Changes to eBay bought Royal Mail postage?

[Deleted User]

Hi guys,

I was just informed in my Local Shop/Post Office counter that as of last Thursday (1/10) they are no longer able to scan (pre-paid QR Codes) my eBay bought postage (very specific on that!), auction items... I'm a long time 'eBayer', both for buying/selling - first registered in 2000, but over Lockdown I was clearing the junk out the house, as you do, and got to build up quite a rapport with the shop staff - spending quite a bit of time with them ever 5/6 days whilst I dropped off my pre-packed/paid auction sales. I didn't get the chance to got into it today with the member of staff because there was a slight que, but the Postmistress there sounds like she knows her stuff normally, so I think there might be something in it? Has anyone heard anything - I can't see anything on any of the eBay forums?

For the record, I walked ten minutes down the road to the Co-op Post Office counter and they scanned/issued me with tracking, no problem. So it wasn't the end of the world but I'm just interested to know if there's anything in it? I can't really see how they would distinguish between a directly Royal Mail QR code or one bought via eBay? There's a little eBay reference printed on the latter but you would definitely have to study the item I'm not sure what comes up on their screens when they scan  - whether it tells them that it's an eBay item etc.

Thanks.

ic

There's always been confusion over this, as this old thread shows: https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Archive-Postage-Topics/Post-Office-refusing-to-take-parcels-with-Ebay-postage-labels/td-p/3784021.  I expect its more to do with how much the postmaster is paid for providing the service.  Some just don't like ebayers in their queues, "clogging up" the more traditional stuff like people accessing pensions and buying postage.  

[Deleted User]

ic said:

There's always been confusion over this, as this old thread shows: https://community.ebay.co.uk/t5/Archive-Postage-Topics/Post-Office-refusing-to-take-parcels-with-Ebay-postage-labels/td-p/3784021.  I expect its more to do with how much the postmaster is paid for providing the service.  Some just don't like ebayers in their queues, "clogging up" the more traditional stuff like people accessing pensions and buying postage.  

Thanks, I'll check that out! In other news, my Mother, who just happened to try and use the same shop earlier today to send a family member a birthday card in Japan, again with pre-paid Royal Mail postage, bought at home, was informed by a different member of staff (we exchanged descriptive notes ) that they couldn't accept it... I'm surmising but I reckon the shop in question might have been a bit naughty with their post office responsibilities and had their 'postal privileges' temporarily restricted.