Simple Delivery - no way to opt out for small low value items.

[kaholl6818]

Just to add & clarify  some of the various posts on the lack of an opt out on the Simple Delivery for low value items under £10 & 100g.

As of Friday there doesn't seem to be any obvious way to avoid the Simple Delivery.

I've tried a range of methods - & nothing logically works.

As a stamp seller/collector on starting a listing on Saturday - got a message when trying to list along the line of "This listing has been changed to Simple Delivery - your despatch time is now 2 days"

This appeared before any values of items had been entered.

The advanced / custom options no longer appear.  Clicking on  Collection only & back doesn't bring these options back.

Occasionally a "Primary postage" option appears - however any details entered here vanish when scrolling down the screen & the only option that allows any listing to be completed is ticking the Simple Delivery.

(Having said that I've created 6 or so auctions today - one somehow went through with custom postage !! (this was the only one in it's category - but didn't manage to duplicate it when trying to)). Have also tried with Buy it Now.

Sometimes the International Postage options remain - and sometimes they need to be re-entered.

Existing listings haven't been changed to Simple Delivery - but using sell similar doesn't allow me to avoid Simple Delivery.  (Existing listings have all been changed to 2nd class letter in bulk & also changed to 15g.  (Looking at package size there doesn't seem to be a way of entering values for width less than 1cm ?? - the 2nd class letter option was not always there when doing the changes so had to refresh the selection a couple of times).

Simple delivery rates are inconsistent.   I had an item of £10 to list & in one stamp category it came up as £1.55 (£2.28 when viewing the item) - when I changed the stamp category it then came up as £2.74 !

It's an absolute mess !!

(I did however list the items as I get a few international sales - currently more than UK ones.  Also to see whether it is possible to change them when live -  or later if Ebay get their act together. I did add a note for any UK buyers explaining the issues).

[xyz307xyz]

I can get custom postage for valid small items the same way as you've seen for large/heavy items.

i.e. enter the item price as £800

These boxes then appear:

Enter the size and weight of the item. Create the custom postage.

Once all is done, set the item price back to whatever.

Only large letter sized items, max 100g in the valid subcategories, max £10 can be opted out.

[edwardian-dreams]

Ok thanks I’m going to experiment more to get it clear in my head amongst all the showdowns in this farce , whichever way you think about it, you cannot say it is not a farce

announced in oct, made compulsory in April  , wasn’t cruelly then even,  seems compulsory now , at last, but the newly fangked   superior system can’t even get the BASICS right which is impeding or stopping eBay sellers actually selling , which is a basic function on a selling site, and I shall continue to call it a farce at best until they get their house in order  lord knows what’s stopping them, , it’s also bit  like they’re making us feel they’re doing us a favour when they’re atually screwed everything up 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

don’t get me wrong though in that I gratuitously slag off eBay I don’t  , I tell it how I see it 

im sad they turned from a decades old very nice platform to a an alien strange one

very trumpian though 

[xyz307xyz]

You are welcome to your view, but please do not put words in my mouth.

I do not think it's a farce, I've no idea of ebay's motivations or success criteria.

[danielsgrooming]

This doesn't work for me.

When it's changed back (from £800 to the intended price), it pops up at the bottom of the screen 'Postage Updated' and shows only simple delivery again.

[3942rick2005]

Things have changed since the start of this thread.

It is still working. Follow my workaround exactly. It works for the small items that are supposed to be out of simpleton delivery as well. 

 https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Seller-Central/how-do-you-list-anything-bigger-than-61cm/m-p/7882486...

[danielsgrooming]

Thanks.

I've read that and tried multiple times with existing listings and new drafts for hours.

The option for SD doesn't appear.

Looks like it's category dependant. Listing something in a cosmetics category offers custom postage as standard, whereas listing sunglasses for instances, offers only SD (with no options at all - even with the 'trick') to solve it, regardless of price (even items priced at £5). 

[danielsgrooming]

Sorry, I meant 'Custom Postage' appears.

When the price is changed back, I get the pop-up 'Postage updated' and it goes back to SD.

[xyz307xyz]

Yes, see my message 21 "Only [max] large letter sized items, max 100g in the valid subcategories, max £10 can be opted out." There's an incomplete list of subcategories here https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/simple-delivery?id=5575#se...

[danielsgrooming]

Thanks. That explains it.

I was beginning to think it was totally random.

Seems ridiculous to have so many exceptions. I bet they all keep adding to the 'complete' list too.

[3942rick2005]

The purpose of the workaround is to enable you to list and post items that are over-weight and size, also undersized that are not catered for by simpleton delivery. Why are you then trying to use simpleton delivery after getting custom delivery?

You have to follow the workaround exactly.

It is valid for all categories.

[gjalp]

Interestingly, when I list on this ID (business, stamps), I have a message under postage that says ‘This item is not eligible for simple delivery’. I think its coming to businesses albeit optional.

[3942rick2005]

Oh dear, there has been several posts expecting that simpleton delivery would eventually be put on business sellers. Is this the thin end of the wedge? It will be interesting to see how the business sellers who have been having a go at private sellers over this, telling them to "suck it up", cope with it when they have to use it.

I can't honestly believe that they are actually considering applying it to business sellers in any form when they haven't even managed to get it working correctly yet.

[3942rick2005]

I edited out the simpleton delivery reference after I saw your amendment but for some reason it didn't take and I have only just realized.

[danielsgrooming]

I made an error in my post and follow dup with the correction.

Nonetheless, with your emphasis on the over-weight / size, I've tried this again and I've done it.

Thanks for your help!

[cheekychippy210]

yep, it does not work

[3942rick2005]

Persistent aren't you? You have been proved wrong yet again:

[cheekychippy210]

ALL THE LISTINGS OF THIS SELLER ARE FREE FOR ALL TO SEE, FREE DELIVERY, THE POSTAL OPTIONS THEY ARE SELECTING ARE FOR THEM PERSONALLY.

I DO NOT DO FREE POSTING, I OPT FOR BUYER TO PAY AND THAT IS WHERE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT COMPATABLE FOR MY LISTINGS OR INDEED ALL THOSE WHO CHOOSE BUYER TO PAY FOR POSTING.

OF YOUR ITEMS SOLD, IN FEEDBACK, NONE SHOW POSTING PRICE CONFIRMING ALL HAD BEEN SOLD AS FREE POSTING.

THE INSTRUCTIONS DO AS YOU SAY IN PREVIEW IF THE FREE POSTING IS TICKED, UNTICKED THEN I, AND ALL PRIVATE SELLERS GET THE DEFAULT IS SD

PERHAPS MENTIONING THAT IN INSTRUCTIONS WILL STOP ALOT OF CONFUSION