NO LONGER SELLING DUE TO SIMPLE DELIVERY

[rugbyguy1960]

AS OF 15TH APRIL MY DAYS AS A PRIVATE EBAY SELLER WILL STOP AFTER 19 YEARS.

I AM FED UP OF THE GREED OF EBAY AND I HOPE OTHER EBAY SELLERS DECIDE TO NO LONGER LET THE EBAY CONTROL FREAKS HAVE THIS MUCH CONTROL OVER PRIVATE SELLERS.

[tommystrezures]

Tracked 24/48 services with Royal Mail include vat. Hence why it’s broken down the way it is, although it is a little clumsy in layout from eBay. This is the reason you cannot use stamps as well on these services. 

all other services from Royal Mail are exempt of vat.

[punzel9072]

I thought in the UK prices had to include VAT in the advertised price, where it is charged, and is being offered to general consumers?

[fatbob*ian]

Perhaps they should advertise it as free to sell but not quite as cheap to buy as it used be 💷.

[bargain-hardware-2011]

It is now ebay, not the couriers who the customers are paying delivery, ebay is buying postage from Royal Mail then charging the customer. All VAT registered businesses who charge customers for delivery have to charge VAT, even if the original postage cost itself was zero-rated. 

[ruby*ryan]

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@theelench wrote:

Could this be another part of ebay's efforts to ensure buyers don't buy anything from private sellers?

Silly, off putting prices.

Different prices on the ad. and at checkout.

The more confusing it becomes, the more buyers will look somewhere else.  Possibly even at the over-priced, full fee offerings from businesses?

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No, whatever the buyer sees as price and postage cost will be the same at checkout.

When an item is just listed, the seller may see prices without BPF & VAT to postage, but this seems to revert to the 'full' price pretty quickly. In the seller hub, under 'active listings' the seller sees the price they will get (so without the BPF) and SD postage just shows as 'Flat rate postage (paid by buyer)' with no cost shown.
I quite like it this way, as the price I see is the price I get, I don't have to worry about BPF and postage cost.

[bargain-hardware-2011]

It does negate any ebay claims of cheapt delivery though as the VAT has to be included in the cost to the customer. VAT can only be excluded for cost quotes in B2B transactions as most businesses are VAT registered so able to deduct VAT paid on purchases from their quarterly VAT payments.

[gmij1961]

Given why we are all up in arms , do you  think that advert is not misleading in away . 

There is a reasonable argument  Free to sell  means no one pays any  sales related fees . BPF is currently a sales related fee that directly relates to sale price and Ebay advertise to the buyer at source and don't clearly differentiate  between what  the seller is asking for / or bid amount  and what the buyer sees .   For the potential buyer to clearly work out this is either get out a calculator or click on the bids icon  and its more difficult for a BIN .   Currently most of us would agree BPF is dishonest  substitute for transparent selling fees 

If anyone thinks it is mis leading in any shape or form , it warrants a complaint to anyone who might be interested . While ASA may not be interested in the odd individual complaint  the more  they get the more they may look . I have no qualms in complaining to the ASA but its down to the individual

No platform or venue is ever free to sell  and you would expect the organiser etc to explain the actual costs involved  to both buyer and seller . 

[andyf117]

Meaning that if a zero-rated service is used - eg., Large Letter (at an SD inflated price) - eBay simply pocket the money they've charged for VAT but not actually had to pay to HMRC?

[ruby*ryan]

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@andyf117 wrote:

Meaning that if a zero-rated service is used - eg., Large Letter (at an SD inflated price) - eBay simply pocket the money they've charged for VAT but not actually had to pay to HMRC?

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But they won't be using standard LL for SD, as it not tracked. Stop trying to twist things.
All SD services will be subject to VAT, and buyers will see the postage price including VAT on the listing and at checkout.

[andyf117]

Not trying to twist anything - my understanding is that Large Letter is an SD option, and there have been screenshots showing it as such.

And my post was termed as a query - hence the question mark...

