Royal Mail Parcel Collection

[eastern-lights]

One of the concerns expressed by some private sellers about the forthcoming Ebay Simple Delivery (if it is compulsory) is whether it will be possible to book collection of the parcel from your house.

Doing a little bit of research, it appears to me that it is possible to book collections when you have bought RM postage elsewhere, or where you are using a return label. It looks to me as if one will have to download an app to do it. I can live with that.

https://www.royalmail.com/collection

Has anyone experience of using this particular service?

[davrman]

Yes, you can book collections by Royal Mail free of charge (including eBay labels) – I've done so on several occasions for returns. You don't need an app, as collections can be booked on the RM web site.

Unfortunately it looks as though eBay will choose whether each item is going to be sent by RM or Evri...

[magpiecorner1]

I'm confused.  Doesn't take a lot, but this simple delivery only mentions parcels, are letter and large letter counted as 'parcels'.   

If so, will Royal Mail pick up a couple of letters or large letters, and does this mean we get labels for stamp values?

Is this just private buyers or business buyers too, and if so does that mean business buyers as well as private buyers won't be paying fees on postage.

I have actually read all the bumf but the whole thing is clear as mud.

All seems so unnecessary complicated, eBay made millions when fees were low and before they put in all these hoops to jump.  Perhaps if they just charged a fair fee, allowed a decent number of listings for that fee, and charged the same fee for every category, they'd have a decent business.  Just like they used to have.

[magpiecorner1]

Just realised, everything has to be tracked, so we would still have to go to the post office for stamped items.   Though I do wonder how sellers will be paid for items sent with untracked postage.

[manyjamjar]

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@davrman wrote:

Unfortunately it looks as though eBay will choose whether each item is going to be sent by RM or Evri...

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@davrman 

Is that for a fact ??

I hate the sound of that.

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[myriad*seller]

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@davrman wrote:

Unfortunately it looks as though eBay will choose whether each item is going to be sent by RM or Evri...

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The buyer will choose whether it is sent by RM or Evri 

[myriad*seller]

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@magpiecorner1 wrote:

I'm confused.  Doesn't take a lot, but this simple delivery only mentions parcels, are letter and large letter counted as 'parcels'.   

If so, will Royal Mail pick up a couple of letters or large letters, and does this mean we get labels for stamp values?

Is this just private buyers or business buyers too, and if so does that mean business buyers as well as private buyers won't be paying fees on postage.

I have actually read all the bumf but the whole thing is clear as mud.

All seems so unnecessary complicated, eBay made millions when fees were low and before they put in all these hoops to jump.  Perhaps if they just charged a fair fee, allowed a decent number of listings for that fee, and charged the same fee for every category, they'd have a decent business.  Just like they used to have.

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It only applies to private sellers at the moment

Businesses wouldnt take too kindly to being told they can use Evri or RM only when they may wish to use their own courier 

[myriad*seller]

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@magpiecorner1 wrote:

Just realised, everything has to be tracked, so we would still have to go to the post office for stamped items.   Though I do wonder how sellers will be paid for items sent with untracked postage.

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Until Simple Delivery in compulsory in March, sellers using untracked stamps will get paid 14 days after the date of sale 

After March there will be no option to use untracked delivery. Everyone will have to use tracked Evri or RM postage through Simple Delivery. eBay will insist on tracking as they will be the ones who refund the buyer if the item is lost in the post or damaged in transit. So they will force buyers to buy tracked postage only. 

[department28]

Yes, I'm also concerned about the 'collection from home' issue, when/if 'Simple Delivery' becomes compulsory.

When I buy RM postage via eBay, I usually select RM Tracked 48 collect from home. If a buy another Royal Mail service from eBay, like Letter or Large Letter, I also get those items collected from home by booking a collection directly from RM online. 

So, assuming eBay 'selects' RM postage on my behalf, will it still be possible to book a collection via RM online? Or is eBay forcing us all to Drop Off?  If so, I will 'Drop Off' eBay altogether!

[magpiecorner1]

Just realised none of this applies to me - jewellery is not included in Simple Delivery.

We must be grateful for small mercies - though that means jewellery is still in the highest category for fees and there is no opportunity to use simple delivery and pay no fees.

I did get that right that there are no ebay fees on the postage element with Simple Delivery.

[buffster1963]

You are a business seller, none of it applies to you, only private sellers. 

