Postage changes, discrimination against disabled sellers?

[roastedcatnuts]

Just a thought. It seems that many disabled sellers use Royal Mail collection for their items. If this service is not available with the (not) Simple upcoming changes, will this be discrimination against disabled people? 

It will certainly prevent those who are unable to get to a drop off point or do not want to be forced to use Evri from posting anything, so will prevent them from selling on Ebay.

It's not possible for many people to get to a Post Office any more due to closures either.

It will stop me from selling as I use RM collection but I am only a private seller so not important I suppose. 

Nothing on earth with make me use Evri, even if they do collect. I have not long come back to selling my accumulated stuff and only did so because I could use RM collection.

[vintique*violet]

@roastedcatnuts 

At the moment the current simple delivery items and conditions shows that there is no collection available for eligible items - they may update these terms from Feb4th ...who knows?  

As per eBay... Collection is not currently available for Simple Delivery. If you would like your item collected, you should opt out of Simple Delivery when creating your listing.

It can be opted out for a period of time, but unsure how long this will be... it will show as " custom post" or something like that, which you would need to click on when listing,  and which you can use instead of simple delivery to continue "posting" as you have been.

As per eBay

If you choose to purchase your own delivery label separately, you’ll have to cover the cost. If you would prefer to purchase your own label, you should opt your item out of the Simple Delivery experience at the point of listing. We do not reimburse the costs of using your own label. You’ll also be unable to benefit from any enhanced cover for loss or damage to the item during transit. Any claims due to loss or damage in transit will need to be addressed directly with the delivery service provider, from which you have purchased the label, for cover limits.

I do think if they continue along these lines and make SD  " mandatory" later in the year, it is discrimination towards those who are  disabled, have health challenges,  those living in rural areas and more... 

I do not use Simple Delivery and never will and will stop selling come Feb4th or before as they are also introducing " funds held" for private sellers from that date. 

[parsley2003]

Exactly the same for me i can put letters and large letters in a post box fairly near to me but have no transport to get to anywhere else and can't walk far at all. I have already told them that this would discrimination against the disabled and hope that it is passed on. At present RM collection is available on Ebay postages including simple delivery and it does state that in future if you don't want to use it that you can opt out but it will come up on every listing and we will have to change it to what we want. They are already messing with the listings i have to keep changing post and collect to post only because i'm deaf as well and can't hear people at the door. It's an absolute mess right now. No one but RM will collect from us

[sml192]

The Seller Centre help page for Simple Delivery does still state that collection isn't available.  However, the main help page for Simple Delivery states that collection is available with Royal Mail:

'Collection is available for items sent through Simple Delivery with Royal Mail labels only. You can book a collection on the Royal Mail website after you create your Simple Delivery label.'

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/simple-delivery?id=5575&st...

Whether there will be a collection option for Evri or whether a seller will be able to specify which carrier they wish to use is not currently known. 

[vintique*violet]

@roastedcatnuts

•  

see @sml192 post for further updated information. 

[2000appletree]

Don’t get me wrong but I understand something here. First, disabled people fight for equal treatment, but if something bad happens to them, they hide behind their disability. This is extreme selfishness.

[vintique*violet]

@2000appletree Don’t get me wrong but I understand something here. First, disabled people fight for equal treatment, but if something bad happens to them, they hide behind their disability. This is extreme selfishness.

No!  For  the true genuine medically registered " disabled" they do not hide behind it at all!

When something bad happens?  - many are " disabled" because something " bad" has happened.

The Law is supposed to protect them and yet even in the 21st century they are still being persecuted!

They " fight" to be recognised and not penalised by " unfair  treatment"  ( many of whom have suffered greatly, plenty of info going back years about this if you research ) which would otherwise prevent them from doing say a " job"... They are afforded the same rights as other " employees"  but there has to be necessary "reasonable adjustments" for them to be able to " work" or carry out an activity!  

There are  " protective" regulations for  "disabled" people under the Equality's Act  2010... BUT people need to know that prior to the protected " characteristics"  ( age etc) which were introduced/added under this act, there was an original  Disabilities act  which was mainly for  Physical or Mental needs... which is not just about discrimination;   this is now called " substantial " or "long term negative impact" on daily living.   Physical can be no limbs, or a severe health issue like cancer , mental can mean a brain injury etc  ( I am putting this simply to understand as there are many " ailments" whereby people are  medically registered Disabled, from birth or accidents as an example and I cannot list them all )...There are  different categories, but there are also people who class themselves as " disabled" and are NOT medically registered,  perhaps these are the ones who you are referring to as having " extreme selfishness" as the genuine " disabled" , the genuine " vulnerable" are certainly not victims and have  compassion and empathy for others.  

