Ebay simple delivery opt out

[cartermk]

So ebay have decided to force private sellers to use simple delivery for all listings.

Previously you could select advanced options in postage and select your preferred postage method  as before.

Did ebay announce this to private sellers - did they ....

I searched around a while and eventually got this from the chat bot:

"Eligible listings will show Simple Delivery as an option when you're creating a listing. Starting 15 April, 2025, Simple Delivery will be the only delivery method available for private sellers when listing eligible items."

The recent changes like BPF and simple delivery have been extremely irritating but not terminal. I think this is terminal for me.

I cannot express on this forum without getting deleted my extreme annoyance with ebay.

[edwardian-dreams]

Stamps are exempt from simple delivery (under £10 pricing)

you should get a custom delivery default when listing and 87p is recommended 

it works ok for me on both iPad and desktop 

others who sell items under £10 and in exempt categories also say there is no custom delivery showing up

dont know why this is  but I do know eBay are making many people incredibly frustrated as their system isn’t working the way  they have said it should be 

[edwardian-dreams]

you won’t be paying any more for postage than you currently are setting

tracked 48 is 3.38 with simple delivery , more or less the same as your own postage

?

[monster_hugs]

Have to say, and I don't mind admitting, Simple Delivery had gone totally under my my radar, as I have been switching to advanced options until today (2nd July) not realising SD would become compulsory. I have never had any news, announcement or anything else, and  now I'm just glad I managed to ship out two heavy/ bulky parcels under my own steam before ebay grabs the despatch steering wheel for itself.

Before, it was easy enough to pack, weigh and book RM collection at leisure. Due to their nature, I could never know how big or heavy the packaged items would be until they were packed.  And if it's true that a 2 calendar day turnaround is demanded, rather than (3) business days, as if we are ebay task rabbits with our own goods outward department, unfortunately I'm pretty much finished selling online after 20+ years.

[motocicloman]

Yep, it's crazy, they decide the postage price without any idea of the size
or addition for costs of packing, boxes, tape, bubble wrap etc.

[whychangeit]

Well it kicked in for me today as well! I am totally bewildered! I use Evri never have a issue with them I get a good rate because between me and my wife we send over 50 items a month so we pay £2.62 up to 1kg tracked. We print all our own labels using bulk send on Evri  easy and simple.  Ebay is more expensive and a pain to print the 4x6 label.

I just offer free postage as everything I sell is from downsizing so it is about clearing stuff and not profit.  I work full time so this is a hobby.

I use 3 templates with all my formatting done postage everything.

I have hundreds of items still to list but with this, the BPF, the APP/PC photo system messing up all the formatting and postage options that's it I think I am done.

WHY HAVE THEY DONE THIS!!! 

I worked it out that in fees that I was happy to pay over the last 10 years I have paid over 4k

HOW MUCH DO THEY WANT!

[rorqual123]

I am also now hitting this forced S D issue, and can't understand how after trialling it for several months, it's still 'broken' . Not only do I not have the Royal Mail options of lighter 'Large Letters' , the only option that does display is for a 1 kg Large Letter ... RM only allow Large Letters up to 750 grams? Who knows what chaos that would cause at the Post Office, turning up with a 950 gm packet.

My problem is not heavy items, but the lightweight ones. A small 60 gram jiffy-bag, which would be a £1.55 postage item with RM. But no suitable choices on the drop-down menu?

[sml192]

---

@rorqual123 wrote:

Not only do I not have the Royal Mail options of lighter 'Large Letters' , the only option that does display is for a 1 kg Large Letter ... RM only allow Large Letters up to 750 grams? Who knows what chaos that would cause at the Post Office, turning up with a 950 gm packet.

---

Royal Mail Tracked Large Letter is now up to 1Kg when purchased online but still up to 750g when purchased over the counter. 

[xyz307xyz]

I doubt a 950g large letter would cause any issues. ebay and RM have created their own specific agreement.

For a 60g large letter, sold for £10 or less in specific subcategories, you should in theory be able to opt out. Members on this forum report having different options available for very similar items for reasons they don't know.

[rorqual123]

Quote: "Royal Mail Tracked Large Letter is now up to 1Kg when purchased online"

I've just downloaded RM's 'online price guide' , and indeed this is true ... but ONLY for Tracked 24/48 mail, not for Standard 1st/2nd class, (with or without signature).

Confusing choices ...

[cash4stamps]

Also I have realised, instead of putting 85p worth of stamps on an envelope and walking 20 metres to the post box I have to get in the car and drive to a post office or evri drop off point and pay £2.70 for the privilege.
I also need to buy a printer! As a private seller! And paper and ink cartridges.

eBay for God’s sake re-think this.

[barneymerton]

It's very annoying that Ebay is forcing this stupid system onto sellers.

The crucial issue seems to be HOW to achieve an escape from the compulsory Large Letter option - several contributors to this thread have referred to some sellers managing to do that (is it possible if the item is less than £10, is that the critical point, or is there another factor?).  That would allow you to continue to post locally with an 85p stamp. 

I suggest that discussion here focuses on exactly HOW cheap / physically small things can be excluded from SD.

[xyz307xyz]

@cash4stamps  Second class post using stamps starts at 87p.

You can have RM collect RM items using Simple Delivery, and they can now bring a label so you don't need a printer/paper/ink/car.

But possibly of most interest; many of your listings are of mint stamps. These are prohibited from Simple Delivery: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/simple-delivery?id=5575#se...

If you cannot choose any other postage option; you could list these prohibited items with seller pays postage (potentially adjusting the item price), post your own way then claim back the cost of the Simple Delivery label, stating the reason item prohibited from SD.

[barneymerton]

Is there anyone on here selling (for example) cheap CDs or DVDs, preferably just the discs without their cases so that 87p ordinary letter postage would be the preference?  If so, have any of you guys cracked avoiding SD, for example because your items are less than £10?

[xyz307xyz]

also max 100g and in specific subcategories of which there isn't a published complete list.

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

Some members report seeing different options to other members on apparently similar items; and themselves on different days (not literally changing every day - but e.g. having changed once from the start of SD.)

[barneymerton]

Max 100g is of course the Royal Mail weight limit on "Ordinary" letters
(less than 5mm thick, 87p, NOT "Large Letters" which are 5-25mm and can be
greater length and breadth than ordinary letters). There is of course no
101-250g band on those ordinary letters, if they are over 100g then they
become 101-250g (etc) Large Letters even if they are still less than 5mm
thick.

[xyz307xyz]

I was answering your question. Other members state it has to be max 100g for opt out of SD.

[xyz307xyz]

I don't know if it will last on custom postage, but I've just listed https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267311002640 with 87p postage as an example.

[barneymerton]

Interesting. Thanks.

[edwardian-dreams]

I don’t see why it shouldn’t  last (yeah I know)

dvds  priced under a tenner and under 100g are exempt from simple delivery 

[xyz307xyz]

I assumed barney had tried it and it didn't work for them