Postage and not being able to choose to post myself

[susie150214]

OK I'm old and anything that says, 'Simple' on computers usually isn't. 

I don't do apps or anything, and had to buy a mobile phone a couple of years ago just to sell on here.

Why will ebay not let me choose normal postage?

It seems to only offer this 'simple' something or other.

[tressygirl · Accepted solution]

Simple Delivery is now the only option for Private sellers.

See here what it entails:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/postage/simple-delivery?mkevt=1&mkpid=2&emsid=0&mkcid=8&bu=43952...

@susie150214 

[ruby*ryan]

Have a read here - especially the FAQs:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/postage/simple-delivery

Basically you can choose between Royal Mail & Evri, or you can run both.
When you are making your listing, make sure the correct size/weight band is selected from the drop down.
Buyer pays eBay for postage and eBay send you a label which you either print off, or take your phone to the drop off point, and they will scan the QR code and produce the label there. (You can choose 'free' postage/seller pays if you wish, but remember to add that extra cost to your item price.)

There are some issues with it - if you want RM to collect, combining postage, not having a printer/smart phone, so if you have any questions, read some of the other threads, or ask back here.

[thepillenwerfer]

Simple Delivery is constantly changing.  I've just sold something and when I went to get the postage label an "Arrange collection" button had appeared.  Previously I've had to get the label and then go to RM's web-site to arrange that.  I also seem to have avoided RM's 30p pick-up fee.

You sound like me as regards technology but I've had no problems with Simple Delivery thus far.  That isn't to say I like it though as I much prefer to deal with RM or whoever directly.

[ruby*ryan]

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@thepillenwerfer wrote:

Simple Delivery is constantly changing.  I've just sold something and when I went to get the postage label an "Arrange collection" button had appeared.  Previously I've had to get the label and then go to RM's web-site to arrange that.  I also seem to have avoided RM's 30p pick-up fee.

That's an improvement.

[department28]

You are not alone in not wanting this completely different postage system. Every day there are similar comments & complaints. Many sellers are having to stop selling altogether because they either can't, or don't want to use 'Simple Delivery'. 

Those who haven't done any selling for a while will understandably be very confused to find out that posting an item is no longer the straightforward process it used to be.

eBay take a cut from every Simple Delivery label, so this is the reason why they have introduced this scheme. It benefits eBay, not us...

[susie150214]

I've just had a look again and it still seems too complicated, plus it is assuming the magazine I was going to sell will go through a letter box opening. It fits their large letter size but if I post it in a stiff envelope I doubt it would go through the width of the letter box opening. It would be about 23x30cm. Plus it says' no printer required', but I don't do Apps. I think I'll have to stick with large items and pick up only.  Thanks for the info.

[thepillenwerfer]

A Large Letter can be up to 35.3cm x 25cm x 2.5cm so 23cm x 30cm would be OK.  Whether it'd fit through a letter-box is irrelevant.  Providing you stick with e-Bay's recommended size and weight you are covered if it is in fact over.

The problem could be getting the label.  Ideally you'd simply print it but you haven't said if you can do that or not.  The "No Printer Required" only applies if you use the app, which you don't — and neither do I so no judgement.  That would display a QR code which a Post Office could scan and print a label from.

[susie150214]

Hi, yes I have a printer and this is a Windows 7 comp. LOL (probably see me out) I've deleted my drafts for now and might have a go in the future. My last couple of sales have been losses. One person said the Playstation 3 I sold would not work in the UK and ebay refunded them, although bought by us from a local TV shop in our town and played with by us here a couple of times. My next sale, table sealer, the couriers smashed up, genuine claim from the buyers and I refunded. So perhaps I should stick to buying only. lol

[thepillenwerfer]

If you do have a go in the future start out with something of very low value that wouldn't be a disaster if it went wrong.  At least that way you get experience of the new systems before you sell anything worth talking about.  Private Sellers don't pay fees now so if something does only make 99p you're not going to end-up owing e-Bay more than that in fees, as could have happened in the past.

The computer I use to print my labels is from 2002 and had XP on it originally.

[jckl1957]

It's nice to see a sensible reply about Simple Delivery.

I am an older person - clue is in my user name - and not very tech savvy.

I had to buy a new phone recently because I couldn't use the few Apps (not Ebay) that I like to use on my old phone.

I am not a big fan of Simple Delivery but (unlike many of the posters in the forum) I have used it now, and it's OK.

If you want to keep selling on Ebay, it seems that you have to accept the change.

A lot of people are apparently deserting Ebay for other sites but, for me, learning the procedures on a different site seems much more of a challenge than using Simple Delivery.

So, I am staying and adapting.

I have set my postage options to only use Royal Mail because I understand that service!

[shaani2009]

Thats not true, on the website i have the option for custom postage and its the same as how it was before simple delivery, but on the phone app i can only do simple delivery

[tressygirl]

You are very lucky to still have Custom Postage as an option.  It's being rolled out very,  very slowly after we were all informed it will be mandatory from the 15th April.

Mine actually only changed to  only SD  a few days ago.

Many sellers are waking up to find out suddenly,  all their previously listed custom postage items,  have been automatically changed to SD postage,  and a lot with errors.  When this happens to your listings, do check through them all,  they may not be all changed to the correct service and postage price !

It will be a solitary and mandatory option only,  for all Private sellers soon. 😐

@shaani2009 

[shaani2009]

Damn really

[chwisgi922]

I am so not happy ,the so called simple delivery is useless I know Royal Mail 48hr tracked is very good and costs £3.45 this is up to 2kg .When I try to create a sale now eBay shows a lower figure £3.38 but if I schedule then check the postage it shows £2.80 have tried twice and cancelled sale .Thus after just over 20 years on eBay think its time to find a platform that actually works.

[edwardian-dreams]

Ignore what it shows

it corrects itself after a short while 

small parcel is 3.38 full stop 

that’s what will appear to any buyer 

but good luck elsewhere if you’ve had enough don’t blame you either 

[mousecode]

I can't understand why ebay doesn't let the seller choose how they want to post their items. Simple Delivery is not what I want, though it could certainly be one of a range of postage options. That would be a good thing.  I don't want to leave ebay but I feel I'm being forced to do so. I've been a conscientious seller and genuinely want buyers to love what they buy, yet my wishes regarding postage are not taken into account. What was wrong with the previous ways of posting? Why 'fix' something that wasn't broken? It's not an improvement.  I'm really disappointed in ebay.

[jckl1957]

You can't choose Simple Delivery for jewellery listings, even if you wanted to.

So, the majority of your items don't have Simple Delivery and you are choosing how to post your items.

[susie150214]

Well I've just tried again to work out how to put the postage on for a large, heavy, about 3.5kg, leather jacket and ebay seems to think it would cost me just £5.21 postage. I can't work out how I would be able to charge a more realistic price, like £8 or £9. I've always undercharged (by mistake) on postage but I didn't mind and I've always used Royal Mail unless it was a large item that needed a courier to pick up.  I'll just have to remove the sale from drafts. I wonder if this is a way of ebay tracking who sells what more than they do, we know that the DWP will be checking on people, well I've never claimed a benefit for anything so all it does is mess up people like me and millions of others who prefer the old system of choosing a postage option ourselves.

[department28]

If you have selected the correct weight/size for your item, which looks like it would be a medium parcel up to 10kg, then the Simple Delivery price will be 'correct', even if it is cheaper than what you would expect.

I changed one of my clothing listings to a medium 10kg parcel, and the price came up as Buyer pays from £6.65. (I've excluded Evri, so that would be the Royal Mail price)