Unable to send Invoice or Combine Postage

[zax93]

So usually when I sell multiple items to a buyer I send them an invoice and adjust the postage accordingly - there is no such option there at the moment - there is a link to combine items so I click on that and then try and collate them there and get this message

Sending invoices is temporarily unavailable

 

We're working to fix this issue as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you want to send combined postage discounts, we recommend refunding the postage difference to your buyer after purchase.

Anyone else having issues?

[mh434]

I did go with ebays Global Shipping Programme but I had one buyer in Germany saying that some of my items (cloth badges) was showing 'not available to Germany '

Another in Australia bought 7 cloth badges and GSP charged them Shipping on each one, so they cancelled the order!!

So I changed back to Shipping myself but yesterday I had a buyer in Greece cancel because I was unable to send a combined invoice.  It's so frustrating and I'm losing sales, Ebay is getting more difficult and expensive to use.

[wellingnorth]

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@mh434 wrote:

So I changed back to Shipping myself but yesterday I had a buyer in Greece cancel because I was unable to send a combined invoice.  It's so frustrating and I'm losing sales, Ebay is getting more difficult and expensive to use.

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For the last month or two I've been unable to send invoices to international buyers (not GSP) on any items that are opted in to 'Simple Delivery' for domestic shipping. 

I went on chat and CS promised to investigate. First the 'escalation team' claimed I didn't have international shipping enabled for the item, then they suggested a different category to list in to opt out of Simple Delivery, then eventually after I kept pushing back they acknowledged:

"The error you are facing while sending invoice is a known issue, and our teams are working on it to resolve this on high priority, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. In the meantime, you can sent the invoice via "Paypal" to the buyer to pay the extra charges and asking them to pay the rest through eBay."

Who knows if that refers specifically to international shipping or if it's just the general complaint about invoicing / combined shipping not being available for Simple Delivery. 

It would be great if ebay had a central list of currents issues with a reference number / description so we could all know what are known issues / new issues / expected behaviours.  

[lucy_farmer]

'It would be great if ebay had a central list of currents issues with a reference number / description so we could all know what are known issues / new issues / expected behaviours.'

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Don't be daft... that'd mean ebay having to aknowledge the site is falling apart around their ears and Simple Delivery is utterly unsimple garbage.

[sbespecially4u]

it sounds practical and sensible but theres always a but

[sbespecially4u]

i understand the frustration ben throught it got no results

[sbespecially4u]

on simple delivery there is a way round combined postage in uk only if the weight of both item or more still come to same parcel size and weight purchase one label then on others you may have to purchase label but ebay cancel these when you put the original parcel tracking number in for the other parcels

[sbespecially4u]

on combine postage via simple delivery there is way round it only for uk delivery only if parcel weight and size are different for each parcel pick the item weight and size parcel that will take all others purchase one label that will take other's inside. with others items you will have to purchase label but ebay cancel there once you have added in the 1st parcel tracking number in to the other labels tracking number section. if you ask ebay for help explaining this before doing 1st time and remember what you have to do does help

[sbespecially4u]

there is but very long winded if your customers are happy with what your doing ie refunding the difference carry on the buyers will appreciate your honesty and may create more sales via trusting you

[rupertpicken]

I just got the same message a number of you have been receiving when trying to send a combined invoice to a HONG KONG buyer - "

Invoices cannot be sent for items where eBay manages all or part of the postage. These items are excluded from this invoice."

Speaking to Ebay Customer Services they told me it was a known problem but they could not see a timeframe in which it would be fixed (seems like it has been going on for many months now - there really should be an official announcement on this!)  -  The suggestion was that I cancel all the orders (these were auction listings) and relist as a single 'buy it now' lot or get the buyer to pay the full postage cost and then part refund them.   I can really see buyers having an issue with both suggestions and feel  EBay should prioritise sorting this out immediately!!!

[sbespecially4u]

I AGREE NOW YOU HAVE TO FILL IN REFUND FORM FOR UNUSED SIMPLE DELIVERY POSTAGE LABELES THAT ARE NOT USED. INSTEAD OF WAITING 2 WEEKS AND COST REFUNDED WHAT A MESS

[rupertpicken]

What are "UNUSED SIMPLE DELIVERY POSTAGE LABELs"?  please explain what you mean.

