eBay trying to get business sellers to go for Simple Delivery?

[vinylscot]

I posted this about half an hour ago on the Seller Central board, but perhaps I should have posted it here. Sorry for duplication.

I got an invitation to fill in an eBay survey today, on this account.

It was mostly very bland, gobbledegook about all eBay's nefarious high-minded "enhancements".

One thing that worried me, as a business seller, was how often they tried to get me to say "Affordable Postage Options" was the most important thing to me. That option turned up in about half a dozen similar-ish questions, where you MUST select one as the most important, and in each case the other choices were totally banal and trivial.

They obviously want to be able to report that their business sellers view "Affordable Postage Options" as their number one priority. It's only a short step from there to bringing Simple Delivery on for business sellers too (at least those too small to negotiate their way out of it.)

I couldn't go "back" and see all the questions again, but here's one example. See how it is weighted - seven "nothings" and "Affordable Postage Options".

This is not a good sign.

[vinylscot]

I see my post has now been removed from the Seller Central board by admins.

I do hope that's just because of the duplication, and that they are not attempting to suppress comments?

When a post is moved, you usually get a message explaining why. Not this time.

[santlache_sales]

Oh yes, how predictable, a loaded survey trying to get you to say you agree with eBay.

Probaby a bit like all the others, of which I have never been asked a thing, so eBay can then introduce something new they want and say the majority of their sellers also want, even demand it.

Loaded surveys, eBay take a bow.

[santlache_sales]

My Mrs went to sell something on her private account last week, and every suggested eBay postal option was below the actual cost price, they haven't updated it since RM price rises.

PLUS, absolutely nothing is allowed for packaging, so ebay clearly expect you to take a hit not only on their postage prices, but allow nothing whatsoever for any packging.

Allow eBay to dictate what people pay for post - that'll be another straw broken on the camels back.

The attraction for free listings simply is not there either, with payments sometimes taking over two weeks, not to mention how they have totally screwed the businesses over too.

She gave up in the end and went to Vinted

[theelench]

Perhaps ebay was inspired by some of the business sellers on SC telling private sellers what a good idea SD is, how much easier it will make selling on ebay for them and how they should embrace the changes.

Frankly I'm surprised that ebay is even testing the water while the dust is still thick in the air on SC and repairing any damage that has been done can hardly have even been started yet.

Ebay must either be so desperate for the extra revenue that it's throwing caution to the winds or its arrogance truly knows no bounds when it comes to upsetting its customers.

Whichever it might be, it doesn't bode well that the softening-up process is already starting for businesses.

Best of luck to you all.  

[zed.1015]

A lot of the posts telling sellers that SD is a good idea and what a great service they experienced have the stench of ebay marketing masquerading as genuine users.

I've seen an quite a few posts extolling the virtues of SD dropped into threads from random users who don't seem to participate any further .

[vinylscot]

I think the distinction here is that SD does actually work for many private sellers. Also, there are far more posters defending the concept of SD for private sellers rather than raving about their actual experiences.

However, for business sellers, it most certainly would not work, at least in anything like its current form.

[padanpcparts]

Yeah, I think in this instance E-bay are sharp enough to know that private and business sellers have different requirements. 

As a business seller you sometimes need to adapt to buyers requirements. I sell predominantly to other small and medium size businesses. Sometimes they ring me and say 'Can you get this out today, using our DPD courier account', or 'We only accept post from Yodel, can you send it using this courier?'

I can't be the only seller this happens to on a regular basis. Funnily enough, I have started using E-bays direct post services more and more these days as they charge slightly less on some couriers than going with them directly and all the parcel details are already there ready to go. All they need to do is keep offering a good service at a slightly discounted rate and they can get a lot of that extra profit without alienating their userbase. Many many business sellers also have their own postage accounts and sell on multiple platforms, and I can imagine this would make a simplified delivery service very very difficult for their business for administration purposes.  

[theelench]

"As a business seller you sometimes need to adapt to buyers requirements."

Something that is fairly common for private sellers also and something that so far ebay has ignored although many private buyers and sellers have very definite and uncompromising views on which delivery company provides a reliable service for them.

Two issues that without fail get a great many 'likes' on SC are:

The ability of ebay to over-ride the sellers choice of delivery company and as a secondary issue that 'Standard' or 'Express' with no info. about the carrier, do not allow the buyer to make an informed choice.

