eBay not paying seller until delivered - 'New Buyer Protection' message

[elliott-grafix]

I'm a long standing private seller. The latest "New Buyer Protection Rules" Message States - "Seller paid after delivery: When buying from private sellers, funds only sent once item is delivered"

I know eBay have had this as an old rule to cater for new and/or troublesome eBayers but, if this is now applied across the board for all private sellers, it could be a real problem for us oldies with pristine records.

1) I sell many low value items which are only worthwhile and 'saleable' when postage is at its cheapest. I am happy to take the risk for loss or customer denial but the item is not tracked so no delivery is recorded.

2) I offer to Bundle Multibuys to save customer postage. Generally I just marked the extra items in the parcel as  'Dispatched'. Originally, the system would not allow me to copy the same Tracking number to multiple items. Therefore - No Delivery would be recorded on those. I have heard on the grapevine that that may have changed now but will need to try it out first to see if it works.

3) I have two eBay accounts and occasionally I have customers buying items from each site. I always used to bundle them (as above) and refund saved postage. I do know for a fact that you cannot copy over tracking numbers to different eBay account sales but I have been happy until now getting a messaged response from the buyer and just marking the item as 'Dispatched'. I gather that is now 'Out'.

4) Last year I had a total of 4 items (out of a 1000+) that were sent Royal Mail 48 hour tracked, purchased through eBay, successfully delivered and marked on the "Royal Mail" Tracking app as "Delivered" --- but --- remained marked as only "Dispatched" on the eBay records.

Can't say I fancy the prospect of having to chase eBay every time these occasional and expected hickups occur.

[bellisimostationery]

good point plus im a private seller but will be changing anyway to business but ive been getting charged fees every time i sell so not sure why ? it could be some items are promoted listings so as a private seller if youre promoting items you still pay fees so that is something where private sellers who leave ebay loses alot coz they do promote listings and ebay gets soemthing from that aso in terms of being paid - ive currently got many items showed as delivered and many left feedback ive received no money !! these were items delivered about 3-4 days ago 1 i saw another seller saying his items were showed as delivered like 6 days ago he got no payouts and when he contacted ebay they said it was pending until 26h feb !! so it seems theyre really holding onto our money !! think about it - £1 million a day of our money is in ebays bank account think of the interest they get just for one day now over 14 days etc ebay gonna get alot of interest on our money !! its all a conspiracy lol they tell us funds will be available roughly 2 days after item shows as delivered - it seems right now thats not true at all ! i hope we do get our money eventually not sure if i should close my shop for now just in case we dont get our money at all !! who knows what will happen 

[izzie2912]

They will be making a fortune in interest withholding payments as long as possible

[ettfinst14]

Waiting on a callback from ebay, third day in a row, asking about payment.

Item was delivered a week ago (posted with Yodel) was tracked and is showing as delivered when tracking number is used.

However, ebay state it hasn't been dispatched (even though I added tracking details) and thus payment is pending delivery. When I open the listin (sale) and click on the tracking details it states it has been delivered - sadly ebay's software is unable to recognise Yodels delivery.

I assume today that again they'll tell me I have to wait 30 days, but I'll call again tomorrow and will continue to call everyday.

I have noticed that the callback time is getting longer everyday so I assume that more and more people are also calling 🙂

[tallulah555]

I totally agree and I think all we can do is to walk with our feet and user other platforms. I have now complained twice over the last month and I urge all private sellers to do the same. Perhaps then ebay might just listen and get rid of this damaging new regulation. For instance I sold an item on the evening of Sunday 9 th February. It was posted as per my way of sending first class RM tracked on Tuesday 11th. On ebay it was just showing as dispatched and having a busy working week and knowing from experience that RM can be slow I only went back and checked yesterday on my seller details. Sure enough it was still saying dispatched on the tracking but when I checked the tracking it had been delivered to the buyer the day after posting on the 12th. I got ebay to call me yesterday afternoon to complain, trying to find out why ebay takes so long to update its records and to make an official complaint, again. All I got was ‘ it may be a glitch’. Thanks ebay for finding an excuse to hold onto my money again! Sure enough though later that evening the status for the item had been correctly updated to delivered. So no payment to me as yet, perhaps it will appear to withdraw on Sunday or Monday at least one week after the auction end date!