I do not know one genuine " disabled" who would not swap their circumstances to be able to actively pursue their dreams and goals, just like those who have no hindrances or challenges... some cannot work at all and require 24/7 full time care! There are others who " live" as best they can in what is becoming a very uncaring selfish " dog eat dog" society - they adapt at cost to themselves on so many levels, and can find themselves in positions whereby it becomes  extremely difficult or impossible for them to continue what they have been " managing" when goal posts are moved or suddenly  new conditions are the same for everyone, with no reasonable adjustments in place... that is discrimination! 

 I thought the days were gone whereby the disabled were thrown on the " scrap heap" so to speak ?

Equal treatment - does not mean that they can do the " work" that they cannot i.e. a blind man becoming a pilot...but it does mean for example that they may need a special keyboard to input data? Or a ramp in place for  wheelchair users etc, it also means that they should not undergo any harassment because of their " disabilities" ...  There are not only restrictions but limitations,  and usually the " disabled" know what these are and how it affects them and yet they have to live in a world whereby it is continually becoming obvious that they are looked upon as " second class " purely because they are " challenged" in ways that do not affect the "able bodied" yet  they still have a great deal to offer as long as " reasonable adjustments" are made for them to do so - that is not too much to " fight " for!

 Moving goal-posts, changing a process which was  already used and " manageable" for a " disabled" person as in eBay new " terms and conditions" simple delivery for example,  is substantially removing possibilities for the " disabled" and putting them at a disadvantage to successfully " manage" their own account with the  eBay platform whilst in turn " managing" their disabilities! 

A "one size fits all "  simply does not work, we are all individuals and some have more/different  needs/requirements than others to participate often through no fault of their own!  

[parsley2003]

Jeez try having a brain tumour half your life. I don't get equal treatment
anyway they stopped the treatment because i'm old and because it won't kill
me.Microprolatinoma look it up it's *bleep* and affects me in all sorts of
ways. On top of that my husband died of multiple skin cancer tumours in his
brain last year so i have no transport. Really sorry i can't walk to the
other end of town to the Post Office with the massive queue or to a parcel
locker.
Actually i think i got you right, very right

[parsley2003]

Thank you what an awful women if it was one

[vintique*violet]

To add to my original post   - I want to make it clear @2000appletree  This is not a rant, I have shared my " opinions"  in response to your ill-informed and wrongly "perceived" comment... As an able bodied woman living for many, many years without any " disabilities"... who underwent a "traumatic event"  resulting in  becoming medically registered disabled and having to adapt, alter, change, learn, process, overcome "hurdles", and more ( which has taken years by the way and still continues ) to " manage"  life on the daily and seeing the effects it had on family... has given me far more insight into the challenges, persecutions, difficulties, sub-standard care,  and the lack of support available, which many  "disabled" people have to face... head on! 

[2000appletree]

I have been suffering from chronic depression since 2009. I would also like to be treated favorably.

[vintique*violet]

@2000appletree I have been suffering from chronic depression since 2009. I would also like to be treated favorably.

I am sorry to hear of this, and hope  you are receiving the necessary support you need... but to be treated " favourably" does not come into play...there are no such things as "favours" regarding disability rights. 

[roastedcatnuts]

I posted originally regarding posting for those who are unable to get to a post office and need collection, not to start a debate on the requirements to call oneself disabled. The fact remains that many people are unable to get to a drop off point and need collections if they are to send packages regardless of why or how or whether they are registered as disabled or are suffering from a condition that prevents them leaving the house, protected characteristics or not.

I have so far read 2 different pages regarding the upcoming changes, one says no collection is currently available, one confusingly (to me) mentions Royal Mail collection but neither have any of the useful information like whether sellers can choose RM rather than be forced to use Evri as well or whether Ebay are going to arrange something with either carrier to enable sellers to use collections or any other wild plan, or even one that makes sense.

The problem I face is that if there is no choice to use Royal Mail collection I will not be using Ebay to sell, and I believe I am not alone in this, and whether there is a chance it might become discrimination if it affects those with a protected characteristic that prevents them from going out and getting to the collection point particularly within the time frame allowed to be able to be paid their money within a reasonable time.

