Simple Delivery, just a couple of questions. lol

[neovass0]

Hi,

Reluctantly, I will be ending my listings by the end of the week, but will probably be dragged kicking and screaming into simple delivery. Having created my first simple delivery listing as a test, just a couple of questions. I have thankfully excluded Evri from my listing by using the 'postage preferences' in my account.

Looking at the postage options in the listing once live, available to the buyer are two options, standard tracked and express tracked delivery. It doesn't specify what these are. Other than select parcel size, I was at no point able to select a royal mail postage service like previously. Is it, hopefully due to the compensation level, RM Tracked 48 and Tracked 24 ? Please not second class signed for, lol.

With the international shipping, i have not opted for international postage in the postage options tab, but confusingly the 'excluded locations' tab further down the page is still showing and there are no excluded locations filled in. Furthermore, does anyone know if you can include international postage for some listings, and opt out for others ? Previously, it was either a blanket yes or no.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply and feel free to ask any other questions in the thread if you want to. Simple delivery, unfortunately is here.

Thanks

neovass0

[wintersdawn1]

This is the simple delivery postage info ebay have provided so far, £2.70 is the current price for royal mail tracked 48 but ebay do not state what service each refers to:

[dch2112011]

Is Simple Delivery available for international shipments?

No, Simple Delivery is available for UK domestic deliveries only. However, if your item is sold to a buyer overseas and you use the Global Shipping Programme, you can use your Simple Delivery label to send your item to the UK shipping centre. Your buyer will be charged for the label, unless you've offered free postage.

[neovass0]

Thanks wintersdawn1, I hadn't seen that and have now saved it. Again, they have stated it is with royal mail, but not which service exactly. I presume it will be one with adequate compensation. Thinking further on this, I sell books and a lot of my items are borderline large letter / small parcel, and don't know which till they are packaged. Presumably now, I will have to declare them as a parcel to be on the safe side.

[wintersdawn1]

In order for ebay's system to work out the right postage label I believe we are expected to weigh and measure the packaged item at the time of listing. 

[dch2112011]

@wintersdawn1  FIO

Simple Delivery has a hidden benefit for both sellers and buyers when ebay estimate the weight and size - they believe in their AI system so much they make this offer

If your parcel exceeds the maximum size and weight of the label, and you listed using our recommended size and weight for your item, you won't have to pay any additional costs. Just go ahead and use the Simple Delivery postage label, as we’ve made sure the carrier will accept your package for delivery.

If you provided the size and weight of the item yourself, and these happen to be inaccurate, you’ll be responsible for covering any additional costs.

[neovass0]

Sorry to be nuisance. I had someone recently buy three items from three different listings, that weighed individually below 750g, but obviously sent in the same box with packaging, the parcel came to ~2.5 kg. I had to send as a medium parcel due to weight. Do you know if the 'simple delivery AI' will account for this when it comes to printing the correct label? Again thanks.

[edwardian-dreams]

Ah , so as long as they recommend a certain weight you’re ok even if it weighs more ,

interesting

that means you can list an item YOU know weighs 4kg eg but eBay “recommend” 2kg and you pick that option ebay will pay any extra cost 

marvellous 

genius

ps someone posted they listed a book which was 3kg (books can be v heavy) and eBay recommended 2kg

[wintersdawn1]

Thanks for that.

Not sure I trust in ebay or their AI to know what is the correct postage label for my item.  That said if we let them decide it, seems we won't have a problem if it turns out to be wrong, not sure I trust that either.

[wintersdawn1]

No problem, unfortunately all I know so far is simple delivery has some type of combined postage ability but apparently the additional items, although not charged at the full amount, are not as low as a seller themselves could charge.

[dch2112011]

According to ebay if they estimate the weight and size and it proves to be wrong the carrier has agreed to deliver it and you will not be charged extra. 

They also infer that if you choose the weight and size and it is wrong you may get charged extra - I assume via ebay  as would be normal for business account post 

[neovass0]

Presumably, if I select 'seller pays postage', the buyer has no input into what service I use (i.e. he cant select Tracked 24 and expect me to pay for it ?) and I will have some flexibility with which postage service I eventually choose to use.

[wintersdawn1]

I'm a bit unsure about this, but believe if we select 'seller pays' for the postage for simple delivery we will have to purchase the postage from ebay (deducted from our selling funds) based on the postage that was selected when the listing was created.

[dch2112011]

Although your scepticism is probably justified in this instance ebay trust their AI to the seller's benefit, so in theory the more the AI underestimates the better for seller and buyer ! 

Of course AI could overestimate and then the seller needs to be aware while listing and change it but with a little thought the seller and buyer may gain 

[neovass0]

In truth, what was wrong with selling an item, packaging it with whatever was available and paying at the post office counter the next day, to get it sent out. One of the reasons I can't adopt immediately is the fact I also have to save to purchase a printer now, lol.

[wintersdawn1]

The reason to me is simple, ebay's greed:

• Buyer Protection Fee – a total lie, they are just pocketing the money.
• Holding private sellers money - earning interest/investing.
• Simple Delivery - once mandatory ebay will make money on every postage label for every item sold.
• Hiding listings - ebay are hiding sellers listings so they have to pay to make them visible again.
• Disabling the invoice facility - buyers are forced to pay BPF on each item so no combining orders now.
• They make the buyer pay higher postage if a seller only offers one carrier.

[dch2112011]

Just guessing but possibly ebay got fed up with the number of dissatisfied customers receiving packages with underpaid postage, long shipment times from sellers and worse sellers who sold items pocketed the money and just did not ship (using sales as a payday loan)

So ebay respond by limiting shipment to a max of 3 days, estimating cost and size and taking responsibility for underpaid shipping and withholding payment until delivered.

The one glove fits all policy eradicates the problems but hits the decent honest sellers who ship promptly, use the correct postage and make sure the customer is served !

Another underlying problem is sellers who sell very cheap items purely to harvest information to sell on the dark web - this may also be part of the equation - it is a well documented problem that all online platforms fall victim to

[rainbowtrax]

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@neovass0 wrote:

Presumably, if I select 'seller pays postage', the buyer has no input into what service I use (i.e. he cant select Tracked 24 and expect me to pay for it ?) and I will have some flexibility with which postage service I eventually choose to use.

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The buyer has no input but neither do you. Ebay still provide you with the label, just at your expense. The buyer won't get the option of an express service and ebay will charge you for and provide you with the standard tracked service. Your only input is the ability to allow/disallow Evri and RM in general in your postage settings.

[buffster1963]

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@dch2112011 wrote:

Although your scepticism is probably justified in this instance ebay trust their AI to the seller's benefit, so in theory the more the AI underestimates the better for seller and buyer ! 

Of course AI could overestimate and then the seller needs to be aware while listing and change it but with a little thought the seller and buyer may gain 

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This does not seem to work. There have been many posts saying  the post office has refused their parcel as it is overweight for the label supplied. Somebody said that their post office said they have had to turn away many parcels the last few days from sellers using SD. 

[theelench]

Sorry if I'm not getting this right but doesn't that mean that the seller has to make up the difference if the ebay label isn't enough for the size / weight??

If the seller wants to send the item they have to pay for the extra stamps over the counter??