Now this was just for a fairly inexpensive item of women’s clothing, supposing I had sent off multiple purchases - the upfront postage costs could be huge! I always use Royal Mail as it does seem to be the most reliable courier generally but supposing as often happens with couriers such as Evri that they don’t deliver the item, or that it gets lost or gets nabbed by a doorstep thief? Well the private seller won’t get paid! And ever tried to claim back for a lost or stolen item from a courier?  It is nigh on impossible! So now the private seller has to take on responsibility for delivery which again is unjust and I feel should be illegal.

Shame on ebay and also I must add this is harming any social and environmental responsibility they may purport to have. Thousands of people like me sell on their unworn or preloved clothing and we are now having to think again before using ebay as the platform of choice.

[chamat-5431]

I was on eBay in 1999 for years,then started again last year to shift some items for extra bit of cash for bills & credit card etc.

since this payment on delivery started it’s a

complete mess,I feel like im

posting items out and messing about packing and parcel shops etc,then having no £ balance at all for weeks,

I just come off a chat with agent,after I delivered something locally in my van,got the code off customer, says funds available but I’ve never ever seen it in my account to withdraw to make

a payment off credit card,eBay balance has always been 0.00,so I was posting cheap

items out nearly daily,waiting ten days to get payment for them few items randomly,CDs I posted go out as standard letter with no tracking so I haven’t been payed for them either as they can’t be shown as delivered.

I’ve got 4 items to post Monday,and it seems ridiculous that I still haven’t been payed for ones from weeks ago.

I told the agent eBay is a complete mess  now and sellers don’t have no idea what’s happening with there items or money,it’s becoming a waste of time and effort as nothing matches up.

just feels like your putting in effort to pack and post stuff and you get the odd random payment now and again,which is useless on cheap items,it’s like working for £2 an hour now and again and don’t know if and when you will get payed.

it was good before this February.buyer payed,eBay deducts shipping,shown as despatched and who with,then get payed,simple! But no more,it’s a total

mess now.

I’ve posted literally 20 thousand items over the years online,and this is just ridiculous to deal with,it’s not enjoyable at all from this February when it changed,stupidly stressful.

rant over 😂👍

[papso22]

If they tell you 30 days ask them where in the policies it says that.  The published delay is 14 if there is no tracking or tracking doesn't show delivery.

[bassy_was_here]

Been on eBay for 23 years and this the worst it's ever got!
It's been slowly deteriorating over the past few years but now I've had enough.
Pulled 20 of my listings that are £100.00 and up as I can't risk losing the money on them because of this corrupt ruling!
Half of the stupid eBay tracking of my listings from weeks ago show that the item is still being delivered even though the item was delivered and signed for and I've received positive feedback for them!
If this doesn't get changed I'm packing up on here for good and going elsewhere!
These stupid eBay idiots have had thousands of pounds from me in fees over the past 23 years and they will be losing out because of their own stupidity!

[chamat-5431]

I agree with you ! 
I was eBay USA before it came to uk,and I was in the first 100 registered uk users,no paypal back then so it was usually cash or cheque in post,paypal was a godsend when that came out🙏

I only

started again on eBay just to sell  bits to have a trickle income daily to help pay bills which it did and was great on shifting small & bigger price items.

if you break it down now,take pics and list it,takes a week for auction to end,then wait for payment if sold,pack it and get it parcel shop or PO when open usually after the weekend or when drivers pick up,then wait for it to go through delivery system,then if it’s on next weekend wait for payments from eBay on there given days..it like 3 weeks wait time

from start to finish,then if it doesn’t need tracking as a large letter etc no delivery is shown anyway.

when I spoke to agent today about item I delivered on the 6th and available he kept saying the funds were available on the 6th,I said my balance was zero,nothing, until 5 days later when a previous item I posted was payed after delivery..I’ve never have seen the balance of the delivered item in my van in my available funds to transfer to bank,he just didn’t get what I was saying,so it’s still there along with CDs I posted ten days ago untracked and now I’m waiting on payments on hold that we’re delivered in this last week..along with bulky items that I will have to take to parcel shop later when ended,to start the process of courier on Monday waiting probably 12 days or more to get payed for them items.

it is farcical now,for the time & effort and the waiting indefinately,and the agro and stress of it time wasting ,as of now I’m February  since this started my selling hasn’t helped one bit for a trickle income towards bills,and I do sell some higher price stuff now n again.

i would see how it goes as your selling higher ticket items,it’s just the ridiculous wait that you might have to endure.

for low priced sellers and for a bit of pleasure and extra few quid in the bank to help out I can’t see people wanting to do it,up to a 3 to 4 week process to get £2.50 is hardly enjoyable is it 😂😂

Good luck to you !!! 