[tressygirl]

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@sbespecially4u wrote:
on combine postage via simple delivery there is way round it only for uk delivery only if parcel weight and size are different for each parcel pick the item weight and size parcel that will take all others purchase one label that will take other's inside. with others items you will have to purchase label but ebay cancel there once you have added in the 1st parcel tracking number in to the other labels tracking number section. if you ask ebay for help explaining this before doing 1st time and remember what you have to do does help

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Are you saying you can use the same tracking number for example for 3 items placed in one parcel ?

This didn't used to be possible can you show the announcement / link to show this. 

I hope you are not relying on CS answer to combining postage  for SD because to date,  there is no workaround aside from cancelling the orders relisting as one item , so there's One tracking number.

  eBay do not cancel and refund postage labels the seller pays for.  The  seller  has to manually do this themselves.  Buyers paying for postage,  and if those labels are not used,  yes,  eBay refund those to the buyer and it takes 30 days

[rupertpicken]

Well Ebay's Simple Delivery service just sucks more and more!

[snowylilliput-2]

Hi If the buyer uploads all the items to there basket and pay in one go the postage costs will be calculated and the seller will only receive only postage label . I have done it once as buyer and I can say the postage cost was very close to what it would have been but off course the seller is not able to add any packing costs to the postage amount .

If Ebays customer service is telling sellers to refund any overpaid postage that is completely wrong after all Ebay are receiving the postage money not the seller which means they are out off pocket. 

Combing multiple international is still able to be done because that is nothing to Simply Delivery which means you are still able to decide what delivery method you wish as you buy that direct from external sites and just upload any tracking details . 

[rupertpicken]

Except, "Combing multiple international items" does not work!  A seller can not send a combined invoice (with adjusted postage) to a buyer anymore.  Ebay customer service told me it was a known issue and they are trying to fix it, but it seems to be taking forever!

[snowylilliput-2]

I know someone who combined 9 auctions wins to a buyer in the Netherlands without any problem and they used Evri international as the box was 14kg which is to heavy to ship by Royal Mail and they where also add a packing charge to the postage costs.

Customer service are wrong or you are getting confussed as it is only combining UK sales only which use Simply Delivery . 

International is nothing to do Simply Delivery as that is only for UK based buyers only . 

So we will agree to disagree , 

[rupertpicken]

Ok so maybe it doesn't work for some countries or some of the time or for some sellers or for some buyers.  Inconsistency in the way Ebay's system works is wholly unsurprising to me.

In your example do you know if the buyer used the "request a combined invoice" function or if the seller sent a "combined invoice" to the buyer? 

[snowylilliput-2]

Yes but that does not say if they are talking about UK or international sales . International still use custom postage not Simply Delivery . Ebay don't want you to be able to send combined invoices for UK sales , the price you are being charged is not the same as they are paying royal mail or evri . How come if you use both Delivery services postage is cheaper . Ebay are making money on Simply Delivery postage charges. 

[wellingnorth]

It's not been working for me for ages with auction items. If the item is simple delivery for domestic postage and I go to 'send invoice' to an international buyer it says something like what you saw, ie 'Invoices cannot be sent for items where eBay manages all or part of the postage'. Customer services eventually acknowledged it was an issue, but with no suggested timescale to fix it. 

[wellingnorth]

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@snowylilliput-2 wrote:

Yes but that does not say if they are talking about UK or international sales . International still use custom postage not Simply Delivery . Ebay don't want you to be able to send combined invoices for UK sales , the price you are being charged is not the same as they are paying royal mail or evri . How come if you use both Delivery services postage is cheaper . Ebay are making money on Simply Delivery postage charges. 

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To be clear, for a while if the domestic postage has been opted in to Simple Delivery I have not been able to send an invoice to an international buyer. Basically I think rather than setting up alternative logic for invoicing depending on whether it is an international or domestic buyer they have just turned the whole thing off.