Combining postage on SD

kalsha

Last week I sold 2 items, both on SD to the same buyer.  I spent some time looking at how to combine postage and send them in one parcel but could not find the answers and there was no time - I had only 2 days in which to post so I ended up packing separately (which to me is a waste as they could easily have been put in one bag).  I was sent to postage labels so that was fine.
I have just sold 3 items to the same buyer.  All three are large letter over 100g and I can just about fit each in 2.5 cm package.  Buyer would have been charged £2.70 each.
I have just received one label for all of them (so Ebay seems to have combined them) but is asking me to pack in depth of 2.5 cm!  How the hell am I going to fit all three in 2.5 cm?   What would happen if it is lot thicker than 2.5 cm.   Also I could have posted all three at small parcel rate of £3.35/3.90 - the buyer has been charged £4.47+90p VAT =£5.37!!
How is this going to work??

savergrant

To be clear these are three items from separate listings? And each listing specified the item was large letter size?
Are the three items shown together as one order? 

TimeLord1

Unless they put both into a basket and paid or requested combined shipping in a message, then basically you don't need to worry. 

So anything paid together, you can combine the shipping and refund the overpayment.

soolin

TimeLord1 said:

Unless they put both into a basket and paid or requested combined shipping in a message, then basically you don't need to worry. 

So anything paid together, you can combine the shipping and refund the overpayment.

OP says it’s an SD order so seller never sees postage, it’s one of the irritations of SD that sellers can’t combine any more, or even send an invoice.

OP Technically eBay have said that they will cover excess postage where they have supplied the label for items, but their guidance doesn’t cover the scenario where they have combined several items and only charged one lot of postage. Unless anyone has a better idea it might be worth phoning eBay and asking,but even that will almost certainly get you some nonsensical answer, but perhaps if you get something in writing, or emailed to you to say they cover any issues you might be OK. 

kalsha

savergrant said:

To be clear these are three items from separate listings? And each listing specified the item was large letter size?
Are the three items shown together as one order? 

Yes all 3 were separate listings.  Large letter.  As they were over 100g, I used the SD of £2.70 each.  Now on the sales order, all are together with only one postage label.

kalsha

If only the buyer had messaged me before buying - that he was interested in buying the 3 items.  I would have gladly done a separate listing just for these 3 items - that would have saved him paying buyers fee of 75p three times and got a cheaper postage.  I don't even use the 300 listings per month that we are allowed.   Would that have been possible or am I in the wrong to do that?
This system is definitely not simple!

TimeLord1

soolin said:

TimeLord1 said:

Unless they put both into a basket and paid or requested combined shipping in a message, then basically you don't need to worry. 

So anything paid together, you can combine the shipping and refund the overpayment.

OP says it’s an SD order so seller never sees postage, it’s one of the irritations of SD that sellers can’t combine any more, or even send an invoice.

OP Technically eBay have said that they will cover excess postage where they have supplied the label for items, but their guidance doesn’t cover the scenario where they have combined several items and only charged one lot of postage. Unless anyone has a better idea it might be worth phoning eBay and asking,but even that will almost certainly get you some nonsensical answer, but perhaps if you get something in writing, or emailed to you to say they cover any issues you might be OK. 

I used to buy a lot of my postage direct from Royal Mail, so I would likely go back down that route using a 48 label. When eBay simplified 24/48 I knew they'd eventually throw a spanner into the mix. 

soolin

TimeLord1 said:

soolin said:

TimeLord1 said:

Unless they put both into a basket and paid or requested combined shipping in a message, then basically you don't need to worry. 

So anything paid together, you can combine the shipping and refund the overpayment.

OP says it’s an SD order so seller never sees postage, it’s one of the irritations of SD that sellers can’t combine any more, or even send an invoice.

OP Technically eBay have said that they will cover excess postage where they have supplied the label for items, but their guidance doesn’t cover the scenario where they have combined several items and only charged one lot of postage. Unless anyone has a better idea it might be worth phoning eBay and asking,but even that will almost certainly get you some nonsensical answer, but perhaps if you get something in writing, or emailed to you to say they cover any issues you might be OK. 

I used to buy a lot of my postage direct from Royal Mail, so I would likely go back down that route using a 48 label. When eBay simplified 24/48 I knew they'd eventually throw a spanner into the mix. 

Before SD I did exactly the same , I even had a line in many of my listings explaining how to add things to the basket and then request a combined invoice. This is one of the downsides of SD, us sellers who used to try and save out buyers money now have our hands tied, and can’t over ride what eBay do with the SD labels. I even used eBay labels , no need to use the RM system and  bypass the eBay postage labels. 

Now sellers can’t send invoices and can’t manually combine items, only if eBay combine , and that seems hot and miss, we have no input at all. 

Obviously for exempt items, like LLs under 100g and under £10 we can still do a manual combine, just for the postage not for the buyer fee unfortunately. I had someone by 3 small LL , SD exempt items from me (and I was extremely surprised they sold as buyer premium made them expensive) , I refunded 2 lots of postage , put  all 3 in the same envelope and added the same tracking number to all 3 sales. 

TimeLord1

soolin said:

TimeLord1 said:

soolin said:

TimeLord1 said:

Unless they put both into a basket and paid or requested combined shipping in a message, then basically you don't need to worry. 

So anything paid together, you can combine the shipping and refund the overpayment.

OP says it’s an SD order so seller never sees postage, it’s one of the irritations of SD that sellers can’t combine any more, or even send an invoice.

OP Technically eBay have said that they will cover excess postage where they have supplied the label for items, but their guidance doesn’t cover the scenario where they have combined several items and only charged one lot of postage. Unless anyone has a better idea it might be worth phoning eBay and asking,but even that will almost certainly get you some nonsensical answer, but perhaps if you get something in writing, or emailed to you to say they cover any issues you might be OK. 

I used to buy a lot of my postage direct from Royal Mail, so I would likely go back down that route using a 48 label. When eBay simplified 24/48 I knew they'd eventually throw a spanner into the mix. 

Before SD I did exactly the same , I even had a line in many of my listings explaining how to add things to the basket and then request a combined invoice. This is one of the downsides of SD, us sellers who used to try and save out buyers money now have our hands tied, and can’t over ride what eBay do with the SD labels. I even used eBay labels , no need to use the RM system and  bypass the eBay postage labels. 

Now sellers can’t send invoices and can’t manually combine items, only if eBay combine , and that seems hot and miss, we have no input at all. 

Obviously for exempt items, like LLs under 100g and under £10 we can still do a manual combine, just for the postage not for the buyer fee unfortunately. I had someone by 3 small LL , SD exempt items from me (and I was extremely surprised they sold as buyer premium made them expensive) , I refunded 2 lots of postage , put  all 3 in the same envelope and added the same tracking number to all 3 sales. 

I think the postal system is going to see some major changes and headaches, especially with the different owners altering the process more efficient and cost-effective. But not helpful; it's being discussed on the eBay community also. eBay will soon do another update. 🙄