Simple Selling, Huge Nightmare?

[kitten_slave]

When I sell am item, I currently book it in for Royal Mail collection the next day, and send it via a Tracked 24 hour service. 

Will "Simple Selling" stop me doing that? Will it stop me selecting the postage option I prefer, and also stop me from adding in the costs of packaging materials to the postage fee? 

TBH I just can't understand why Ebay insists on making all these changes. If a business model works, why not just leave it be? Ebay has surely made billions for its owners. 

[jckl1957]

You can choose to deselect Evri and only post with Royal Mail.

Your listings will show two choices: Tracked Delivery (RM Tracked 48) or Express Tracked Delivery (RM Tracked 24). The buyer chooses the option they want based on the price and how quickly they want their item.

The money for postage goes from the buyer to Ebay then you get a label to print. Once you print your label, you can request a RM collection.

You will have to add an amount for packaging into the cost of your item as you can't adjust the postage cost.

[department28]

Yes, unfortunately, Simple Delivery will stop you selecting your own postage preferences, apart from a few exceptions - small items priced at £10 or below and weighing 100g or under. Oversized/very heavy items are also exempt.

The pricing has also been 'fixed' by eBay, so there is no way of altering the postage to allow for packaging. No chopping and changing of prices at all.

I'm sure a lot of sellers are only just realising that Simple Delivery is 'taking over'. Most would much prefer to continue choosing their own postage, but it looks like eBay is going to press on with this horrible new system, whether we like it or not!

[**peaseblossom**]

You can opt out of using Evri via My eBay > Account tab > Selling > Postage Preferences > Simple Delivery > Courier Options > Edit.   Or here's a direct link:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/ship/prf

And for collection ebay says:

Collection is available with Simple Delivery through Royal Mail.   If you'd like your sold item to be collected, make sure Royal Mail is selected as one of your preferred carriers.   Once your item is sold and after you've generated a prepaid label on eBay,  book your collection on the Royal Mail website.

[fordcux36]

Agreed, this is a dictatorial shambles by Ebay. I reckon I will 'lose' up to £1k pa as a consequence of being unable to recover my postage materials, printing inks, paper, etc expenditure. I cannot 'add on' the cost to my already compromised (i.e. forcibly reduced) start prices which have been adversely affected by the unfair 'Buyer Protection Fee' - a Buyer's Premium in disguise & with which I vehemently disagree. If I increase my start prices it definitely reduces buyer interest. Why should a buyer have to pay extra on top of the sale price? Frankly I'd much rather revert to the old tried & tested system of seller commission & flexible postage options; at least you (& buyers) knew where you were. I resent this unneccesary & unwarranted interference by Ebay & I hope, somehow, they will realise the error of their ways, however unlikely that may be. 

'Simple Delivery' does not appear to allow for combined shipping in the event of multiple purchases - unless I've missed something? So, does someone buying, say, 4 separate items, now have to pay 4x the postage??!! I certainly wouldn't, so I cannot expect my buyers to do so. The inability to actually issue an invoice seems also to have crept in recently (other than for international buyers), so one is reliant on Ebay issuing invoices; we now don't even get the buyer's address until the item is paid for. This inflexibility is highly frustrating & deeply worrying. Currently, if a buyer 'overpays' postage I can refund the difference, but presumably that will no longer be possible as Ebay are 'paying' the shipping charge.

Sadly, what was a pleasurable & enjoyable selling experience has been totally ruined by greed & change for changes sake. I can see no advantages at all. Unfortunately, right now, there is no viable alternative online auction site, so I have to press on regardless & take the hit. A great pity, though & we can be certain that those in control at Ebay will take absolutely no notice of the contents of this forum!

[kabo_1070]

Following the launch of Simple Delivery, we’re excited to introduce the ability to select carrier preferences to give you more flexibility and enhance your selling experience. Please note that this feature is being gradually rolled out and will be live for all eligible sellers in the coming weeks.

Here’s what you need to know:

Available carriers

With Simple Delivery, you have access to two trusted carriers: Royal Mail and EVRi. By default, you’ll be automatically opted in to use both carriers. However, if you have a specific preference because the drop-off location is too far from where you live, you can easily adjust your settings.

How to set your preferences

To customise your carrier preferences, head over to your postage preferences. Under the Simple Delivery settings, you’ll find a toggle next to each carrier. You can choose which carriers to include or exclude based on your needs. 

Please note that excluding carriers might lead to increased delivery costs and could limit the number of potential buyers for your items. If you require a collection from your address for all your items, consider selecting Royal Mail only, as they provide collection for Simple Delivery items.

Some things to consider 

We will always strive to honour your carrier selections. However, there may be some instances where we are unable to, such as when the weight or dimensions of your item requires a different carrier. In such cases, we may provide a label for a carrier you have chosen to exclude.

Delivery options for buyers

When your buyers reach checkout, they may have the option to select between standard or express delivery. If express delivery is chosen, rest assured that your handling time remains unchanged - express simply refers to the speed at which the item travels through the carrier network.

We hope introducing new carrier preferences will provide you with greater control and convenience in managing your deliveries.

Thank you for selling on eBay.

[kabo_1070]

Some things to consider 

We will always strive to honour your carrier selections. However, there may be some instances where we are unable to, such as when the weight or dimensions of your item requires a different carrier. In such cases, we may provide a label for a carrier you have chosen to exclude.