I don't sense a good outcome here, have gone along with all the changes made in the last 23 years of selling on and off, and adapted to them but I fear that this will be the end for me, too many hoops to jump through already, too many obstacles, too many messy pages that  are covered in useless ads and little blue tabs that block what you are trying to view, link that send you round in circles, no proper customer service, and links that don't work, listing infrigements being ignored and badly thought out ideas.

What is really bad is that it has been announced and appears not to have been thought through yet so that no-one knows what the plan really is and how to work with it, or not, leaving us in limbo and not knowing whether we need to look elsewhere to sell (again).

If only someone would tell us what on earth is being planned while they are planning how best to take our money.

[vintique*violet]

@roastedcatnuts I agree with your post - it is confusing  as I have read the same, re no RM collection  (  it was pointed out to me by another seller on here, that RM collection would be available )  but I still find it ambiguous .  Of course it affects those in rural areas, those who do not drive etc etc, it is not just about the effects it will have on the disabled ( and not just if there is no collection, there are other areas which some could find challenging also) and does not minimise all those who are affected in whatever shape or form, by these "changes."    However there is no debate about who is required to call themselves disabled... and my post was not in relation to yours it was in response to another "account" holder.  

Edit ...spelling. 

[twin--turbo]

I work 5 days a week 8 till 5  (outside of voluntreeing for stuff too ), the post office is shut outside these hours. So if I am forced to use RM I am also being disadvantaged. Collection by RM is not an option even if they did offer it as I am at work.

There is no discrimination, everyone is being forced to the same policy, it's effects on people differ not the application of the policy.

[papso22]

I think checking how disability and discrimination are defined in law would be an idea before attempting to accuse ebay of anything other than a change that might impact some people's ability to use the site for selling.

Just look at how many retail premises are still not wheelchair accessible. 

[vintique*violet]

Exactly,  and a "one size fits all"   does not work and ebay will lose a huge portion of good sellers and buyers. 

Discrimination and law are not exhaustive for the disabled. 

My point is that eBay have not thought it through of how many individuals for whatever reason will be affected or it is purposely to get rid of small private sellers in favour of businesses, as some other poster pointed out.  

[roastedcatnuts]

@vintique*violet I think we are in agreement, I was replying generally to everyone that is interested as the thread seems to be getting derailed by who is allowed to be called disabled when I was discussing the fact it is possibly discrimination to those that are disabled, in whatever way. If someone is unable to leave the house and go to a drop off point then it needs consideration as their ability to eat and pay their bills could be affected by being able to post, particularly as most of the countries pensioners no longer get a heating allowance which is another matter, I realise.

Edit: regarding who can be called disabled was mentioned above and I was trying to clarify my post, having previously tried to @ some posters and being unable to post until I removed formatting whatever that meant. 

[roastedcatnuts]

The difference is that most likely you are able to leave your home and might be able to fit in time to post on the 6th day or during a break, whereas there are people who are physically unable to leave their homes and have to rely on delivery and collection for everything.

If you have someone to take deliveries in that's good, but if you don't, you need a safe place or to be home for delivery or to actually go and pick them up so it is possible that you can fit some things into a space in your day, during which you have presumably been able to leave your home and go elsewhere.
If you are able bodied that's a different situation to those who cannot get out and about and are housebound.

Edit: I haven't implied that anyone is forced to use RM, the choice to use RM or Evri is not the problem, the problem is needing collection which is currently apparently only available with the new system via RM and will not affect you as it's not during the hours you can use it.

[vintique*violet]

I think Simple Delivery needs more consideration, it is not just if anyone is disabled or unable to use for whatever reason - it is the implications of the terms that are imposed.. ie handling times are reduced to 2 or 3 days...ignoring those who require 4 or 5 due to personal circumstances, and the seller will have penalties imposed! If a buyer opens a return case it is the seller who is responsible for the return label costs, but what about  " change of mind" which is covered at the  moment and  private sellers can refuse or honour but the buyer pays the return label... how does this work with simple delivery.. it can't?  You are giving  your "postal options" over to eBay and not the carriers and more... 

Look at eBay terms and conditions on simple delivery, the updated version of Dec. 2024, then look at the original format....for some reason it is not allowing me to add the links?