Simple delivery and buyer protection fee

[bebe-and-arthur]

I am having problems with how to pitch prices for buy-it-now items because of the new buyer protection fee and 'simple delivery'. If I offer an item at what I think is a reasonable price, it suddenly jumps up quite substantially, which I think puts buyers off. For buy-it-nows I have always offered free delivery by 48 hour tracked RoyalMail, which doesn't seem to be available using simple delivery. It is possible to opt out of this, but then eBay is withholding funds for at least two weeks before they become available. Am I alone in thinking private sellers are getting a raw deal?Not happy with this new system. 

[plum993]

You can opt out of simple delivery when listing by using the "Custom postage" option.

[jckl1957]

As advised, you do not have to use Simple Delivery.

If you use RM Tracked 48 (this is what I use for items over £10) you will be paid 48 hours after delivery updates on Ebay - this is the same as if you use Simple Delivery where payment is also released 48 hours after delivery.

You can mitigate the price increase slightly by adding postage as a separate charge.  The BPF of 4% is not added to postage.

Personally, I don't think it is a raw deal.  Up to October 2024 private sellers were paying 13% + 30p seller's fees.  Business sellers still pay that sort of rate, including on any postage they charge and have to either fund a shop or pay a fee for every item they list.  I know which system I prefer.

[bebe-and-arthur]

Thanks for that, I am opting out of simple delivery and using 48hr tracked
delivery so that I can offer free postage, but eBay is still holding on to
my funds for up to two weeks. Also, with 48hr tracked there is compensation
available for anything that goes missing, so why is buyer protection added?

[jckl1957]

If the tracking on Ebay shows delivered, you will be paid 48 hours after it updates.

No tracking or the tracking does not update on Ebay, you will be paid 14 days after the transaction date, on day 15.

If the Royal Mail website shows your item as delivered but it doesn't update on Ebay, you can contact Ebay Customer Services 48 hours after delivery and ask them to release your payment.

48 hour tracked compensation is available to you as the seller/sender, not to your buyer who would need a proof of posting to start a claim against Royal Mail.

Ebay have published their reasoning for the change and the enhanced service they now offer to buyers.

[bebe-and-arthur]

Thank you, that makes sense.