Why do people insist on sending second class? £5?

[tranceenthusiast]

Why are sellers using second class and first class? It's more expensive, untracked and super slow..

I buy records and the prices of delivery has now got to the point where sometimes postsge is more expensive than the item 😂. 

It's really off putting, I ask people to change to tracked 48 which is cheaper and better for them as they get delivery confirmation but they refuse? Why is that?

What's so good about second class? Am I missing something here? 

[technthread]

Some sellers are just set in their ways. If they have used 2nd class for years to send records as small parcels and have had no problems, they won't see the need to change to Tracked 48 until they actually use it and realise it is a superior service. 

To be fair though if you buy 45's and the price is low, they can send them as a large letter which may only be £1.55 2nd class vs £2.70 Tracked 48.

[northerngame]

Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 has zero compensation cover if the item is damaged, lost or any other thing that can go wrong, hence why it is cheaper.

1st class and 2nd class large letter and parcel is now tracked when delivered (no signature or photo but a GPS record of where it was delivered) but also has compensation to the seller if something goes wrong

[myriad*seller]

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@tranceenthusiast wrote:

Why are sellers using second class and first class? It's more expensive, untracked and super slow..

It's not untracked

Royal Mail provide delivery confirmation (accepted by eBay as proof of delivery) for all parcels now

They also provide up to £20 compensation (which Tracked 24/48 does not). Tracked may also not be available at the sellers local post office as not all offer this service. It's hardly cheaper if the seller has to travel to a PO further away just to satisfy the buyer. Second Class is often just as fast as first class (which isnt that fast any more). 

[technthread]

Tracked 24 & Tracked 48 have a compensation level of up to £150 don't they? Are you thinking of RM24 & RM48?

[myriad*seller]

Possibly...

[tranceenthusiast]

Had no idea it was only 1.55 for a single second class! Everyone seems to be charging £5 plus for postage on singles it seems..

I think perhaps people are bumping the price then. I politely asked one seller if he would kindly changed to tracked 48 yesterday. This is just for a single that was listed for £5 and postage at £5.. He went absolutely ballistic and gave me his life story about why he charges so much for postage. With a rant about not sending for " free "...  Naturally I blocked him, which is a shame because he had a nice copy of a record I luv, but I won't buy from rude people. 

[tranceenthusiast]

Tracked 24/48 has competition up to £150. Use it all the time. 

[tranceenthusiast]

Had no idea 1st 2nd class had tracking? I am yet to receive a tracking number for any sent via this service, how do I see this? Because I've had a couple that have not arrived, seller refunded 😊

[tranceenthusiast]

Yeah they definitely give competition up to £150 clearly states that on eBay and RM web site. Tracking all the way to buyers door with prof of delivery, where as I've never seen tracking with 1st and second class, those are just a postage stamp purchase? 

[tranceenthusiast]

Btw guys you can buy the tracked 48 label from eBay and just use the QR drop off or you can even arrange for RM to collect from your door if you purchase via RM website. I've done it several times.  

With regards to seller costs / fuel to get to post office ect. We all have these.. It's part of the deal with selling on eBay. If I put my postage up to £5 for single small items I'd expect to miss out on sales..

[tranceenthusiast]

I'm not sure what my predictive text thinks it's doing today.. Apparently Royal Mail offer competition now.. 🤔 Ok.. 😂

[tranceenthusiast]

Cheers to all for responses. 

[technthread]

Yeah anyone charging you £5 for a single is just profiteering on postage, unless is going as Special Delivery. I always think if the seller wants to make money off it just factor it into a higher item price with free postage rather than rub it in the buyer's face, but that's just me. 

I am aware that packaging for vinyl isn't cheap, I've got 100 music max mailers for singles here and I think they cost me about £20-30 a few years ago but it's a good investment to send them well protected and it saves packaging time which possible some of your sellers may be charging you for if they are fashioning boxes themselves out of cardboard offcuts. 

The Royal Mail large letter sent 1st or 2nd class standard don't have tracking but if you buy them off eBay they will automatically have a reference applied to the order. It's a QR code on the label which the postman will sometimes scan. It isn't guaranteed a scan but a good % will do.

[tranceenthusiast]

Yeah I definitely think they are bumping prices, for singles. EBay perhaps need to camp postage amount for single 45's /12 inc.  

Obviously mailers ect can be expensive, I have been buying so I recycle them from items I've brought. ( I'm not flipping, all for personal, just sell the odd few I don't want from job lots ).  

[tranceenthusiast]

Not sure what's going on with my predictive today. To much rushing around.. 😂

[northerngame]

I have  Royal Mail OBA and I get tracking number as standard on all 1st and 2nd class large letter and parcels I send when I book them in

[asd429]

There's not a lot in it, but Second Class is actually cheaper than Tracked 48. I use Second Class for everything as shipping is so expensive now and I like to keep competitive. Not had any problems. Obviously would choose another service for more expensive items.