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.

[papso22]

At the moment it appears that when simple delivery is more widely introduced it will be mandatory. 

[aphystykqa]

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@papso22 wrote:

At the moment it appears that when simple delivery is more widely introduced it will be mandatory. 

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I really hope and pray that does not happen, but it does appear that Ebay is becoming more Anti-Post Office all the time. Regardless of whether it is private or business sellers.  😡

[vintique*violet]

I ONLY use RM and always will - if this option is taken away , I can no longer serve my customers and in turn eBay will lose a loyal  " member" ( customer) as I do not sell on any other platform.  My choice would have been removed, it will also take away  the " pleasure" I experience from meeting other locals and exchanging pleasantries with the post office staff etc.

There is a phrase  " I'll die on this hill"... and this is mine. 

[aphystykqa]

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@vintique*violet wrote:

I ONLY use RM and always will - if this option is taken away , I can no longer serve my customers and in turn eBay will lose a loyal  " member" ( customer) as I do not sell on any other platform.  My choice would have been removed, it will also take away  the " pleasure" I experience from meeting other locals and exchanging pleasantries with the post office staff etc.

There is a phrase  " I'll die on this hill"... and this is mine. 

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I feel equally as angry, and yes I love face-to-face contact and to be served by professionally trained Post Office staff. Do I really want to have to go out and buy a set of weighing scales and weigh everything myself, and then have to measure each parcel on width, depth and height and then have to work it out through some online digital system, and fill in a load of other postage details blah blah blah - no i do not 😡 - also what about people with disabilities ? who are certainly more likely to use the post office than any other means of posting items. I could rant on and on so much more about this 😡

Some interesting post office history concerning 2 king Charles's

• 1635: Charles I opened the postal service to the public. 
• 1660: Charles II established the General Post Office (GPO) under the Post Office Act. The GPO became an important part of England's infrastructure in the 17th century

So, will it be under the reign of Charles III in 2025 that the World's/UK's Second biggest online marketplace brings to an end a 385 year tradition ?? - well - if it does, it will be a very tragic decision and many will move away from Ebay for that very reason. Some traditions must NEVER change, and this is certainly one of those.

[*vyolla*]

I also only use Royal Mail. 

[*devils.advocate*]

..... will it be under the reign of Charles III in 2025 .....

No, it'll be under the reign of Daniel Křetínský.

It'll be interesting to see how far he can shake things up to reflect the needs of 2025.

[aphystykqa]

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@*devils.advocate* wrote:

..... will it be under the reign of Charles III in 2025 .....

No, it'll be under the reign of Daniel Křetínský.

It'll be interesting to see how far he can shake things up to reflect the needs of 2025.

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Yes I know that the multi-billionaire tycoon from Czech Republic has bought the Royal Mail. However, Charles III still reigns as King none-the-less. So if Ebay did decide in it's not-very-infinite-wisdom to bin the option of Ebay sellers posting parcels to buyers through the Post Office, then it would occur whilst Charles III is on the throne. To be honest, this is the 'Last' concern of mine, but I just made the point of the three Charles's in relation to the Post Office and the Royal Mail, that's all.

As for the new owner shaking things up. Well, I won't hold up much hope lol. The costs shall always rise, no matter who is in power.

I got charged £2.50 by the Royal Mail this Christmas, because a family member sent a card with a first class stamp with Queen Elizabeth on, but the person who sent it - or the person in the shop who sold her the stamps tore off the perforate-edge with the QR / Bar Code attached, so even though they tell you that first and second class postage stamps shall be accepted for all time (regardless of how long or short it is from when you bought them) - then minus the attached QR / Bar Code - they are worthless, and the Royal Mail will demand that the receiver has to pay an additional 85p above the normal £1.65 1st class post charge

[bailey2agd]

I was charged £5 because a friend sent our mail with the coded strip ripped off. he bought stamps in the post office and had never seen these. The girl behind the counter, when asked if they should be retained or removed for posting told him to remove them! But no recompense of course!

[aphystykqa]

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@bailey2agd wrote:

I was charged £5 because a friend sent our mail with the coded strip ripped off. he bought stamps in the post office and had never seen these. The girl behind the counter, when asked if they should be retained or removed for posting told him to remove them! But no recompense of course!

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It's disgusting, isn't it. 😡

Just another way for the Royal Mail to swindle money off people, as many shall fall foul to this without even realizing that they have done anything wrong.

