mentioned, you can use the services of intermediaries to make purchases on eBay. This is convenient when the seller does not deliver to Russia, or if it is necessary to form a parcel from goods purchased in different places. At the same time, you can independently choose one of the proposed delivery options (rather than agree to the one installed by the seller). After payment for the goods, two letters will come to your email address: the first one about making a purchase on eBay, the second one about delivering it to the warehouse of the selected intermediary (it will arrive later, up to 24 hours from the date of payment). How to track an eBay purchase made through an intermediary? There are two options.
On eBay
It is important to note that in the case of a purchase using intermediary services, in the "Delivery address" field on eBay do not indicate your home address, but received from your intermediary. Since the seller will send the order to him. First you need to know how to track an item on eBay. In your account there is information about the status of your order. If you received the letter "Order update", then your package has been sent by the seller and is sent to the warehouse. Already at this stage, you can track its movement using the "Go to Order Details" function. In the order details, you will see a blue highlighted tracking number. By clicking on it, you will receive information about where the order is located, and what happens to it.
On the website of the intermediary company
Since the seller sends the goods to the intermediary, you can learn about his future fate from the latter. For example, for intermediary services you have chosen Shopfans. Go to her site, enter the data to enter your account and get into your personal account. There is a tab "Orders" where you need to register your purchase. To do this, enter:
- seller name - eBay: name;
- The order number in the store itself is the lot number on eBay;
- tracking number - the one indicated in your account on the eBay website.
Click "Add" to save the order information. Now you can see when the goods arrive at your intermediary’s warehouse. After that, you either send it to your address, or combine it with other orders placed and only after that give a delivery order. Here, in your office, you can observe the status of your parcel (sent, where it is, delivered). Now you know how to track an eBay package issued through an intermediary.
Conclusion
If you still have not decided to make your first purchase on eBay, then after reading this article all doubts should be dispelled. We examined questions about how delivery from this online auction can be carried out, and how to track an eBay package sent in various ways. In addition, options for purchasing goods directly from the seller or through an intermediary, as well as related methods for delivering and tracking the order, were considered. Now you know how important reviews on eBay are about delivery, about the product itself and about the other nuances of a particular seller. Often they are the guarantor that everything will be in order with your parcel and it will come in good condition within a reasonable time. Enjoy the shopping!