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 

[subminman]

If I go to relist a single item it now forces Simple Delivery however if I go into the bulk relisting tool and select two or more listings they still have my custom postage!  How long this lasts I don't know and if this works for all other sellers I doubt. 

[goosewell]

So they can keep the difference in price. They only want business
sellers so are discouraging small orders.

[woo_shrimp_head]

Yes, I think that's the only thing that makes sense. They literally want to force private sellers off the site.

At the moment, I can see business accounts selling CDs for £3.29 including postage. Which is literally impossible for private sellers. Even if you sell the CD for 1p, between the Simple Delivery charge and the Buyer Protection Fee you still can't actually reach a net price of less than £3.29 (and if - for some mad reason - you DO sell for 1p, you're actually making a loss because you've had to pay for the cost of the jiffy bag yourself!).

It's impossible to sell for less than the business accounts who don't have all the new restrictions placed on private sellers so of course buyers will just go for the cheapest option. And eventually private sellers will have to leave the site.

It's a real shame. You'd think "more sellers = more sales and more sales = good" but I guess it's not that simple if you're trying to milk every last penny. What do I, a simple guy selling his old collection, know about hypercapitalism in its greediest dying gasps anyway...

[havewillsell]

Hello all,

I've not been selling on ebay since the SD farce,  but DO check in here on the forum occasionally to see what is happening in this respect,

I see so many differing ideas about SD enforcement  ATM, I thought I would try a test listing to see what happens, item price is around £8, I WAS able to select advanced and alternative postage option, and set my own postage cost and RM as delivery agent (so it seems).

Have not listed the item yet and may not, but if this item lists/sells does this now mean that I can still generate a label from ebay like it was for the years before, or do I have to source/purchase a label separately directly from RM and is it still possible to add tracking number?.

Anyone been down this route since the changes?

[mikemerc963]

Yet another nail in the coffin for non-business Ebay members. First the introduction of buyer protection levy which makes private sales of low cost items economically unviable, and now being forced into simple postage. Private sellers have lost all control of their Ebay sales. Why does Ebay think it knows better? There will always be items that do not fit the simple postage pricing, as an example small but extremely heavy items where simple postage will select an inadequate postage resulting in non delivery and it's the seller who loses out and has to try and sortout the mess! Simple postage only offers Royal Mail or Evri neither of which are well suited to the delivery of heavy items; they are not competitive nor do they have the infrastructure to deal with heavy items.

[goosewell]

It would be reassuring to know whether EBay either read or take on board
their customers concerns ? We have no way of knowing which makes me
think that they have no concern for the small seller. They need to stand
up and answer our questions and concerns not ignore us as they are
currently doing .

[incredible_how]

it's the large letter tracked 48 price - but if you choose to only use Royal Mail (because Evri drop off is miles away) they add 2p... I have used that service a lot, especially Christmas time because I prefer tracked, even with items of just £4.50, and still sold, but with the buyer protection on top it'll be a lot more difficult.

[woo_shrimp_head]

I see. I didn't realise it was the Tracked 48 cost. Thank for you for the clarity. That does at least make slightly more sense than just adding extra weight costs to the standard 2nd class, but it is still an irrationally high postage for cheap items (e.g. items that cost less than the postage!) and it doesn't make sense when put against historical experience. For example, I've sold 1000+ items and I think in all that time I've had maybe 2 go missing? Which as a % is ridiculously small and I don't think warrants tracking on every item. If I'd had lots of problems then sure, tracking would be essential but it's happened so very rarely... and my track record and feedback confirms it. So it's still kinda wild to enforce it when it's just not needed and is a prohibitively expensive extra service.

[department28]

'Have not listed the item yet and may not, but if this item lists/sells does this now mean that I can still generate a label from ebay like it was for the years before, or do I have to source/purchase a label separately directly from RM and is it still possible to add tracking number?'

Yes, I'm pretty sure that if you have been able to select your own postage for your item - the 'advanced' Custom postage option - then you will still be able to purchase the RM label 'normally', through eBay - and the tracking number will be added automatically.

Keep an eye on your listing, though, as you may find 'Simple Delivery' has been added, behind your back...

[incredible_how]

It's not the best system. Letter post for items under £10 can be untracked and own stamps/labels. But with the buyer protection those small stamp and postcard sales have gone up a lot for the buyer.

nothing much seems to be selling or even viewed for me - and a couple of people I know; if i sell stuff I can afford to buy stuff...

[sarge_blaketon]

Just had a chat online with an agent on Simple Delivery as one of my listings just got sold as such, even though I had not chosen SD, and there is no option, we have no choice. All I got was pre-written statements (no way could they have typed that fast) so I have no choice anymore and will have to wait until something goes wrong! Shame as I have been with ebay for 20+ years and always used it for getting rid of a few bits and pieces each year and never had a problem with the old way!

[colcoo-616]

I don’t think they want private sellers on eBay and are trying to shake off an image, not called Fleabay for a reason. I’m on time away now for the foreseeable, weather great and was only selling low cost stuff, some stuff I’ve had for 40 years plus so no hurry.