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.

[technthread]

Yesterday. I checked my listing on someone else’s phone. I got no message about it so can’t be sure whether it’s a temporary perk or permanent… I have only seen it on coins as I don’t search much as a buyer. If anyone wants to look it is my euro coins I have the same username over there.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I am well aware that it is not Amaxxon.  
I merely put forward the idea that as part of using Simple Delivery for business, Ebay could link your RM account!  I never said anything about your rates or anything to do with that.  You have brought that in, when it had nothing to do with it.  So I have no idea why you are responding in the way you are?

And frankly, I would be willing to bet with the postage that goes through Ebay, they would be able to beat you hands down on prices, as I am pretty sure that you don't send anywhere near as much as goes through Ebay.  Just because the prices you see on Ebay are stand RM prices, does NOT mean that they are the prices that are actually paid by Ebay.

[bojangled]

@technthread that is interesting, I haven’t seen that option yet.

Jo

[moldosgifts]

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@therenewalworkshopltd wrote:

I am well aware that it is not Amaxxon.  
I merely put forward the idea that as part of using Simple Delivery for business, Ebay could link your RM account!  I never said anything about your rates or anything to do with that.  You have brought that in, when it had nothing to do with it.  So I have no idea why you are responding in the way you are?

And frankly, I would be willing to bet with the postage that goes through Ebay, they would be able to beat you hands down on prices, as I am pretty sure that you don't send anywhere near as much as goes through Ebay.  Just because the prices you see on Ebay are stand RM prices, does NOT mean that they are the prices that are actually paid by Ebay.

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If only they were using standard prices for service offered, that would be a start but again i doubt very much ebay could offer me a better rate than i have negotiated with RM for all my online selling.

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Seriously, you believe that you are getting a better rate than what Ebay is paying to Royal Mail?

You must be sending millions of items to even come close.

And the only one who said anything about Ebay giving YOU a better rate, is YOU.

I believe you.....

[vinylscot]

I agree with your sentiments, but eBay could certainly offer a better rate than you'll be getting from RM, but that would be at a cost to their own profits, and they don't seem to want to go there. (I suspect they may need to make some concessions, to demonstrate that SD is cheaper than RM in the majority of cases, as their claims of savings are really stretching it, to say the least.)