eBay simple delivery (merged)

n15h

Hi, I hope someone can help me make sense as this is my first time dealing with simple delivery. I sell items occasionally on Ebay (about 7-8 items a year) and only have a personal account.

I sold an electronic item on Ebay with free postage. The listing was set up to send the item using simple delivery. I had intended to send the item by RM special delivery for a medium sized parcel. In the past, I would buy the special delivery direct from Royal Mail and add the tracking number to the order, which would then automatically update to special delivery. I wanted special delivery as the item sold for £250, and special delivery covers items up to £750.

This time, I found Ebay's simple delivery does not provide the option for special delivery or the option to add my own tracking number. Instead I found I would have to purchase the label through Ebay, which also does not provide the buyer's address detail in the order anymore - instead it is now only visible on the label. For some reason, Ebay gave the buyer an option for Express Delivery (I'm not sure why it did that since it was free postage) and the buyer paid an extra £5 plus VAT for this - which was paid to Ebay.

The label that was then generated by Ebay was for RM Tracked 24 which aims to provide next day delivery (no guarantee) but only covers £150. I couldn't find any option to select or change this to special delivery so that the full value of the item would be covered. I was therefore stuck with sending using RM Tracked 24 and was glad it was delivered the next day, although I did worry about the parcel getting lost and not being covered for the full value of the item because of limit of coverage on RM Tracked services.

I thought to share this experience to see if anyone has gone through something similar, and how a seller can choose to send something by special delivery if Ebay don't offer the option.

soolin

n15h said:

Hi, I hope someone can help me make sense as this is my first time dealing with simple delivery. I sell items occasionally on Ebay (about 7-8 items a year) and only have a personal account.

I sold an electronic item on Ebay with free postage. The listing was set up to send the item using simple delivery. I had intended to send the item by RM special delivery for a medium sized parcel. In the past, I would buy the special delivery direct from Royal Mail and add the tracking number to the order, which would then automatically update to special delivery. I wanted special delivery as the item sold for £250, and special delivery covers items up to £750.

This time, I found Ebay's simple delivery does not provide the option for special delivery or the option to add my own tracking number. Instead I found I would have to purchase the label through Ebay, which also does not provide the buyer's address detail in the order anymore - instead it is now only visible on the label. For some reason, Ebay gave the buyer an option for Express Delivery (I'm not sure why it did that since it was free postage) and the buyer paid an extra £5 plus VAT for this - which was paid to Ebay.

The label that was then generated by Ebay was for RM Tracked 24 which aims to provide next day delivery (no guarantee) but only covers £150. I couldn't find any option to select or change this to special delivery so that the full value of the item would be covered. I was therefore stuck with sending using RM Tracked 24 and was glad it was delivered the next day, although I did worry about the parcel getting lost and not being covered for the full value of the item because of limit of coverage on RM Tracked services.

I thought to share this experience to see if anyone has gone through something similar, and how a seller can choose to send something by special delivery if Ebay don't offer the option.

Forget the standard compensation for RM parcels, ebay have an entirely different contract and covers item sup to £750. You no longer have to worry about upgrading to special delivery or anything, ebay handle it all. 

Also the main benefit of Simple delivery is that ebay take the risk, as long as your item shows as accepted by the courier/RM that's it- if it doesn't arrive then ebay take the hit and you get your funds anyway.

There's been a lot of upset about SD, but taking a moment to actually read what it means can often re assure people - always best to check the actual announcement and T and Cs.

Simple Delivery | eBay

Benefits of Simple Delivery

There are several benefits to using Simple Delivery, including:

• You'll be protected if the item is lost or damaged from the point the item is scanned into the carrier's delivery network and until it's marked as delivered

Eligibility

• £750 or less (Buy It Now price or auction starting price)

n15h

@soolin thank you. I wondered how it would work if something was worth more than the cover of Tracked 24/48, ended up being lost. Your reply has helped Simple Delivery make more sense to me and given more assurance,  especially if Ebay cover it all up to £750 where Tracked 24/48 is used.

soolin

n15h said:

@soolin thank you. I wondered how it would work if something was worth more than the cover of Tracked 24/48, ended up being lost. Your reply has helped Simple Delivery make more sense to me and given more assurance,  especially if Ebay cover it all up to £750 where Tracked 24/48 is used.

