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.

[goodibags]

Most of my items are still on custom postage, rightly or not quite right. Once they get switched to SD most of those will be ended. Then it'll be just toy cars over £20 and a few sheets/books of stamps. 

Still not sure where the other stuff (like records) will go but it looks like they won't be coming here. Will need a rethink.

I've never promoted listings. If the price is ok it usually will sell. Unless the buyers have been scared away?

[goodibags]

Yes, SD works ok for a few selected things. Just a shame it simply won't work (opt out?) for more. 

[infohelps]

She didn't get a refund for the item because she never claimed for it as per my post.   She was too embarrassed to ask for a refund because she had left positive feedback in error, and 'felt a right plonker' as she put it.    As the whole transaction including postage was less than a fiver, she opted to just right it off.  The item was a Simple Delivery item, and she had paid for the postage.  Because the item was never dispatched, she was automatically refunded.  

[infohelps]

As per my earlier post, buyers who paid for simple delivery do seem to be getting refunds for postage if the item is not dispatched. 

[goodibags]

Thanks for clarifying. It's an unusual case because she got the postage refunded but as you say it may have been because the item was never posted OR because she'd left feedback for it. In other cases where the seller has changed the postal service you still wonder if the unused label would be refunded to the buyer. It might even be conditional on them leaving feedback? 

The problem is that refunding is supposed to work in a certain way but, because we know it doesn't seem to work quite as expected for sellers, we end up speculating on whether it does for buyers too? After all, how many buyers would notice if it wasn't? And of those how many would complain about it?

[drofter]

Been monitoring my listings most days, & just seen that my listings over £20 have been changed to Stupid-idea Delivery. I've ended those listings. The others (all £20 or under) can stay for now, but will be removed if they are changed. It seems that once ebay have changed them to SD,  editing the price to below £20 does not bring back Sensible (ie for me, using my horde of stamps) Delivery.

[theelench]

I sincerely wish you the best of luck with that decision and for your future dealings with ebay, may they be long and prosperous for you.

But there comes a time when the one way street that operates on and its progressive enshi**ification of the site gets to the point where one has to say "enough is enough" and take another direction.

For me that point came when it became a possibility that I would, at some stage, have to give them my NINO.  It will without doubt become compulsory for every seller eventually.  I've watched the unfolding of "Free" to sell for private sellers, the transfer of fees to buyers to recoup  lost revenue, the restrictions on payouts and the loss of freedom to deliver to buyers by tried and tested means with fascination.  Wondering how much more will some sellers take before coming to the same conclusion.

I think you know as well as I that ebay's one way street is never reversed and each stealthy step only leads to it becoming worse than before.

The payment holds will be back next time ebay wants more cash, their rake-off from SD will only get bigger and as ebay has now made all private sellers dispatch within 2-3 days, it's perfectly placed itself to crack the whip and reduce that in it's vain attempts to make ebay sellers as efficient as those on amazon (but without the investment). 

Soon enough I can foresee the day when ebay will make Sponsorship compulsory and STILL there will be some on here who will be telling everyone that that's a great idea as well and besides every other site does it, so it MUST be good !!

Good luck!! 

[sml192]

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@drofter wrote:

Been monitoring my listings most days, & just seen that my listings over £20 have been changed to Stupid-idea Delivery. I've ended those listings. The others (all £20 or under) can stay for now, but will be removed if they are changed. It seems that once ebay have changed them to SD,  editing the price to below £20 does not bring back Sensible (ie for me, using my horde of stamps) Delivery.

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To be excluded from Simple Delivery items have to be under £10, letter sized, and in certain categories. 

[1956glyn]

So far we have not been asked for Glyns NINO but saying that we probably wont give it........as i have said before (and why) we definitely do not trust Ebay with a NINO.

Shortly we will hit the transaction limit.

[goodibags]

I agree that Ebay changes seem to be a one-way street but we have seen some rollback of some of the worst aspects, like reduced buyer fees (albeit somewhat pointless with compulsory SD in place) and a faster release of seller  payments, in some cases to just after item dispatch.

Ebay will be monitoring whatever detrimental effect the various 'developments' are having on metrics like selling volumes and site usage, as well as whether it was a good strategic decision to be seen as attempting to rid the site of private sellers. While it makes sense for users to keep up the pressure by complaining and lobbying for changes it also makes sense for Ebay to address the noisiest user feedback and take steps to reduce some of the damage it has caused.

Next step? SD to be made optional. We all know that makes a lot of sense! 😁

[sml192]

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@1956glyn wrote:

So far we have not been asked for Glyns NINO but saying that we probably wont give it........as i have said before (and why) we definitely do not trust Ebay with a NINO.

