Many sellers have lengthy statements in their auctions, telling you how they ship and on what schedule. Some ship daily, twice a week on certain days or once a week. Most are genuine, but others will drag their feet and blame missed shipping dates on their triplets, the dog, and all sorts of issues that are likely bogus. Especially when the slow shipping issue is pointed out by lots of their buyers. Check out the seller's past history before buying. See if they ship promptly. What should be the expected time for receipt following your purchase? Check the auction and see if they ship within one or two days. After all, when they have your money, shouldn't the product be enroute quickly? If they show they ship by Priority Mail and it takes you several weeks to get your package, look at the date on the shipment. It's almost inevitable it was not shipped when it should have been. The Postal Service can, and does, lose a package now and then but the date never lies.

Finally, look out for the seller who badmouths their customers when they complain about the shipping time. It's the seller who controls the time to ship, and you should expect communications if there is an unexpected, legitimate holdup in your package shipping. Some do not communicate well, and then call buyers names and act very rude if they complain or leave less than stellar feedback. Honesty and trust is the key to a great transaction.