Seller specifies RM-SD, Buyer pays RM-SD, eBay buys Packlink instead
Summary: bitternomore raised concerns about eBay's postage system, highlighting a recurring issue where eBay appears to substitute a seller's specified delivery option with a cheaper, uninsured label. This happened despite the buyer paying for the original specified service. jonatjonatjonat and sml192 suggest that sellers have control over which postage to purchase, but bitternomore maintains that eBay's system completed the transaction automatically, causing financial exposure. The discussion centers around the need for transparency and control over postage services to protect both sellers and buyers.
I want to raise a SERIOUS transparency issue with eBay’s postage system that affects seller protection and buyer expectations. This is not an isolated glitch — it has now affected two sales in short succession.
Here are the facts from a recent transaction:
• I specified Royal Mail Special Delivery with full insurance in my listing.
• The buyer paid £21.95 for that exact service.
• eBay’s checkout showed the buyer that they were paying for Royal Mail SD.
• However, eBay actually purchased a £9.45 Packlink label instead.
• I only discovered this when I noticed the £9.45 charge and queried why it was so low.
• I double‑checked the buyer’s postcode directly with Royal Mail, and the correct price was indeed £21.95.
• This confirmed that eBay had not purchased the service I specified (Royal Mail SD or UPS with full cover).
• The Packlink label provided negligible insurance and, crucially, Packlink offers no compensation at all for collectibles or fragile items.
This meant the label provided via eBay was completely unusable for the item I was sending.
• eBay did not inform me (the seller) or the buyer that the service had been downgraded.
• I had to purchase my own Royal Mail SD label to ensure the item was properly protected.
• The unused Packlink label is now in the process of a request to be refunded.
This behaviour leaves sellers unknowingly exposed to loss/damage with inadequate or non‑existent insurance, and buyers unaware that the service they paid for was not actually purchased. It also means sellers may believe their item is fully covered when it is not.
This issue also affected a previous sale (another fragile collectible). In that case, the buyer saw a postage price that looked correct for a premium service, but eBay’s system quoted a much cheaper rate that did not provide any meaningful cover for loss or damage. I then had to explain to the buyer that the quoted postage was not usable for a high‑value item, which caused unnecessary confusion and disappointment.
Sellers should not be put in a position where they have to contradict eBay’s own postage quote. Buyers should not be shown a service level that cannot safely be used. This creates friction for both parties and undermines trust in the platform.
Overall, the system appears to be “economical with the truth” about what postage service is actually purchased. It presents one thing to both parties while quietly substituting a cheaper option in the background.
Other sellers should be aware of this behaviour, as it can leave them financially vulnerable without their knowledge. Has anyone else experienced this?
sml192
·1 month agoWhere Custom Postage is concerned eBay doesn't purchase anything (that would only apply where Simple Delivery is concerned). The postage label is purchased by you, either through eBay or outside of eBay, and you are responsiblefor ensuring that the correct postage is purchased. The eBay system might suggest a cheaper option than the one in the listing but you don't have to accept it. Buyers can only choose from the postage options that you specify when creating the listing.
bitternomore
OP1 month agoThanks both — I appreciate the input.
In this case, the listing was set up with Royal Mail Special Delivery as a custom postage option, and the buyer paid £21.95 for that service. eBay’s system then automatically purchased a £9.45 Packlink label instead, which had no insurance cover.
I didn’t select or approve that cheaper label — it appeared as “purchased” in my dashboard before dispatch. I cancelled it and refunded the buyer’s £21.95 to honour the service they paid for.
So while sellers can choose their own postage when it’s custom, eBay’s automation sometimes overrides that choice, leaving the seller financially exposed. That’s the issue I’m highlighting here.
sml192
·1 month agoThe eBay system doesn't automatically purchase Custom Postage labels so you must have purchased it yourself somehow. Not sure why you refunded the postage that the buyer paid as it would appear that they paid the correct amount.
The other item that you sold was listed with Simple Delivery. Items that are eligible for Simple Delivery (in most cases items with a 'Buy it Now' or auction start price of £750 or less) are automatically covered by eBay, if lost or damaged in transit, for the full purchase price of the item.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 month agoIf you listed with special delivery that is custom delivery
You get paid the £21.95 and with that you can purchase whatever postage you want. Yes eBay’s system does off things and recommends other postage. But you don’t have to buy it when it’s custom postage!
bitternomore
OP1 month agoThanks both — I appreciate the input.
In this case, the listing was set up with Royal Mail Special Delivery as a custom postage option, and the buyer paid £21.95 for that service. eBay’s system then automatically purchased a £9.45 Packlink label instead, which had no insurance cover.
I didn’t select or approve that cheaper label — it appeared as “purchased” in my dashboard before dispatch. I cancelled it and refunded the buyer’s £21.95 to honour the service they paid for.
So while sellers can choose their own postage when it’s custom, eBay’s automation sometimes overrides that choice, leaving the seller financially exposed. That’s the issue I’m highlighting here.
papso22
·1 month agoEbay's system does not automatically purchase postage for custom postage.