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]

'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.'

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Yes there is a way around S.D. if you're selling something valuable/on the 'exclusion list'. It's just a bit 'clunky'.

If you are in the mandatory Simple Del. system:

List the item as 'seller pays postage' , like the old 'free' postage system. (if you use 'buyer pays postage' the buyer will expect the delivery timescale they've chosen, which may not match what *you* choose)

When it sells, print out the S.D. label (so you get the buyer's address) but don't use it.

Post by your own method (Special delivery for valuables).

Then request a refund of the unused S.D. label, after which it should be refunded to you in about 30 days. (if the sale is 'buyer pays postage' and the S.D. label isn't used, the refund is automatic to the buyer. The requesting stage is only for the seller; just to make another hurdle to try and get sellers to use S.D. ☹️)

I'm still not clear if your can put  a tracking number that's *not* S.D. into an S.D. sale?

If you can't, you'll have to wait for the full 14 days to get the payment from the sale. But at least your expensive item will definitley be covered for loss and damage in the post.

This is, of course, all dependant on whether or not ebay actually cover S.D. sale items that are on the 'exclusion lists'. Ebay say thay take responsibility for items once they're in the hands of the carrier.

But we have had one definitive answer from kat@ebay that stated ' items on the exclusion lists were 'excluded' from S.D.

What that actually means and how it actually works is unclear.........

[craw482]

I agree 💯 with what you say, especially with regards to receiving deliveries and terrible services from everyone except the local postman.  

It's as if some delivery services have OCD about ringing a bell.  The number of times I've been in and a parcel has been left at the door with not even a knock to alert me to it.

Incidentally, as a collectibles seller (mainly comics), what other sites are you now using as an alternative?  I'm thinking it's best to abandon the lost ship eBay before it sinks entirely.

[xyz307xyz]

I don't know if anyone else will answer, as no one else has posted for 6 weeks.
-There's currently no Special Delivery option in Simple Delivery, not have I heard any talk of any plans for it.
-You could just buy your own Special Delivery and post it. I don't think you can change ebay's Simple Delivery tracking number [but not 100% sure].
--Possibly ebay customer services could change it.
--Hopefully, in an item not received dispute, you providing successful Special Delivery tracking, even as part of the message would be enough - but *if* ebay only uses AI to determine the result, it's possible it may not.

-If you don't use a simple delivery label you the seller has paid for, you can claim back the cost*. I would assume that if you do that several times, with the only reason "I didn't want to use Simple Delivery" you will upset ebay and they will take some form of action against you. There wouldn't be any point them making Simple Delivery mandatory otherwise.

You don't have to use Simple Delivery for items sold over £750. (I'm not sure you can even if you wanted to.)

(*) If I remember and can find it; I'll post the link later.

[xyz307xyz]

Link to refund Simple D label cost when seller paid for it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

[lucy_farmer]

'-Hopefully, in an item not received dispute, you providing successful Special Delivery tracking, even as part of the message would be enough - but *if* ebay only uses AI to determine the result, it's possible it may not.'

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If you did lose an ebay 'item not received' dispute in this situation:

if you posted with Special delivery and the item was lost in the post , you will get your refund from Royal Mail (but R.M really do take much much more care with Specials, so this eventuality is a lot less likely!)

Ebay would refund your buyer but you'd get the money back from RM in the end!

[xyz307xyz]

By "successful" I meant it had been delivered and tracked as such.

[craw482]

Thanks for that advice.  The only issue is I don't have a printer and my only method has always been to utilise the post office staff for basically everything beyond labelling and wrapping the parcel.

[craw482]

Thanks for that.  It's all one big mess.  I really don't understand why they've gone down this route other than to fill their own pockets.  It so often seems to be the case that greedy comes first.  I'll probably end up just looking for an alternative to sell stuff, as this sounds like way too much hassle.  I just wish I'd listed more items before the switch happened, as my recent sales have all been before the switch and I was able to use my old method for sending them.

Thanks again for the reply.

[craw482]

Exactly, Royal Mail tend to be much better with deliveries, especially Special Delivery because it obviously costs a fair amount and does provide insurance.  Aside from the goal of being a reliable seller, I want anyone who buys from me to be happy with the transaction as well.

[goodibags]

You don't actually need to have a printer to check the buyer's address on a postage label. It'll come up as soon as you pay for it. You shouldn't need to print it off at all.

To be honest, I don't know why you can't use the address in the order details, same as before? Unless for some reason you can't access this page until postage has been paid? (I'm not on SD so don't know.)

Other than that, you may be able to opt out and use custom postage based on the value of what you're selling. It's worth checking as SD is still not mandatory for everyone and everything.