Simple Delivery Exceptions size still not clarified

[mabel.meadows]

Yesterday's update from Eve Williams, General Manager, eBay UK says

"Items which can still use untracked service: There are a few categories of items where we’ll still permit untracked services if that’s your preference. This includes letter-sized items that meet both of the following criteria: they weigh up to 100 grams and are priced at a maximum of £10, excluding buyer fees."

Despite requests from myself and other ebay sellers the 'Letter size" is still not shown.

Is this going to be restricted to standard letters or will it include 'Large' letter size?

[sebastian4ever]

It is all going so well so far!  
I wonder what is next?  

Simpleton delivery for business sellers?? I think that would be a spiffing idea……more income for feeBay.

[a45heaven]

@jckl1957 

Items under £10 and under 100g are exempt from Simple Delivery.

Do both factors have to hit the limits to be excluded ? 

For low start auctions, the end price is unknown when a listing is made.

A single item is borderline below 100g , secure packaging takes it to around 110g.

But that scenario is before combining items to ship, which the 'eve' person didnt even mention, despite probably 1000's of  postings on these boards about that practice.

Its interesting what the US boards think of one item one package notions.

[thecrowmanuk]

And eBay are going to automatically change postage on items already listed from the 7th of this month.

How will they know which DVDs are under 100g and which are over?

Which do they apply the £2.70 to and which do they allow me to choose postage?

I can see this being a disaster in a few days.

[jc-1973]

True.

I should add that anything I list as £2.99 with "free postage" would be under 100g for the total package, so existing postage is only £1.55 with a stamp

[jc-1973]

Yep, this is why I think the weight limit should more realistically be a max of 250g and Large Letter

[emw-designs]

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@*vyolla* wrote:

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@emw-designs wrote:

Where does it say that 'letter sized' items includes large letter size items?

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It doesn't need to, people need to engage brain. The clue's in the word 'letter sized'. I can't see any seller managing to create anything grand out of a 100g item. 

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If they're using the RM definition of 'letter sized', that's less than 5mm thick. Large letters can be up to 25mm, but they are not 'letter sized', they're 'large letter sized'.

I sent a 52g package the other day which had to be sent as a small parcel because it was about 30mm thick.

If ebay are going to refer to package sizes as 'letter sized', they need to tell us what the dimensions of an ebay letter are.

[jckl1957]

It is not an Ebay size, it is RM size - RM would be the only option a seller would choose for a Large Letter.

[*vyolla*]

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@emw-designs wrote:

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@*vyolla* wrote:

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@emw-designs wrote:

Where does it say that 'letter sized' items includes large letter size items?

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It doesn't need to, people need to engage brain. The clue's in the word 'letter sized'. I can't see any seller managing to create anything grand out of a 100g item. 

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If they're using the RM definition of 'letter sized', that's less than 5mm thick. Large letters can be up to 25mm, but they are not 'letter sized', they're 'large letter sized'.

Then that's fine. They are letters, the clue's in the word 'letter'.

I sent a 52g package the other day which had to be sent as a small parcel because it was about 30mm thick.

That's not letter size then, is it?

If ebay are going to refer to package sizes as 'letter sized', they need to tell us what the dimensions of an ebay letter are.

Royal Mail's website gives you dimensions of letters. 

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[emw-designs]

"Royal Mail's website gives you dimensions of letters." 

Yes, and there are two categories of letter. 'Letter' and 'large letter'. Is an ebay letter a 'letter' or a 'large letter'?

[vinylscot]

Are you being a little obtuse?

What is in doubt here is whether a large letter is considered a letter or not.

I personally think Eve Williams is being intentionally vague, and that the answer is no. I'm pretty sure it will eventually be clarified that "letter" as eBay is using it, is the same as "letter" as RM define it; i.e. it will not include large letters.

There seems to be a split between those holding on to hope that large letters will be included, and those, possibly more realistic, who expect it to mean letters only.

However, it does need clarified, and I'm sure eBay know it needs clarified, so why have they not done so?

