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? 

[aphystykqa]

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@welshjoskin wrote:

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? 

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No. The Ebay powers-that-be have dictated to EVERY Private Seller who sells on it's site - that from 15th April the 'Only' option available shall by their stupid Simple Delivery online-only service, so it's goodbye to the Post Office Counter service (forever) - unless Ebay Private Sellers switch their accounts to a Business Seller - whereby then every item you/they sell shall be subjected to the Ebay Seller fees. But then (at least in the short-term) you can continue to use the Post Office counter service. Maybe one day in the future - every seller on Ebay shall be forced into their so-called Simple Delivery service, whether a Private or Business seller.

In my opinion (and many others shall share my feelings) - this is Ebay's WORST change ever, as Ebay has always welcomed multiple Postage services to be used, and especially the Royal Mail Post Office counter service, which is the easiest system of all, as the paid and experienced Post Office staff do all the work for us. They have scales to weigh the parcels exactly, and can measure each parcel. No QR Codes nor Printers needed. It is great.

Just like when going to a supermarket, that gives shoppers the choice of being served at the supermarket checkouts, and self service and online purchases available. The supermarkets give us 'All' options. But, if Ebay was a Supermarket (after April 15th) - then every Ebay Supermarket customer would have to either use self-service or buy their shopping online. It really is disgusting !! I am raging 😡 

[lucy_farmer]

'Can I still use SD as option? What about if I pay it myself and just send the item as usual? '

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I believe there is a setting in Simple Del. where 'the seller pays'. Basically offering the old 'free postage'.

If you 'opt out' of the choice of Evri, this just leaves RM., who obviously do Special del.....

If the items you sell are expensive enough, I'm hoping that makes the 'simple' system only leave the 'express' service (which with RM is special del) as the option for either the buyer or the seller to choose ??

Logically speaking this is the way it *should* work!

(But every time I've thought that ebay can't possibly do anything else, because that would be truely stupid, they've done it anyway...😮)

[chyner]

What about disabled people like me who have royal mail collect from my door and bring a label with them because I don't have a printer.  I can't get out to post my items. Do they not consider these things before they make changes. I'm so unhappy about this, eBay has become just like Vinted and I hate Vinted fur selling.

[jjambadger27]

Considering the charges I saw on a test listing of mine, I'd say that Express is Royal Mail 24. 

[millcottage]

I use this option also due to health issues.

If collect from home and bring a label isn’t offered then isn’t this discrimination against people with disabilities?

It would me like a large store removing the lift on purpose so disabled people can no longer buy goods above ground floor or removing disabled parking spaces.

[arty.crafty.books]

So reading the terms of Simple Delivery, the eligibility section, there are number of items which are not eligible  for SD (for example valuables such as gold, food and plants etc. plus of course also anything heavier than 20kg) . So, the optout option should still be available - at least for some type of items?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/simple-delivery?id=5575

I gues it will be after 15 April to test that, unless some of our listings are moved to SD on the 7th.

[jjambadger27]

I'd see it as discrimination. But eBay clearly doesn't care...

[lucy_farmer]

'Considering the charges I saw on a test listing of mine, I'd say that Express is Royal Mail 24'

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Interested : how expensive was the item you tested out?

[welshjoskin]

Ah *bleep*. This sounds a  truly awful system. What is wrong with actually taking a parcel to an actual post office and being served by an actual person? A method that has worked perfectly for decades. Every pathetic thing ebay has changed (for the worse) these past couple of years I have reluctantly accepted and put up with but not this. This is utterly unworkable for me and even it wasn't I refuse point blank to buy a printer that'll be used maybe 5% of a year or own/ carry a tracking device in my pocket just to be able to sell something now and then. 

The only workaround I can think of is to say it's a restricted item even if it's not or list it free postage and just pay to send it myself. Would either of these work? 

[wintersdawn1]

I believe if we choose 'seller pays' for postage, we, instead of the buyer, buy the postage from ebay.

[xh_-6912]

I would threaten to sue them under the disability discrimination Act 1995. 

Feebay

PayUsNow™

[welshjoskin]

Does that mean as the seller then that *I* would be able to choose the postage? So if I want SD I can specifically choose that? 

[wintersdawn1]

I'm sorry I don't know what the options would be if the seller pays the postage, hopefully someone will be by and know more.

[**foxytori**]

No, you can't select SD, you have to go with whatever ebay decide.

[buffster1963]

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@welshjoskin wrote:

Does that mean as the seller then that *I* would be able to choose the postage? So if I want SD I can specifically choose that? 

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No, the only difference would be that the money for postage would be taken from you instead of the buyer, and then you would be sent the QR code. 

