You can no longer send items RM Special Delivery......

[j.p.greenwood]

I am a private seller of over 20 years on E-Bay.

While a lot of people complained extensively about the recent changes with payment systems frankly it never bothered me as I only sell bits and pieces and occasionally will have a burst of selling some specific items when I'm in an upgrade cycle (which I am currently).

The items I sell when in this 'upgrade cycle' are Tablets, I'm currently upgrading to the most recent Tab S10 series from earlier models, so as I buy one, I'll list the one it's replacing to sell.

However, some of these Tabs can have quite high values, up to £700, therefore I'm *bleep* about the shipping I use and even detail in my listings that I'll only use RM Special Delivery.

There reasons for this are numerous

Firstly RMSD is tracked all the way through the system, every depot and truck, so I know where it is within RM's network.....that gives me peace of mind.

Secondly it has a one day guaranteed delivery time, the other new Simple Delivery options do not give a guaranteed time (and I wouldn't even contemplate using EVRI to delivery high value electronics items).

Thirdly, on the very rare cases where RMSD has gone wrong, I usually get a refund cheque inside a week, once it was three weeks when we had a too and fro about the packaging, but when I provided the photos of what was used they paid out.

Fourthly, as the delivery time is guaranteed it means I get paid faster by ebay.  I don't want to wait an extra three to four days before I get paid because there's now no premium shipping service.

Lastly, buyers like it, not everyone wants to save every last penny.  By buying RMSD in the Post Office my package is weighed and the weight is on the Postal Receipt, I photo this and send to the buyer so they can see exactly what was paid and that's what the RMSD premium pricing provides......Simple Delivery is just rubbish in comparison.

[j.p.greenwood]

Also, I've just found out.

If you edit an existing live listing, E-Bay will force change whatever postage method that listing had to a Simple Delivery only option. 

So even if you have a listing that currently has Special Delivery, but try to change say a picture or a few words in the description, then E-Bay will remove the Special Delivery postage settings and insert a Simple Delivery option.

[notstopbuying]

IMHO, it is crazy, to not have the option to send things Special delivery, even if it was a "Seller pays" postage option only.

Just think about all those expensive items just left on peoples door steps, as no signature is required....left with neighbours etc.

People coming home and complaining the item never arrived, as it has been stolen from their porch / door step.

Maddness.

[j.p.greenwood]

In my listings for high value items, it's the only shipping option available, in the listing itself I have an extended explanation why and the buyer must either pay for Special Delivery or they can collect in person and pay no shipping charges.

As I said in an earlier post, most people in the UK would probably say that RMSD is the 'gold standard' of UK shipping services, as it has timed delivery and you can see the tracking all the way through the RM network, admittedly it's not cheap, but paying circa £15 to ship a £700 item fully insured and knowing it won't just be left on a doorstep is a no brainer.

I don't know of any other shipping service that does that and certainly none of the Simple Delivery options currently do, so I won't be listing any more high value items till E-Bay reverse this ridiculous decision.

[j.p.greenwood]

Assuming that RM and EVRI are likely paying E-Bay some kind of commission (although worded in some other way I'm sure), I'll be surprised if RM don't take issue with E-Bay totally removing RMSD as an option for private sellers, after all, it's probably quite profitable for RM as all the infrastructure is already in place and paid for.

RM are unlikely to be happy at the thought of an item shipping in their network for say £8 (or whatever figure) when the RMSD fee might be around £14. 

Although some have claimed that the compensation offerings are the same for RMSD and Simple Delivery, I'm not at all convinced after reading the exceptions and small print of both, but RM will also be losing a revenue stream for insurance income that RMSD generates while still being 'at risk' for the same value items travelling through their network, but at much lower cost/income.  That's not a great commercial decision to take and likely to cost them millions in extra income over the course of a year.

[j.p.greenwood]

Some people have stated in other threads that their Simple Delivery option is no longer 'enforced' although it was a few days back, thus allowing them to choose another delivery service if they wish.

I've checked my draft listings and there is still no ability to choose anything other than Simple Delivery, so no possibility to use Royal Mail Special Delivery, I could use the alternate Royal Mail offerings (I'd never use EVRI) but as I've previously stated those options don't have guaranteed timed delivery, nor do they track all the way through the Royal Mail network, every depot and every depot transfer, thus allowing me to know where the parcel is at all times.  I'm also pretty certain that the compensation offerings from Simple Delivery are not as comprehensive as those with Special Delivery after reading the small print from both offerings.

Special Delivery insists on a signature at point of delivery as part of their terms, thus no possibility to leave a high value electronics item just sitting on a doorstep for assorted 'porch pirates' to come along and take, while the tracking system shows it as delivered because it was left on a doorstep.

If you are selling high value items on E-Bay would you really want to risk your shipping to anything less than RMSD?  I know I won't and won't be listing any high value items going forward.

[downsizingxs]

Unfortunately Post Offices will go out of business if SD carries on. Without the income that eBay is now 'stealing away' from them it will be a grim future for small sub P.Os.

