Postage. How to adjust.

[frostykindle]

I am selling a large amount of 7" vinyl (my own collection). Postage is usually Royal Mail £1.85, large letter up to 250grams. However Simple Postage comes up £2.70 (large letter up to 1 kilo). I do not want to charge this for buyers. I take it the buyer then chooses the amount. THis is all a bit hit and miss. I have been selling on ebay for 23 years, now getting fed up! I used to use Custom postage, but this has disappeared. Any help please.

[3942rick2005]

Use my workaround - https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/how-do-you-list-anything-bigger-than-61cm/td-p/788244...

[xyz307xyz]

You are supposed to use Simple Delivery, except on items that can be opted out; or items which are SD restricted/prohibited.

[3942rick2005]

You are supposed to have a system that works correctly. Until it does use the system to your advantage.

[frostykindle]

Thank youfor reply, but I am none the wiser. I am using Simple Delivery, but it just comes up that I need 'large letter' up to 1kg.My vinyl only weighs less than 250grams. so Royal Mail is £1.85. I can't see how to apply this. I used to apply Custom postage, but that option seems to have disappeared. If I have to charge buyers £2.70 then I have to reduce cost of the vinyl I am selling???  

[frostykindle]

Thanks for reply, but not understanding what you mean. I charge buyers £2 to post a 7" vinyl. Royal Mail charge me £1.85.   Simple post comes up telling me to charge £2.70 (for large letter up to 1kg). If I charge £2.70 for postage then would have to reduce price of item? I already do not charge for packaging as most of it is recycled.

[xyz307xyz]

You can't use normal Royal Mail/Custom Postage just because you want to [anymore]. That's it.

(You can use normal Royal Mail or FedEx, UPS or certain things that ebay has decided it will allow you to - or it doesn't allow you to use SD for.)

[frostykindle]

I am lost now!    23 years on ebay, I am nearly 80 now, so think it's time to call it a day!!!  

[edwardian-dreams]

all exempt small items have to be 100g and under 
CDs and DVDs video games and such are exempt from SD

Singles  and cassettes arent although eBay say the list they supplied is not definitive, there maybe other sub categories eligible but not on the list 

Logically that means the former weigh less than the latter and are smaller but I don’t know if that’s correct 

I don’t think the whole system is finalised yet 

they tweak and change it every now and then 

and also break then fix it now and then 

[xyz307xyz]

If that's a response to mine. SD for 7" vinyl works as intended by ebay.

(I've referred others to your post for oversized items; and I posted a workaround for how to send something on the prohibited list, back in May.)

You/anyone can use your workaround to send SD valid items, if they like, but who knows if ebay are monitoring and will take any action. There isn't much point making SD "mandatory" if people can avoid it.

[frostykindle]

Thanks for reply.I am afraid I am not understanding much of this. So, it seems to me ebay are forcing me to charge  buyers more postage charges than is necessary on an item. So a £1.85 item has to be £2.70 now.This is their 'simple postage', so the buyer pays more than is necessary and I have to charge less for my item to compensate for the buyer paying more postage.  How does that help anyone.

[jonatjonatjonat]

It helps eBay’s bottom line, and consequently their shareholders

And that is who eBay care about

[edwardian-dreams]

It helps ebays coffers 

pluses for sellers are not having to sort out claims 

but that would be good IF claims of  INR or INAD were regular occurrence  which they’re not 

[frostykindle]

Yes, you are exactly right!

[edwardian-dreams]

Only their shareholders haven’t got a diddly squat  clue about how it could rebound due to failed execution 

they report that lots of new sellers are coming on board

im sure they’re all be fine and dandy with the system that doesn’t let them post a picture which is over 61 cm 🤣

those eBay ads are full of TVs, sofas , etc all large parcels which u can’t send lolol 

[jonatjonatjonat]

The only second hand eBay’s shareholders want to hear about is the second hand on their Rolex, every tick means more money earned from their portfolio

[xyz307xyz]

Just in case you are unsure how it works; given you say "So, it seems to me ebay are forcing me to charge  buyers more postage charges than is necessary on an item. So a £1.85 item has to be £2.70 now."

It's more a case of ebay are taking control of the postage and as such you need to use the label ebay provide for postage. You don't put £2.70 stamps on or pay £2.70 at the post office etc. to send it. And it's possible ebay will give you an Evri label, not a Royal Mail one.

[frostykindle]

Absolutely,!

[frostykindle]

Yes, I get that. Print out the label, but when I did one yesterday I clicked on for printing label, and out it came, but no idea how much it was. I then had to go into the full details of sale to see how much it was, think it was £2.70.I only used to use Evri for parcels (£2.94), but most of the items I sell are vinyl or craft which are large letters below 250grams. so should be £1.85. It seems to me it affects sales as with the 'insurance' the buyer has to pay plus higher postage charges it means the item has to be reduced in cost.Wondering if it's easier to raise price of item and do free postage?

[edwardian-dreams]

You can do free postage but you still have to get your item listed with custom delivery 

you won’t be able to do that if it’s not in one of the exempt categories plus 

 less than £10 plus less than 100g plus fit into an envelope

or more than medium size parcel or more than 20kg

OR you can ignore the SD labels with free post, use your own postage, wait 14 days for payment and get a refund for the SD label you’re charged with with free post 

indeed, simple it’s not