[jckl1957]

It should never be a 3-4 week process.

if there is no tracking or if tracking is not updated, you will be paid 14 days after the transaction.

That is what Ebay have said.

That is 2 weeks.

[chamat-5431]

---

@papso22 wrote:

If they tell you 30 days ask them where in the policies it says that.  The published delay is 14 if there is no tracking or tracking doesn't show delivery.

---

Even the 14 days is ridiculous,the whole process from having an item to listing it,getting payment,getting it to parcel

despatch or PO,then whenever the drivers pick up items to get to distribution hub (not usually weekends) 

then delivered and updated to eBay,then the extra days until funds are released ,it can literally take up to a month…

tomput it into perspective,if people start listing now today and go through this process of eBay’s ,then your

looking at march to get payed,could be early march or up to near mid march if weekends are voided for delivery pick ups and then payments etc.

it’s farcical

maybe they don’t want low end price private sellers ? They offer free selling for private sellers which was great,then do this straight after,must be planned out prior for some sort of reformed eBay business model,all of this can’t be just a random thought for the day in the office and then implement it?!

it’s bizarre business practise.

it’s like someone asking on gumtree or fbook market place to send the item to then they will pay you later.

I don’t get it,eBay sees the shipping label purchase & when it was dropped

off to parcel

shop and where it is in the system and majority is everything is fine by far.

now nothing is straightforward or fine,it’s a mess and will continue to be!

[jckl1957]

Your timescales are just wrong.

As stated  WITHOUT TRACKING EBAY WILL PAY YOU 14 DAYS AFTER THE TRANSACTION.

Sorry, I don't usually use 'shouty' capitals.

Genuine experience from a genuine seller - me.

I sold 3 items last weekend, Saturday and Sunday.

Buyers paid promptly.

I packed Sunday evening.

Posted Monday afternoon.

The money from all sales was in my bank this morning.

When you have had to wait a month for your money, please come back and relate your experience @chamat-5431 

[chamat-5431]

A 3 week + process then from listing it and selling it,then payment.

7 days for auction,14 days for payment from transaction.

not to mention if buyer don’t pay same day as auction ends.

I’m not after a debate on it as it is a 3 week process from start to finish,minimum 🍻

[goingfishinguk]

---

@elliott-grafix wrote:

Inevitably somebody pops up with a "Should be a Registered Business " comment, ignoring the simple fact that the decision is neither an ethical or moral one but is, because of differing cost implications, a financially based consideration for most of us.

You are apparently nailing my Model Railway Posters as proof of my being "A Business". Without factoring in 'Scale' you would be right - but this Hobby of mine barely covers two Costa Coffees a month. As a trader, you can access my recent sales to verify but I will give you a heads-up. I sell an average of 6 of these per month with a net profit margin of 68% - Think you will find that equates to around £10pm clear profit - Some business!

---

It does not matter one jot if your 'business' is successful or not.  You are clearly a business registered as a private seller, thus breaking eBay's T&Cs and the Consumer laws.  It's  because of people like you eBay have had to change the rules that in my view seriously harms genuine private sellers and put them at a huge disadvantage.  I for one would not pay for seller protection at 75p plus 4%.  Especially when it's a forced option I cannot opt out of.  So thank you very much.

[papso22]

---

@chamat-5431 wrote:

A 3 week + process then from listing it and selling it,then payment.

7 days for auction,14 days for payment from transaction.

not to mention if buyer don’t pay same day as auction ends.

I’m not after a debate on it as it is a 3 week process from start to finish,minimum 🍻

---

You really can't count auction time in the calculation, that's just you trying to save face.

[chamat-5431]

No doubt it works in time frames for some items and all good if within a week,especially on good priced items.

as I’ve bought items this week from sellers and the time scale of looking at days to despatch into the delivery system and through the depots they could be waiting 11 days or more for payment from me via eBay.