[tommystrezures]

It is and it’s sent as a tracked 24/48. So vat applies. Royal Mail have a one price fits all when it comes to large letter on this service.

[andyf117]

OK, thanks - I recalled seeing discussions and questions regarding LL sizes and prices, so was aware it was available, but not that it's restricted to 24/48.

It is, however, another example of the restrictive practice that is SD not actually saving us - consumers - money, but making us pay more for services we do not necessarily require.

I can pay for - as a buyer or seller - a LL item untracked safe in the knowledge that RM provide perfectly adequate compensation for a lower price than eBay would force me to pay via SD.

[myoldpaperclutter]

None of my listing have been touched yet, and Custom Postage is still allowed! When they are tampered with to change to Simply Stupid Delivery I will remove all my listings. To my knowledge eBay have only mentioned two dates - the 7th, when listings will start to be changed; and the 15th, their so called mandatory date for new listings. That date has clearly been missed probably because of the kick back and the total mess they have made introducing it! 
Now I’ve seen another date I haven’t seen before, the 28th. It quoted in a press article.

”The huge revamp began its roll-out on April 7 and will be completed on every existing listing by April 28.”

https://www.mylondon.news/lifestyle/ebay-packages-could-rejected-post-31439547
So we still have 9 days to go until everything goes pear shaped.  And 9 days to keep the pressure up on Fleecebay to maybe think again. JUST MAKE IT OPTIONAL.

Just to be clear, I fully support everyone who is opposed to SD, BPF, and the withholding of funds for up to 14 days. Keep up the good work on the excellent thread.

[ja142868]

Thanks for the link, big question is why are ebay / or who is making general press announcements instead of official ones via the announcements in my ebay account. 

I'm like you, none of my listing have been altered and this is getting very tiresome.

Im getting very annoyed having to keep checking my listings several times a day.

I have some large books that are over 1kg and under 2kg, but because they are pre isbn there will be no info for the AI to determine postage weight category. 

How can ebay be the go to place for one off collectables and have this complete dogs dinner of enforced estimated postage.

[aymanalvi]

Just to add SD just gets worse, You select royal as a courier, Royal mail on Strike or have system issues. SD cannot be changed or cancelled. Ebay will swallow your money. Only way to get it back cancel the sale. If you use your own label the SD money you will never see again. Welcome to Ebay where They decide and everyone has to follow.

[andyf117]

Have just seen similar regarding the dates in another thread:

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/Not-so-Simple-Delivery/m-p/7833854 

I currently only have the one 'test' listing up, but plan to put more stuff on while I still can, as SD hasn't rolled-out into the category as yet. Like you, if and when it does, I'll just pull them - but not before advising any bidders at the time why I'm withdrawing the item(s) from sale - hopefully, if it happens, they'll express their annoyance to eBay too...

[sunflowers4me59]

I just can't stand looking at the ads now and switch over when it comes on!!

[bargain-hardware-2011]

Ebay will not pocket the VAT, this is not how VAT works. VAT registered businesses have to pay VAT on all sales (except for zero rated & exempt items). Every quarter a business sends HMRC a VAT return, detailing the VAT collected on all sales & VAT paid on any purchases. They then pay HMRC the difference, which when added to VAT on purchases equals the VAT on sales. So VAT on postage has a nett effect to ebay of zero.

[annmags3-uk]

   9-04-2025 11:55 AM -    
 I agree.  £1.55 is the price for Large Letter now with Proof of Posting free.  In 15 years we only had to make a claim once using this system. Royal Mail reimbursed full item value plus postage cost with no bother. 

[andyf117]

And from what I've seen, I believe the cheapest SD LL option is priced at £2.70(?) - if so, how can eBay possibly justify that additional expense when their 'service' provides no additional benefit whatsoever, despite their claims of 'access to a 24-hour helpline', etc., etc.

If I send an item via LL and the buyer doesn't receive it, or it arrives damaged, they report it as such and get refunded, I use my Certificate of Posting to claim against RM, and they refund me. A completely adequate system which, likewise, I've only ever had to use it once.