eBay

wildavdavi · ‎08-05-2025

This is more of an experience piece rather than a question or something I need support with- I have a handful of listings on the site and one sold yesterday that I hadn't revised so on the listing it still displayed the standard price for a small RM parcel. When the order was completed I noticed it now states Standard Tracked Delivery instead of the Royal Mail Tracked 24 I previously had and checked only hours before without going anywhere near the Revise button.

I understand that if I revise a listing it will switch over and have done this for some already, my issue is largely that eBay automatically set the incorrect size for a listing that I thought I would be buying the postage for. I was surprised when I got to the post office and the lady said 'it won't fit large letter, you'll have to repackage it'- it didn't state Large Letter on the site and the first I saw of it was on the label she printed from the QR code - I know I can check the label but I didn't think it was relevant as I thought small parcel would be standard - so I had to go out, buy new packaging and tape a distance away from the small rural village I reside in.

When I got back to the Post Office I saw the RM Employee leaving (40 mins before the stated collection time) so knew I had no chance of sending it there so had to do a mad dash to Chester on Race Day that had me arrive 20 mins before closing due to the traffic. Luckily, the RM Employee was collecting at that moment and saw it handed to him. As joyous as that moment was, the reality is I've lost hours to this nonsense.

We didn't even need a solution to this before as you simply just paid for the correct postage at the Post Office, even if there was an issue where incorrect postage was purchased online- we could simply refund that one and buy the correct new one with no problems or delays. Now it's forcing you to downsize if the incorrect postage was purchased, it seems like a huge oversight not being able to edit the postage after a sale- I wouldn't mind it so much if there were at least an option to 'upgrade' the postage to 24 Tracked or set a different size at our own expense after the sale (if it's deemed to be our fault).

Usually what I did before was charge people for Tracked 48 but send things by Tracked 24 as a thank you and ensure they received it faster, eBay makes it worse for buyers in this case as we haven't got any say in being able to upgrade for them when we feel like it. There are so many nuances to shipping that sometimes we require some flexibility in determining the final size before sending.

Also, it seems we are no longer able to consolidate multiple purchases into one for reduced shipping costs- it's all great eBay praising themselves over their green ambitions but with us now having to separate all purchases someone would make is baffling as it'll add more strain to the environment, materials and network.

Only thing I'm thankful for here is that Evri was disabled as an option, I would be very anxious if I were forced to use them as most purchases I've made that went through their network arrived damage or were lost/damaged.

Sorry if you've read this far, it's largely an outburst of frustration I'm unable to direct anywhere- writing feedback through their survey on the order page didn't feel satisfying as I'm sure they'll just throw all of our answers through an AI tool to summarise the basics of what people are saying. It wouldn't surprise me as eBay's recent business plan seems like it was written by an AI tool trained on books such as The Fall of Rome & The Art of the Deal

knightman57 · ‎17-05-2025

THIS NEW SYSTEM IS GIVING ME A BREAKDOWN...I have been successfully selling on ebay for 18 years..I know what Couriers too use..as most of My items are heavy...Now ebay are messing with My old Listings, changing the postage etc..example 2 heavy car springs..changed from £10 to £5...The only options ebay give is Evri. or std Royal Mail ( THEY WON't TAKE THEM ). .Evri are currently having problems with a small parcel 30 cm by 8 cm.. ( correct weight ), saying it needs special delivery

Also I am over 70, & it is a major problem, to pack & get to PO etc..within 3 days.

EBAY STOP USING AI/BOTS etc.& GET BACK TO THE REAL WORLD

louisel894 · ‎20-08-2025

Earlier today, my Simple Delivery small parcel was refused as it turned out had a Large Letter Tracked 48 label ( Royal Mail label, no weight or designation on it- so no clue this was the case until I get it to the counter). I have just come off the phone, in tears, after 47 completely wasted minutes of shockingly frustrating argument with a particularly unpleasant eBay customer services representative from what sounded liked perhaps the Netherlands over how to resolve the problem of an inaccurate eBay Simple Delivery guess over postage for a skirt ( I'd listed it a while back and it rolled over into simple delivery without me noticing). After trying to untangle his poor English and shocking attitude, it appears there is no official fix if this happens except to cancel the order and lose the sale!!! He suggested messaging to ask for more money from the buyer using my own bank account or PayPal- I asked what mechanism in eBay this referred to and how I would tie this up with the order- no answer... He then obfuscated and the 47 minutes of confusion began...He refused to believe I couldn't change my postal preferences when listing, eventually blaming my putting the measurements of the skirt in the listing description for eBay's mistake in fixing the postage rate at £2.72!!! Finally, he hung up on me! I'm still shaking now, having forked out my own money to send the skirt tracked 48 small parcel at my own risk- so the buyer will get her skirt... I have managed ( can't remember how) to alter the tracking number on the order in my seller hub so hopefully all will be okay there. After 20 years with eBay, this is the final straw.

wellingnorth · ‎20-08-2025

I'm sorry to hear about this, that's very bad.