[megan1512]

I order collection online from royal mail site
as we no longer have a post office
usualy tracked 48 £3.39
and i have them bring the labels
only downside can be tracking
had 4 parcels picked up on the 31 st
as of now tracking just shows "collected "

[troopster2525-per]

nope

Can I arrange for my item to be collected?

Collection is not currently available for Simple Delivery. If you would like your item collected, you should opt out of Simple Delivery when creating your listing.

note also come march we can not opt out of simple delivery anymore as its mandatory for everyone from march so no collections at all then

[nax2025]

For low value items it's better taking yourself to AliExpress as they have a far wider choice and I always check them before committing to buy anything on eBay. In most cases it's a better deal on Aliexpress, particularly with user images and videos uploaded to the product page with their feedback. They also have a buyer protection plan, and they give partial or full refunds when the item doesn't arrive on time.  It's worth making written lists of what you want to buy and then do it in bulk so you can take advantage of combined shipping and the numerous money off vouchers they have site-wide. eBay has no real feedback on product pages beyond seller's feedback, which is automated now anyway. eBay is a dinosaur.

I have already reported eBay to Ofcom regarding their "free to sell" advert campaign which has proven to be highly misleading, then just a few short weeks later sellers being forced to lose £1.75 of the item's value snatched by eBay, who think they can skirt around the rules by pretending that the customer pays for it, when in reality customers will go elsewhere where the item is priced at it's actual value without a £1.75 premium tax for being an eBay customer unless the seller takes the hit to sell it at market rates.

It's no different to when Uber, Deliveroo etc started slapping fees on both the customer side and the business side after spending money advertising to bring in customers, and would you credit it, there's been a massive drop in the use of such services and the revenue of the companies has only accelerated the losses.

Whether you choose to look at it as the buyer having to pay even more tax on top of the 20% VAT the treasury steals, or as a massive scam on eBay having rug pulled private sellers after spending so much money on advertising to revive a dying platform, the end result is the same - it's more expensive for buyers to come to eBay, and they will lose any loyalty they had to the site.

Just download the info you need, withdraw the last of your funds, and then use the "close account" button by searching in the help guide on the main site.

As a late-stage capitalism slave if you don't withdraw your labour then the slave masters will continue to take more and more until they break you. That's the only way they can extract wealth from you, so cut them off and stop being their primary breadwinners.

Don't be a slave. Walk away, untangle yourself from this shareholder infinite money farm.

[millcottage]

That’s it over and done for me then.

I physically can’t always get to the post office due to cancer treatment.

Thus for the last couple of years I have bought postage online and organised for postman to collect and bring a label.

A very good service and I have sent about 300 items this way over last two years.

[millcottage]

Just curious - How will buyer know size of parcel to buy postage for?

At the moment ;

List item with free postage 

After a while it sells 

Pack item with padding / protection for journey

Measure if item is a large envelope or small parcel

Buy postage for such online

Royal Mail collect.

How will eBay know what pistage to offer, if I don’t know size of parcel yet.

Sometime when I pack what woukd have gone through window in template for large letter with packing now doesn’t and it a small parcel instead.

[department28]

You will have to make sure you know the size & weight of the packed parcel before listing. That is how eBay will know what price postage to offer the buyer... and this is why it is NOT going to be 'Simple'....!

[troopster2525-per]

this is what they say about that...as sellers can change a few size options of wrong i think 

Can I adjust the size and weight details of my item?

If we're unable to determine the size and weight of your item accurately, you'll be asked to specify these details when you list it. This ensures you receive a suitable postage label when your item sells. You may also choose to update the size and weight if you believe our estimate is incorrect. Just make sure to report accurate measurements to avoid additional charges.

[troopster2525-per]

my issue is it seems ebay are the ones who decides the postage costs, but for me my postage costs include extra for postage material use like padded envelope, printed label and tape

it seems i will not be able to add this cost and expected to either pay out my own pocket or bump items price even more

postage costs includes packaging materials seems ebay does not think so

[millcottage]

So if I have 70 items listed, after taking photos I need to pack them securely for posting and weigh them, then list them on eBay with parcel info.

So with items taking sometimes months or years to sell I will have a room full of parcels ready to go 😆

Oh and if a potential buyer asks me a question and I need to check item? unpack it again to have a look 🙄

Sorry - that’s not going to happen.

Another reason to call it a day.