What's happened to postage options?

[steve_hall99]

Went to list something just now and the post service options have completely changed since yesterday. I usually list with free post (I then select yodel as that's my nearest/best priced drop off centre), but there's no option to offer free post. I'm forced to list with *whatever* ebay has chosen, which might be a service miles away from me making post a nightmare. Why why why mess about with this when it was working fine.... (I have my own ideas of why it was changed, you can guess my thoughts...)

[sunflowers4me59]

I sent something yesterday in a large letter under 100g/under  £10 and still me do custom delivery for that (post office and their stamps).  Assume that will change 23rd April when they separate letter from large letter.

[jomacw29]

I was selling an item for £19.50 offering free postage.  I normally use Royal Mail which would have cost me £3.45 (deducted from my account) but the buyer somehow chose Evri costing me £5.45.  If I'm selling something I thinks it's up to me to decide how to post it not the seller who doesn't actually pay the postage.  Absolutely nuts.

[steve_hall99]

I've seen this 'buyer selected' thing when offering freepost before - even though I've specified which courier I want to use via custom shipping. This is yet another reason to avoid so called simple shipping - which should just be called 'most expensive, maximize ebay commission' shipping.

When buying the postage label I still have all the options available so I've ignored whatever the buyer selected if different from that specified - they can hardly complain when (a) you'd already specified the courier (b) it's freepost anyway. Such is life for a seller - I've had folks complain about a £5 item taking a few days to arrive even though it was freepost; I've had to explain to them that of course I use the cheapest option and if they wanted special shipping it would have cost a lot more. People want the moon on a stick for £5 these days!

[jomacw29]

Same thing happened to me.  Instead of royal mail £3.45 I was charged £5.45 with Evri.  Not able to choose my own posting.

Disgusted.

[steve_hall99]

How are you unable to choose your own courier? When I click on 'buy postage label' it still shows the full list of available couriers along with their prices...

FWIW I always select 'custom postage' when I setup my postage options, so perhaps that's why....

[bussybee01]

Totally agree
Sent from my iPhone

[jomacw29]

My item was bought late at night, only noticed next morning.  When I went to get my postage QR label it had already been generated by ebay and I was unable to do so thus paying more.

[wintersdawn1]

It is possible to opt out of royal mail or evri in your postage options using the link below, so the buyer should only be able choose the one you accept, however ebay can override in certain circumstances.  This is for simple delivery listed items.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ship/prf

[steve_hall99]

As a seller I'm curious to know how that can happen - I can only generate labels manually by purchasing postage after the item has been bought and paid for....

Are you using simple postage?

[downsizingxs]

The old options for your chosen postage/courier is still there, but you have to click on 'Switch to advanced options' every time. I use a desktop so cannot guarantee same on a phone.

[edwardian-dreams]

Maybe buyer was in NI ? or remote Scottish postcodes

thats why postage might be more than it should be normally (with evri that is)

you could cancel and relist after you’ve deselected evri in postage options and ask them to buy again 

if it’s not an item already sent 

[jomacw29]

Thanks.  I may have used simple delivery unfortunately.  Have gone through my listings and changed to custom postage.

[enigmaticscience]

Its an absolute mess! Who passes such dire options on the iface? Was it tested? was the public allowed to try it and can we go back to the old format, this is simply a case of "Newer doesnt mean better" and the tsunami of complaints regarding this postage issue support this!..Heads in the sand comes to mind.

[steve_hall99]

It's been done because eBay makes more money from it; every option I've looked at is more expensive than the 'old' system and in some cases it makes really cheap items (eg phone screen protectors) unviable.

Thankfully the old system is still available, you just have to go to 'custom' or 'advanced' options. How long this will remain the case is anyone's guess; much like the lauded removal of seller fees earlier this year.... soon supplanted by buyer protection fees which are higher than the seller fee used to be - and seller have to absorb this into their pricing or your item is too expensive. It's all about profit profit profit, because the enormous existing profits are never enough.....