Simple Delivery - what the heck?

[dorset_dumplings]

I have been an eBay seller for about twenty five years, on and off.  Recently I haven’t been selling much stuff but lately I’ve been having a clear out so listed one or two things, one of which sold today. 
So, I start to package the item and look for the buyer’s address…. Can’t find it?

I sell everything using my smartphone these days as my laptop is very elderly and takes a long time to do anything.  So anyway, then I find out that I have to print a postage label through “Simple Delivery”. Well that’s new, I think to myself (you can tell I haven’t sold anything for a while!) so I click on the button to get my pre-paid label so that I can print it, from my smart phone. Except I can’t print it, as there is no option to print.  The next thing I know, I have somehow booked for a delivery of my pre-paid label to be delivered to me in person tomorrow.  Well that won’t work - I have to go into work tomorrow.  I try to change the delivery date but there is no option to do this. 
I go around in circles for nearly an hour trying to undo this mess but it’s not possible.  No option anywhere for me to print and I can’t stop the delivery of the label tomorrow. 
Eventually I crank up the old laptop and find that I can print from the there, so I’ve printed the label and will take the package to the post office tomorrow.  
So, my questions are:

1. Is it not possible to print pre-paid labels

from a smart phone?

2.  If this is the case, why?

3. Why does eBay think I’m at home all day happy to wait for labels to be delivered?

4. How can I bypass this so-called Simple Delivery thing?

I’m a private seller, who sells things occasionally and if this how eBay is going to be now, I think it’s going to be the end for me. So long eBay, it was fun while it lasted.  
I imagine several other sellers will also be leaving in huge numbers.  

[style_wise]

Simple Delivery is now obligatory for Private Sellers, generally speaking.

With your smartphone you can download the QR code and show it in the Post Office - they will print your SD label for you.

eBay recently changed so that £20 and under items can be sent with Custom Postage if you prefer. To do this enter the correct item price, check that your Simple Delivery is set to 'Large Letter', and the Custom Postage option should appear. Click on CP and you can enter any size/weight plus your chosen courier.

But I am going to urge you to give SD a try first. Why? The service is tracked and insured for up to £750. If an item is damaged or lost, your Buyer opens a Case, and eBay refunds them and lets you keep your money from the sale! Also eBay protects you from delivery-related Negative or Neutral feedback. Once you've tried SD for a few sales, then it is easier to choose when you need it or not.

[dorset_dumplings]

Thank you for your reply. My item sold for more than £20 so I couldn’t customise the postage.  
Also, if someone can show me how to print or download the label/QR code from my smartphone that would be great, because I really couldn’t find a way. 

[suelel1968]

Hi @dorset_dumplings It sounds like you booked a collection of your item by RM who will bring the label. You don't have to do that. Don't know if you can print from a smart phone, but that was probably not the intention.

@style_wise said "eBay recently changed so that £20 and under items can be sent with Custom Postage if you prefer. To do this enter the correct item price, check that your Simple Delivery is set to 'Large Letter', and the Custom Postage option should appear. Click on CP and you can enter any size/weight plus your chosen courier."  

To be fair that is what Ebay told us, but opt out is by category and most categories are not eligible to still use Custom postage. 

There is no opt out for clothing even if it is a silk camisole which weighs 30g and fits in a normal postage envelope. Just saying!  

All jewellery is exempt though at any cost  and so are accessories up to £20 Large letter.

@style_wise is right about trying it. It is OK where price appropriate, but not at all popular for so many reasons catalogued all over the forum.

[dorset_dumplings]

Yes you’re right, I mistakenly managed to order a pre-paid label.  But why is there no option to cancel this?

I just wanted to cancel it and print it instead, but it appears that cancelling the delivery of the label is not allowed.  
It’s a clumsy system that isn’t fit for purpose.  I’m really not impressed.  I would just like to use a pen and write the address on the package and take it to the post office.  This new system overcomplicates things for private sellers. 

[madeinireland]

I'm also navigating the simple (or not so simple) delivery. I am finding using the QR code they send along with the digital label to print handy. Now I just take the parcel to the post office to show them the QR code on my phone and they print the label and stick it on.

As to having more control over the delivery option I must admit I'm still struggling with Simple delivery but I think I, like you will get there sooner rather than later along with our sent items 😀 

[jonatjonatjonat]

whether you can print a label from your smartphone will depend mainly on your printer.

i can but I have an Epson printer that is wifi enabled and I have the Epson iPrint app on my phone. This allows me to print the label to the printer (provided phone and printer are on the same wifi network)

[dorset_dumplings]

Yes I can print from my phone to my printer, never had any problems.  The point is, there was no option to print from the eBay phone app.  (Or not that I could find anyway).  

[jonatjonatjonat]

Not sure. I know with Vinted it loads in a PDF in a browser window and you can click the Share icon.

I haven't got a current order on ebay to be able to test. I think the other thing I've done is saved it into 'Files' - I'm on an iPhone and can print it from there.