Simple Delivery Labels Not Scanning At Post Office

[fabkids]

Just taken some parcels to the Post Office, posted with simple delivery and they wouldn’t scan. Post Office staff got the message “2D barcode not recognised, not valid for tracked 48”

Has anyone else had this? Thanks

[karenpixie912]

i am going to purchase my own labels from royalmail and claim refund.i cannot stand all the hassle of it.i just talked to an agent online and if i  have proof  of purchase they will send refund once i give them proof.i cannot keep being messed around.

[ell567]

Assuming the problem is now or shortly fixed, there's probably not much point saying this... but I took a parcel to a PO yesterday and when the error came up I handed it over and got a proof of posting on which the staff wrote the barcode.  Tracking shows it scanned by RM a few hours later.  I'm pretty cautious about these things, but I don't think I took much of a risk.  Admittedly, I didn't have the complication of its being simple delivery.

[coltrain67]

I am in the same boat - please see my posting (no pun).

Have several parcels, all labels the beginning with YA and paid for by the buyers. These will amount to considerable cost to me to send them and therefore I need to know how I will get this substantial postal costs refunded to myself.

Will try again today (Mon 4th Aug 2025) and will relate the results.

[liam_oneill1]

Can somebody update here if their parcels are working today on Monday 4th August? Thank you.

[worsethansecondhand]

While I haven't personally tried, by looking at other threads it seems this still isn't resolved.

• https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Postage/simple-delivery-stating-tracking-number-is-wrong/m-p/7904726...
• https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Postage/UNABLE-TO-POST-ITEMS-VIA-SIMPLE-DELIVERY-DUE-TO-TRACKING-NUM...
• https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Postage/eBay-Simple-Delivery-Labels-Invalid-When-Scanned-At-The-Post...

[brainuk]

I just rang my main post office and it is still down as of 09.45.

[buntyandthebean]

Thanks for letting everyone know x

[mandrake_the_magician]

Well I waited till Monday and it's still not fixed

[atticbrowser22]

10 am Monday and just been refused again.

[piercedoff]

Labels bought via the Royal Mail site are also not scanning as of Monday 4 Aug - had to take them to the sorting office and they  were able to scan them. Seems to be an issue in that they are issuing YA tracking numbers instead of the usual TQ

[tackexpressheadoffice]

We have had the same issue. It is an eBay/Royal Mail issue it appears and is affecting business and private sellers buying labels from eBay. We spoke to our Royal Mail Business contacts who advised that parcels can be scanned as accepted if taken to Royal Mail Delivery Offices, but not at Post Offices. They also advised parcels, if they fit, can be posted into Post Boxes (although they will not get an acceptance scan and only be scanned at Mail Centres, so not ideal)

Their best solution was to buy seperate labels from Royal Mail Click and Drop and update tracking numbers to eBay and ignore eBay labels until the techinical issue is fixed.

[www_neorep_net]

Doesnt make any difference, if its the Tracked 48 thats the issue, anything thats starts with YA prefix wont scan at post offfice. 

[magnoniboy]

Not working at the Post Office when I tried this morning at about 09.15.

[brainuk]

It is NOTHING to do with eBay. Royal Mail have done an internal update changing just Tracked 48 codes from TQ on the barcode to YA. It hasn't worked properly and they are working on it now.

[theglo-68]

The Tracked 48 problem this morning 2nd Aug 2025 is Nationwide (I confirmed it via Reddit with different people from all over with the same issue).

This new 'YA' prefix on the Tracked 48 tracking code is an indicator of the problem, the prefix has been 'TQ' for months (years maybe ?).

Also I bought DIRECT via Royal Mail website (nothing to do with eBay at that stage) and then later inputted the tracking code into the eBay order page (I'm a seller).

I know others have a similar issue with Royal Mail Tracked 48 who have for example used eBay's 'Simple Delivery' to purchase their address labels (dunno how they're going to get a refund on postage if this isn't resolved !).

Would be nice to see updates from Royal Mail as what are we to do now to try and resolve this, because I bought from the RM website direct I have the option for a refund, dunno about how to get a postage refund for online eBay/Vinted sellers who may have bought their Royal Mail labels via those selling platforms.

This could be an almighty mess and headache for many people and companies. Status Updates please RM, I called your Customer Services and they gave me the 'Online Royal Mail Payments Team phone number' and they are out of the office until Monday !!

[kev-the-cat]

Still happening this Morning 😡

[kev-the-cat]

Still ongoing.   Went this morning with two packages both unrecognised 😡

[waan_2375]

Not working at post office still , took them to my nearest collect plus store and they all scanned and have all updated on ebay with courier scan 

[cool_trader]

I guess we can use lockers

[waan_2375]

Lockers should be fine also