New postage policy seems a bit dodgy...

[lord.ford]

Anyone else find the ‘new’ postage process for sellers frustrating and a bit suspicious?

Specifically:

• Ebay now require sellers to select the postage service during the listing and only allow them to use that postage service once the item has sold. 

• This would not be too bad but they do not display the costs for the various services at the point of selection (as they used to when selecting after sale) and so buyers are committing to buying a postage service without knowing the price - as such this is not technically a valid contract (under UK law at least).  

• Ebay also no longer allow sellers to insert tracking numbers for items they have posted themselves (i.e. sellers who did not buy postage from eBay directly). This is bad for buyers but also disastrous for sellers as eBay also now only releases funds 2 days after delivery has been confirmed - in the absence of the ability to add tracking numbers or for buyers to confirm receipt, it means sellers not buying postage from eBay now have to wait up to 2 weeks(!) for funds to be issued. 

I’ve been an eBayer for 18 years and never once posted on these forums but these changes seem a bit ‘dodgy’ at best. 

OK, so eBay are trying to reduce seller fees and recoup it by selling postage services, I get it. But at least allow sellers the choice of not buying postage through eBay and at the VERY least give us an idea of what the postage service we are buying through eBay will cost.

Questions to eBay: why are you to forcing sellers to confirm delivery service at point of listing with no way of changing it afterwards? Why do you not list the prices for the deliver services at the point when the seller is forced to select? Why do you not allow sellers to add their own tracking numbers? Why do you not allow buyer’s to confirm receipt (same way as you can for collections)?

In the hope of getting some response from eBay, I’m not even sure forcing sellers to choose postage without knowing the price is legal in the UK - said it.

LF

[jckl1957]

I don't know why you think you can't add tracking if you buy your own postage.

I sent a small parcel to the USA yesterday, using RM International Tracked bought from the RM website, and was able to add the tracking.  Items sent last week using RM Tracked 48 purchased at the Post Office have been delivered and I have been paid.

I don't think that having to choose a delivery service at the time of listing should be an issue.  Buyers have the right to know who will deliver their item and some buyers wish to avoid certain carriers.  I would not buy from a seller who said the item would be posted using 'other courier'.  You can still choose your own postage options.  Simple Delivery is not compulsory.

[lord.ford]

Interesting - I have been on the phone with eBay most of this morning trying to add tracking to something I posted myself using RM. The eBay person was able to find a workaround whereby I purchase an eBay postage product and then change the tracking number issued automatically for the one I got from RM. Is this what you did or were you able to just add tracking as normal?

Agree on the choice of delivery point but the issue is that the new process commits you to that without knowing the cost. Appreciate that buyer's will want to know the delivery time etc but what if you need to change it up? What if a buyer asks you for a quicker service?

The issue here is the removal of options and flexibility - what is the benefit of doing this over the old system? (is my question to eBay).

Thanks for the response though 🙂

[department28]

'The issue here is the removal of options and flexibility - what is the benefit of doing this over the old system?' 

As far as I can see, there is no benefit to buyers or sellers - only to eBay.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

I posted an item two hours ago over the post officer counter (paying direct to po) and i have just now added the tracking number here.  I only use 2nd class standard with just the certificate of posting tracking number.  Sent two yesterday doing same and the one i sent on the 20th was delivered today.

[lord.ford]

Thanks! 

That is good news - I will try and post next time at the PO and see if it was a temporary issue. If you have been able to do it then it must be??

Thanks for the response 🙂

[jdjt1]

Hi

I have a problem in that ebay take control of postage  as buyer selected method and courier RM. The label was generated and I have noticed it classed as medium parcel 1kg . The parcel i want to send is 3kg but I cannot cancel label and generate another label the system don't appear to have flexibility to do this.

I had no problem over last 20 yrs in doing this myself and adding tracking number manually.

Going to phone ebay to try to get some sense to this.

[parsley2003]

If it's Simple Delivery they are missing out the 5kg parcel it goes from 2kg to 10kg. You should be able to void the label and buy your own but it's heading towards mandatory now i've taken everything off just too risky to sell anything now until this is all sorted 

[tressygirl]

---

@jdjt1 wrote:

Hi

I have a problem in that ebay take control of postage  as buyer selected method and courier RM. The label was generated and I have noticed it classed as medium parcel 1kg . The parcel i want to send is 3kg but I cannot cancel label and generate another label the system don't appear to have flexibility to do this.

I had no problem over last 20 yrs in doing this myself and adding tracking number manually.

Going to phone ebay to try to get some sense to this.

---

As said by others this is ' flaw' in their system,  as that weight seems to have been omitted as a choice to select.

You need to buy over the counter correct postage,  and if you cannot manually change the tracking you should be able to using a PC / laptop and Chrome , then contact Customer Services link below they'll do this for you.

You can receive a refund for the unused eBay label,  but may need to wait 24 hours for it to appear before being able to cancel it.

Find your label with this link . https://www.ebay.co.uk/ship/lmng/labels-history/seller-hub and to the left of the sales record there is a drop down menu under 'Actions' click on that , then click on 'Void Label'.

The refund will take between 5 - 21 days to process.

If you need to,  this is the easiest and quickest way to contact eBay Customer Services, for a Call Back option.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

Lines open 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. on weekdays

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on weekends.

Automated agents will be available on chat outside of the above hours.

I recommend contacting CS first thing in the morning as there's more chance of Dublin answering.

@jdjt1 

[hugothecockapoo]

Hi tressygirl  surely eBay know the weight and dimensions as they should be filled in on the listing form by the seller?...if sellers are ignoring this section does this explain the weight problems on SD?...regards hugo

[jdjt1]

Hi All

For information Regarding postage . I contacted ebay by telephone and a helpful agent informed me that ebay estimate the weight for label and as it is Market Place seller contract the Courier in this instance was RMail they have to accept parcel which i found that they do . It depended on the post office operator this time was aware of the Market Place contract with ebay and RMail.

Regards to all that did answer suggestions .

Take care all

[portlandbilluk]

Same here , never posted before , been buying / selling on EBay for 21 years this latest shift from EBay will be it for me , not listed since Feb 4th , they are pushing Evri a company formerly Hermes who I have had massive problems with both in the past and recently , now I will buy nothing from any site that use Evri 🤷‍♂️ that’s my prerogative I know ( Royal Mail not much better ) too many tinkering with the T&As instead of weeding out the wrong uns 🤷‍♂️ I have a page full of blocked chancers but see they are still buying/selling on the platform , so it’s goodbye EBay it’s been emotional 😡