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Suggestion for display status Delivered for mail items
Summary: asce01 raised concerns about the "Delivered" status for mail that is marked as such when sorted at a distribution center, but not actually delivered. This issue had caused problems for asce01's father, who did not receive his package, leading to disputes with a seller. They suggested that a more accurate system, focusing on actual doorstep delivery, be implemented by eBay. perfect-sally pointed out that eBay relies on data from delivery services, which complicates the issue, while others noted that different types of tracking offer varying levels of delivery confirmation.
Hello,
I'm not sure whether I'm the only one with this problem right now, but I'd like to raise something here.
I'm talking about the status " Delivered " for letter mail.
If you can track these, which nowadays seems to be getting easier, I've noticed something. The shipment is already shown here as delivered when the item has been sorted in some letter sorting center and just hasn't arrived at my place yet!
This has already caused problems for my father, because he never received his shipment but didn't get his money back either, because the seller simply relied on the status.
Now I may be facing the same problem myself, even though the shipment is supposed to arrive today, it has already been marked as delivered since yesterday.
Therefore I would recommend eBay to step in here and revise its system so that this doesn't happen and so that it can be handled better in the future, or so that no action is needed at all.
Thanks
And just as an aside. It would be good if the system also included processing times in the shipping time for all other delivery methods, because many sellers now have processing times of 3 to 5 days, and this is not taken into account, which is probably why many have already sent emails with the subject " Where is my item " or " Item not received ".
perfect-sally
MentorSep 9, 2026 at 2:02 PMTherefore, I would recommend that Ebay step in here and revise your system so that this does not happen and future cases can be handled better, or so that there is no need for action.
All one can really say about that is that ebay can only work with the data provided by the shipping provider! Ebay simply does not have its own shipping providers where this could perhaps be stated more accurately.
asce01
OPSep 9, 2026 at 3:01 PMIn that case, the mail distribution center must not be used, but only delivery to the front door or no tracking, or just the letter number stored.
My suggestion
bootyooty
MentorSep 9, 2026 at 3:07 PMOf course, it also depends on what kind of letter it is.
For registered mail with proof of delivery by mailbox drop, for example, the delivery person documents the drop-off.
With basic shipment tracking, only the scan at drop-off and at the recipient’s location is scanned, as far as I know.
But that is not legally valid proof of delivery, as eBay requires it when it comes to seller protection.
perfect-sally
MentorSep 9, 2026 at 3:08 PMWith basic tracking, there is no rescan upon delivery to the front door. Deutsche Post would have to fundamentally change that, but then it would probably become more expensive again, like it was before with Prio.
asce01
OP3 weeks agoThis is why I pointed out that HERE letters must not be trackable, even if the tracking number is stored.
Update on my letter:
As I already wrote, there was a small problem with one of my shipments.
Now the letter is here and I'll describe the whole dilemma.
On 08/09, the letter was processed in the Bonn mail center, which is responsible for me, and from that point on the delivery here was considered delivered.
But when I went to individual proof and then to shipment tracking, it said there that the shipment would only be delivered later, namely on 09/09. However, the shipment was still considered delivered then!
But the shipment didn't arrive on 09/09, only TODAY on 12/09, which is probably because the post office here is already cutting back on delivery to twice a week or not at all, because the other letter carriers still deliver the letters here daily, as if they were refusing to deliver more mail than they have to.
But that is the situation now and I was already about to make a complaint and hope for the seller's goodwill, but I have already experienced with my father that he or she simply said, it says delivered so you received it and therefore no refund! And eBay can't help in this situation either, because their automation does the same thing.
And if this keeps going, it can only lead to bigger problems in the future, whether that means unjustified negative ratings and sellers moving away from letters to more expensive parcels, or, as already mentioned here, registered mail with return receipt, etc.
And that would really be damaging to the market.