Criminal

[dmacbrewp]

Ebay have trashed what used to be a great platform. I have used it for around 25 years, first in business and then when I retired 8 years ago in a private capacity mostly buying but also selling surplus items from my various collections (lower end stuff).

I used to be able to list something in a couple of minutes now I could be at it for half an hour and still not get it how I want it. Ebay must have a team of school kids (can`t be intelligent grown-ups) with nothing else to do but think up stupider & stupider ideas to foist on sellers in order to squeeze more money out.

Yet they don`t do it by honest means. Buyer Protection is nothing of the sort and fools no-one. It`s a commission on buyers which they actually agreed at the start so why the subterfuge.

Their latest scam (for tht`s what it is) Simple Delivery is anything but simple. There is no way I am going to charge a buyer £2.70+ postage for something which costs a pound and easily fits into the large letter category (£1.55). To do so would in my eyes be dishonest, and very few buyers would go for it anyway. Yet I have not yet found a way to disable or avoid SD.

If ebay are so desperate to increase profits why aren`t they upfront about it and charge a commission on buyers and/or sellers, at least then everyone would know where they stood. Without having to resort to their present dubious methods they could allow sellers to make their own postal arrangements and generally simplify things all round. This I suggest would allow them to rake in the profits and halt the company`s decline.

[michemas]

I too am struggling with Simple Delivery. Recently had a buyer ask that something be posted to  a different address so couldn't use the simple delivery label. I couldn't find an option to mark the order as despatched as I had used alternative means and eBay have now issued the buyer a partial refund!

[*vyolla*]

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@michemas wrote:

I too am struggling with Simple Delivery. Recently had a buyer ask that something be posted to  a different address so couldn't use the simple delivery label. I couldn't find an option to mark the order as despatched as I had used alternative means and eBay have now issued the buyer a partial refund!

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Sellers must post the item to the address showing on the order details, if the buyer wanted it changed they could have done this at checkout before paying.

If you don't ship to the correct address the buyer is in a position to get a full refund (and the item).

I'd always cancel the order and then ask the buyer to repurchase with the correct delivery address.

[pegr-834437]

You're opening yourself up to be scammed if you send stuff to other addresses, thats why SD doesn't allow it, its to protect you.

Theres many thing wrong with eBay but I cant get my head around when people say it takes 30 minute to list, unless you are taking incredible pictures in a photography studio theres no way it should take more than 5 minutes to list, yes theres a few item specifics but never 30 minutes worth. Make sure the title is good then copy and paste that into the description and add anything extra and then list. I genuinely dont understand how it takes anyone longer than 5/10 minutes and thats with taking the pictures.

[dmacbrewp]

It`s got nothing to do with pictures it`s trying to get an item listed with a fair postage i.e. NOT Simple Delivery. Sometimes I can find a way round but usually not, probably they are tightening up loopholes. Funny many seem to be able list similar items (photos, programmes etc) with a normal, none SD postage. What is the secret? 

[department28]

Some items are allowed to be sent with 'normal' Custom Postage, but they have to be no more than £20/100g.  I think jewellery is also exempt from Simple Delivery. 

'Simple Delivery is now optional for more items priced £20 or under in categories like Trading cards, Coins and Stamps, Mobile Phone Cases, CDs, and DVDs, which are typically letter or large letter-sized and 100g or under. Now you can choose to select a low-cost, untracked delivery option when protections aren’t essential, or stick with Simple Delivery to benefit from prepaid labels, automatic tracking, and full protection if the item is lost or damaged in transit, all at competitive prices.'

[kyanyama]

I don't like Simples Delivery either but have adapted so far cos it's either accept it or sell elsewhere.

You are only covered by eBay's protection when you post to the address stated on the sales order.  A buyer asking for it to be posted to a different address is putting you at risk of losing your item and them getting a freebie.

If they've made a mistake then you cancel the order and relist it.  If they buy again using the correct address you know they made a mistake.  If they don't re-buy then they were trying to get a freebie.  Simples!

Some of them know the rules better than sellers!

