Can I still use Royal Mail Special Delivery?

[welshjoskin]

So I've just had an email saying that from 15th April you can only use simple delivery for selling. Does this mean I can't go to the post office and send by Special Delivery as I normally do? I always use SD for peace of mind and won't use anything else. I also don't have a printer so can't print labels, a fancy phone and don't use, won't use and have no idea how to use a stupid code thingy. Can I still use SD as option? What about if I pay it myself and just send the item as usual? 

[lucy_farmer]

So basically a pair of shoes or a teddy bear would be OK!.... but that's about it. 😂

[edwardian-dreams]

You click on custom postage…and put  in your own details… at the bottom of the weights page (on browser, doesn’t appear on the app ..yet)

[felix_1970]

Express Delivery with Ebay is only Tracked 24/48 - tested on a listed and the postage cost was £3.74, so clearly NOT Special Delivery.

Unless they are going by the value of the item, this untransparent method of postage is ridiculous.  Plus, it doesn't take into account the cost of envelopes/packaging so, sellers are out of pocket with no control over it.

[department28]

Yes, having virtually no control over postage methods & pricing is the worst thing about this Simple Delivery farce.

No longer being able to chop & change postage prices, to add on a bit more for packaging, or switch couriers/services to suit different items etc. 

Most sellers are perfectly capable of selecting their own postage, and would much prefer to continue to have the freedom of choice.

eBay are only doing this to make money, & unfortunately, we have to like it or lump it... or decide to give up on eBay altogether.  

[parsley2003]

People are saying that Ebay will still provide the label but take the price from you instead of the buyer. I can't be certain everything seems to have various answers, nothing clear at all, am not selling here now

[parsley2003]

They will recommend a weight but you are responsible to make sure it is right and change it if necessary so you should see it somewhere

[parsley2003]

So i can't sell the dog that wee'd in son's slippers then 😁

[welshjoskin]

Great. So if I say the the item is made of or contains one or more of these , ie  I say it's an antique glass cake on a ceramic plate set in a violin case, I could bypass ebay's dictator delivery and set it myself then? 

[abrahamtoast]

I don't think this issue is getting the attention it merits.

I sell 7" vinyl records on this private account. I always use Royal Mail, NEVER Evri, as Evri does not provide any compensation for loss or damage to vinyl records. I know there are probably thousands of private sellers selling these items, who are unaware of this.

Is eBay actually going to allow buyers to choose a delivery method which will offer precisely zero cover?

Will this be the sort of case where eBay will cover the refund if an item goes missing or gets damaged? Or will they blame the seller for using an inappropriate postage method?

This needs an official response from eBay.

[aphystykqa]

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@abrahamtoast wrote:

I don't think this issue is getting the attention it merits.

I sell 7" vinyl records on this private account. I always use Royal Mail, NEVER Evri, as Evri does not provide any compensation for loss or damage to vinyl records. I know there are probably thousands of private sellers selling these items, who are unaware of this.

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I'm the same and generally sell Vinyl records on Ebay, but most of what I had up for sale is Vinyl LP records of higher values - mostly from £100 upwards, so to even consider Evri as an option would be totally reckless, as absolutely they won't give you a penny in compensation.

I ordered a TV/DVD remote plastic compartment holder which arrived yesterday - whereby the seller used Evri, and what those mostly incompetent and couldn't-care-less-types which they hire to deliver items couldn't even be bothered ringing the door-bell, so instead (as they usually do) is to knock the door, and leave it on the outside door mat, and then rush back to their vehicle and drive off, probably to avoid being bitten by a dog (which the property owner may have) lol. This is their standard practice - from what I have experienced myself, and from what I have read from others criticizing their general delivery practice. It's disgusting really, as if it rained, then the rain water would engulf through the packaging and possibly damage whats inside. Or, it could get stolen (of course) - as the delivery drivers really couldn't care if you are in or out.

At least with the Royal Mail, then it comes with the postman - who is generally a regular postman - who at least can ring a door-bell (9 out of 10 times) - and if you don't answer the door, then they'll put a card through your letterbox saying that they've left it with a neighbour, or put it somewhere safer on your property grounds, or take it back to the postal depot - but not just left on your door-step. 

I won't give in to Ebay's latest bully-boy tactics - in regards to their latest choice to enforce Simple Delivery as a Mandatory only choice. I consider it that case of 'The Straw That Broke The Camels Back'  - insofar as for myself and many many other Private sellers also feel as Ebay has gone too too far with taking liberties. I have only ever sent items by means of the Royal Mail and through the Post Office counter service, which for almost 30 years-past, Ebay has accepted. But now they have withdrawn this from Private Sellers, which means that Business Sellers are the only ones left who get to carry on with this privilege.  Well, my response to that - was to remove all my items, and just buy items from Ebay sellers only, and go elsewhere to sell my Records and so-forth, as every other site (insofar as I am aware) allows the Royal Mail Post Office option. Ebay has really shown itself up this time, as a site which has made a series of unpopular decisions over quite a few years now, but this has to be the single worst decision of the lot.

