To sell or not

NBLondon

Flyonthewall said:

NBLondon said:

Just to stir a bit...    If eBay or selling online is someone's main or only source of income then keeping that business going is work and posting an item out is essential.

If that's their main/only source of income and they have to sell to survive then they are highly likely to be able to get benefits.

It's quite possible to run a business entirely through an eBay shop and make a decent living, with enough savings to not be eligible for benefits.  Stamp or rare book dealer is an example.   Will they get massive support from the government to keep their business in mothballs for 6 months?  What about a chocolatier?  It's food but not essential (some might argue that point...)

Flyonthewall

mgdavid said:

I go to the Post Office counter and hand over one or more parcels without touching anything or anybody, with a glass screen between me and the counter staff, pay with contactless card and then walk home.

Yeah, but after that the parcel goes through a whole chain of people before reaching the buyer. You may be fine and not have come into contact with anyone, but you or anyone down the line handling the parcel could pass on the virus unknowingly through the parcel. Plus others may have to have to contact with each other.

Then you're hoping it goes straight to the buyer, not to a neighbour as either the buyer or the neighbour may not be sensible and either could have the virus and pass it on, or the neighbour just having handled it could pass it on when they hand it to the buyer.

You can be fine and do everything to protect yourself. Doesn't mean that someone else isn't going to be ill or even die from you doing that though.

Flyonthewall

NBLondon said:

Flyonthewall said:

NBLondon said:

Just to stir a bit...    If eBay or selling online is someone's main or only source of income then keeping that business going is work and posting an item out is essential.

If that's their main/only source of income and they have to sell to survive then they are highly likely to be able to get benefits.

It's quite possible to run a business entirely through an eBay shop and make a decent living, with enough savings to not be eligible for benefits.  Stamp or rare book dealer is an example.   Will they get massive support from the government to keep their business in mothballs for 6 months?  What about a chocolatier?  It's food but not essential (some might argue that point...)

If you've got enough savings that you won't get benefits then you've got enough to live on for a few months! You'd have to have over £16000 to not be eligible for Universal Credits.

It's more likely 3 months than 6 (at least currently), but if their savings dip below a certain point they'd be able to claim benefits at that point anyway. There will also be support for the self employed that a lot will get.

Things like rent and mortgages you can apply for a break. Might also get a break for debt payments or certain bills if you contact companies. In which case, they will have much lower outgoings. 

adindas

I understand that eBay is not allowing people to sell for information anymore such as recipe, instruction manual, etc. What about digital images / photos

such as this ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sunny-days-digital-5/184230286299?hash=item2ae4fb13db:g:ao8AAOSwjJdd6NDK

or this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Letter-J-Encapsulated-4/184223975675?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

or this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Letter-J-Encapsulated-5/184223976178?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Also just in case you could also provide link for that policy, it will be great. Thanks

mgdavid

Flyonthewall said:

mgdavid said:

I go to the Post Office counter and hand over one or more parcels without touching anything or anybody, with a glass screen between me and the counter staff, pay with contactless card and then walk home.

Yeah, but after that the parcel goes through a whole chain of people before reaching the buyer. You may be fine and not have come into contact with anyone, but you or anyone down the line handling the parcel could pass on the virus unknowingly through the parcel. Plus others may have to have to contact with each other.

Then you're hoping it goes straight to the buyer, not to a neighbour as either the buyer or the neighbour may not be sensible and either could have the virus and pass it on, or the neighbour just having handled it could pass it on when they hand it to the buyer.

You can be fine and do everything to protect yourself. Doesn't mean that someone else isn't going to be ill or even die from you doing that though.

That's the risk the buyer is taking - nobody is making them buy from me. Neither am I 'hoping it goes straight to the buyer', once in the delivery system it's neither within my control or responsibility. I cannot be responsible for everyone else in the world, they need to be responsible for themselves in the same way I take responsibility for myself. Grown-up stuff.

hubb

I am asking myself the same question, am I being selfish continuing to sell on Ebay which isn't classed as essential. I think from today I will pause all my items until this blows over as I wasn't happy about having to walk to the post office, que outside for ages just for a couple of items. 

Is there a way in your Ebay account to pause all auctions without taking them down ?

soolin

hubb said:

I am asking myself the same question, am I being selfish continuing to sell on Ebay which isn't classed as essential. I think from today I will pause all my items until this blows over as I wasn't happy about having to walk to the post office, que outside for ages just for a couple of items. 

Is there a way in your Ebay account to pause all auctions without taking them down ?

If you don’t have a shop then no, you need to end each of them. 

Flyonthewall

mgdavid said:

Flyonthewall said:

mgdavid said:

I go to the Post Office counter and hand over one or more parcels without touching anything or anybody, with a glass screen between me and the counter staff, pay with contactless card and then walk home.

Yeah, but after that the parcel goes through a whole chain of people before reaching the buyer. You may be fine and not have come into contact with anyone, but you or anyone down the line handling the parcel could pass on the virus unknowingly through the parcel. Plus others may have to have to contact with each other.

Then you're hoping it goes straight to the buyer, not to a neighbour as either the buyer or the neighbour may not be sensible and either could have the virus and pass it on, or the neighbour just having handled it could pass it on when they hand it to the buyer.

You can be fine and do everything to protect yourself. Doesn't mean that someone else isn't going to be ill or even die from you doing that though.

That's the risk the buyer is taking - nobody is making them buy from me. Neither am I 'hoping it goes straight to the buyer', once in the delivery system it's neither within my control or responsibility. I cannot be responsible for everyone else in the world, they need to be responsible for themselves in the same way I take responsibility for myself. Grown-up stuff.

They're taking it because they either haven't thought about it or just don't care. By selling non-essential items you're allowing it to happen so are just as responsible. By selling the items you are part of the problem. Don't sell, they can't buy, less people die.

Why would you not want to do whatever you can to reduce the risk of thousands of people dying, especially when it's something so simple? 

Flyonthewall

adindas said:

I understand that eBay is not allowing people to sell for information anymore such as recipe, instruction manual, etc. What about digital images / photos

such as this ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sunny-days-digital-5/184230286299?hash=item2ae4fb13db:g:ao8AAOSwjJdd6NDK

or this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Letter-J-Encapsulated-4/184223975675?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

or this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Letter-J-Encapsulated-5/184223976178?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Also just in case you could also provide link for that policy, it will be great. Thanks

This thread is about posting items. They're all digital items that will be emailed so there's no risk to anyone regarding their health.

I know ebay did have rules about selling digital items, you didn't have the buyer protection, but I'm not sure if they have changed the rules of what is allowed/the buyer protection you have.

Lazydayz71

I'd like to know how many hundreds of thousands of items have been sold on Ebay UK over the last few days, resulting in hundreds of thousands of people making non essential visits to their local Post Office.

Also consider the debatable risk of packages containing or having the virus on them moving in all directions across the country.