Simple Delivery - Can't send item by standard letter post
Summary: marks-diecasts expresses frustration with eBay's requirement to use their 'Simple Delivery' service for small items, which increases postage costs significantly compared to using Royal Mail. This concern is echoed by thegubman2012 and sanenfgoff, who agree that this change might discourage sales, especially for low-priced items. jim.wright10 and davl. highlight issues with using their own postage options and express disappointment with eBay's policies. tressygirl suggests switching to a business account to set custom postage rates, but acknowledges the additional fees involved. Overall, participants discuss the impact of eBay's new policies on private sellers and share their challenges in navigating these changes.
It is totally unnecessary for eBay to impose on me as a seller that I have to send small items, that will fit in a standard envelope and costing less than £20.00, by their 'Simple Delivery' service as a large letter and which costs £2.72. I can send those items by 2nd class through Royal Mail for 91p and that includes insurance up to £20.00. The items I sell often have a sale price of less than £5.00, so the buyer now has to pay £2.72 for postage rather than 91p. This is going to kill sales, if a buyer is purchasing something from me for say £2.99 they are not going to want to then pay £2.72 for postage, they will look at places other than eBay to buy where the postage costs are more reasonable.
dantemcr
·6 hours agoHallo I am joining the club. I used to offer the domestic delivery at £1 and deliver using a 2nd class stamp. Now my items are expiring and when I try to relist I receive the message " Postage options unavailable". not only apparently I cannot list internationally, is this affecting anybody else? Stefano
marks-diecasts
OP3 hours agoYes, it is affecting me. I have spoken to eBay and what you have to do is use the 'Rate Table' that is just below 'Add Other Postage Service', which no longer works. It is quite complicated to set up but have manged to get it work for a listing to post from UK to the USA. What I have not worked out yet is how to add different rates for different countries in the same listing.
There is also the current problem that I can't send items abroad through Royal Mail using eBay. The message comes up that service is not currently available, which presents problems as eBay normally collect the customs duties from the buyer. So if I go to the Royal Mail website direct they collect the customs duties again as they don't know eBay have already collect them.
fargvs
·Aug 13, 2026 at 10:36 PMMultiples of diecasts listed --- A Business seller can set their own postage rates.
marks-diecasts
OPyesterday at 6:53 AMGreat if you want to be a business seller, but not helpful if you are selling privately. Also I understand business sellers are charged a fee by ebay.
tressygirl
·yesterday at 7:02 AMIt's a matter of being correctly registered, and eBay are watchful here, and can restrict your selling until, correctly registered.
A Private account the one you are using, is for selling unwanted, used items, such as a garage, attic, wardrobe clear out.
To sell all brand new items, buying in to sell, selling items in multiples, you do need to register with a Business account. Yes, there are fees to pay, but you can then set and select your own postage services and charges.
It's easy to change over:
Go to Account settings in My eBay.
Select Personal information.
Select Edit next to Account type. You may be asked to sign in again.
Select Confirm to upgrade to a Business account.
Specify whether you operate your business as a legal entity or as a sole proprietor and select Continue.
On the following page, enter your business information such as name, contact information, and returns policy. Then select Save.
Probably best to use a PC / laptop for this, and not the app or mobile browser. Chrome seems to work best on eBay.
@marks-diecasts
davl.
·Aug 13, 2026 at 9:13 PMJust had this problem " Postage options unavailable" trying to sell stamps for £1.77 using Custom Postage. Had to finish the listing using my mobile which made a mess of some of the info I had already entered. Hope this is sorted out quickly.
jim.wright10
·Aug 13, 2026 at 9:57 PMDon't think so e-bay never seem to do what sellers want it's all about how much more money they can make
jim.wright10
·Aug 13, 2026 at 8:46 PMNot put anything on of late I sell stamps but if this is true does this mean that I can only use simply postage to sell anything and can't use my own postage stamps, if this is the case then I have brought a load of 2nd class stamps which I now cannot use for posting on e-bay, a lot of my items are below a pound and fit in a standard size letter which I send out for £0.91p, if this is true then it looks like goodbye e-bay
marks-diecasts
OPAug 13, 2026 at 10:31 PMThey have gradually been introducing their 'Simple Delivery'. If you are not caught by it yet you will be if you are a private seller.
sanenfgoff
·Aug 13, 2026 at 7:04 PMAGREE, BUYERS WONT PAY AN EXTRA £1.50 POSTAGE FOR SMALL ITEMS
SO WILL END UP NOT BE ABLE TO USE EBAY!!
thegubman2012
·6 days agoAGREE WITH YOU 100% EBAY SEEMINGLY DO NOT WANT PRIVATE SELLERS SELLING SMALL, LIGHT AND CHEAP ITEMS. SHAME, BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWNHILL THE PAST FEW YEARS
jonatjonatjonat
·1 week agoCould you not list on those more reasonable places?
marks-diecasts
OP1 week agoUnfortunately the main market for items I sell, vintage toy catalogues, is on eBay.
jonatjonatjonat
·1 week agoThen by that logic they would pay the postage.
It was you who said people will look elsewhere
marks-diecasts
OP6 days agoThe logic is they will stop buying.
jonatjonatjonat
·6 days agoSo they won't 'look at places other than eBay to buy where the postage costs are more reasonable'
Corgi cars certainly seem in abundance over on V..... for example.
You can stick all your eggs in the ebay basket and hope and pray they change - but feels like that is limiting your options.