Shortly we will hit the transaction limit.

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Please be aware that your NI number will be required once you hit either of the thresholds, not when you exceed them as some seem to think, so if you don't intend to provide your NI number you need to stop before you hit the thresholds otherwise eBay will withhold your payment. 

[jonboselr]

I'm having difficulty issuing a partial refund due to Simple Delivery it seems. 

Customer not happy. Nor am I. 

[tressygirl]

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@jonboselr wrote:

I'm having difficulty issuing a partial refund due to Simple Delivery it seems. 

Customer not happy. Nor am I. 

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Use a laptop / PC ,  not the app or mobile browser,  and try Chrome that seems to work well with eBay.

Click on the sold item,  then top left on view order details.

From the right and More Actions drop down menu,  select Refund this item.

Be careful to add the correct amount you wish to refund,  or you will refund the whole amount.

@jonboselr 

[rugbyguy1960]

If SD gets made optional i would almost definitely consider selling and buying again.

The other really annoying thing at present is my front page being flooded by recommendations for me or things saying people like me are buying.

I've given my front page a thumbs down many times because of this and in the comments I've said I know what to look for at the appropriate time. But as usual no doubt the comments are ignored by the platform just like many other things get ignored.

[rugbyguy1960]

You are so right about this platform not reversing some of the crazy changes that have been made.

All they need to do is make SD optional. That would more than likely encourage a lot of private sellers to start selling again and its so obvious that more sellers selling would lead to more people buying.

The platform really needs to stop stomping ahead like a youngster having a temper tantrum.

[rugbyguy1960]

I hope this post gets noticed by one of the decision makers.

There are 3 main points that would absolutely benefit Ebay and many of it's users.

1. Ebay needs to realise that in the UK we are in the middle of a Cost Of Living Crisis and we really don't need a Cost Of Ebay Crisis.

2. Ebay needs to realise that enforcing it's will on users really has a very small chance of ending well.

3. Ebay needs to learn the true meaning of the word 'COMPROMISE'.

That word would absolutely benefit everyone.

The platform would benefit so would nearly all of its users.

I live in hope that a post like this actually gets them thinking.

[goodibags]

In practical terms there are a small number of things that Ebay should consider doing to rebuild seller trust and confidence (which may have been stretched to the limit in recent months). These include:

1. Honouring postage refunds for unused SD labels where sellers have bought their own postage, whether it was originally paid for by buyers or by sellers. Some sellers reportedly are still awaiting refunds.

2. Making SD optional for items costing above £20. The SD services and costs should stand on their own merit and where SD is providing better value users will inevitably choose to use it. Where an item is valuable, fragile or rare allow the selection of Special Delivery or a verified signature service, at least for peace of mind.

3. Making SD optional or possibly even removing it for items up to £20, at least letter and large letter post, as standard untracked postage is cheaper and already provides adequate cover. Again, if sellers want to use a tracked service and their buyers are happy to pay for it then they will choose that.

Beyond that the actual benefits of SD are not always made clear to users and it has been imposed without much explanation, so perhaps a user opt-in would work better? Once these issues are sorted then hopefully the users that have been deserting the platform and seeking pastures new will gradually start returning to Ebay?

[vinylscot]

I think by now we all know SD, as a whole, will not be made optional. It can't be. eBay has entered into volume-dependent contracts with RM and Evri, and has guaranteed certain volumes for a set period.

SD has been so badly implemented, that a vast majority of users would refuse to use it, whether or not it really was a hindrance to their activity on eBay, if they possibly could. Much of this would be justified (and eBay's own fault), but some is also just mass hysteria. Nonetheless, it shows why it can not be made optional.

One thing which eBay could still do, would be to address the pricing issue. eBay will be making well over £1.00 per parcel sent under SD in pure profit. That is profit they were not making before. They could easily afford to drop prices by say 30p or 40p across the board, and still rake in huge profits.

That wouldn't address all the problems with SD, but users would be far more likely to give it a chance if they could see that they, or their buyers, were saving money.

[charlottlepegasus42]

Well done. I agree with you. This is what needs to be done. All they have to do is put it as an option, like Global shipping which I wouldn't use either after a bad experience. I really cannot understand Ebays mentality. And i see they are pushing the sell it for free adverts on the telly. Perhaps they have seen loads of sellers leaving

[charlottlepegasus42]

Yes I would consider reselling again if they made Simple Delivery Optional. But i doubt it. As they don't seem to listen