eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post

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04-01-2025 1:15 PM
eBay are now responsible for refunding buyers where items get lost or damaged in the post and are sent after 4th February when the new Buyer Protection kicks in (private sellers only)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/returns-refunds/returns-missing-items-refunds-buyers?id=4008
Will this protection apply to untracked items?
If so, I can see potential for lots of scams!
- Labels:
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Seller Protection
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 1:16 PM
I thought that was only through simple delivery and assumed all postage offered would be tracked.
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post

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04-01-2025 1:20 PM
Ah, that would make sense
I am not sure if everyone has noticed but the only couriers available for simple delivery are
Evri and Royal Mail
What carriers are available on Simple Delivery?
All postage labels will be from Royal Mail and Evri.
Sellers are talking about using other couriers, perhaps they don't realise it is Evri or RM only...
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 1:45 PM - edited 04-01-2025 1:46 PM
It will definitely only apply to items sent using 'Simple delivery'. With 'Simple delivery' buyers pay eBay for the postage/carriage, rather than the seller, and it is eBay that has the contract with the carrier meaning that they can claim directly with the carrier in the event of an item being lost or damaged in transit or delivered late, so need to involve the seller.
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post

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04-01-2025 1:47 PM - edited 04-01-2025 1:48 PM
Yes, I thought that must be the case otherwise it just opens eBay up to lots of false claims where people work together.
Not sure all sellers are aware they can only use RM and Evri, but at least the buyer will have the choice to avoid Evri if they want. Post offices are going to get busy!
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 1:50 PM
Re: SML192
Re: "It will definitely only apply to items sent using 'Simple delivery'. With 'Simple delivery' buyers pay eBay for the postage/carriage, rather than the seller, and it is eBay that has the contract with the carrier meaning that they can claim directly with the carrier in the event of an item being lost or damaged in transit or delivered late, so need to involve the seller. "
Are you 100% positive about this?
Is Simple Delivery definitely a case where the buyer payds for the postage and the seller NO longer needs to cover this?
Can you link to inof' re: this please?
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04-01-2025 1:59 PM
Simple Delivery will be compulsory from March 2025. So yes, all items will be insured by eBay and buyers will be refunded by eBay
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04-01-2025 2:01 PM
Is Simple Delivery definitely a case where the buyer pays for the postage and the seller NO longer needs to cover this?
Can you link to info' re: this please?
I usually offer free shipping so the p&p comes out of my pocket, so this may change the complexion of things
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04-01-2025 2:07 PM - edited 04-01-2025 2:09 PM
There won't be an option for free P&P from March
The buyer will pay eBay for the postage cost and eBay will supply you with the label the buyer selected at checkout, either Evri or RM. The buyer buys the postage from eBay.
You will receive the sale price less the buyer fee.
If the item gets lost or damaged in the post, eBay refund the buyer and seller keeps the money
So this is a Seller protection measure really... it doesn't give the buyer anything they don't have now!
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04-01-2025 2:09 PM
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 2:13 PM
Re: free delivery being abolished and Simple Delivery being compulsory - has ebay published this as this is the first I'm hearing about it?
Things may not be as bad as it then depends on how p&p costs are displayed in search results?
If the search results are showing just the Buying Price and the buyer has to then just choose the buyer they want to use as the p&p costs will be harmonised.
Do these changes apply to Business Seller, i.e. abolition of free p&p and compulsory Simple Delivery usage?
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04-01-2025 2:13 PM
Thanks, I had bookmarked the wrong page and couldn't get back to the right page!
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04-01-2025 2:14 PM
@uerseya_2019 wrote:Re: free delivery being abolished and Simple Delivery being compulsory - has ebay published this as this is the first I'm hearing about it?
Things may not be as bad as it then depends on how p&p costs are displayed in search results?
If the search results are showing just the Buying Price and the buyer has to then just choose the buyer they want to use as the p&p costs will be harmonised.
Do these changes apply to Business Seller, i.e. abolition of free p&p and compulsory Simple Delivery usage?
No, just private sellers.
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04-01-2025 2:19 PM
So how are delivery costs going to be displayed if a private seller is using Simple Delivery, how will this be displayed in Search results?
How would a private sellers item compare in the search results to a business seller?
Are delivery costs shown in the search results if an item is listed with Simple Delivery?
Plus can Business Sellers still use Free P&P
I'm getting the feeling that ebay just wants shot of private sellers, at least when it come sot selling low value ite,s.
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04-01-2025 2:21 PM
@myriad*seller wrote:Simple Delivery will be compulsory from March 2025. So yes, all items will be insured by eBay and buyers will be refunded by eBay
Simple by name, but not Simple by nature - however it was a Simple-Minded idea by Ebay to make this a 'Mandatory' means of posting items to buyers in the not-so-distant-future. Simple-Minded (dictionary-meaning) :- 'having or showing very little intelligence or judgement'.
Another description to this would be what is called Murphy's Law - meaning :- 'A supposed law of nature, expressed in various humorous popular sayings, to the effect that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. This ridiculous Simple-Minded plan will go horribly wrong. Far too many who sell on Ebay, do so by walking/driving to their local Post Office and sending items they've sold on Ebay through that traditional system - of having Professional Post Office staff do the work for us. Certainly NEVER being FORCED into a DIY version, where you have to weigh items, measure them and fill in all the details online - which is something I can absolutely say I am against !!!!!!
Oh, it's also worthy to mention that Evri Postal company is often so lack-luster when delivering items to your front door. Quite often, the lack-luster and pathetic and incompetent staff they hire - have a habit of either ringing your doorbell, or, knocking on your door - and then simply leaving the parcel outside on your door mat. Yes, I have had this many times, and when I open the door - there lies my parcel on the mat, and the driver is racing or inside his vehicle and off he/she goes. Doesn't even check to see if I had opened the door to pick up the parcel. I could have been out at the time they come - unlike with Royal Mail post men - who at the very-least, shall wait until you've come to the door, and if you haven't come to the door, then they'll either put it back in the van, or leave it with a neighbour and put a Royal Mail slip through your door - to inform you of where it has been left.
This terrible service is (obviously) not taken on board by Ebay. I mean, why should they even care, when Private sellers sell on their sites for absolutely ZERO profits to themselves in Sellers fees ?? - Well, of course, it's no skin off their nose.
So, take Simple Delivery and shove it where the sun don't shine 😡 - is what 'Many' Ebay sellers shall say to this, if it ever does become mandatory.
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 2:23 PM
@uerseya_2019 wrote:So how are delivery costs going to be displayed if a private seller is using Simple Delivery, how will this be displayed in Search results?
How would a private sellers item compare in the search results to a business seller?
Are delivery costs shown in the search results if an item is listed with Simple Delivery?
Plus can Business Sellers still use Free P&P
I'm getting the feeling that ebay just wants shot of private sellers, at least when it come sot selling low value ite,s.
I have no idea how it will show as i have never seen a listing using it.
it is only for private sellers so businesses can still use free p&p.
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04-01-2025 2:25 PM
Just had this in chat from ebay ...
"For now, there's no such update to remove the free P&P option on eBay. Basically it's a feature or a special service offered by the seller to attract the potential buyers. "
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 2:31 PM
I can't be bothered any more, .....
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post