[department28]

'Great. So if I say the the item is made of or contains one or more of these , ie  I say it's an antique glass cake on a ceramic plate set in a violin case, I could bypass ebay's dictator delivery and set it myself then?' 

The AI bot is probably on the alert for this sort of thing... 🤖  so it might well spot your 'antique glass cake on a ceramic plate set in a violin case' doesn't quite match the photos of your gingham curtains & matching cushion covers... 

[stdemajune]

Hi, I totally agree, and trust eBay will see the error of their was.

from a now ex seller.

[elabam-42]

All current postage on items listed will be changed to their postage only on 7th April. Simple delivery (biggest irony ever) is now the only postal delivery option for new listings. Post offices have been told to refuse eBay items as they will all be undercharged for weight or wrong size as their robots “guess” a price for delivery. They have no concept, being foreigners and robots, that post office and Royal Mail are two different businesses. Disabled, the elderly, the less well off, the people that don’t have printers or gadgets or that can’t do tech are now discriminated against. What a total con. I’m urging everyone to leave and let’s see how this greedy foreign corporation survives without our business. Members got them where they are today, they have changed and amended their rules so many times it’s now a dictatorship and I won’t be dictated to like this. They stick two fingers up at members so I do the sensible thing and leave. So long greedy despots. 

[iansims]

According to a Tarash from customer support:

As you can see no new benefits, lots of potential pitfalls.

Message:

Ian, gradually other courier options like Royal Mail Special Delivery will be added on Prepaid label and as of now, you can use either Evri Prepaid label or Royal mail Tracked 48 and can ship the item to buyer and the good thing is that you will be fully protected by eBay if an item is lost or damaged during transit and you can contact eBay if the item is lost or damaged during transit.

I want to acknowledge that transitioning to a single delivery method can be frustrating, especially if you’ve found a system that works well for you. Your feedback is important to us, and I assure you that we’re listening. I truly understand that some sellers prefer more flexibility, and I want to assure you that we're actively listening to the community's feedback, including your concerns to purchase the Royal mail label. While we cannot change the policy right now, we are continuously evaluating our programs to better align with seller preferences and needs.

The intention behind implementing Simple Delivery is to streamline the selling process and provide a more user-friendly experience for all our sellers. Here are a few points that may help clarify the benefits:

it.

[elabam-42]

Don’t the foreign eBay robots spout some absolute lies and rubbish? Listening, my backside! It’s all in their favour. How many negative comments are they reading on here in the last few days since they’ve declared themselves dictators of the online market? They are clearly NOT listening and that’s because they can’t speak English let alone change things back as that’s been taken over by computers. 

[craw482]

I'm with you on this.  I always sell with free postage, as I've found it easier than the faff of trying to work out postage.  I just up my price slightly.  I have always sent by tracked delivery and with selling some valuable comics within the £1,000 to £1,500 range, I would always use Special Delivery.  All my most recent sales have been older listings that were listed before this change.  I've set all mine to free delivery and when I do sell them I will just buy the Special Delivery at the post office, like I've always done.  My worry is will they let us add the tracking information?  I imagine they will still take the £3.42 postage cost for this new fangled system from my earnings.

[craw482]

You raise a VERY valid point.  Can I also complain about it as discrimination under mental health laws?  As a recently diagnosed autistic 40-something, I have always had an issue with change and I've found this change has caused me undue stress.  For anyone physically disabled, I think it's atrocious they've done this.  So much for a fairer and enlightened society trying to make things simpler and streamlined for everyone, as this has just gone and f'd it all up for so many of us.

[craw482]

But then like like Welshjoskin says, what can they do if they don't have access to a QR code?  Surely we can just offer free postage and still use Special Delivery.  I really don't see why we can't.  Other than problems inputting a tracking number, I don't see why it should be a problem.

[craw482]

I wish that weren't true about Evri!

Big Brother eBay have been clamping down alot recently.  I bought a brand new cap gun from a private seller.  I went to list it and they suspended my account stating it was an illegal firearm.  I appealed the decision, but was told under no circumstances was I to relist it, else my account would be taken away.  I even sent a screenshot of the listing I bought from 2 months prior and I listed it word for word, exactly the same, but they wouldn't hear of it.

Similarly I listed a Playboy DVD and was told I had to remove it for obscenity.  It was just a dvd of a model.  It was brand new and sealed and wouldn't have contained anything offensive.  I was raging though because another private seller had the same DVD listed. 

The only thing I can think of is it might be because I stay in Scotland and the Laws might be different here because we Scots seem to like doing everything differently to the rest of the country.

[craw482]

Exactly!  I'm in a similar predicament to yourself, as I sell comics and, like vinyl records, condition is key and important and they are fragile, so require a safety net in case damage does occur.  

I go out of my way to ensure positive feedback, even to the point of paying above and beyond postage costs for Special Delivery, so there is a safety net there in case of missing or damaged items.  It's all really disheartening the way this has all come to pass.