What happens if you ignore simple delivery and pay at the post office counter ?

[neovass0]

Hi,

Sorry, yet another simple delivery query, specifically when an item has been identified as a large letter, but it is fact definitely a small parcel. Not wanting to mess the buyer about, if I then simply pay to send it at the post office counter as a parcel myself,  will I be able to mark the item as dispatched if I don't use (i.e. print out) the simple delivery postage label ? (And yes, I understand essentially postage is being paid twice). Secondly, and more importantly, if I ignore the simple delivery postage, will I receive the sale money in 14 days, as was the case previously ?

Reading through all the posts, I understand if a simple delivery postage label is not used, it will be refunded after 30 days ? I can take the loss there, but, the last thing I want, is to send the item out, and have the actual item payment, either frozen in limbo and never going into my account, or eventually being refunded to the buyer automatically, because I didn't use simple delivery.  

I figure with simple delivery being up and running for a while now, someone must have encountered this scenario. I also understand the post office has been instructed to provide some 'flexibility' with simple delivery, but my local is definitely not having it, lol. Rules are rules, for them.

Thanks in advance to anyone who is kind enough to reply.

[tressygirl]

Use a laptop / PC and Chrome that combo seems to work best and you should be able to change your tracking manually.

• Go to "Orders Paid & Dispatched"
• Click on "View order details"
• Within the "Postage" section there's a small dropdown arrow next to "Track Package" - click on that.
• Click on the "Add tracking" option
• A box will come up with the current tracking number . Delete that and replace it with your tracking.

If it's not possible then yes,  there is a minimum of a 14 day wait for the release of your payout.

@neovass0 

[dancewithadingo]

Good Morning Neo

I had that situation last week.  The eBay label would have been for something like £3.32 but when the item was packed it became a medium parcel with a postage cost of over £6.00.

Rather than use the label and take the risk of having the buyer penalised ie paying a penalty for under paid postage I simply paid at the PO counter. I put the RM 48 tracking on the sale details and hey presto it worked.

I know that eBay say that if you find that you have under paid on the postage we will cover it,that was a risk that I was not prepared to take. The problem with the current arrangement is that you have to decide on the size and weight before you have packed your item and could thus be caught out. If it's a few pence then fine I will take the risk and use eBay's label/system, but when it is a couple of quid it could be a problem.

Hope that his helps.

[w79805]

Ebay claim as long as you choose the recommended package size then they will pay any difference in postage. Who knows if that is true?

I have checked your listings and since you pay for delivery yourself by offering free delivery it means you can claim back the money for unused simple delivery postage labels within 14 days by going here https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

[johnwash1]

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@w79805 wrote:

Ebay claim as long as you choose the recommended package size then they will pay any difference in postage. Who knows if that is true?

I have checked your listings and since you pay for delivery yourself by offering free delivery it means you can claim back the money for unused simple delivery postage labels within 14 days by going here https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

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However, I've seen it stated elsewhere that if you sold with a postage charge in your listing then it's the buyer who gets the refund.  I'm still struggling with the logic of that.

[thepillenwerfer]

I've sent several things that have been bigger/heavier than e-Bay's estimate and all have got through with no problems.

Simple Delivery labels do not state a weight, size or the amount paid for them.

[ruby*ryan]

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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@w79805 wrote:

Ebay claim as long as you choose the recommended package size then they will pay any difference in postage. Who knows if that is true?

I have checked your listings and since you pay for delivery yourself by offering free delivery it means you can claim back the money for unused simple delivery postage labels within 14 days by going here https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

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However, I've seen it stated elsewhere that if you sold with a postage charge in your listing then it's the buyer who gets the refund.  I'm still struggling with the logic of that.

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Very simple logic - whoever paid for the unused postage label gets the refund. You can't be refunded for something you didn't pay for.

[ruby*ryan]

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@thepillenwerfer wrote:

I've sent several things that have been bigger/heavier than e-Bay's estimate and all have got through with no problems.

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I have done the same.

BUT, I was a bit concerned to see this message when I went to print off a label this morning (you had to click a link about wrong package size):

Avoid extra charges by keeping your package within the size limit selected at listing — up to 1 kg, 35 x 25 x 2.5 cm.

Larger or heavier packages will still be accepted by the carrier, as long as they’re within the maximum limit — up to 1.00 kg and 35.3 x 25 x 2.5 cm.

So, where the 'maximum size' used to be the maximum size RM/Evri accept, this maximum size here is only Large Letter. As it happened it did fall within LL size, but what if I used an eBay recommended size (LL) and the item turned out to be a parcel?

It looks to me that their AI has been so rubbish at estimating the weights, that they now want to put the onus of any overcharge back to the seller - but without announcing a change 😞 I will ask about it in the chat tomorrow.

[department28]

'I know that eBay say that if you find that you have under paid on the postage we will cover it,that was a risk that I was not prepared to take.'

Yes. Even if this is the way it is supposed to work, and even if it does work in most cases, the anxiety of not knowing for sure is one of the many reasons why I wouldn't want to use SD.

[thepillenwerfer]

I'm yet to send anything as a Large Letter so hadn't seen that warning.  Again it seems that e-Bay contradict themselves and hopefully you'll be able to get some clarification out of them.

