A Clean Sweep (almost).

[theelench]

Today at 09.00  every thread on P.1 of the SC board was a complaint about Straightjacket Delivery.  (OK there were a couple about selling restrictions, both from the same author)

I think this continuing anger and the increasing number of private sellers coming here to vent it shows that the "loud but tiny minority" theory is becoming less tenable with every day that passes and by now ebay should be thinking about reversing its roll out.

Hopefully most, if not all, of those coming here to complain will have reduced, if not deleted all their listings and stopped buying to make it clear to ebay that taking control of seller's delivery options is not acceptable (even if it worked properly) and private sellers want 'Simple' Delivery  REMOVED from ebay.uk

[vinylscot]

I agree with you that SD so far has been an unmitigated disaster. It is a worthwhile concept, but its implementation, and the (lack) of communication around it have been an utter disgrace up until now. (and I would point out that I do also have a private account)

However, eBay may look at these forums and, quite logically by their way of thinking, consider that things are quietening down. There are far fewer new problems arising. Most of the posts are regurgitations of former posts (many obviously fabricated), or simple misunderstandings from either the seller, the buyer, or the post office. And a huge proportion of these posts are from a small, rather contrary, group of posters, who will never be happy, but continue to post regularly. Many of the most regular posters don't even sell here any more, so are really just wasting everyone's time.

I think they will see that there is still some tweaking to be done, but, in their eyes, they are very much on the right lines.

The contrarians can be ignored. The somewhat laughable "petition" can be ignored. Those who don't even sell here any more can also be completely ignored. And however many sellers and buyers leave (many temporarily), they won't be missed, and will be replaced, probably by better quality members, within a few months.

There are still many "teething problems" to be sorted out, but they're getting there.

[cobwebcottage]

'The contrarians can be ignored. The somewhat laughable "petition" can be ignored. Those who don't even sell here any more can also be completely ignored. And however many sellers and buyers leave (many temporarily), they won't be missed, and will be replaced, probably by better quality members, within a few months.'

Summed it up in one paragraph.

I have just had a few days away and came back to find I have sold a few sales on my private account. I get 100% of the sale for something I didn't want anymore and will just get on with posting them. Win, win.

Some people just enjoy the moaning and spreading negativity, especially those who have stated they are no longer selling on the platform but continue to stir the pot. You don't like something, you move on. Their rules (Ebay) their site and they may make some improvements but my guess is SD and BFP is here to stay.

[kyanyama]

This site is in charge!  They have probably spent quite a few pennies on devising and implementing this service.  I very much doubt eBay will consider backtracking and waste all they have spent.  You just have to look at the Post Office scandal!

The Not-So-Simple-Delivery is quite inflexible when considering there are so many sizes to be accommodated from jewellery / coins to small furniture / appliances.

I would have preferred to be able choose to use one of the two postal options for each item.  I would have preferred to have the option to use it or not.

But I am like a flea on an elephant.  One more dropping off means nothing.  So I will just sell what I can using the RM option (more convenient for me) and anything bigger I will sell elsewhere or use a different a/c.

[technthread]

I signed into my private account a few days ago to leave feedback for a seller.

Out of interest, I created a draft listing and I still wouldn’t have to use simple delivery, my pre-set postage policies applied in every category I tried. It all seems very weird, I’m glad I don’t have to deal with SD but from my side it looks like it is easy to avoid, you just create business policies. I can’t believe we are in July and that still works.

[department28]

I would expect it to be quite a while yet before the reporting of problems & dissatisfaction with Simple Delivery quietens down.

People are still only just discovering SD has taken over, and that it really is mandatory. Some are finding the restrictions & inflexibility not to their liking, and don't wish to use it. Some are trying it, but have encountered various problems & difficulties.

Simple Delivery wasn't fit for purpose when it was rolled out, and knowing how long it can take eBay to 'fix' anything, I'd be surprised if it significantly improves any time soon.