[sandrinescreations]

Just been chatting with CS, this is his response for "low cost items" :

 Sellers won't have an option to opt out by selecting the custom delivery option unless any of the following apply: Items in categories that are comprised exclusively of prohibited items. Bulky inventory (> 61 x 46 x 46 cm, >20kg) Postables inventory (<100g AND <£10)

But... I don't see the option to add the weight or dimensions of the items in the listings....

How are they gonna work that out ?

[welshjoskin]

What is there to stop you lying and saying its a prohibited item even if it's not? Say a prohibited item is glass and you say it's a glass item/ contains glass for instance. 

[department28]

'What is there to stop you lying and saying its a prohibited item even if it's not? Say a prohibited item is glass and you say it's a glass item/ contains glass for instance.'

eBay will be sending someone round to your house to rattle and drop your parcel... if it breaks, you were telling the truth - and it saves Evri the trouble... 😄

[medealady]

Has ebay done a deal with Evri et al re the exclusions from their compensation?  Evri and Post Office has a massive list of exclusions so will ebay override this and compensate for this. How can ebay dictate a service to be used???

Evri Excluded from compensation

You can send these items with us, but we can't provide cover or compensation for them.

• All items that have been badly packaged or strapped together
• Fragile or perishable (within 7 days) food or goods, including chilled and frozen food, plants, seeds, flowers and plant derivatives
• Liquids under 1000ml are accepted as long as they DO NOT contain prohibited contents like paints,
• oils, perfumes, aftershaves, inks, enamels and varnishes (including nail varnish). All liquids over 1000ml are prohibited
• Glass items or fragile items that contain glass parts
• Diamonds and other precious stones or antique items
• Laptops, computers and game consoles
• TVs and monitors
• Lighting equipment such as vehicle lights and light bulbs
• Paintings, prints or canvases
• Musical instruments including their cases or suitcases when used as external packaging
• Ceramic or composite items of any description including without limitation mirrored items, crystal, ceramics, porcelain, plaster, marble, china, stone, slate, resin, granite, concrete (or any item containing these materials)
• Fossils, stones, marble, stoneware or any stone derivative
• Articles made largely or wholly of gold, silver or other precious metals
• Kitchen appliances such as white goods or electronic equipment with fragile/glass parts
• Antiques - objects over 100 years old
• Furniture - unless flat-packed and safely packaged
• Cheques or dividend warrants which are uncrossed and made payable to the bearer, uncrossed postal orders which do not state to whom they are to be paid, bankers' drafts, bearer securities including share warrants, bonds or relative coupons un-franked postage or revenue stamps – except a revenue stamp embossed or impressed on an instrument which has been executed
• Coupons, vouchers, gift vouchers and cards, tokens, stamps, national insurance stamps, credit cards, debit cards, lottery tickets, scratch cards, SIM cards, tickets or passes such as for travel or events, any forms of currency (including notes and coins)
• Documentation – such as passports, driving licenses, medical, employment, property or commercial records
• Memorabilia, photographs, signed items and vinyl records
• Cameras, lenses, spectacles and optical equipment such as telescopes or binoculars
• Internal damage to appliances, mechanical items or electronics is excluded from compensation
• Tobacco and tobacco products
• Real fur
•  
• HOWEVER the Post Office has become just as bad

• Post Office Items excluded from compensation for damage

  Any items that by their inherent nature are particularly susceptible to damage are excluded from compensation in the event of damage on all services. This includes but is not limited to the below:

  • Automotive vehicle parts and body work for example but not limited to doors, bumpers, headlights and other large body parts or panels
  • Cakes of all types
  • Cases (including suitcases and musical instrument cases) when used as external packaging
  • Ceramics or composites wholly or partially made of china and/or porcelain
  • Collectable toys and action figures, where the original packaging contributes to the item’s value
  • Computer monitors – including laptop screens, all-in-one desktops and iMacs
  • Furniture – both flat packed and ready built e.g. tables, chairs, shelves, cupboards and similar items
  • Lighting – fluorescent tubes, neon lighting, X-ray tubes, light bulbs etc. or any other inherently fragile lighting items
  • Models, for example completed kit or scratch build models, dolls houses and architectural models
  • Televisions – including CRT, LCD, LED and Plasma screens

  Items made wholly or partially of the following materials or similar materials:

  • Ceramics e.g. china and porcelain
  • Composites e.g. concrete and fragranite
  • Glass – Items wholly or partially made from or containing glass, e.g. picture frames and clocks containing glass or crystal items. Damage to other items in the parcel caused by broken glass will not be covered
  • Plaster items – including plaster of paris, fibre clay
  • Resin items – including amorphite, amber and composites
  • Rock, stone and mineral items – including granite, marble, fossils, geodes, gem stones, crystals or similar items
  • Packaging (external) – e.g. if items are sent in a suitcase, musical instrument case or in the manufacturer or retailer’s original packaging without adequate external packaging, Parcelforce Worldwide will not be liable for damage to the suitcase, musical instrument case or manufacturer or retailer’s packaging.