Simple Delivery (or how eBay passes the buck when things go wrong)

[sword-calibrator]

A few weeks ago I sold a large vintage ceramic jug and bowl set as a 'buy it now'. It was going from Norfolk to the buyer in Devon.  Evri was selected as the preferred courier because of the weight and size of it and Simple Delivery had kicked in.
I packed the item up really well, double boxing both the bowl and the jug and placed it into the Evri network. A couple of days later, I received a message from the buyer saying that the bowl had arrived completely smashed although by some miracle, the jug remained intact. The buyer attached a photo of the bowl, still in its inner box in many pieces. It hadn't just been accidentally dropped, it looked like it had been kicked across the warehouse! The message from eBay indicated that a return request had been set up. Given the photo evidence I deemed it unnecessary and pointless to request the buyer to send the item back and refunded the buyer in full, believing I could just submit the photo to Evri and claim a refund off them.
How wrong I was!

I contacted Evri customer services and they told me that even though they were the courier, as Simple Delivery had been used, I had to contact eBay customer services, via their chatbot. I received a message saying that as I had refunded the buyer , the case was closed and that I shouldn't have refunded at that point.

Now, I have been selling on eBay for many years and have consistently held the 'Above Standard' seller rating and 100% positive feedback. I think it may have been because in the past when things have gone wrong, I have acted responsibly and always taken care of my buyers, replacing or refunding where necessary whilst acting as a good ambassador for the platform. In the past, a swift resolution to a buyer dispute by way of a refund has meant I've avoided feedback spats and related unpleasantness. If the matter was down to a failed delivery or damage in transit, I've then capitalized on my goodwill with the buyer to obtain photographic evidence, or a statement in order to recoup my losses through the negligent carrier. 

Now it seems that eBay have got into bed with the carriers and despite everything a responsible seller has been encouraged to do in the past has been swept under the carpet. I've even had an email from Evri saying that they were responsible but I have to chase eBay, who won't do anything because I did the right thing and issued a refund, much as  I have always done in the past. 

The loss isn't great to me. £14 including shipping cost. What really grinds my gears is that with this new Simple Delivery concept, management of carriers has now been taken away from sellers and it's all to easy to enter into the loop of endless buck passing.

I'm curious to know if anyone else has fallen into this rabbit hole.

[Anonymous]

so Simple Delivery is basically like packlink or parcel2go, as when things go wrong you have to deal with ebay and not the courier.  plus your forced to choose from 3 couriers.

[*vyolla*]

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@Anonymous wrote:

so Simple Delivery is basically like packlink or parcel2go, as when things go wrong you have to deal with ebay and not the courier.  plus your forced to choose from 3 couriers.

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No. 

If it's a Packlink label then the seller has to refund the buyer and make a claim via Packlink. 

With Simple Delivery, if your item gets lost en route or arrives damaged then your buyer opens an eBay item not received claim or a return and selects 'Arrrived damaged' and eBay refund the buyer. The seller keeps the original payment. 

[Anonymous]

what i meant is ebay is basically the middle man.  

[*vyolla*]

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@Anonymous wrote:

what i meant is ebay is basically the middle man.  

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Again, not really.

[jeaniefluff]

Just today I received a message from the Buyer saying the item I sent was smashed.  I sent it with Royal Mail as I have never had any problem with them in the past.  I had used Simple Delivery (not my choice but Ebay enforced) to post the item.  I googled the problem and it said the Buyer should raise a 'Return' and choose the option 'Arrived Damaged'. The Buyer did this and he was refunded by Ebay within 10 minutes at no charge to me.  I think refunds are covered by the fee that is charged to Buyers.  Perhaps I was just lucky...

[lucy_farmer]

'The Buyer did this and he was refunded by Ebay within 10 minutes at no charge to me. '

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Yep, this is how S.D. is supposed to work!

This does rely upon the buyer knowing *which* reason to choose for the 'return' , so I'm assuming , after looking it up, you told the buyer which option to choose.?

(if the buyer chooses 'not as described' the seller ends up refunding ; then you'd have a fight on your hands getting ebay C.S. to change their minds )

[sword-calibrator]

Hi

I think it worked in your favour for sure and I'm glad you weren't out of pocket..

Best regards

Paul

[gjalp]

Tbh I think there should be another option for buyers. A straight ‘item arrived damaged’ option. None of this return and then choosing the correct option. If they have this option then they can choose it, upload photos and ebay can take it from there. It will remove the majority of errors especially when you get a buyer that is snarky or just won’t communicate. I had one like this that chose the incorrect return option and just told me ‘that’s your problem, I want refunding’ and that was it. No further communication so I had to pay for the return and the refund. I had another who did communicate first and the went on a rant about how I should tell ebay to make it clear there is an arrived damaged option and how silly  it was to have it under a returns as it was an inconvenience to return a broken item. I tried to explain it further but I was just poking a hornets nest.

