Post Office turning away eBay sold packages

[crn303]

FOR GOODNESS SAKE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH eBAY ???

Visited my local Post Office outlet this pm. The customer in front of me had 4 of her items sold on eBay refused due to incorrect printed labels supplied by fleece-bay. The member of staff confirmed this customer was not the first to be turned away today.

I am sure that I read, eBay stated Post Offices will accept all items for dispatch.

Thats another incorrect bit of information from eBay.

The question I have, is what does that poor seller now do with those 4 items ??

OKAY, eBAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH … GET IT SORTED.

[downsizingxs]

I saw this extract from an online newspaper article about Simple Delivery - not sure whether it can be authenticated:-

"Sellers said Simple Delivery will force them to travel further to drop items at courier points, which will make the process more complicated.

They have also said the system will make it more difficult for them to choose to send items with the Royal Mail, which is their preferred courier.

An eBay spokesperson said: "Our model estimates the size and weight of the item using historic actual weight and dimension data.

"There can be some inconsistencies as not all items in a category will always fit within the dimensions expected.

If sellers believe their item exceeds the estimated parcel size, they are able to change this when listing their item."

They added that the Post Office has issued training to branches that each Simple Delivery item should be accepted as long as it is within the maximum dimensions the carrier accepts.

For the Royal Mail this is 61cm x 46cm x 46cm and less than 20kg.

The Post Office said it apologises to any customer who may have had a parcel declined.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “Customers can still drop off eBay parcels at our branches.

"A recent agreement between eBay and Royal Mail means Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 items no longer need to be weighed or size checked, making drop-offs at our branches even quicker.

"Postmasters were informed at the end of February and are adapting to this new process.”

However until it's completely sorted out or reversed all my listings now have this paragraph:

I will be taking down virtually all my listings on the 14th April until eBay sort out the massive problems with their enforced Simple Delivery. Sellers will no longer be able to accurately choose the method of dispatch, price or even size & weight.

[wintersdawn1]

Just back from my local post office and as of 9th April they do not know about Simple Delivery and said they will refuse parcels with wrong postage labels on them.  They checked their Horizon system and no info posted on there about simple delivery either.

[downsizingxs]

I'm not going to sell while SD is in its current format however, I presume if you used RM collection the PO problem would not occur?

[akemp1]

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@wintersdawn1 wrote:

Just back from my local post office and as of 9th April they do not know about Simple Delivery and said they will refuse parcels with wrong postage labels on them.  They checked their Horizon system and no info posted on there about simple delivery either.

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I believe the message they would have been sent will be calling it Marketplace Seller as that seems to be the RM name of the arrangement. 

[akemp1]

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@downsizingxs wrote:

I'm not going to sell while SD is in its current format however, I presume if you used RM collection the PO problem would not occur?

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Yeah you might be arguing with the postie on your doorstep not a postmaster in a branch.

[wellingnorth]

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@downsizingxs wrote:

I'm not going to sell while SD is in its current format however, I presume if you used RM collection the PO problem would not occur?

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I think you're probably right and the delivery office is another option where they're unlikely to check weight / size.

It depends where you are but collect+ may be another possibility, you can search here for shops offering Royal Mail dropoff

https://www.collectplus.co.uk/find-a-store

[davrman]

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@akemp1 wrote:

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Yeah you might be arguing with the postie on your doorstep not a postmaster in a branch.

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Posties don't carry scales with them... yet! 😉

[craddockcourtsales]

Not an Ebay problem but to illustrate Post Office staff problems.

Royal Mail show in their latest price leaflet what they define as a small parcel taken to a post office is different for different services

Small Parcel – UK Size

Small Parcels not exceeding: Length: 45cm Width: 35cm Depth: 16cm Weight limit: 2kg

Small Parcel – International Size

Small Parcels not exceeding: Height + Width + Depth no greater than 90cm with no single side longer than 60cm Weight up to 2kg

I sympathise with their staff

[tommystrezures]

Those size "arrangements" have been like that for years, it used to make for some interesting shaped parcels going overseas at our local office!!

