If the Post Office is your be-all-and-end-all for selling on Ebay

[aphystykqa]

I fall into the category of Private Ebay sellers who only posts items I have sold to buyers through means of the Post Office. In other words, I parcel up the item, and drive in my car to the Post Office, and then get served at the Post Office counter - and this is indeed a very successful traditional system. I always use the UK Royal Mail and never wish to change that option. It's like when wishing to buy food from a Supermarket. I like to have someone serve me at a checkout, even though (of course) you can use their self-service-points and scan everything yourself, and the other options - is of course to order your food and household products by ordering online.

So, why am I saying this. Well. Basically as years have gone by, Ebay has been trying to persuade it's members to switch from the regular Post Office counter option - and instead use GSP (Global Shipping Programme) - and - online Royal Mail and Other Postage companies with Click and Collect, etc.. etc.. - and (of course) - their new SDP (Simple Delivery Programme)

Now, I understand that Variety is often referred to as 'The Spice Of Life' Lol. Well, Yes I fully understand that there is a variety of different options for posting items to buyers through Ebay, but the most Important things to me, is that the traditional Post Office Royal Mail Counter system remains as an option, regardless of all the other options which Ebay is trying it's hardest to push us towards. Many on Ebay, just like myself wish The Post Office to continue to be our be-all-and-end-all for all time.

So, Ebay sends me an Email message today with the title :- More Protection For Your buyers - with a list of various changes, which have many Pro's and Con's for both the Buyer and the Seller. I am only going to focus on the subject-at-hand which is the part where it says that the Seller gets paid once the Buyer has received the item. So that involves the postal system, naturally.

I have copied-and-pasted the last important paragraph which relates to Ebay's advice in regards to how sellers should now start posting their items to buyers :-

[> Now, to give your buyers even more confidence when shopping, UK-based private sellers will be paid after item delivery, from 4 Feb. Your funds will be available in your eBay balance two days after delivery confirmation.*** We know it's important to get your money fast, so we recommend using a tracked delivery service either through Simple Delivery, or arranging for local collection <]

So, I read through the page about Simple Delivery through this link :- 

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

At the bottom it says that you can Opt Out of this system - which I copied and pasted below :-

[> "

Opting out

You can opt out of Simple Delivery when you're creating your listing by selecting Custom Postage from the delivery options. If you'd prefer not to use Simple Delivery at all in the future, you'll need to opt out each time this programme is recommended when you're creating listings.

Keep in mind that if you opt out, you won't benefit from the enhanced cover for loss or damage to the item during transit offered by Simple Delivery "<]

Q;- My Question is, does this Opting out still apply after these new More Protection for your buyers, and all these other new changes come into force in February 2025 ? - and can I still use the Post Office as before.

[1956glyn]

I have a question please as i have not used simple delivery and defo do not like the sound of it.

IF i send an item through SD by Royal Mail tracked and get a code or print off a label.........do you have to take it to a certain post office determined by Ebay or can i take it to any post office anywhere?

[davrman]

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@1956glyn wrote:

IF i send an item through SD by Royal Mail tracked and get a code or print off a label.........do you have to take it to a certain post office determined by Ebay or can i take it to any post office anywhere?

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You can use any Post Office, and also many Royal Mail delivery offices (though these often have short and/or inconvenient opening hours).

[1956glyn]

Thanks for your reply........apart from short despatch dates which are an issue we usually take parcels to wherever we may be to post (often an hour or two away from home).  I didnt want to try listing and get caught out 😞  I was wrongly under the impression that the code was for a Post office only at a certain location.

[nipr-2674]

Any post office. Only difference is you use the QR code rather than hand over the usual way. Apparently you can print the label yourself, i don't have a printer so couldn't test that out!! 

[nipr-2674]

 Since the only difference is how its dispatched ie hand over usual or QR it doesn't matter!! 

[1956glyn]

We also have a printer so i may list just a couple of items and see what happens.  For once we should be at home for the next week or so 🙂    Only because we are having builders round giving quotes.

[nipr-2674]

Any PO!! 👌

[nipr-2674]

If i remember correctly, when you get the QR code, an option to print is included

[a45heaven]

Who pays the local Post Office for their labours?

[1956glyn]

Thats another thing i do not like and i can see some closing 😞

[a45heaven]

I'd definitely prefer ebay to close than local Post Offices.

P.O.'s try to help , ebay , well make your mind up.

[*maetrix*]

I too have only used & will only use my local Post Office for sending items - have been for 16 years - it's simple,none of this nonsense with drop-offs,pick-ups,QR codes,printing labels etc etc etc (bore off).

Why "they" (the ebay dictators) think that bullying sellers into using a far more complicated system is a good idea is beyond most of us.

[j.p.greenwood]

They're now certainly on a 'commision' from EVRI and RM for every transaction they process, however, I suspect/guess that RM point blank refused to offer a commision for their Special Delivery service, thus why E-Bay have removed it from the available shipping options.

[*maetrix*]

Well they're getting pretty much zero commission off of me at the moment - before all this I was selling 4 or 5 items a week - have now sold 3 items in 6 weeks - i'd say that's a bit of a drop in ebay's sales chart.

Ebay need to start "doing the maths".

This ain't working for sellers or buyers.