[richarde1618]

Many times

i now just bite the bullet and refund the buyer every time Evri f#ck up

[wara_rat]

I used to work at an airport scanning packages (x-ray) for unsafe or illegal items. However it was the general scanning process that makes me really over pack these days. The amount of items and limited departure window was intense. The packages would be dumped onto a fast conveyer, x rayed and scanned  by inividuals. The items would be then thrown several feet behind them into a cargo pod. Each package had only a few seconds to be grabbed and scan. Failure to do so would become the next in lines responsibility. If everyone missed it simply fly off the end of the belt. Here's where serious damages would occur. If your jug was sitting happily in the pod and the next item was  (surprisingly popular from Amazon) a set of dumbbells you can imagine the force they would land with.

[pjdj89]

That’s a really frustrating situation, and I think a lot of long-time sellers would have done exactly the same as you. Historically, refunding quickly to keep the buyer happy was the right move, especially when you had clear photo evidence of damage.

The issue here seems to be how “Simple Delivery” changes the process. Because eBay is effectively controlling the courier side, they also expect the claim to go through their system before a refund is issued. Once you refund, it closes the loop on their end, which unfortunately blocks the compensation route—even if the courier has admitted fault.

You’ve basically been caught between the “old way” of doing things (look after the buyer first, claim after) and the “new system” where eBay wants everything handled in a specific order.

It might still be worth going back to eBay support and pushing it, especially since you have written confirmation from Evri accepting responsibility. Point out:

• You used Simple Delivery (so courier choice wasn’t fully yours)

• You have photographic evidence

• Evri have already acknowledged fault

• You acted in good faith based on long-standing seller practices

Sometimes if you get the right agent, they can manually review and issue a goodwill credit, even if the case is technically closed.

But you’re absolutely right about the bigger issue—this setup creates a grey area where responsibility isn’t clear, and sellers lose control while still carrying the risk. That “buck passing” loop is exactly what people are starting to run into.

For future, it looks like the safest route (even if it feels wrong) is:

• Let the return/case run its course first

• Don’t refund until eBay instructs or the process completes

• Then claim through their system

Not ideal, but it seems to be how the current setup works.

[mrpinkerton5]

I have just refunded a customer as a very well package (double bubble and two bags ) with perfume to the value of £60 arrived broken.

i advised her to put in for a refund with arrived damaged as the reason.

E bay contacted me and i followed the instructions and made a refund assuming as I had used simple delivery e bay would fork out and not me.

oh no.Ive had the money deducted from my account as I too had raced to ensure the buyer was appeased (despite some nasty language)

Now it feel like I’ve been attacked then punished for a series of mishaps in the delivery of this expensive item.

[jckl1957]

The perfume was not sent using Simple Delivery.

You used RM Tracked 48 and, although you may have bought the label from Ebay, it wasn't Simple Delivery.

So, you were liable for the refund but can try to claim for the cost of the item from Royal Mail.  (Through Packlink if you bought the label through Ebay.)

[mrpinkerton5]

Thank you for your help.
I will try this.
Sent from my iPad

[sml192]

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@jckl1957 wrote:

So, you were liable for the refund but can try to claim for the cost of the item from Royal Mail.  (Through Packlink if you bought the label through Ebay.)

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Royal Mail isn't through Packlink.  The purchase/agreemrnt is directly with Royal Mail, as per these terms:

https://www.royalmail.com/parcel-despatch-low/business-advice/ebay-terms-and-conditions

[lucy_farmer]

'but can try to claim for the cost of the item from Royal Mail.'

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Mmm.... hate to say it, but perfume (along with other stuff) is usually on Royal Mail's 'forbidden list'. Chances of getting them to refund something that shouldn't have been posted with them *at all* is pretty slim.....

[mrpinkerton5]

There was no where on the claim form where I could detail the messages sent from the seller where the package arrived soaking wet which could only happen as a result of violent handling.I get the feeling they are not going to help me.
It was such a palava it seems designed to put people off of course!
🤞and thanks you lovely lot!
Sent from my iPad

[podlingsmum]

Double bubblewrap and 2 bags is not sufficient packaging for a bottle of perfume. Should be in 2 sturdy boxes.

[jckl1957]

I don't make a habit of correcting people but you are allowed to send perfume by RM, within the UK but not overseas.  (It is on Evri's banned list.)

Limited amount in each parcel.

Has to be in the original packaging - the box it was sold in usually.

Needs a RM label, available online or from the Post Office, an ID8000.

From the RM website:

Perfumes and aftershaves

(including eau de parfum and eau de toilette, reed diffusers, non-aerosol body sprays, non-aerosol room sprays, essential oils. Excludes non-flammable perfumed creams, gels, oils or lotions) 

Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide

• International  - Not allowed in the mail 
• UK - Allowed in the mail, see restrictions and packaging guidelines below: 
  
  
  • Volume per item must not exceed 150ml. 
  • No more than four items in any one parcel. 
  • Must be sent in its original retail packaging, placed in strong outer packaging and cushioned to prevent breakage. 
  • An ID8000 label must be applied (see example ID8000 label). 
  • The sender's name and return address must be clearly visible on the outer packaging. 
  • These items must be presented at and can only be sent via a Post Office® counter or Royal Mail Shop.

[lucy_farmer]

Ah, thank you, didn't know that.  And nor did the post office counter staff who told me....

(it's possible the counter staff couldn't be bothered to explain or dig out the list of rules, so they just said 'no' !)