Advice on using recorded over 1st/2nd class

angelavdavis

Hi all,

I have been selling my clutter on eBay on and off for quite a while now and I am finding that, since the change in policy stopping sellers from posting negative feedback, I am receiving a far higher percentage of non-delivery refund requests via paypal. Where an item is high value, I send via courier anyway to avoid these type of issues.

However, I am considering using recorded delivery but as many of my items sell for less than £5 this is going to further add to the postage costs and put people off bidding but I am a bit sick of the sudden leap in claims.

What do others do?

Thanks in advance

ormus

you have to make a judgement on when you apply the recorded delivery charges.
i certainly wouldnt bother for items less than a fiver.

mollypolly

I got sick of this too so now send everything by second class recorded delivery.It only costs 72p extra and I include this in my P & P charges.
No one has complained about P & P costs so far.

Mollypollyx

jenniewb

I start all my listings at 99p. Currently I am clearning my wardrobe (I grew dress sizes!) so the vast majority of stuff is preworn,preloved. But I ALWAYS do recorded delivery.

People argue over postage fees but to be honest, its too much of a risk. I don't like to tar everyone with the same brush, but even one buyer who asks for a full refund when they say they didn't get an item I genuinly sent out, can really make a huge dent. I don't have any savings to cope with losses and most of my items don't get much higher then £5.

I think its too much of a risk. I don't trust anyone! sorry but thats how it is. I know the majority of people are good and honest, but I can't weed out the good from the bad. I make a point of saying in my listing that all items are sent recorded delivery to ensure they wont get lost in the post/they are insured for delivery. I also make a point of saying to order from a website for clothes for example, delivery is often £4 or £5 and arrives in just the same time. Rarely even with recorded delivery is it £5 to send out a top! (its usualy £2)

I have yet to get an email from someone saying they did not get the item they won posted to them. They always arrive. And if they don't I feel reassured I don't have a nightmare to deal with!

Hope that helps!

dougk_2

Only offering recorded delivery does put off some genuine buyers (like me as I find a right pain) having to collect things from the sorting office 10 mile away (so it then costs me another £2-£3 in petrol) on a Saturday morning (the only time its possible to collect).. An odd parcel to work is ok , but I can't do it for everything I buy.

angelavdavis

Thanks everyone for the rapid replies.

I guess there are pros and cons, but these claims do mount up. Like Jenniewb, I also start all my listings at 99p - so its hard to know what they are likely to go up to.

Prior to the change in policy, I have to say in 200+ transactions, I only had one person claim they didn't receive something so I gave them a refund. In addition, I had one person say the item wasn't as described and another say it was damaged in the post. I didn't hesitate to refund these transactions (even though I questioned the not as described transaction).

However, since the recent change in policy, I have had 15 people claim in 100 sales! In the last batch of 20 sales alone, I refunded 4 of them - totalling over £20. Now its possibly down to the Post Office getting poorer in their delivery service, but the cynic in me wonders if there is a coincidence.

I haven't advertised anything since but my ebay pile is once again mounting up.

I think I will have to bite the bullet and go for recorded only policy now.

Thanks

soolin

In the spirit of competiion I would urge every one to use recorded. That makes all your listings 72p dearer than mine so when buyers search my items are cheaper and I get the sales..

Seriously though, 100 parcels a month = £72 , that's a heck of a lot of parcels that need to get lost to make it worth while. Add to that the fact that recorded is no longer guaranteed to get a signature, about 1/3rd of the items I send recorded never ever show as delivered and it begins to look like a huge waste of money.

faced with an item for £5 with £2.72 recorded delivery and the same item with £2 delivery I would choose the cheaper option every single time. Bot least of which as it saves me having to go and collect the item from the sorting office.

adecor

The other option you could try is to state that you always get proof of postage on all items sent.

Has anyone who has had a bad buyer tried leaving positive feedback with negative comments? I was thinking of doing this as a way round ebays stupid new policy.

soolin

adecor wrote: »

The other option you could try is to state that you always get proof of postage on all items sent.

Has anyone who has had a bad buyer tried leaving positive feedback with negative comments? I was thinking of doing this as a way round ebays stupid new policy.

There is no point in saying you get proof of posting as that rather implies that's all the help you will give the buyer. best to say nothing.

Also unfortunately leaving a positive feedback with a negative comment is against the rules and the person doing so will get a strike for breach of policy, and those strikes are nasty on a selling account.

robnye

the comments i dont like on auctions - is where the seller thinks that by stating that they get proof of posting, if there are any problems, then they will also pass the details on to you if the item gets lost, so you can make the claim with the post office.... when in fact the responsibility still lies with them.....

i send all of mine recorded delivery.... if the costs allows 1st class, otherwise 2nd....

that way i am covered as far as dubious reclaims via paypal are concerned

moneypooh

If you are selling for small amounts you can get a 'certificate of posting' and then you can claim for small losses. I always do this for 1st class postings. I also offer recorded for 72p extra if a buyer wants it. If the item is worth something then it's listed as recorded/special only.

I list that I get a certificate and everyone has been happy so far. In fact I find that most buyers don't go for the extra.
I have claimed twice using these certificates both for about £8 and both were succesful. So buyer happy with refund and I get one too, win win