[contrarywiselc]

I also only use Royal Mail as I have always had good service as have my buyers. The new postage rules mean that eBay will probably lose yet another seller as this is my only selling platform and I am not willing / able to comply with the T&Cs regarding postage from 4th Feb. Now I'm off to researching for another buying platform to take my custom to.

[game_raid]

Do you have a link where it states Royal Mail is not going to be part of simple delivery? I am a private seller also and will only use RM Tracked due to the reliability and enhanced tracking they offer.

My understanding is there will still be multiple couriers to use and RM/ EVRI will be the only options, CS have confirmed this to me and only one courier will be available on the listing, a buyer will not be able to choose the courier they want.

If I have been misinformed I will get another call back.

In the guidance it states the below.

What carriers are available on Simple Delivery?

All postage labels will be from Royal Mail and Evri.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/postage/simple-delivery

[insidethe93]

The 'girl behind the counter' is expected to know that it's required to use stamps with a bar code (and has been since 1st August 2023; was originally 31st Jan. 2023 but RM allowed a 6-month grace period).

After 1st Aug. 2023 non-barcoded stamps are invalid, and any mail sent using these old stamps are treated as having insufficient postage and incur additional charges.

Recently I received RM's grey form P4605 "Fee to pay" telling me to pay £2.50 as a sender had paid insufficient postage. You have the option of not paying as the form says if you don't pay it'll be returned to sender after 18 days.

(I didn't pay. I suspected it was junk mail, turned out it was. I still remember that, decades ago, before firms held franking machines, a work colleague was told to put all the bulk mail-shot her team had produced into the letter-box even though they'd miscalculated and not bought enough stamps; happened more than once.)

[*vyolla*]

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@contrarywiselc wrote:

I also only use Royal Mail as I have always had good service as have my buyers. 

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I also like to support my local PO, it's tiny and one of the very few that haven't closed down in a rural area. It also serves as a tea shop and meeting place for the elderly villagers to sit around in for a couple of hours. I read somewhere that loneliness is a major problem for older people, so as far as I'm concerned this is a public and social service too, which should be valued.

I know that big corporations do not need to look at the big picture, and it's all about the money, but it would be great if, just once in a while, they did look at the impact on the big picture. 

[a45heaven]

Personally, id prefer to keep my local Post Office going than maintain ebays greedy and obsessive control approach. The local Post Offices would be sorely missed, ebay - just another selling platform with doubtful effectiveness, poor standards and high costs on a variety of fronts.

ANY changes ebay make favour their coffers above anything else, an actual advantage to sellers is definitely minimal, and announcements by ebay are often at best marginal on the truth as shown below.

New! Buyer Protection launches 4 Feb

More protections for buyers at no additional cost.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

Simple Delivery has not been made mandatory YET, it is still an opt in/out decision even after Feb 4th, that relates to the buyer fee and holding your payments. 

[aphystykqa]

As I originally pointed out in my OP. It's like when visiting a supermarket. We the customers like to have the choice of either (1) = Being served by a proficient member of Supermarket Staff at the checkouts - or - (2) = Self Service Checkouts where you scan each of the items and so forth - or - (3) = Order your Supermarket products online on the supermarket's website.

So, when I say that Ebay sellers want to keep using the Post office counter service and be served by persons who are Proficient at performing the tasks of dealing with parcels sent to Ebay customers, then why would the owner of Ebay wish to rule that option out altogether, and FORCE every Ebay seller to using the new 'Simple Delivery' option  which is actually the Opposite of what it is described as being - as instead of having proficient staff doing it at the Post Office, instead you have to enter a completely different Postal service which I highly doubt even 1% of the British Public, or even the World's public have even heard of - let alone used, and then have to mess about trying to find out how to do it, and then going to a lot more trouble of having to enter all the information online, and then you got to get the weight and parcel dimensions entered in properly. It's basically a lot of DIY work, which most of us (with any sense) would wish to avoid.

Why doesn't the Ebay owner just freely admit that the idea of giving Private Ebay sellers Zero-Fees was a Mistake, and bring the Fees back again, or better still, do a permanent 70% discount seller fees offer of 4 days of every week throughout the year, instead of what they did initially, which was doing it every fortnight. Oh (and of course) - make Simple Delivery just an additional postage option for Sellers to use - to add to all the other Postal options available - but absolutely keep the Post Office option continually available to all and forever - as let's face it. The Post Office is not just going to vanish.

[game_raid]

eBay are not removing the post office option? Have you actually read the simple delivery page or just read the header and decided to add your own narrative.

eBay will be using an algorithm that will compare millions of sales to determine what size parcel and service is needed on that item, there is no need to weigh or even measure anything no more it is all done for you which will help the new and old sellers immensely and stop expensive mistakes.