Although ebay say that all 'Marketplace Seller' labels should be accepted at Post Offices this is still causing problems due to the implementation.

While the printable label does not have a size or weight printed on it, when the assistant scans it the format comes up on their screen. Or if you use the QR code to have them print a label in the Post Office the weight / size are actually printed on the label.

In both cases it is not surprising that an assistant who is not familiar with Simple Delivery and the Marketplace Seller labels may reject insufficient labels.

The same thing happened to me yesterday with a large letter and thankfully the manager was there to tell the assistant it was okay.

I raised this the other week on the community chat and they are aware but if / when this will get sorted it's hard to say, especially as I imagine it involves changes in the Post Office software. In the meantime ebay should have better processes in place to deal with this.

department28 · ‎21-08-2025

'Although ebay say that all 'Marketplace Seller' labels should be accepted at Post Offices this is still causing problems due to the implementation.'

It is not good enough that this is still happening - and very unsatisfactory that any seller has been placed in this awkward situation. Whatever failure of communication was/is responsible for these problems with Simple Delivery parcels not being accepted at some post offices, it is the poor seller that ends up with the hassle of sorting out the mess they have been landed in...

With Custom postage, if you bought the wrong label, you could just cancel & buy another label. The buyer did not have to be involved, or inconvenienced in any way.

With a Simple Delivery label problem, the seller is faced with contacting the buyer, cancelling the order, relisting - and having to explain that the buyer will have to wait for a refund, if they paid for the label. Some sellers have reported losing sales, because the buyer decides not to bother repurchasing the item... and who can blame them?!

@louisel894 Very sorry to hear of your unpleasant experience with CS. It is difficult enough having to deal with a situation like this, without being subjected to unacceptable rudeness from someone who is supposed to be there to help!

caruk_iderdxs · ‎22-08-2025

This is currently occurring to me. I am presently on the phone attempting to get sense out of a call handler with a barely understandable grasp of English. Round and round in circles telling that the label is correct. I am about to travel a 60 mile round trip to post and know it has the wrong label - which declare standard delivery which is not small parcel. I have been on the phone over 25 minutes to Mexico and my phone is flattening.

I am so fed up with ebay.

If you print another label you cancel the wrong one you have to wait 28 days for a refund. It's a scam. A complete scam.

retroman303 · ‎22-08-2025

"... if you use the QR code to have them print a label in the Post Office the weight / size are actually printed on the label."

This may have changed now, or may be in the process of changing. I posted an SD item (Royal Mail) this morning from a QR code at my Post Office. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could see the SD label. It didn't mention any weight or dimensions.

I'm struggling to keep up with it all.

wellingnorth · ‎22-08-2025

@retroman303 wrote:
"... if you use the QR code to have them print a label in the Post Office the weight / size are actually printed on the label."

This may have changed now, or may be in the process of changing. I posted an SD item (Royal Mail) this morning from a QR code at my Post Office. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could see the SD label. It didn't mention any weight or dimensions.

I'm struggling to keep up with it all.

Interesting! From the emailed label this week I had the issue where the assistant can see 'Large Letter' on the screen, but I haven't tried a QR one recently, if I get a sale I'll try one next week.

wellingnorth · ‎22-08-2025

@caruk_iderdxs wrote:
This is currently occurring to me. I am presently on the phone attempting to get sense out of a call handler with a barely understandable grasp of English. Round and round in circles telling that the label is correct. I am about to travel a 60 mile round trip to post and know it has the wrong label - which declare standard delivery which is not small parcel. I have been on the phone over 25 minutes to Mexico and my phone is flattening.
I am so fed up with ebay.
If you print another label you cancel the wrong one you have to wait 28 days for a refund. It's a scam. A complete scam.

If at all possible are you able to drop off at a Royal Mail delivery office? In my experience they don't check size, etc. Or the other alternative would be a CollectPlus location that accept Royal Mail, you can search here

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

Again they don't usually check size, but might object if it's particularly large

Obviously you shouldn't have to do either of these things, but if you are sure the label is going to be a problem this may be more straightforward.

caruk_iderdxs · ‎22-08-2025

I live right out in the sticks and it is bad enough going to the PO.

I did take it in and it was accepted so that was a relief but what a stress and the customer service is appallingly bad on ebay as bad as BT used to be.