Their guessing really is hopeless as a book could be something like a Ladybird, which would go as a Large Letter or a Bible that would be well into Small Parcel territory.  Not all CDs are in standard jewel cases so would be too thick to be Large Letters, especially if adequately packed.

[ruby*ryan]

The other day I was listing and found that playing around with the title can cause the 'recommended' postage option to change. I think I put in something like 'DVD Box Set' and it came up as a Small Parcel, but the item would have gone LL. I changed the 'box set' to '3 disc set' - and the 'recommended' option was LL.

But of course, this won't be much use if they have moved the goalposts and LL labels now have to fit within LL size/weight range, not (as is STILL currently showing on help pages) the 'service' weight/size limit.

[johnwash1]

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@ruby*ryan wrote:

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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@w79805 wrote:

Ebay claim as long as you choose the recommended package size then they will pay any difference in postage. Who knows if that is true?

I have checked your listings and since you pay for delivery yourself by offering free delivery it means you can claim back the money for unused simple delivery postage labels within 14 days by going here https://www.ebay.co.uk/claims/simple-delivery/refund/seller

---

However, I've seen it stated elsewhere that if you sold with a postage charge in your listing then it's the buyer who gets the refund.  I'm still struggling with the logic of that.

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Very simple logic - whoever paid for the unused postage label gets the refund. You can't be refunded for something you didn't pay for.

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I don't agree with this 'logic' at all.  The buyer has, ever since the earliest days of ebay, paid an amount that includes getting it delivered to them, whether an inclusive fee as in so-called free postage or by a more explicit amount.  For example, if I sell something with postage £3.45 and see that the buyer lives in the next village, so I can conveniently drop off the item on my way to work, would you expect me to hand over £3.45 to the  buyer?  Of course you wouldn't.  So neither should the buyer get that cash when my listing has been forcibly converted to SD.

This policy is just another example of how ebay are trying to tie our hands with SD.

[ruby*ryan]

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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For example, if I sell something with postage £3.45 and see that the buyer lives in the next village, so I can conveniently drop off the item on my way to work, would you expect me to hand over £3.45 to the  buyer?  Of course you wouldn't. 

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Actually, I would!

I delivered a few items that were local in the past - and always refunded the buyer the postage they paid.

[johnwash1]

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@ruby*ryan wrote:

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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For example, if I sell something with postage £3.45 and see that the buyer lives in the next village, so I can conveniently drop off the item on my way to work, would you expect me to hand over £3.45 to the  buyer?  Of course you wouldn't. 

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Actually, I would!

I delivered a few items that were local in the past - and always refunded the buyer the postage they paid.

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Really?  You wouldn't count your travel costs?  You wouldn't decide the buyer was happy with the deal they went for, so why change it?  I'm no Art of the Deal MAGA enthusiast, I don't consider myself an ungenerous person, but that seems above and beyond to me.

I expect this thread will now explode with dozens of posters berating me for my Scrooge-like attitude!

[ruby*ryan]

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@johnwash1 wrote:

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I expect this thread will now explode with dozens of posters berating me for my Scrooge-like attitude!

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... or me for my stupidity 😆

[neovass0]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to my post. I wrote it at 2.30 a.m. It was hot, I was tired, lol.  At the end of the day, if I make a sale, which these days is getting more difficult, I should not then be concerned about posting my item out. I liked packaging it in whatever was convenient and then having control over my postage options at the shop counter. Just recently I spent an embarrassing amount of time (I won't admit how long) trying to package an item so it would pass for a small parcel. Simply gave up and paid again, for it to go out as a medium parcel, for the sake of my sanity, lol.

[ping.panda]

Thank you for this information as for some reason its not possible to change or update tracking on the app.

[ridgerider02]

I sold 5 small cabinet postcards to buyer for £5 plus p&p. First time of using Simple Delivery as it had been automatically changed on relisting. I normally send postcards 2nd class p&p. Simple delivery was charging £2.27 tracked. Post Office charge to me for letter tracked is £2.80 which was more than being paid by buyer. I decided to post Royal Mail 1st Class with a stamp.
Messaged buyer immediately to say no eBay link to say dispatched. I requested they left feedback or message to confirm delivery. Still not heard from them, I assume it has been delivered. EBay kept saying not posted but I have proof of posting. 
Today eBay released funds minus postage costs, even though I didn’t use their prepaid simple delivery option. I am now out of pocket for a stamp, etc. as only paid £5. 
I assume the buyer will have their p&p funds returned otherwise eBay are making money unfairly. 
I have been selling on eBay since 2006 and sadly find it getting more and more complicated and restricted. 

[department28]

Yes, if the buyer paid for the postage, they will automatically get a refund after 30 days. If you offer free p&p, you can apply for a refund, if you don't use the Simple Delivery label & buy your own postage. You have to be sure to add the new tracking number, or your payment will be delayed.

If any of your items are letter-sized, priced £10 or under, and weigh up to 100g, you can still use Custom postage.

If you relist an item, or make any changes to a live listing, Simple Delivery will 'take over' from the postage you originally selected.

Unfortunately, all eligible live listings will be transferred to Simple Delivery from August 6th, so it is worth checking your listings, to see what's what - and to make sure you haven't been opted in to both couriers, if you would rather exclude one of them.

[cheekychippy210]

Baffled, why not use sd? 

it is so simple, quick / time saving, easy and goods protected.