If they can't determine the item then the seller can manually add their own dimensions.

Once your item sells you are issued a QR code which is scanned at the post office and they supply a label or you can print a label off at home and then drop in a RM counter, parcel box or locker.

eBay are making it easier for sellers to get their items shipped without mistakes, the amount of times a seller hasn't added correct postage or used an incorrect service must be astronomical and these mistakes can put new sellers off.

If you have been using Royal Mail before simple delivery you will be using it after it is mandatory.

There is also only 2 couriers on simple delivery, RM and Evri, can you share a link that states there will be an unknown carrier also added as part of the service.

There will also only be one carrier on the listing, a buyer will not have choice between Evri, RM or this unknown courier that 1% the world hasn't heard of.

There is so much misinformation being shared on this, I'm not sure if it's a concerted effort to put people off selling or they are just out to cause panic and anger in the community.

[aphystykqa]

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@game_raid wrote:

eBay are not removing the post office option? Have you actually read the simple delivery page or just read the header and decided to add your own narrative.

eBay will be using an algorithm that will compare millions of sales to determine what size parcel and service is needed on that item, there is no need to weigh or even measure anything no more it is all done for you which will help the new and old sellers immensely and stop expensive mistakes.

If they can't determine the item then the seller can manually add their own dimensions.

Once your item sells you are issued a QR code which is scanned at the post office and they supply a label or you can print a label off at home and then drop in a RM counter, parcel box or locker.

eBay are making it easier for sellers to get their items shipped without mistakes, the amount of times a seller hasn't added correct postage or used an incorrect service must be astronomical and these mistakes can put new sellers off.

If you have been using Royal Mail before simple delivery you will be using it after it is mandatory.

There is also only 2 couriers on simple delivery, RM and Evri, can you share a link that states there will be an unknown carrier also added as part of the service.

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When I place an advert on Ebay, I offer FREE postage and packing (in other words) - I incorporate those P&P fees into the BIN or Auction Starting Price to ALL UK buyers. For buyers abroad, I offer two different rates of P&P to buyers from Europe and The Rest of the World. 

As for the weight of the items I sell. Well, that is what Proficient Staff at the Post office is for. Why do I need to use any other system to find out that information ?? - when they have the Means of Post Office Scales available, and can enter all the information in on their computer and on the postal documents. Oh, of-course, if I need to sell something which as larger than a standard Vinyl Record or Video (which I normally sell) - like a Box Set (for example) - then I simply look on Ebay at other Ebay sellers to what they are charging people - which is easy for me to do.

That quote of 'If it's not Broken, then why try to Fix it' - comes immediately to my mind. I don't see this so-called Simple Delivery as doing myself any favours whatsoever. Actually, quite the contrary - especially as a Private Seller.

if you yourself think it's a great idea, then good for you. I'm afraid, that is not how the world works though - as what may be good for you, is certainly not good for everyone. I want to carry on with the same system as I always have done, and NEVER change.

Oh, haha, don't you just love the sound of when Ebay says ( Oh, we sending you a QR code ) 'Assuming' that 100% of Ebay sellers have a Smart Phone lol. Well, I fall into the small category of dumb-phone peoples. You remember them lol. Phones with buttons on, and no touch screen, which you can make calls and text people, and that's about it. So, QR codes are about as useful to me as a chocolate fireguard lol, so Ebay can shove that idea. It's getting as bad as Asda supermarkets Asda Rewards Cards scheme which Forces everyone to have to use the App, otherwise you'll get nothing. Thankfully Tesco's, Morrisons and Sainsbury's  still accommodates us dinosaurs lol.. - But, oh yeah, you said that 'if' Ebay sellers have a Printer - then they can go Print a label off from home. Oh wow, lucky me then - who does have a printer. Now i have to get some special labels to print them off. Oh, and go to the trouble of getting out my printer, etc.. etc.. - which I haven't bothered doing for over 3 years, as why would i need to bother, when I have the post office.

Well, I shall continue to rebel over this Future change. Apparently, the Owner of Ebay - in his not-so-very-infinite-wisdom wishes to Force change by March 2025. I can only hope he rethinks that decision, or it shall get VERY busy with Rebels like myself coming into this Community, and more-than-likely taking our business elsewhere..

[*vyolla*]

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@game_raid wrote:

If you have been using Royal Mail before simple delivery you will be using it after it is mandatory.

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The PO will be getting paid less per package though.