Yes, those that don't like it can 'just leave', but it is understandably a big disappointment to have to leave because of this unexpected, unwelcome change to eBay's traditional, customisable postage arrangements, that no-one had a problem with.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

and that is what some of us are doing/done.  I must admit that i am a bit disappointed in @vinylscot's comment, i would have thought better of him.  I may only have been on e bay for 10 years but during that time i have given them a 'slice of my pie' in fees for a service i was happy to use.   Yes, i do feel disgruntled that because of a change in that service which actually only really benefits them (and possibly EVRI) I have felt compelled to actually act by leaving and going to another site.  I will be coming on here (whether he likes it or not) to see what is happening - it would not be the first time for e bay to alter things when they find it is not working as they want - maybe a forlorn hope but that is still hope.  SD was a step too far for me and for any company to take this long to actually correct its errors in the operation of it (which should have been at least 95% ready to go before they introduced it) shows that they really are on the downward path to trouble.   My last items finish in two days and then i will be gone as far as selling is concerned (and if not selling will not be on here to buy either - i always browsed when i was checking on my sales!

[xenavsbuffy1]

The problem is the changes are clearly designed to eliminate the Private Listings and turn Ebay into a Business only platform the latest change being you have a maximum of 3 days to send item, if your lucky enough to sell anything these days...if you work you can't do that or find it extremely hard 

Ebay are championing this and all the changes, which have eliminated a lot of choices and bring about a business style, but are only dumping it into one section and not the one they are directing you to, Business, don't be expecting any reversal anytime soon and get ready for the day they remove Private Listings for good

[xenavsbuffy1]

If Ebay before the changes had announced the end of Private Listings and a move to Business only platform it would have ended Ebay as a company, it would have been a crash...so the changes have been designed to move members towards a more Business style by removing the choices and slowly over months an exodus of members either leaving or moving to Business....the changes will keep coming to move the remaining Private Listing members to either more open to a Business or say enough is enough and the end to Private Listings and that is what the changes have been about

[vinylscot]

You're perfectly entitled to your opinion, as am I.

However, your opinion, as an individual, means as little to eBay as mine does, a big fat zero.

You have posted, probably well over a hundred times, that you will be leaving. I suspect you are one of those I refer to in my post, who will return (possibly with a new user name), once things settle down a bit, even with SG in full effect, when you realise the grass isn't always greener on the other side. (I have had a couple of years experience on eBid, and it certainly didn't work for me.)

Every time I have posted about SD, I have commented that I am not in favour, and that it is not yet (and never has been) fit for purpose. But it's there, and I've decided to go along with it on my private account. You have decided not to, and that's entirely up to you.

[gjalp]

In theory SD could work but it needs some adaptations. It would be better if more couriers were on board and in seller settings there was an option to tick those that are accessible to sellers without penalty. Another tick box could be beneficial for those that need collections and/or labels brought. High value (jewellery), fragile and outsized items also need a tick box when listing and then an algorithm flips to custom postage. Special Delivery should be included. The bugs are that labels are inconsistent and can be completely wrong for the item. At the moment, Simple Delivery can be anything but simple. Items under £20 do not need a specific tracked service.

i think the main problem is that it has been rolled out before being fit for use. If ebay wants a slice of that pie then they should issue a label based on sellers custom postage. Seller inputs which service they want at time of listing, then ebay issues a label once sold. The other big problem is the lack of combined items. At the moment, the single charge for each item will put buyers off and the ‘workarounds’ suggested are time consuming and bring in an inconvenience factor. In addition to this, some items require more packaging than others and sellers are having to cover this out of the item price which isn’t ideal.

[dch2112011]

ebay are actively promoting and attracting more genuine private sellers than they are losing - which seems an expensive and fruitless excercise if as you think ebay are trying to rid itself of private sellers !

At the very best the consequence of the changes  is to attract more genuine low volume private sellers and rattle the  traders / constant sellers of 1000's of apparently unwanted items 

Looking at the 1000's of items being sold by some individual private sellers constantly over decades - it makes me wonder  about their obvious wealth to acquire such a vo;ume of goods  and the enormity of the mansions they must live in to store such a collection often at such a volume  that the entire contents of the local car boot and charity shop pale into insignificance in comparison.