[littledoe2013]

How do you do this - "I bypassed it and went to RM itself and printed out my own label . Just send it via RM. "

I HATE Special delivery but can't seehowto bypass it?

[3942rick2005]

Special delivery or simple delivery?

[five-in_five-out]

Has nobody worked it out yet? eBay does not want private sellers anymore only business sellers, that is why they are making it very difficult for you with postage and listings and all the other malarky that goes along with ebay. Move on sell somewhere else, thousands have done already. eBay may be very greedy but now they have not just shot themselves in the foot they have blown it off, LOL

[j.p.greenwood]

I'm not sure I'd agree with this interpretation, however I do think that the tens of millions(?) of very low cost transactions have a disproportionate cost impact on E-Bays internal systems (support calls, disputes, payments systems, refund systems, etc....) so the clear shift to generate extra revenue from these very low cost sales (75p min + SD uplift) makes commercial sense to me.

While it's been devastating to some of the sellers here, I have had to laugh at the hyperbole of members claiming it's unfairly killing their business, while listing thousands of items as a private account, but some people aren't very good at introspection I guess.

[five-in_five-out]

Hello all private sellers.

I maybe wrong, I hope I am, but through the grape vine at ebay, Evri will soon become the only option for private sellers to use for delivery.

Yes you guessed right ebay will soon merge with Evri and become one company, just like they did with paypal, and we all saw what happened there.

So brace yourself for this next ludicrous move by ebay.

Maybe ebay will be renamed Evribay, who knows?

Bless all private sellers.

[littledoe2013]

Oh help how awful I have actually found, at last, that they are listing the alternative weights/sizes of Post Office 48 tracked again at last, so one can get the postal cost correct. I better hurry while that lasts! If eBay only allow Evri as a carrier I will definitely give up eBay altogether.

What other sites do people use to sell their stuff as a private seller? Are there any other auction sites that are good??

Thanks for your advice.

[five-in_five-out]

There are other useful sites to sell low, medium value items, or set your own website up if you have quite a few items to shift you no longer need/require.

This why it looks like some private sellers are looking more like business sellers because they have a lot of items they've kept and stored over many years, that's why ebay report you to HMRC.

But don't worry about our Kings revenue service they have bigger fish to fry. You only have to tell HMRC tax already paid on gifts and bric-a-brac everybody has. Bit of a scare tactic I know, but HMRC don't care about small time sellers whatever platform they are on, unless you're hiding as a private seller and making £1000's a month, they will nail you with a fat bill, which they deserve.

I can see some smart lad's and ladies introducing a platform designed around the old ebay platform, called something like  Bric-a-Brac.co.uk  Millions would soon sign up and leave ebay in the cobwebs!

Bless all private sellers.

[honeymonster007]

That'll be the final nail

[j.p.greenwood]

Almost certainly fake news, however EVRI are merging with DHL.

https://group.dhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2025/dhl-ecommerce-uk-to-merge-with-evri-to-...

It'll take at least 6 months to integrate the backend systems, so a further merger in the short term, unlikely (or commercially suicidal).

[five-in_five-out]

As I said it's only hearsay, not fake news. Exactly when the "fake" news came about ebay and paypal joining forces, which turned out to be true. Evri vans have already got the ebay logo on them and many more to come. This will turn out to be true, it makes absolute business sense. They control the market place AND the delivery. Does that make sense to you now? If you where ebay I'm sure you would give it serious thought.

Simple fact is RM is a very big company and will not be dictated to by an American market place company like ebay or any other platform. It will happen, mark my words. My information has come from a good source.

Bless all private sellers.

[edwardian-dreams]

Wont Royal Mail lose out quite a bit  though if eBay don’t allow using them . Wouldn’t they have something to say about that 

the evri dhl merger is being investigated at the moment by the govt I read

[meanmimunky]

check my recent post...

Buyer protection fee

i dont even think its legal.

[five-in_five-out]

Our beloved Royal Mail, would be fine.

Simple, loyal RM ebay sellers alike would use RM and let the Evri label expire, it may cost a few pound more to ship the item, but I am sure ebay would be speechless. Like throwing a spanner in the works, so to say.

What happens now is ebay have to refund the unused label cost back to the buyer. Bingo ebay make nothing on the postage, they will soon get the message. Comprende? Are you with me Simpson?

Brass tacks. If all the private sellers come together in solidarity and used RM no matter what, we may be a little more closer to making ebay LISTEN to their original money makers. THE PRIVATE SELLER.

Bless all private sellers.

[edwardian-dreams]

Not allowing  Royal Mail would  be opening up a hornets nest legally and in many other ways as you say , they could stop the refund of unused labels but be left with the problem( like their bring a label for housebound or other customers who can’t get a post office for other reasons ) that not everyone has a flipping evri drop off point that’s convenient for them,not to mention they just don’t WANT to use them

eBay don’t need to create MORE problems for its business but seems they’re getting into the habit for some strange reason 

i doubt the uk govt would be happy about it either

no chance imo

but what do I know 🥸😐