We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Ebay so called Simple Delivery and Buyer Protection. Double Jeopardy?
Options

Cor123
Posts: 1 Newbie
Being a long standing seller on ebay I have seen a lot of changes over the years, some for the better but more recently the majority for the worse.
Despite reassurances that all existing listings the postage prices will stay the same until sold I have noticed that a lot have automatically switched over to so called simple delivery where basically ebay ensure the buyer purchases postage through them ( where they no doubt get a cut from the service provider) but the seller incurs all of the packaging costs at a loss to themselves which would have been factored in when calculating original listing postage costs on the listings , after all is is called postage and Packaging.
This So called simple delivery gives the same amount of insurance to the buyer when tracked throughout ( even though it is more expensive than the tracked 48 delivery service when bought directly online through Royal Mail) again the same service available on the original listings.
Ebay have said they are going this way in order to protect the buyer when buying from a private seller and make sure they are covered if anything goes wrong.
This then begs the question as to why a buyer is now ENFORCED to pay an ebay Buyer protection racket fee with every purchase from a private seller (starting at 80p per item and upwards) in addition to it already being covered in the non optional Simple delivery.
Why is a buyer made to pay the same coverage insurance twice?
Maybe in the future this will be another claim back similar to ppi ( not to mention the fact that for years ebay were taking 13% of postage prices from private sellers prior to the simple delivery being implemented(.
Despite reassurances that all existing listings the postage prices will stay the same until sold I have noticed that a lot have automatically switched over to so called simple delivery where basically ebay ensure the buyer purchases postage through them ( where they no doubt get a cut from the service provider) but the seller incurs all of the packaging costs at a loss to themselves which would have been factored in when calculating original listing postage costs on the listings , after all is is called postage and Packaging.
This So called simple delivery gives the same amount of insurance to the buyer when tracked throughout ( even though it is more expensive than the tracked 48 delivery service when bought directly online through Royal Mail) again the same service available on the original listings.
Ebay have said they are going this way in order to protect the buyer when buying from a private seller and make sure they are covered if anything goes wrong.
This then begs the question as to why a buyer is now ENFORCED to pay an ebay Buyer protection racket fee with every purchase from a private seller (starting at 80p per item and upwards) in addition to it already being covered in the non optional Simple delivery.
Why is a buyer made to pay the same coverage insurance twice?
Maybe in the future this will be another claim back similar to ppi ( not to mention the fact that for years ebay were taking 13% of postage prices from private sellers prior to the simple delivery being implemented(.
0
Comments
-
It would seem to me that the eBay buyer protection fee covers claims arising from "not as described" and claims arising from the tracked postage costs covering "item not received" - when posted.Warning: any unnecessary disclaimers appearing under my posts do not bear any connection with reality, either intended, accidental or otherwise. Your statutory rights are not affected.1
-
The new 'Simple deliver' has several advantages for the seller. I incorporate the cost of packaging into the starting price of my items.
Its a much better system for the sellers. I have had one item that was not delivered on time and the buyer got a refund at no cost to me. The item was later delivered so the buyer got the item free and I lost nothing.1 -
Cor123 said:Being a long standing seller on ebay I have seen a lot of changes over the years, some for the better but more recently the majority for the worse.
Despite reassurances that all existing listings the postage prices will stay the same until sold I have noticed that a lot have automatically switched over to so called simple delivery where basically ebay ensure the buyer purchases postage through them ( where they no doubt get a cut from the service provider) but the seller incurs all of the packaging costs at a loss to themselves which would have been factored in when calculating original listing postage costs on the listings , after all is is called postage and Packaging.
It was always stated that 'all' eligible listings would be switched across, ebay have just allowed the timings to slip a bit.
This So called simple delivery gives the same amount of insurance to the buyer when tracked throughout ( even though it is more expensive than the tracked 48 delivery service when bought directly online through Royal Mail) again the same service available on the original listings.
The compensation limits are considerably higher than the standard RM48, it is not a like for like service.