[vinylscot]

I should have marked my post #10 as a response to @kath3735_wxmjn  earlier post #7. Sorry for any confusion.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

not that i have counted but what difference does it actually make how many times i said it.  I took all my listings off when they put me on to SD (as i said i would), i then read on here of a work around so i listed a few items again (not the 120 i had on originally), that work around ended and another one was published so i tried that (using freight only), those are the 4 that are on now.  They have stopped that one now so in 1 day and 1 hour they will be finished and that will be me - gone as promised.   If i did decide to come back on i would not use a new user name - why should i.  If i changed my mind i would not be ashamed of doing that, would not be the first time in my life.  I own up to any changes/decisions i make.   E bid may not work for me as i sell mainly clothes which are not that popular but then again i have just added 80+ and e bid may grow - who knows.  There are other sites as well.  

[gjalp]

I have loads of personal items that need selling and I don’t live in a mansion. Ive had to rent a storage unit as my attic is full and I only live in a terraced house. Many of my items are things I have bought over the last 30+ years and things inherited. While none of the inherited items are particularly valuable, they do hold monetary value and we’d like to cash them in (along with not needing a storage unit as it’s costly when just storing ‘junk’)

[moonlight-rhapsody]

I would have expected the topic of SD to have been done to death by now, and the fact that the outcry is still going strong is a testament to the strength of feeling against it.  And I’m constantly surprised at the new names that crop up to add their weight to the outcry, either as Kudos or as their own post.  Sometimes it’s because they’re a new or occasional seller and have only just discovered SD.  Sometimes it’s because they’ve tried SD and found it too frustrating.  

Either way, I’m sure it’s reassuring to find that they’re not alone.  I know I was relieved to find that it wasn’t “just me” when I came to the forum immediately after I received the SD email, you know the one - the one saying it was going to be mandatory from April 15th, the one that’s still being rolled out 3 months later because of all the problems.  

And no matter how many problems they solve - for me it will never be Simple compared with writing the name & address on a package and dropping it into the Post Office, and I’m not the only one who thinks that way. 

[dch2112011]

You could start your own storage unit yard sale  and save your wealth being spent on storage units for the enormous mass of  low value goods you intend on selling  !

It seems that selling on behalf of family members and the deceased is a massive undertaking running into tens of thousands of items for some private sellers (items inherited or owned by family members with a view to sell for profit are apparently classed as 'acquired' to sell)  

[xenavsbuffy1]

Well for one thing the changes are only happening within the Private sellers area, Why? and they are eliminating choices making it more Business like....bridging a gap between Private Selling and Business so as you say the dwindling sellers who do have 1000's of listings, which aren't selling, will be more likely to move to the Business section than leave

We are all entitled to our views but I'm not sure where you are basing and can show what you say about Private Sellers growing on here, I don't see it I haven't seen one thread or many views that have expressed pleasure in the changes limiting our choices and streamlining our we do things the latest being the change to a maximum of 3 days to post, if you were a business you'd do it the same day, as a Private seller you adapt to suit your circumstances...it would be great if you could show us all how the Private Sellers have grown and is better off with all the changes, cause I see the opposite

[vinylscot]

Well, I do wish you the best of luck wherever you end up.

If I was five years younger I might consider something else, but it's probably coming to business sellers too, in some form, so I won't have time to get myself established elsewhere if that happens. My private sales are too infrequent to make me want to pack it in (adding, as always, that I don't like SD, and that it should never have been implemented as it was - it' still not fit for purpose, months later.)

[*devils.advocate*]

..... how the Private Sellers have grown and is better off with all the changes .....

I haven't a clue if there are more private sellers or not.

But existing sellers come with "baggage" - ie. knowing what it was like before.

But any new private seller won't know any of the problems - they'll just use the system which is presented to them.

If it works for them, they'll stay - if not, they won't.