A lot of people seem to be complaining ,from casual sellers to bigger sellers ,from low end & upwards prices.

Everything is now on the individual seller,if courier is slow or at fault or parcel shops don’t get items picked up until a Monday teatime evening after selling something on a Friday night (as some do I know of locally)  and I witness it on my despatched tracked items,then you are going into a second week pending on where delivery is,then eBay says funds are available a few days after the delivered date,so it does drag on,before this change it didn’t.

the seller is now responsible for what the delivery service does,what eBay algorithm does or doesn’t do as people are complaining about it as well,and it looks like the sellers suffer and they have put in there time and effort.

it was quick and simple before now it isn’t for the above stated.

ps I like SHOUTY people 🥳

[chamat-5431]

Ummm no I’m not trying to save face at all as I really don’t care on opinion,the fact is,and what I stated it is a minimum of 3 week process from listing until payment,or possibly longer due to other factors beyond seller control.

I’ve sold hi end items at Christie’s 

Yrs ago a few times,it was aprox 3 to 4 month process,item had to be assessed,then ready for printing of next catalogue a month before printing date at least ,then catalogue issued to customers,then wait for the auction date itself,then wait for a cheque when all sales had been cleared and payed for,literally 3 months + for one sale date.

and nearly same for listing anything in a monthly publication magazine.a

long lengthy process which is a pain,so I don’t have to save face at all.

EBay is good as it’s a quick simple process and turn around from penny items upwards.

my point being is what was probably working probably quite well before for sellers and eBay and buyers doesn’t seem to be making people very happy as it’s proving laborious and not quick turnaround for so many people by the looks of it due to the obvious delivery payment issues.

I went out Friday teatime to parcel shop,item sold Thursday buyer payed Friday day ,label printer not working,drove to another today,won’t get picked up until sometime Monday,usually teatime,like stuff I order and sell I can see where it is,takes days to get to distribution hub for processing,and pending where you are in the country then it’s going to differ by days,I’ve waited over a week while it’s been in the system for my purchases and sales so that could be 2 weekends gone from a sale on Thursday 9 or 10 days ago,then add a few days for eBay to update and release funds,hence it goes into weeks when before it was a day or 2 for payment.

ebay quick simple good business model before now it’s not looking like that.

and I’ve personally hand delivered items locally and got code of the person the porch on the 6th feb,saying funds are available,with a balance showing zero since,I’ve never seen it,it’s still on hold.

meanwhile while I’m driving about to parcel shops that have issues or wait until Mondays to get picked up by drivers blah blah stuck in traffic to try and despatch items on good time.

everything is on the seller not the businesses that are meant to make all this work quick and efficiently.

im only stating the obvious of what I see 😅

[vinylscot]

Even as a business seller (although I do have a private account which I occasionally sell bits and pieces on), I can see that this set of changes (BPF and payment holds) is universally unpopular. I can understand the logic behind both, without actually being in favour of either.

I imagine eBay will carry on regardless, and hope it all blows over. And it might have done, if it had been implemented properly. However, these changes have been implemented very poorly, which understandable annoys those affected.

First, eBay wasn't ready to implement the BPF on schedule, and are still in the process of introducing it haphazardly throughout the many categories, when it should have all come in at once, whether late or on time. Then, they got their BPF calculations wrong, so that those sellers who reduced their prices to look "sensible" after the fee was added, now have prices ending in 96p or 97p, and no notice of if/when that will be fixed.

They also decided to implement the payment holds, which we have know about for some time. On the surface, that doesn't seem too bad, BUT, it has to be operated properly. eBay's "tracking" is obviously nowhere near in sync with their accepted carriers, and it simply must be in order for the payment holds system to work fairly, and as it should.

This has been known for a long time, and eBay should not have given the go-ahead on payment holds before they had sorted out this issue. If they can't bring their tracking up to an acceptable standard, they can't expect to use it as the basis for their payout timetables.

I don't know what the answer is. Backtracking would be an embarrassing climbdown, but pressing on could be disastrous for the company. I've seen changes on eBay greeted with anger before, but never as much as this.

[bassy_was_here]

Totally agree with you vinylscot!

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[chamat-5431]

Well put 👍

[chamat-5431]

It’s a shame your pulling 🫣

stick with it a bit longer and see what happens mate