[department28]

'Following the launch of Simple Delivery, we’re excited to introduce the ability to select carrier preferences to give you more flexibility and enhance your selling experience.'

It is almost beyond belief that eBay have the brass neck to make a statement like the above!

We already had the ability to select any courier or RM service we wanted, either via eBay, or directly with the courier of choice. Now we will have just two to choose from, with eBay in charge of the prices.

Simple Delivery will drastically reduce flexibility, and certainly won't 'enhance' anyone's selling experience... who do they think they are trying to fool?!

[edwardian-dreams]

Black is white in their world 

Brass neck indeed 
And many people don’t have two to chose from at all as evri is miles away

many people now also have none to chose from as eBay couldn’t manage yet to replicate royal mails bring a label home collection service 

not forgetting the save up to 20 % claim 

[kitten_slave]

Thanks for that, very helpful. 

I'm miffed that Ebay will take postage payments plus as I don't have a printer - I handwrite my packages, with RM supplying labels - I can't see how it is going to work. 

Currently I schedule next morning RM collection so the items always arrive within 48 hours of any order being placed. If I have to let the buyer select a 48 hour service - then wait for Ebay to send me labels I can't print - then schedule a RM pick up - I can see buyers waiting a week instead of my two days. Plus I'll get paid much later.

[Sigh.]

It's all very control-freakeried. Slower service, slower payment, just so Ebay get to make a few extra pence from sitting on the money. 

[edwardian-dreams]

EBay will send the labels automatically after a sale but if you don’t have a printer you won’t be able to arrange rm collection as eBay didn’t factor in the bring a label facility with collection

unless I misunderstood your post 

Then sorry

[forestfeline62]

if you choose royal mail they will still come and pick your parcels up from you .if you don't want to use evri or if you don't want the buyer to use evri  ,perhaps put in your listing descriptions that you would rather the buyer pick royal mail because evri isn't viable to you ,then it will stop buyers choosing evri .

[forestfeline62]

Perhaps if sellers put in their item description that using Evri isn't viable  for them due to distance or what ever  it might guide buyers to choose RM .

[edwardian-dreams]

They will pick them up only if you have a label attached and for those who’s don’t have printers is not possible 

[kitten_slave]

I agree. 

The new weird prices - 11.37 for example instead of 10.00 - which include "Buyer Protection" is bizarre.

It's clearly what auction houses call a "Buyer's Premium" ie an extra tax. Calling it "Protection" is an ironic misnomer given that it has parallels with gangster "protection" rackets. 

Ebay obviously think sellers will drop their prices from "break-even" or "tiny-profit" to "loss-making" or "break-even" to counter this extra new buyer tax. 

Plus by brutally seizing control of postage - controlling who we post with and snatching at the money - they expect us to provide packaging for free. 

It costs about £1 to buy a padded envelope and tape it up - Ebay have stopped us from charging that. They are forcing us to absorb the cost or put prices up. 

Plus if we now have to print postage labels they email us instead of us handwriting addresses, they expect us to buy a printer and pay for the ink. 

(One of the reasons I handwrite is to reduce waste - it uses up a fraction of the material a printed label requires.) 

It feels VERY much like Ebay think they have us all trapped in a holding pen so can get away with charging us more and taking away our power and control. Every single move profits them while stripping away yet another layer of skin from our operating models. 

[edwardian-dreams]

EBay have royally f*d up  up this is very true 

oh well

ll part of life’s rich tapestry 

only they’ve created destruction in  their wake in more ways than one 

whoever is in charge is incompetent at best 

what a stupid bunch of …..

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[forestfeline62]

You can ask them to bring a label with them but they can only bring one label ,you must have to send them the QR code ,but if you have more than 1 parcel as long as they have labels on they will take them ,and you don't have to be in at the time of collection ,if you have a safe place to leave them on your property they will take them .

[edwardian-dreams]

Ok thanks maybe I got mixed up re qr codes and people saying they have neither a printer or a smart phone 

if you have a smart phone and can arrange a home collection with being a label that’s different

[jma2815]

@forestfeline62  Sellers can disable evri in their settings and only be left with Royal Mail so there’s no need to ask buyers not to choose evri. 

Buyers do not see which carriers are being used, they only see ‘standard’ and ‘express’ on the listing, so again, they don’t get to choose evri or Royal Mail. If both carriers are enabled ebay will choose which one the label is sent for. It seems to be thought here that this will likely be evri whenever possible as ebay seem to have the most favourable contract with them.

You book collection with bring my label when buying the label by ticking a box. You don’t send them the QR code. You can book collection after the label has been bought by entering the tracking number on the RM portal, but you have to print and affix your own label for these. You are correct that if you’ve booked one collection the postie will pick up other items - I think there’s a limit on how many though, as long as they have labels (or stamps - not relevant for ebay sales) on them. 

[jma2815]

I don’t think ebay should be offering express service on behalf of private sellers. 

If a buyer chooses ‘express’ its because they want the item the next day, or the day after that. 

Assuming the three day handling time is used and the ‘express’ options being (I believe) RM 24 or evri’s equivalent - both not guaranteed to be delivered 24 hours after entering the system - express items will realistically be taking 5 - 7 days to reach the buyer. Not very express.