[craddockcourtsales]

Thanks

For years I have used Ebays Global Shipping, even though so expensive, but hardly any actual sales, so probably never looked at the definition of International Small Parcel.

Do the Post Office staff get out a tape measure, rather than use a test box, and show you the measurements?

[tommystrezures]

 B & Q did very well out of us for tape measures!! 😀 They were far better than the ones the post office used to supply us they were like the "tailors" tape measures (best way I can think to describe them) I am sure they will have a proper name!

Its the same for Parcelforce too as they have generous size allowances at the post office compared to online.

[geosacha007]

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@incredible_how wrote:

How does it get the weights wrong? Surely you select a weight? Tho at the moment it leaps from 2kg to 15kg and is missing the 2-10 category.

Are you saying it was listed at the proper weight but that the label came out at less?

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When you list, ebay's AI suggests the weight and size.  If you confirm this ebay will be responsible for any underpaid postage. 

If you change it to your own values you become liable for any errors yourself.  So ebay are actively encouraging sellers not to weigh and measure their items but to take ebay's word.

And from what I have seen in my own listings ebays estimate is frequently wrong.  Which is fine as long as they really do cover the difference.  It'll focus their minds to get things right as it is going to cost them a fortune.

[geosacha007]

Sales are so slow you only need a handful of boxes in at one time.  You certainly don't need 150 boxes hanging around when you'll only sell 20 items a year from 150 listings.

[edwardian-dreams]

Maybe soon we will  be able to scan parcels and pop them into the letterbox

also see last para …all Mail to be tracked instead of paying for tracked service

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/10/royal-mail-trials-postbox-parcel-hatch-solar-panels...

[incredible_how]

ebay says you need to confirm the weight, and yes there is a recommended weight, and it does make a good guess eg summer coat 1kg winter coat 2kg, but:  "Make sure the size and weight we've recommended are accurate to avoid any issues later with the carrier."

So you do need to check that the suggestion is correct and change it if it's wrong

And other people must think that is the case because they are saying that they now need to properly check weight as you can't change the label once you've packed it all up and discover it's a bit heavier.

[edwardian-dreams]

Our size picker tool predicts the size and weight of your item: Rest assured that if your parcel exceeds the maximum size and weight of the label, you will not be charged additional costs, provided you listed using our recommended size and weight. 

hmm maybe they shouldn’t say that

[incredible_how]

It isn't clear is it?

looking at one of my listings that I've still got on custom, it has it wrong, because not actually an average sort of item and there are 2 of them, it is well over the recommended 1kg. I think it would be dishonest of me to leave it on the recommended amount, which gives examples of hardback book or light dress, even tho the cost is £4.27 rather than the actual RM cost of £3.45. Even the 1kg price of £3.74 is higher...

[jckl1957]

Just to add my point of view.

I have read most of the posts in this thread and, interestingly, there are no posts that I have spotted (happy to be corrected) from Ebay sellers whose parcels have been refused at the Post Office.  The only examples of this actually happening are the news report and the OP who witnessed this.  Maybe the problem is not as big as we might imagine?

This has always been an issue.  It is not a 'new' Simple Delivery thing.

Until Simple Delivery, if you printed labels from Ebay, the default weight was usually 1g; you had to look and check before you printed the label.

With a small parcel, the price for an item weighing 1g is the same as a parcel weighing 999g but Post Office staff could not accept parcels that had a lower weight on than the actual weight.  I know.  I had to argue this point with many a frustrated online seller when I worked in a Post Office. The onus is, as it has always been, on sellers to get it right.

[edwardian-dreams]

yes, if you know the exact weight and size of your parcel best to enter it

RM have the same price for 1 and 2kg on small parcels 

eBay charging 82p more for 1-2kg weight

awful

[cbclassicbuyer]

I have had items refused this week by 3 different Post Offices.

There are so many threads on this subject, it all gets so confusing. 

Others have also reported personal examples of refusal.