Basically they cover all simple delivery sales - there is supposedly a system that doesn't allow items  over £750 to be listed with SD - but I'm not sure how that would work with an auction.

Pollycat

I'm confused about an element of 'Simple Delivery'.

eBay states:

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

I've read that as:
if I list a dress for £4.00, I don't have to use SD.
But it won't let me de-select 'SD'.

Does that mean the item must be under £10.00 AND letter sized?

soolin

Pollycat said:

I'm confused about an element of 'Simple Delivery'.

eBay states:

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

I've read that as:
if I list a dress for £4.00, I don't have to use SD.
But it won't let me de-select 'SD'.

Does that mean the item must be under £10.00 AND letter sized?

Yes that’s correct, the exemption is only for Large letter sized items in the correct categories that are also under £10.  I’m not sure clothes are in the exempt category anyway , even if LL sized, but I don’t sell clothes so I might be wrong. 

Pollycat

soolin said:

Pollycat said:

I'm confused about an element of 'Simple Delivery'.

eBay states:

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

I've read that as:
if I list a dress for £4.00, I don't have to use SD.
But it won't let me de-select 'SD'.

Does that mean the item must be under £10.00 AND letter sized?

Yes that’s correct, the exemption is only for Large letter sized items in the correct categories that are also under £10.  I’m not sure clothes are in the exempt category anyway , even if LL sized, but I don’t sell clothes so I might be wrong. 

Well, according to eBay (see below)...
so I think a bikini bottom priced at £4.00 should NOT be 'SD' (unless I want it to be - which I don't).

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

• Antiques (e.g., Maps)
• Art (e.g., Photographs)
• Baby (e.g., Car Window Signs & Decals)
• Books, Comics & Magazines (e.g., Bookmarks)
• Business, Office & Industrial (e.g., Office Supplies & Stationary, Adhesive Tapes)
• Cameras & Photography (e.g.,Memory Cards, Drone Accessories)
• Clothes, Shoes & Accessories (e.g., Hair Accessories, Wallets)
• Coins
• Collectables (e.g., Trading Cards, Card Games, Badges & Patches, Postcards)
• Computers/Tablets & Networking (e.g., Cables & Connectors, Components & Parts)
• Crafts (e.g., Scrapbooking, Beads)
• Dolls & Bears (e.g., Clothing & Accessories)
• Events Tickets
• Everything Else (e.g., Information Services, Grave Ornaments & Memorials)
• Films & TV (e.g., DVDs, Fridge Magnets)
• Garden & Patio (e.g., Seeds & Bulbs)
• Health & Beauty (e.g., Nail Art, Temporary Tattoos)
• Home, Furniture & DIY (e.g., Cards & Invitations, Ornaments)
• Jewellery & Watches (e.g., Bracelets & Charms)
• Mobile Phones & Communication (e.g., Cables, SIM Cards)
• Music (e.g., CDs, Memorabilia Stickers)
• Musical Instruments & DJ Equipment (e.g., Parts & Accessories)
• Pet Supplies (e.g., Tags & Charms, Collars)
• Sound & Vision (e.g., Batteries, Turntable Parts)
• Sporting Goods (e.g., Tennis Grips)
• Sports Memorabilia (e.g., Trading Cards, Pins, Magnets)
• Stamps
• Toys & Games (e.g.,. LEGO ® Building Toys, Card Games)
• Vehicle Parts & Accessories (e.g., Exterior Decals & Vinyls, Repair Manuals)
• Video Games
• Wholesale & Job Lots (e.g., Greeting Cards & Stationery)

*This list does not include all sub-categories covered. You can see if your item is eligible and required to use Simple Delivery when listing.

soolin

Pollycat said:

soolin said:

Pollycat said:

I'm confused about an element of 'Simple Delivery'.

eBay states:

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

I've read that as:
if I list a dress for £4.00, I don't have to use SD.
But it won't let me de-select 'SD'.