The loss of income and damage SD will do to post offices.  I can understand that for businesses the cost of delivery is paramount.  But for many private sellers supporting their local post office is more important.  Especially in the growing 'bank free zones' of the country where they are becoming life-lines to access cash or pay bills.

If ebay is going to try to introduce a two tier SD system where businesses have some freedom to do what is best for them while private sellers are straight-jacketed within a more restricted 'do as you're told' set of rules, it will only make ebay even more unpopular with non-business sellers IMO.

[bravergrace]

From the "surveys" I've received recently, and the constant reference to "affordable postage options for business sellers", I wondered it eBay are considering having a second pop at compelling business sellers to offer "free UK P&P".

They failed last time due to the mega-sellers digging their heels in, but perhaps they're hopeful it would work this time round.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I really can't see them forcing business sellers to use Simple Delivery.

It simply isn't flexible enough to cover everything that a business sells.

Imagine trying to use it to send a fridge!  🙂

As to the "free" delivery.

Though I can see that there are some benefits to offering delivery separately, in that a discount can be provided for multiple items etc, I really don't see why anyone has an issue with it overall.

That same discount can be offered in the checkout, just call it something else.

Fees are charged on the postage charged, so makes no difference.

And honestly, if everyone charged in the same way, the marketplace would be a lot tidier overall.

as it stands if your looking for something, you have people charging postage separate and free, so quite often you will see that something looks..... cheaper, until you notice the postage!

And all that results in, is an annoyed customer who has to go look again.

In just the same way those who create the variations with the silly price, for a bean at 50p, then if you want the actual item, you have to pay £20!   I really wish that Ebay would do something about these, they are so annoying.

[vintage-emporium-jedburgh]

Affordable postage is a great help

but affordable EBAY listing fees would be a much better help 

[moldosgifts]

In principle the SD for private sellers is a good idea unfortunately ebay have made a complete mess of its introduction it uses AI to guess the size and weight, this leads i inaccuracies not to mention the weight bands.

For business it would have to change massively and match the negotiated postal rates a business can get, which for allot of business makes up part of the profit, and can massively undercut anything ebay will charge.

[padanpcparts]

To be fair, I completely agree with you.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

If you look at the way Amaxxn does things, they do actually link RM accounts to get the negotiated rates.

So that kind of thing is a possibility.

But once you get into the realms of specialised deliveries, it just can't cope with it at all.

But for all that they want everyone to use everything that is Amaxxn, they still allow you to use your own postage methods.  Though it is getting to point where they are close to insisting on everything tracked.

That I can see coming in on most of the marketplaces.  If for no other reason than to reduce delivery issues.

[moldosgifts]

i doubt very much they could match my rate with RM, judging on the over charging they partake in right now.

I can only judge on the evidence i see.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

No, you misunderstand.

They literally link your own RM account to Amazxx.  Where it picks up your rates.

That is what I was talking about.  And it's not that far fetched for Ebay to do the same.

Nothing to do with using rates provided by Ebay.

If you don't use a linked account, then you get the default rates provided by Amaxxn, which are basically only prices for RM.

[technthread]

I listed some coins on Vinted and it appears a buyer can pay £1.15 postage for RM Tracked 48 or Evri. I’m not sure what is going on as I searched and I can buy coins from other sellers for 40p delivery.

Maybe it is a one off I’m not sure but if Vinted are starting to lower prices on letter sized items  in some categories down to somewhere near the RM48 price at £1.15 that could be a real game changer.

[moldosgifts]

I have no complaint with amazon. We should be talking about ebay on an ebay forum.

So i say again i doubt very much ebay could match my negotiated rates i have with RM.

And yes it is possible to link to you RM account as Amzon has done. BUt this is NOT amazon.

[moldosgifts]

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@technthread wrote:

I listed some coins on Vinted and it appears a buyer can pay £1.15 postage for RM Tracked 48 or Evri. I’m not sure what is going on as I searched and I can buy coins from other sellers for 40p delivery.

Maybe it is a one off I’m not sure but if Vinted are starting to lower prices on letter sized items  in some categories down to somewhere near the RM48 price at £1.15 that could be a real game changer.

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Interesting as 95% of what i sell falls within large letter/ letter.  When did you notice this change?