Simple Delivery Carrier Preferences Announced by eBay

[wintersdawn1]

As originally posted by @sml192 eBay have announced the ability for sellers to select or exclude carrier options for Simple Delivery:

Following the launch of Simple Delivery, we’re excited to introduce the ability to select carrier preferences to give you more flexibility and enhance your selling experience. Please note that this feature is being gradually rolled out and will be live for all eligible sellers in the coming weeks.

Here’s what you need to know:

Available carriers

With Simple Delivery, you have access to two trusted carriers: Royal Mail and EVRi. By default, you’ll be automatically opted in to use both carriers. However, if you have a specific preference because the drop-off location is too far from where you live, you can easily adjust your settings.

How to set your preferences

To customise your carrier preferences, head over to your postage preferences. Under the Simple Delivery settings, you’ll find a toggle next to each carrier. You can choose which carriers to include or exclude based on your needs.

Please note that excluding carriers might lead to increased delivery costs and could limit the number of potential buyers for your items. If you require a collection from your address for all your items, consider selecting Royal Mail only, as they provide collection for Simple Delivery items.

Some things to consider

We will always strive to honour your carrier selections. However, there may be some instances where we are unable to, such as when the weight or dimensions of your item requires a different carrier. In such cases, we may provide a label for a carrier you have chosen to exclude.

Delivery options for buyers

When your buyers reach checkout, they may have the option to select between standard or express delivery. If express delivery is chosen, rest assured that your handling time remains unchanged - express simply refers to the speed at which the item travels through the carrier network.

We hope introducing new carrier preferences will provide you with greater control and convenience in managing your deliveries.

Thank you for selling on eBay.

https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Announcements/Introducing-new-carrier-preferences-for-Simple-Deliver...

[ruby*ryan]

The ability to have some choice is good - even if eBay can override if they wish - but that announcement very much suggests to me that SD will become mandatory.

[wintersdawn1]

If possible I think I will choose Royal Mail Tracked 48 for Standard delivery (what I already use) and Royal Mail Tracked 24 for Express.

Still a bit concerned as eBay's Simple Delivery prices announced are a bit higher than going direct to Royal Mail to order postage.

[ruby*ryan]

I don't think you will have any choice over the service, though obviously you could untick Evri if you only wanted to use RM. (I will be doing the opposite, unticking RM, and anything I would have sent via LL will either go in lots or to the charity shop!)

[probi9246]

From some of the prices I've seen posted you aren't insured for as much by going through SD as you would be by going directly through Royal Mail for more or less the same price. That's a sweet deal for Royal Mail.

Also will they require you to send everything tracked, and will they exclude being able to combine postage with SD as they did with their Global Shipping Program?

If so you can say goodbye to even more sales.

[davrman]

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@probi9246 wrote:

Also will they require you to send everything tracked, and will they exclude being able to combine postage with SD as they did with their Global Shipping Program?

If so you can say goodbye to even more sales.

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I have seen examples in other threads where Simple Delivery has combined postage for multiple items added to the cart and paid for together. The reductions are calculated by eBay's algorithm and don't seem partilarly generous.

[lucy_farmer]

'From some of the prices I've seen posted you aren't insured for as much by going through SD....'

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Well, you apparently won't need postal insurance if you're using SD.

Ebay have said *they* will cover non-delivery and damages-in-post refunds.

(And this why you will need to send everything tracked. Otherwise dodgy sellers could send nothing at all to their mate; seller keeps item, their mate gets the refund...)

[plum993]

There is still the option to "Opt" out of the simple delivery option on the listing page under the "Custom postage" tab for now anway.

[depthcharge00]

Not sure you can put the words Trusted and EVRi in the same sentence!

[eastern_standard_time]

The other stuff they've screwed up I can live with, but when this becomes compulsory it'll be just the odd collection only item that gets listed.

[tpogodin]

There's no mention of Simple Delivery on my postage preferences page and long may it stay that way!

[johnwash1]

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@depthcharge00 wrote:

Not sure you can put the words Trusted and EVRi in the same sentence!

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It's an oxymoron.  Like 'clever' and 'ebay'.

[parsley2003]

The choice of carrier means that if you only allow one instead of both the buyer will pay more for postage which will put them off buying. I'm removing my listings because i refuse to cheat people who have always trusted me to combine postage and be honest and fairand i will now allow Ebay or anyone else to turn me into a dishonest cheat

[wintersdawn1]

I guess I'm expecting too much but with Simple Delivery carrier preferences I would to see a drop-down list next to Standard and Express allowing me to choose from a list of carriers for each.  

[forestfeline62]

I post out large letters at £3.50 each tracked 24 with royal mail and I am covered for loss or damage up to £150 .I had a large letter go missing with a brandnew T-shirt in it ,going to a buyer  and I was able to prove how much I paid for the item and that I used tracked 24 ,Royal mail were very quick in making investigations as to what happened and they reimbursed me for the price of the top and the postage with in 10 days  .If I hadn't been able to prove how much I paid for the top I would have only got the postage costs back . You can't trust the royal mail postal delivery people to scan a standard item that has a tracking number and you are only covered for £20 unless you state that the item is worth more and then it will cost you more to send ,but if you choose tracked 24 or 48 it is only 20 pence more than standard cost ,so is good value for peace of mind too ,and you will get your ebay funds after 2 days of proof of delivery .

[the-nutwood-collection]

I'm rather concerned about the bit that says rest assured that your handling time remains unchanged - express simply refers to the speed at which the item travels through the carrier network.

When a buyer pays extra for Express, they expect it to be despatched the same day - not three days later.  

I think eBay's definition of 'Express' is going to cause a lot of complaints if the sellers don't despatch the same day.

[wintersdawn1]

I took that part to mean, we can still specify how many working days we set until we dispatch, but it will then be handled faster by the carrier but I see what you mean, the buyer may expect the item to be dispatched faster AND handled faster by the carrier if they choose express.

Unless ebay make the buyer aware that the seller still has a number of days before they dispatch they may have different expectations.

[parsley2003]

Express usually means same day they ask you to put a cut off time in. No way i could do that RM collect from me next day

[tpogodin]

The buyer will be aware of it because it'll be reflected in the delivery estimate but I can absolutely see a buyer being blind to that and just expecting an express delivery to mean they'll receive it within 2 working days from ordering.

[andha-21]

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@wintersdawn1 wrote:

Unless ebay make the buyer aware that the seller still has a number of days before they dispatch they may have different expectations.

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Ha, not laughing at you, but at the idea eBay would be so transparent. When I was selling all my listings had a 5 working day turnaround on them. I knew I couldn't get to the post office every day so I gave myself some wriggle room.

I also used Royal Mail 48. eBay knew both of these facts but were still giving customers  estimated delivery times starting 3 days from purchase.

It's like their entire business model is based on falsehoods.