Simple Delivery

[colcoo-616]

Is Simple Delivery mandatory now ? used to be able to select custom postage option but it’s not available now. Just tried listing and Simple Delivery is the only option for postage 

[xenavsbuffy1]

Yeah I got an email from Ebay saying the same, Low priced, bulky items and local pickups excempt.....so who knows when I do actually get a sale I might be exempt....you really don't know which of the recent changes is the worse one, just when its bad....it gets worse, started with Payments paid a few weeks after sale to how they said the removal of invoices were an "error" and being fixed to Buyers Protection, which a lot of sellers probably use Ebay to buy as well that are leaving to this.....its a good thing this is more of a hobby for me and not a business else I'd be worried

[edwardian-dreams]

Bulky ad overweight items which are also exempt get a message at the bottom of the weights options page on SD listings ….to switch to custom postage

these light items should get the same message

Maybe they  havent  got round to it yet 

but you can use the heavy items link to chose any size and weight - don’t know if it will stick ok in practice if you see what I mean 

[moonlight-rhapsody]

Phew, I’ve just read all 35 pages of another thread on this topic and I’ll pass on a couple of points which may be of use.

Some people have made a complaint to the Competition and Markets Authority, on the basis that Ebay may be abusing their position as the dominant marketplace for online secondhand goods by forcing sellers (and buyers) to only use ebay postage.

If anyone wants to add their weight to the complaint, you just need to fill in a form on the government web site.  It’s then up to the CMA as to whether they investigate or not.

Ebay won't let me post a link but a Google search for "Report a competition or market problem gov.uk" should bring up the correct page.

[moonlight-rhapsody]

On the other thread, I also saw an alternative to Ebay which looks promising.  Their web site says they’ve got 85 million items for sale and 10,000 transactions a day.  It’s called Delcampe and I used it many years ago when I was a collector but I’d forgotten about it.  They don’t sell everything, but they do have quite a lot of categories which some people may find useful.  I’ve got stacker boxes full of vintage paper stuff which is ideal for Delcampe so I’m well pleased that their name has cropped up again!

A web site called discogs was also mentioned for selling music, although the comments about that one weren't altogether positive.

[incredible_how]

I have had compensation from Evri for a book they lost, I think about £85, plus the price of sending it. I'd paid the appropriate amount to cover it. 

[incredible_how]

Yes I am just realising that there is no wriggle room, because the label is the label and you can't change it.
And looking closely I see a serious problem: there is no differentiation between royal mail small and medium parcels, the measurements are all for medium, there's a lot of difference in price between a 2kg small and a 2kg medium parcel.

[wendybing]

No possibility of combined postage either if a buyer buys a few items. The label will be at the single item price so you get hammered for excess postage. Unless they provide 1 label per item so they buyer will pay far more than they should.

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[silverw53]

Only way I got round this, before SimDel, was to agree with prospective purchaser that after the current listing finishes I relist all the items wanted as one lot with one postage cost.

Regards, Peter Williams

[poppyseed5209]

I've just listed three items. The first two, I had the custom option. On the third item, its disappeared. No logic. I was listing shoes, so the items didn't change. It's really frustrating. I'm with you.

[incredible_how]

Think I commented somewhere else on this thread that ebay seem to discourage combined postage. And combined invoices were no longer available, and making offers caused instant payment and no combined postage - I've made offers on several items been accepted paid huge postage costs but seller has then refunded; Simple Delivery just compounds that.
Will the buyer get a refund if labels are not used - if it's possible to pack several items in one package that uses just one label?

[gramatura-uk]

Friend of mine sold a few items to one buyer and the simple delivery
automatically created combined postage standard (48h tracked)

[gramatura-uk]

I contacted them yesterday about the box size, apparently there is no
longer need for small parcel box.
Then looks like simple delivery for medium parcel item is cheaper then
buying postage directly from Royal Mail

[wendybing]

That's good, providing it stays within the same parcel weight presumably.

If I sell a jigsaw, it's weight is about 850g. If I sell 2 to the same buyer, will it be charged now as a medium parcel, but a) I would have listed as a 1kg parcel and b) 2 jigsaws can still fit in a small parcel up to 2kg.

This simple stuff is far too complicated for me

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[incredible_how]

yes I've just had a reply via email enquiry (it does mean small parcels royal mail are more expensive, was going to relist a collection of things removing one item that made it medium parcel...maybe I should leave it as it was). How will Royal Mail or Post Office react to the sizes?
Reply:

Thank you so much for contacting us at eBay Customer Service today. Let me assist you with the best possible option to get your issue resolved. 

Here are the details I was able to capture from the transaction as of now:

• As I understand that you are inquiring about how Simple Delivery differentiates between small and medium parcels for Royal Mail up to 2kg weight.
• As a result, you are requesting eBay's help to resolve the issue.

After checking the details, I just want to let you know that Simple Delivery is a program available for eligible listings by private UK sellers on eBay.co.uk.

To qualify for Simple Delivery, your packaged item must meet the following requirements:

- Weigh up to 20kg

- Dimensions must adhere to specific measurements depending on the drop-off location chosen

- Priced at £750 or less (Buy It Now price, auction starting price, or reserve price)

You can find more details about the eligibility requirements and prohibited items in the Simple Delivery Terms and Conditions from the below link:

https://pages.ebay.co.uk/shipping/delivery/seller-terms/

I trust I have explained everything clearly. Thank you for contacting eBay and I really appreciate you for being such a loyal member for 18 years. Have a great day ahead.

[poppyseed5209]

Just had a look at a postage update message from eBay and it says that from 15th April, Simple will be the only option. I'm offering RM tracked for £3.45 and Simple is 30p dearer. I've already begun to chip away at my pricing because of the 'buyers premium', which bumps up the price. Unless you sell things at a much reduced rate, people are not going to go for it if they are paying huge postage, as well as a premium. 

I would rather have continued paying a percentage on each listing, because you can factor that in to what you do.  At the moment, the goal posts seem to be changing, all the time.

[moonlight-rhapsody]

I've just done the first delete from my listings.  Ebay asked me to tell them what I think.  Hmm, not sure I should tell them what I really think, but this is what I put:

I'm ending all listings before 7 April because Simple Delivery (double-speak for the most complex delivery system ever devised)  makes it unviable to sell low cost items.  Too complex to sell high value items either.  Coupled with Buyer's Premium which forced me to reduce my prices because they were uncompetitive against business sellers, and ebay holding on to my payments, I'm out of ebay as a seller. I probably won't buy as much now either because I won't be making sales to fund my "treats".

I was only allowed 500 characters and this came in at 498, otherwise I could have written more....

[wendybing]

I think you've been very kind.

7 characters would be enough for me if I get asked

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[poppyseed5209]

It beggar's belief that it's come to this. It's so very sad. I too have been on eBay, for years, and what was a pleasurable and stimulating pursuit has become difficult and stressful.

If you've changed your mind by tomorrow morning and can carry on a bit longer, maybe it will smooth itself out. I don't know.

You are braver than me, as this is all I really know.

Wishing you all the best and don't forego too many treats. They make life worthwhile. 💐🙋

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[andha-21]

@poppyseed5209 

It honestly doesn't look like it will smooth out for us.

There are so many areas within the SD rollout that looks like traps.

Too many to be coincidental.

[silverw53]

Thanks, well done, but sorry that you, and undoubtedly thousands of others, are now finding it almost impossible to sell on e-bay.
Regards Peter Williams