Does that mean the item must be under £10.00 AND letter sized?

Yes that’s correct, the exemption is only for Large letter sized items in the correct categories that are also under £10.  I’m not sure clothes are in the exempt category anyway , even if LL sized, but I don’t sell clothes so I might be wrong. 

Well, according to eBay (see below)...
so I think a bikini bottom priced at £4.00 should NOT be 'SD' (unless I want it to be - which I don't).

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

• Antiques (e.g., Maps)
• Art (e.g., Photographs)
• Baby (e.g., Car Window Signs & Decals)
• Books, Comics & Magazines (e.g., Bookmarks)
• Business, Office & Industrial (e.g., Office Supplies & Stationary, Adhesive Tapes)
• Cameras & Photography (e.g.,Memory Cards, Drone Accessories)
• Clothes, Shoes & Accessories (e.g., Hair Accessories, Wallets)
• Coins
• Collectables (e.g., Trading Cards, Card Games, Badges & Patches, Postcards)
• Computers/Tablets & Networking (e.g., Cables & Connectors, Components & Parts)
• Crafts (e.g., Scrapbooking, Beads)
• Dolls & Bears (e.g., Clothing & Accessories)
• Events Tickets
• Everything Else (e.g., Information Services, Grave Ornaments & Memorials)
• Films & TV (e.g., DVDs, Fridge Magnets)
• Garden & Patio (e.g., Seeds & Bulbs)
• Health & Beauty (e.g., Nail Art, Temporary Tattoos)
• Home, Furniture & DIY (e.g., Cards & Invitations, Ornaments)
• Jewellery & Watches (e.g., Bracelets & Charms)
• Mobile Phones & Communication (e.g., Cables, SIM Cards)
• Music (e.g., CDs, Memorabilia Stickers)
• Musical Instruments & DJ Equipment (e.g., Parts & Accessories)
• Pet Supplies (e.g., Tags & Charms, Collars)
• Sound & Vision (e.g., Batteries, Turntable Parts)
• Sporting Goods (e.g., Tennis Grips)
• Sports Memorabilia (e.g., Trading Cards, Pins, Magnets)
• Stamps
• Toys & Games (e.g.,. LEGO ® Building Toys, Card Games)
• Vehicle Parts & Accessories (e.g., Exterior Decals & Vinyls, Repair Manuals)
• Video Games
• Wholesale & Job Lots (e.g., Greeting Cards & Stationery)

*This list does not include all sub-categories covered. You can see if your item is eligible and required to use Simple Delivery when listing.

That's odd it might be worth phoning ebay then - although I suspect it will be covered by the throwaway line at the end which states that it applies to 'some' categories'. I've tried a few and things like belts. jewellery etc as a sub category are exempt from SD but I can't find any clothes that allow an option. 

This list does not include all sub-categories covered. You can see if your item is eligible and required to use Simple Delivery when listing.

savergrant

Pollycat said:

I'm confused about an element of 'Simple Delivery'.

eBay states:

Which listings aren't required to use Simple Delivery?

Over the coming months, Simple Delivery will become the only delivery method available for private sellers when posting eligible items. Simple Delivery will be optional for items priced £10 and under, letter-sized, and in certain sub-categories* within the following areas:

I've read that as:
if I list a dress for £4.00, I don't have to use SD.
But it won't let me de-select 'SD'.

Does that mean the item must be under £10.00 AND letter sized?

I've tried a couple of times. If you list a hair bobble it comes up as 'clothing/hair accessories' and allows custom postage, if you list a bikini it comes up as 'clothing/women's clothing' and does not. So it seems that it only applies to 'accessory' subcategories. To be fair 'clothing' is a big category.

And yes, AFAIK the opt-out only applies to items which are letter-sized AND under £10, not letter-sized or under £10.

LeoBoy

You can change to Custom Postage by first clicking on package size when creating listing, then scroll down to switch to custom, then add primary service. I've done this with more expensive items as well.