Option to send invoices disappeared

[s2000king_123]

Option on sold listings to ‘send payment details’ has disappeared and I’m unable to send people invoices for combined orders like I normally do. I did a live chat with customer service, but I don’t really think they knew what I was talking about.

I have buyers waiting to pay, but are reluctant to pay for the entire postage cost in one go and have me refund due to the amount of money they would have in limbo. 

anybody else having the same problem? Anyone at eBay able to confirm it’s being looked into so I can tell my buyers? 

[zax93]

Such a strange state of affairs - seems like a lose lose situation for everybody - any monies made by ebay will surely be offset by damage to the brand and loss of customers. Fingers crossed there is a sensible solution.

[a45heaven]

Its far better all round to refund the Buyer the additional postage's and send in one package (if the items are suited to that) - then explain to the Buyer exactly what has happened and the blame lies totally with ebay, and don't worry about the tracking fiasco ebay have created. 

The buyer should understand who created the problem and appreciate your efforts to make a resolution.

Also it reduces the fees paid to ebay.

[davrman]

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@birdyjude wrote:

I've just had the same problem. The buyer has opted to pay the full amount. I will have to send the items separately or else the tracking won't work properly, and I'll keep getting reminders from Ebay to send the remaining item. I hope they sort it out soon!

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You might be able to get around the current problem of a single tracking number being refused for multiple items by entering the numbers simultaneously. I remember back when I used to sell more than one item at a time (oh, happy days!) that I could select multiple sales by ticking the boxes, then click Add tracking from the Postage menu. You would then get multiple boxes for entering the numbers, but as the whole form submits at the same time it just might get around the current issue...

[vespat5]

What an absolute shambles this has turned out to be?
This buyer protection, whatever that is, more money for this company.
Not being able to send combined invoices for postage discount....Who thought of that?
I sell many colour slides, postage recorded is £3, buy around four and its still £3 postage....Would you really pay £12 postage for something thats worth less than £6....

Honestly, what a complete joke.....
Revert it back, it worked fine as it was.....
Awful decision...

[zax93]

Hey Guys I found a create invoice option on ebay - don't get too excited though as it's not much use but it's interesting.
 
I gave a buyer of multiple items the option of a postage refund or I could relist his items as a bundle which I did and then asked him to make an offer on the listing. Once I accepted the offer it also listed all the original items he had won which I had not yet cancelled and gave me the option to send an invoice for them. Part of the invoice states that UK buyers will be liable for buyer protection.  

[halea35]

That is great for you but I really do not want the hassle.       I don’t think sellers are asking too much to be able to send an invoice to a buyer who is buying multiple items, I am selling small, low value items.    I use Royal  Mail letter post as cheaper than new delivery service for the buyer. I did have regular buyer, some are paying then I am refunding postage, others have vanished. Yesterday  a buyer spent more on Buyers Protection than the items cost.   It almost doubled her costs.   I posted them  for £1.55 she was charged over £5.00 for Buyers Protection.     I will not send them individually.  Buyers Protection  is making my items expensive.

  Sales have dropped off drastically since the Buyers Protection and I am no longer able to send an invoice was bought.   I really hope EBay rethink this. 

[sumones_bungled]

I sympathise totally. The items I sell are my 50 year 'toy' collection, been doing this for three or four years selling 20 - 30 a week and sales have always been around 90% of offered each week normally with several requiring combined postage. Since the ebay buyers tax came in on my category last week my sales have been 16 (of 29) and yesterday 12 (of 28).

Thanks ebay.

[andha-21]

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@zax93 wrote:

Hey Guys I found a create invoice option on ebay - don't get too excited though as it's not much use but it's interesting.
 
I gave a buyer of multiple items the option of a postage refund or I could relist his items as a bundle which I did and then asked him to make an offer on the listing. Once I accepted the offer it also listed all the original items he had won which I had not yet cancelled and gave me the option to send an invoice for them. Part of the invoice states that UK buyers will be liable for buyer protection.  

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That's an interesting one and worth saving.

[zax93]

I think you misunderstand - I wasn't saying this is an option or even useful just a strange anomaly I found - I wasn't able to make use of it in any way - it's interesting that an invoice option exists on the system albeit hidden with mention of protection payments on it.

[andha-21]

@zax93 

You don't think it could work if you say sold 3 of 4 items normally and the 4th one by offer as you did?

Or is it just a page with no options to proceed to the next stage?

[rusticwallet]

Thanks for the threads and info. I thought it was me with the can't invoice issue. I've only been on Ebay for 23 years with 100% FB. I'm 68 and can't be bothered with the grief. Having said that, an tech savvie 18 year old would scream at the issues. 

[birdyjude]

Same here - age 72 years, 22 years on Ebay, 100% feedback, and I'm not
looking at suggestions of ways to get around this issue! Get it sorted Ebay
or else you'll lose loyal sellers & buyers!

[andha-21]

@birdyjude 

From the combination of all of eBay's most recent replies they aren't going to sort this.

One of them says 90 days which puts it slap bang in Simple Delivery rollout, which will definitely kill invoicing anyway.

Another says the coders have decided it's incompatible with the new system and have disabled it.

I'm guessing you know but we are just users like you. Trying to help with workarounds. Not ideal, we know. But for some it may be better than nothing.

[zax93]

It could work that way yes! Worth a try next time for sure. The Invoice seemed to be fully functioning and you could set your own postage etc. 

[davrman]

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@zax93 wrote:

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That's very interesting... does the URL that the "Send the buyer an invoice" link goes to reveal anything that might be useful for others?

[andha-21]

@zax93 

If you've got time/want to, maybe create a thread with the above posts so it doesn't get lost in the rest of this thread. 

We are due a fake private seller argument that goes on for 3 pages worth of posts.

[tony*51]

I have customers waiting for invoices, do you have a fix yet?

[adlinkpen]

I had a quick look at Simple Delivery. There are lots of reasons this would be a disaster, but one obvious question. How do you get paid for the packaging? It's not just "delivery" it's post & packaging. Ebay talk of using a suitable box and wrapping in bubble wrap, neither boxes nor bubble wrap are free and that's just the start.

[andha-21]

@adlinkpen 

You don't/won't. You'd have to absorb that in your sales price.

What I've always done is keep the best packing materials from all of my purchases.

Because I buy so much, or did, I usually have loads of different bits I can use.

What kind of stuff do you sell?

I might be able to offer you some tips that may help you that way.

[zax93]

Sorry I cropped the address out and I can't retrieve the original screen grab - i'm going to try and recreate it next time I get multibuys - If the buyer is ok I will add a new item for say £1 that they can make an offer on and see if it works again - i'll then refund them on the item. It was a real pain having to cancel all the individual orders and relist a bundle - I don't think I will do it that way again unless there's no other option.