Ebay have said they are going this way in order to protect the buyer when buying from a private seller and make sure they are covered if anything goes wrong.
This then begs the question as to why a buyer is now ENFORCED to pay an ebay Buyer protection racket fee with every purchase from a private seller (starting at 80p per item and upwards) in addition to it already being covered in the non optional Simple delivery.
Why is a buyer made to pay the same coverage insurance twice?
Maybe in the future this will be another claim back similar to ppi ( not to mention the fact that for years ebay were taking 13% of postage prices from private sellers prior to the simple delivery being implemented(.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.2 -
To pick out a couple of points, I think in most cases SD is cheaper than RM tracked 48, not dearer.
Also it’s not postage & packing, it’s literally described just as postage costs.1 -
Both (Simply Delivery and the buyer protection fee) are a revenue steam for eBay, nothing more complicated than that.
In terms of buyers, they should get better delivery services and better cover if items are damaged in transit (INR doesn't matter as you was always well covered with that one).
In terms of sellers, the fees are cheaper than anywhere else I know (perhaps Vinted is a bit cheaper but I don't think by much).
Only question for the buyer is whether the price is good, all costs are loaded into the total price regardless (with a ceiling from competition) and generally as a buyer you shouldn't be paying much more than you was a year ago.
Exception to this is lower value items, something that would have been 99p on a lucky 1 bid auction with LL postage at say £1.99 is now a starting price of £1.75 + £2.72 postage, higher up the total goes that 75p + 4% is much less than 30p + 12.9% and even the 70% off fees promos was just shy of 4% so really not that much difference in a time when everything else has doubled in price over the last few years.
In the game of chess you can never let your adversary see your pieces0 -
swingaloo said:The new 'Simple deliver' has several advantages for the seller. I incorporate the cost of packaging into the starting price of my items.
Its a much better system for the sellers. I have had one item that was not delivered on time and the buyer got a refund at no cost to me. The item was later delivered so the buyer got the item free and I lost nothing.
Reading up I believe you would have to request eBay to remove it. Sounds fair but you shouldn't have to request it's removal if the system stopped it.0 -
TimeLord1 said:swingaloo said:The new 'Simple deliver' has several advantages for the seller. I incorporate the cost of packaging into the starting price of my items.
Its a much better system for the sellers. I have had one item that was not delivered on time and the buyer got a refund at no cost to me. The item was later delivered so the buyer got the item free and I lost nothing.
Reading up I believe you would have to request eBay to remove it. Sounds fair but you shouldn't have to request it's removal if the system stopped it.
Reading threads and other forums it seems that on a very rare occasion that a buyer leaves a neg for late delivery then it is removed easily- exactly as it should be. Realistically though it is incredibly rare for a buyer to leave a negative for late delivery anyway, so it is hardly likely to affect many sellers. Most of the time an unhappy buyer hits the stars, and they can't do that with SD;- Your seller performance standards and service metrics won't be affected by late deliveries
I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.1 -
Feedback, I find, is rarely left nowadays. I think I must've seen more eBay auto feedback lately—pointless process.
Speaking of feedback, I scrolled back from when I started, and the number of dead accounts is staggering. Literally big blocks of no longer active on eBay.
But if eBay is responsible for the shipping and delivery service and will eventually leave automatic feedback if the buyer doesn't, then if buyers receive a refund for late delivery and keep the item, surely the feedback should be vetted by eBay without the seller reporting they've been left neutral or negative for late delivery. Incidentally, you can't remove a neutral.0 -
TimeLord1 said:Feedback, I find, is rarely left nowadays. I think I must've seen more eBay auto feedback lately—pointless process.
Speaking of feedback, I scrolled back from when I started, and the number of dead accounts is staggering. Literally big blocks of no longer active on eBay.
But if eBay is responsible for the shipping and delivery service and will eventually leave automatic feedback if the buyer doesn't, then if buyers receive a refund for late delivery and keep the item, surely the feedback should be vetted by eBay without the seller reporting they've been left neutral or negative for late delivery. Incidentally, you can't remove a neutral.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards