In a catch 22 problem here

[daro2096]

I sold an item. Problem is eBay have withheld the payment until the buyer receives the parcel. Trouble is I got no money to pay for the shipping label. Am stuck and don't know what to do other than cancel the sale.

[tressygirl]

There is a £2.70 p postage cost on your item.

If you cancel the item due to insufficent funds to pay these amounts on your sales,  you will soon lose your seller account on eBay.

Funds are only held for inital sales from new sellers,  as eBay doesn't have any selling history,  so they want to be sure the seller will post the item and it is delivered to the buyer.

If you add tracking to these items and it shows delivery that will release your money sooner.

Achieve a good selling account , showing you are posting promptly,  and that hold ceases,  and you can select to receive payouts on a daily or weekly basis.

I stongly advise you find  the  £2.70 to pay that postage label to secure your eBay selling account.

[*vyolla*]

Why would you list something if you knew you wouldn't be able to send it out to the buyer, that makes little sense.

If you cancel the sale you risk negative feedback and a defect against your selling account.

Can you borrow the cost of sending it out from friends or family?

If not, you'll need to cancel it as 'out of stock' and take the hit, there's a button on this eBay guidance page you can use to cancel the order:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/getting-paid/sellers-can-cancel-order?id=4136&st=3&pos=2&query=H...

[daro2096]

Am not new to eBay. I been buying and selling here since 2004. DWP shafted me this week with my Universal Credit payment. I think I am cursed.

[four_mid_able]

£2.70 wouldn't cover the value anyway.

Should probably be sent via next day special delivery which would probably be around 8 to 10 quid.

[daro2096]

I listed the item a month ago. I didn't know I would be in this mess. Universal Credit shafted me this week and held back my monthly payment. I had to draw from my savings but that won't reach my account until Thursday. I must be cursed or something. I got no friends or family to borrow from. Can't ask a neighbour to lend me £20 for a few days, that would just be wrong.

[daro2096]

I wanted to add SD but eBay listing wouldn't let me.

[tressygirl]

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@daro2096 wrote:

Am not new to eBay. I been buying and selling here since 2004. DWP shafted me this week with my Universal Credit payment. I think I am cursed.

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Returning sellers are held to these payment holds too.

When a dormant account is suddenly used for selling, it raises red flags to eBay , as some can be signs of a hijacked account.

eBay therefore,  need evidence that the real owner has returned to sell, and need proof the item was delivered.

It's a safety measure for your account,  and for your buyer.

[daro2096]

I sell maybes 1 item per year. The fees incurred make selling on eBay not worth it as it is. I buy more than I sell. And buying isn't that often.

[tressygirl]

If you are only selling one item a year,  you will always come across this hold.

As  above,   accounts which are not used for a long time then show sudden selling activity can be hacked,  so eBay have to act to protect the seller's account,   and the buyer who has paid, and a payout hold will be placed on the payment,  until tracking shows delivery.

[*vyolla*]

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@daro2096 wrote:

Can't ask a neighbour to lend me £20 for a few days, that would just be wrong.

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It shouldn't cost £20 to send the item out, but it looks like you'll need to cancel the order if it can't be sent. I'd do this sooner rather than later and would send your buyer an apologetic message and hope that they don't leave a negative.

[double_o_heaven]

That's ok, but please please DO send it by SD or similar - I wouldn't want to see you shafted by a dodgy buyer as well as the DWP!

On the plus side, SD is next day - so if you get the funds accessible by thursday you can probably get the item to your buyer by friday which will just about fit in with eBay's estimated delivery dates?  Message your buyer to let them know what is happening though 🙂

[technthread]

If you buy the label through eBay won't it let you pay from available funds? It's a fairly new feature. 

[douglaspuglas]

Alternatively you could buy a label through ebay/packlink for either evri, DPD or Yodel.

If you do that eBay may use your funds on hold to pay for the label.

However I personally avoid packlink like the plague and your buyer might not be happy with the change from Royal Mail.

[daro2096]

I have just been given £20 by a neighbour as an Easter present. So I will be able to send the parcel on Tuesday after all.

£4 for bus fare. £6 to post the item I am guessing. Then I need money to print out a few documents at the library.

[daro2096]

Just been gifted some money from a neighbour so it isn't a problem any more. Going to send Tracked 24 or similar but am not going to use the built in eBay postage service.

[daro2096]

No, I tried that. It went to Paypal and cancelled it as I knew the payment would be declined. Going to have to go to the post office and do it the old fashioned way on Tuesday.

[daro2096]

Am going to have to go to the post office and pay using cash. Special Delivery is going to cost £12. That is way too much. Probably will send it Tracked 24, I want to get it there as quick as possible so I can get the money to my account.

Am going to have to buy my neighbour a thank you present, they didn't have to give me the money.

[technthread]

The ability to use funds may only apply to packlink then. 

In future you could always buy off Royal Mail and book the free home collection. They will bring the label so you don't have to pay £4 travel to go to a Post Office and the online postage is also cheaper.

If this parcel is the steelbooks - from Tues the online RM price will be £5.59 for tracked 24 small parcel up to 2kg. If it goes over 2kg you'd pay £8.99 online as a medium parcel. 

[technthread]

Sorry that's tracked with signature.

Standard tracked 24 online price would be £4.19 / £7.59 respectively.