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04-01-2025 2:35 PM - edited 04-01-2025 2:37 PM
@uerseya_2019 wrote:Re: free delivery being abolished and Simple Delivery being compulsory - has ebay published this as this is the first I'm hearing about it?
Things may not be as bad as it then depends on how p&p costs are displayed in search results?
If the search results are showing just the Buying Price and the buyer has to then just choose the buyer they want to use as the p&p costs will be harmonised.
Do these changes apply to Business Seller, i.e. abolition of free p&p and compulsory Simple Delivery usage?
The buyer gets to choose from a range of postage options, the cost of which can change for example on an auction listing. It will say something like postage from: and then a figure. The price can change based on the sale value and the service chosen by the buyer.
If the price goes over the compensation threshold for cheaper postage then eBay will charge the buyer for Special Delivery or an appropriate service that offers the correct level of cover for the item.
The CEO of eBay has confirmed Simple Delivery will be compulsory from end of Q1 eg March so free post will be a thing of the past for Private Sellers
eBay now refund your buyer if the item gets lost in the post
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04-01-2025 2:38 PM
@uerseya_2019 wrote:
I'm getting the feeling that ebay just wants shot of private sellers, at least when it come sot selling low value items.
I think you're dead right there. eBay would prefer everyone to sell high-value, brand new items.
Over the years, eBay have tried many strategies to get shot of low value items. They don't really want them. They're more trouble for eBay than they're worth - what with the bitterness caused by untracked postage, and sellers complaining buyers are "ungrateful" for complaining that cheap items were poor quality, or arrived broken.
At one time, eBay even tried splitting the site in two - one for business sellers and one for private sellers. It didn't work.
The trouble is, a lot of people are eBay members because they like to sell their old stuff, clear out their late parents' estate, or sell their children's baby clothes to make a few pounds to buy some toddler clothes instead.
If they can't sell anything on eBay, they won't even look at eBay for buying. So eBay grudgingly allows private sellers to sell on here for free, because they need someone to start the buying "chain".
Cesario, the Count's gentleman