[style_wise]

Just to be clear, for the 100g Large Letter Royal Mail item you are describing, Simple Delivery is cheaper not more expensive. It is £2.70 instead of the £2.80 they would charge you at the Post Office. This is because SD is a Tracked 48 Service with £750 cover (rather than a 2nd Class untracked one with £20).

That said, you can still list your £20 and under items with Custom Postage, eBay just changed this a few weeks ago. There are details on these Selling Boards.

[dmacbrewp]

So why those categories and not other, more obvious ones  (paper) etc?

[dmacbrewp]

That`s a red herring mate. I am not talking about items over £20 but those for which £20 cover is more than ample - so SD @ £2.70 is NOT cheaper than £1.55.

Likewise your second paragraph is irrelevant as it doesn`t apply to the items in question - photos, labels, programmes etc.

[family-6008]

It's not great, I've listed 2 items and aren't showing? I've been trying since yesterday, I lost them wait 2 hours or so but still can't find them when search, rinse and repeat, means ebay don't want me to sell i guess 

[pegr-834437]

So your complaining about the length of time it takes you to try and find loopholes? you even say yourself its around £1.20 extra yet you're willing to waste 30 minutes trying to find loopholes which if anything goes wrong will give you no protection for £1.20. I understand people might not be happy to use SD as it costs £1.20 more so then just dont use eBay. It really is that simple.

[dmacbrewp]

I`m saving mys customers money, not  myself. I care about my customers unlike you and ebay. Anything goes wrong - protection? What protection? Lost or damaged items are covered by RM not ebay.

[pegr-834437]

O yes resort to insults when you are losing, great one. 

I was being very constructive, wasting 30 minutes to create a listing then failing to find a loophole is wasted time. Maybe just follow the policy and rules of eBay.

[lucy_farmer]

'Buyer Protection is nothing of the sort and fools no-one. It`s a commission on buyers which they actually agreed at the start so why the subterfuge.'

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You're right in that the Buyer Protection Fee is nothing of the sort.

It is simply to replace the old private-seller's seller fees. (which have always been needed, to pay for everything that ebay has always needed to keep the site functioning...)

Ebay had to dump those fees in order to advertise themselves as 'free to sell' and compete with Vint*d etc.

The bad naming (the subterfuge) is because a silly marketing dept. wanted to make it sound as though buyers were getting something new and special that they'd never had before, so therefore buyers wouldn't feel so miffed about having to pay it.

Yes it's dishonest and more or less meaningless,  but honesty and marketing depts go together like a horse and marriage....

'Their latest scam (for tht`s what it is) Simple Delivery is anything but simple. There is no way I am going to charge a buyer £2.70+ postage for something which costs a pound '

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There is one (singular) good thing about Simple Delivery: ebay take responsibility of refunding when an item gets lost in the post. The seller doesn't lose their payment 👍

But this means all items posted under S.D. , no matter how cheap, have to be tracked. 

Otherwise dodgy sellers would sell stuff, *not* post it, and ebay would give the buyer a refund for non-delivery, leaving the original payment with the dodgy seller.

Ebay'd lose a fortune.

[suelel1968]

Hi, @dmacbrewp What items do you usually list? SD is immensely frustrating but as you say there are some categories you can use to avoid SD. 

[papso22]

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@suelel1968 wrote:

Hi, @dmacbrewp What items do you usually list? SD is immensely frustrating but as you say there are some categories you can use to avoid SD. 

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As long as those categories are appropriate for the item.

[dmacbrewp]

What insults? I came on here to listen to worthwhile opinions not trade social media insults. You obviously haven`t got any -`don`t use ebay` your idea of a constructive suggestion?

If having the last word makes you feel good then go ahead - then go away.

[dmacbrewp]

The seller is responsible for getting the item to the buyer. If RM don`t
deliver they compensate you - all you need is the certificate of posting
you get when handing the letter into the PO. Of course if you just stick
it in the box you don`t get that but if it is of little value you may
think it worth the risk.

[dmacbrewp]

Hi Sue mostly right now sports programmes & photos - little point in
listing them under coins or whatever. Who decides what categories
qualify? Why not just anything that fits the bill?