That suggests to me that large letters will not be included. If there was good news to be told, I'm sure there would have been a clear announcement.

[emw-designs]

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@jckl1957 wrote:

It is not an Ebay size, it is RM size - RM would be the only option a seller would choose for a Large Letter.

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Yes, but when ebay says that the small package must be 'letter sized', do they mean the size of a RM letter or a large letter? This is quite important to me, because most of the items I sell are large letter sized. I'm asking what ebay mean when they say 'letter sized'. Have they given the dimensions anywhere of what they consider to be 'letter sized'?

[jc-1973]

Still thinking out loud about this....I suppose out of the 3 main determining factors, of value, size, and weight...the only thing Ebay have full visibility on is value.

Perhaps the exact weight and size (letter or large letter) are actually irrelevant as long as the items category (i.e. stamps, trading cards, postcards, and hopefully CDs/DVDs) are on an approved list.

Maybe it's that *category* list we actually need from Ebay

[edwardian-dreams]

I tend to agree

a RM large letter max dimensions is actually quite big length and width

you can get a thin blouse in it for example and loads of other types of clothes

i can’t see eBay exempting sellers from SD from countless types  of items / listings

Could  be wrong 

Edit

of course it all has to be under 100g but quite a few things are eg cross stitch charts, fabric fat quarters, just a couple off top of my head

[jckl1957]

I don't think you will get a category list.

Surely such a list would be restrictive when Ebay are clearly trying to help private sellers who sell low cost, small items.

Ebay have published the criteria - under £10 and below 100g.

For me, that will mean a lot of the vintage brooches and necklaces I sell.

I will list weight as 99g and dimensions within a C size padded envelope and Royal Mail LL thickness.

I charge £2.05 which is the cost of a LL stamp plus a bit for the envelope and bubblewrap etc.

If I sell a fragile/easily bent brooch and decide I want to send it in a little box, or a necklace with chunky beads, it may have to go as a parcel but Ebay won't know.

My buyer will still pay £2.05 and I will pay the extra cost at the Post Office - much as I have always done really.

[emw-designs]

"Ebay are clearly trying to help private sellers who sell low cost, small items."

I don't think they are.

My impression is that ebay are trying to get rid of private sellers who sell low cost, small items. The BPF has a worse effect on low cost items - it nearly doubles the price for a 99p item for example. Add to this that the minimum charge for postage with SD is £2.70, and the items I was selling for £2.54 (99p + £1.55 postage) are now £4.44.

[*vyolla*]

I think that the letter-sized statement is being taken too literally, which I do get, but if your less than 100g and a tenner item can go as a letter, large or otherwise, then SD is optional.

[edwardian-dreams]

I can see that too

So you reckon it’s just down to weight and price of item

so I can send a thimble (insert any other item packed under 100g )in a few layers of bubble wrap and a grey mailing bag as a small parcel and not have buyer stung by extortionate 4.27 RM eBay rate 

that’s cool

cant wait for the 15th  so we see exactly what’s what 

[toomanythingspleasebuy]

I've just picked up a lovely (and possibly magic) new set of scales especially tailored to the new simple delivery system. Coincidently, when placed on these scales, every item sold under £10 weighs less than 100g and every item over £10 weighs over 20kg, making everything sold exempt from special delivery, what a handy little tool, so pleased I brought it! 😉

[*vyolla*]

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@edwardian-dreams wrote:

I can see that too

So you reckon it’s just down to weight and price of item

so I can send a thimble (insert any other item packed under 100g )in a few layers of bubble wrap and a grey mailing bag as a small parcel and not have buyer stung by extortionate 4.27 RM eBay rate 

that’s cool

cant wait for the 15th  so we see exactly what’s what 

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No, I reckon it needs to be a letter service too. If your thimble won't go as a large letter then it won't qualify.

[edwardian-dreams]

Ah ok sorry

i misinterpreted your post where you say or otherwise (thinking you meant any size)

👍