The place where you can find almost everything and at an attractive price - eBay's largest online auction. Here sellers and buyers from all over the world meet, and the purchases made are sent to various parts of the world. This site works both as an auction and as a regular online store where you can buy goods at a fixed price. The latter should be mentioned separately - sometimes these are really ridiculous amounts for pretty high-quality things, although anything happens. In any case, if you are a shopaholic, then it would be a crime not to look at eBay! However, despite the obvious advantages of shopping in this auction store, many of our compatriots still hesitate to place their first order. And all why? Because we have heard a lot of myths that the goods are not sent to Russia, or things simply do not reach their destination, they are delayed on the way for several months, etc. Listen, everything is not so complicated. Rather, on the contrary, it is very simple and convenient. No wonder the services of this online auctionused by people all over the world. To dispel your doubts and help you figure it out, we will tell you how shipping works and how to track an eBay package sent to you by a seller from the other side of the world.
Selecting goods and getting information about the seller
You have visited an online store or auction on eBay. In order to sort products by the way they were purchased, use the special search functions, selecting only "buy it now" (buy now) or "auction" (participate in the auction). Next to the description of the selected item, you will see information about the seller, his rating, shipping method, as well as the price including shipping or information that it is free (as a rule, this is found with sellers from Asia).
Seller reviews - a guarantee of successful delivery
After you have chosen the item you like, do not rush to buy it. Now, if you want to be on the safe side, check eBay for the shipping reviews for items purchased from the person whose product you are interested in. They are an integral part of the operation of the entire auction and are very important for its participants. If the seller gets a few negative reviews, they simply will not buy anything from him. This is clear. If there are a lot of positive ratings, 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 practically no scammers or unscrupulous participants here. If all of yousatisfied, then buy the thing, after contacting the seller. Depending on how the sale of a particular product is carried out, the payment method is selected: immediately or after the end of the auction at the last price set. Payment is via PayPal.
Ebay shipping options
How can an eBay item 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, the obvious disadvantage is the final cost of the goods, which can increase significantly when using intermediary services. This option should be chosen if the seller does not deliver to Russia (for example, it sells only within the US). In all other cases, there is no point in resorting 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 package cannot be tracked. Usually this is free shipping on eBay (it is also very slow). If possible, it is better to refuse such a deal, or be prepared to remain in the dark until the package finally reaches your post office. This option is suitable for cheap orders, the money for which you will not be sorry to lose in the event of something unforeseen.
Tracking packages sent by different delivery services
Most of the sellers on eBay are Americans, for which our citizens love this service so much. Things from America are usually of very high quality even at a low cost, such items cannot be found in online stores in China or Korea. Now, these sellers tend to stop at USPS shipping. This is the United States Government Postal Service and is known to be a very reliable and well run organization. Your parcel is delivered to the border with Russia by its forces. Moreover, this is carried out as soon as possible - from 2-3 to 5-7 days maximum (but this is rare). How to track a parcel from eBay while your item is in America? You can do this directly on the website of the American postal service.
Tracking the parcel after crossing the border
Further, the package is delayed at the border, where customs control passes. Items shipped by the USPS are generally not heavily inspected (unlike commercial services). Then the Russian Post takes over, which can "carry" with your parcel from a week to two or three. Where can I track a parcel from eBay after it has passed the border? You will be able to see up-to-date data on everything that happens with your order on the Russian Post website.
The fact is that often in the product information the seller indicates only the final delivery service, so buyers cannot find their package until it leaves American soil (or another foreign country). In this regard, the delivery indicated on eBay should not put you inmisleading, and even more so make you worry if the product is not found on the specified service, and the seller assures that he sent it.
Parcels sent by express service
Above we talked about public delivery services. Their undeniable advantage is their low cost and greater confidence from customs (they are checked rarely and very quickly). However, in terms of waiting time, they lose to commercial ones. Therefore, many prefer to use courier services. These are well-known EMS, DHL, UPS and others. Your order will be delivered promptly and straight to your door. Of course, the cost in this case is a little higher, but for some, time is more important. So, if the Russian Post order from eBay takes 3-4 weeks, then when using EMS it will arrive in 2 weeks. In addition, each parcel is automatically insured (about $ 100).
