Simple Delivery - Multiple Purchases major problem

[bushmike]

I listed a series of books Individually with Simple Delivery postage set to "Seller Pays - Small Parcel (Up to 2Kg, 45 x 35 x 16 cm) - calculated by eBay at £3.38" for Each Book. The books themselves weighed between 850 g and 1250 g each.

A customer purchased 3 of these books together after putting them in their Shopping basket, so these had a single Order Number and a Single "Simple Postage" of ------ You guessed it! ------ £3.38 with Royal Mail. That Parcel was now 2.6Kg and larger than the 'Small Parcel size of 45 x 35 x 16 cm and when I checked the Order Details, Simple Delivery had simply divided the £3.38 between the three books. How Crazy is That!

eBay assured me that, as I had done everything correctly, it was still fully covered by eBay and I would not get any negative feedback in the event of any penalties from Royal Mail.

I would imagine that my Customer would not be very pleased about collecting the parcel and having to pay at least a Tenner for the privilege. I also cannot see them coming back for any more books in the series so that is One Customer I've Lost!

This is not the way I do Business, nor should it be done like this anywhere. Also the Algorithm (or AI) doing the calculation is Utterly illogical.

I assumed that specifying the Postage Size & Weight may not enough so I have since gone back and  entered the actual individual weights of each book in the Drop Down details section to see if that changes anything.

However I did notice the Weight Entry Slot is Text-based and not Numerical and does not specify 'Units' which means 860g could be entered as any one of a dozen ways ie. 860g, 860 g, 860 grams or just 860 etc. This suggests to me that it will not make the slightest difference.

I wait in anticipation

[bushmike]

Further to my Comments :- I decided to Send the books using my own Postage and claim a Refund for the Downloaded but Unused Simple Postage. This was suggested by their 'Real Person' assistant, who walked me through the process. What a painful procedure!

However, the system does not allow you to enter the new Tracking Number. In fact it says in the 'Simple Delivery' information page that 'You Must NOT Change the Tracking Number' otherwise you invalidate any refund request.

So now, my Tracked Parcel has been successfully delivered, according to Royal Mail but eBay, of course, has no record of this. I am now at the complete mercy of the customer and a 14 Day wait for my money.

As for my refund - I have to wait 14 days and, as long as I have done everything right, I get my postage refunded.

Simple Delivery Refund Page says:-

"If you haven't used your Simple Delivery label, you MAY be eligible for a refund."

"Don't worry about the size and weight details on the label. The carrier will accept all parcels UP TO THE MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT OF THE SERVICES.

This last statement implies that I would not have been covered by eBay or Royal Mail because the 'Combined' parcel was both heavier and larger than the specified service.

This is getting like Westminster - It is hard to trust a word they say!

I also find this Simple Delivery change very badly designed and also totally pointless. They were already getting kick-backs from the Couriers under the old system so all that has happened here (at great inconvenience to us sellers) is their platform looks a little more like their other internet selling competitors.

[sml192]

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@bushmike wrote:

"Don't worry about the size and weight details on the label. The carrier will accept all parcels UP TO THE MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT OF THE SERVICES.

This last statement implies that I would not have been covered by eBay or Royal Mail because the 'Combined' parcel was both heavier and larger than the specified service.

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Ebay really needs to make this a lot clearer.

By 'Up to the maximum dimensions and weight of the Services' eBay means the overall maximum dimensions and weight permitted by the carrier not the specif8c dimensions and weight of the label provided.  For Royal Mail Tracked that is 61x46x46cm and 20kg.

Ebay has a flat rate contract (same price regardless of dimensions/weight) with the carriers so the parcel would have still been accepted despite the label discrepancy and there wouldn't be any surcharges from Royal Mail.

The only time that there may be an additional charge (by eBay not the carrier) is if you select a label size other than that recommended by eBay when listing the item and the parcel subsequently exceeds the size selected.  That obviously doesn't apply where eBay is determining the label size in a combined postage situation.

[bushmike]

Clear as Mud.

That information, including its application to Multiple purchases should be
made crystal clear to Sellers! and not in the typically vague, grey,
Westminster style Half truths.

In Good English that sentence should have read something like - "up to the
maximum dimensions & weight of the CARRIER'S services"

("Carrier's services" generally refers to the RANGE of options provided by
a company that transports good")

Just saying "Services" implies the specific Service or option within the
Carrier's portfolio, ie. Large Letter or Small Parcel etc.

They also need a very clear explanation with respect to how 'Simple
Postage' handles Multiple Purchases. I doubt I would be the only one having
a moment of panic in similar circumstances.

'English' is supposed to be an effective medium of 'Communication' and that
is a quality rapidly disappearing.