How can I track my eBay order if I 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 mail tracking services regardless of which delivery method was chosen.
Special services for tracking parcels
There are dedicated resources available to help you track your mail orders. There are a lot of them, but the most popular ones are as follows:
- PostTracker;
- TrackitOnline;
- "Where is the package";
- "SomewhereRides";
- "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 also special applications for computers and smartphones that perform the same functions. For example, a handy program for Windows - 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'll talk about it later.
How can I track my eBay shipment with a tracking number?
The track number is a unique postal identifier that is assigned to each parcel at the time of its dispatch. It is he who will be able to answer your question about how to track an item on eBay after you buy it. This number gives the buyer information about all stages of the movement of his order.
You can find the track number on the eBay website in your personal account. It will be listed next to the photo of the paid and shipped item 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 for the possibility of tracking the parcel (cheap delivery);
- your purchase has not yet been poisoned;
- the order has been sent, but you need to contact the seller to get information on it (perhaps he just did not provide this data).
If you received the corresponding number, then make sure that he answersinternational format. This is necessary in order to be able to track the parcel.
Track number in international format
The track number should look like this (in that order):
- two capital letters (denoting the type of post office);
- nine digits (the first eight are the unique departure number, the ninth is the verification code);
- two capital letters (shipping country).
For unregistered international postal items weighing no more than 2 kg, the designations LA-LZ are used, for registered ones - RA-RZ. If the weight exceeds 2 kg, then CA-CZ. If the parcel is issued by express mail, then EA-EZ. Parcels sent by express delivery may have their own international track numbers, which are tracked all the way to the order, regardless of the territory in which it is located.
If the specified track number cannot be tracked 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 contacting the seller to clarify the circumstances.
Track orders through resellers
As we have 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 package from goods purchased in different places. In this case, you can independently choose one of the proposed delivery options (and notagree to the one set by the seller). After paying for the goods, two letters will be sent to your email address: the first about making a purchase on eBay, the second about its delivery to the warehouse of the selected intermediary (it will come later, up to 24 hours from the moment the payment was made). 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 "Shipping address" field on eBay, do not indicate your home address, but the address received from your intermediary. Since it is to him that the seller will send the order. First you need to know how to track an item on eBay. Your personal account contains information about the status of your order. If you received an "Order update" letter, then your package has been sent by the seller and is being sent to the warehouse. Already at this stage, you can track its movement using the "Go to Order Details" function. In the details of the order, you will see a blue highlighted number for tracking the package. By clicking on it, you will receive information about where the order is located and what is happening with it.
On the website of the intermediary company
Since the seller sends the goods to the intermediary, you can learn about his further fate from the latter. For example, you have chosen the company Shopfans for intermediary services. Go to her website, enter the data to enter your account and get into your personal account. There is an "Orders" tab where you need to register your purchase. To do this, enter:
- seller name - eBay: name;
- numberorder in the store itself is the lot number on eBay;
- tracking number - the one that is listed in your account on the eBay website.
Click "Add" to save your order information. Now you will be able to see when the goods will arrive at your reseller's warehouse. After that, you either send it to your address, or combine it with other orders made, and only after that give an order for delivery. Here, in your account, you can monitor the status of your package (sent, where it is, delivered). Now you know how to track a brokered eBay package.
Conclusion
If you have not yet decided to make your first purchase on eBay, then after reading this article, all doubts should be dispelled. We have sorted out questions about how shipping from this online auction can be carried out, and how to track a package from eBay sent in various ways. In addition, options were considered for buying goods directly from the seller or through an intermediary, as well as the methods of delivery and tracking of the order associated with them. Now you know how important reviews are on eBay - about delivery, about the product itself and other nuances of a particular seller. Often they are a guarantee that everything will be in order with your package, and it will arrive in good condition within a reasonable time. Happy shopping!
