eBay 'Simple Delivery' (yeah, bøllocks it is!)

[binky_bass]

So, apparently as of some time in August, eBay are now FORCING a seller to offer DHL shipping as a mandatory option for items over a certain size/weight, which will effectively mean ALL guitars/basses. 

 

The big problem with this is that when someone buys your guitar/bass, it defaults to DHL, which then when you go to try and arrange postage you, as the seller, are only given a time slot of between 0800 and 1800 Mon-Fri... ridiculous! Who can regularly devote a full day to sitting on their behind waiting for someone to maybe collect their parcel??

 

I've used eBay for 19 years, I've sold hundreds of guitars/basses and have always been able to trot down to the post office in my own reasonable time and send the item when I'm able either before work, after work, on a lunch break etc, this new dictator-ish rule of eBay means I simply cannot use the platform anymore for selling guitars/basses as I can't afford to stay home for a full day to facilitate collection.

 

19 years of regular use, and because someone in the lofty ranks of eBay has organised themselves a tasty backhander from DHL it means us, the plebs, can effectively no longer sell certain items without taking a days Annual Leave.

 

Fug you eBay, and fug your fugging board or directors that thought this was a remotely reasonable option! Those of a certain lofty disposition can rarely see through the clouds to understand the impact of actions taken without due consideration to those on the ground floor. 

 

First world problem, absolutely, but still... frustrating!! 

[Rob MacKillop]

That's bad news, especially as I will be selling four instruments through them in a couple of weeks' time. The place is getting worse. 

[snorkie635]

7 minutes ago, Rob MacKillop said:

That's bad news, especially as I will be selling four instruments through them in a couple of weeks' time. The place is getting worse. 

Try them here first Rob. 

[Rob MacKillop]

2 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

Try them here first Rob. 

 Just about to 😀

[snorkie635]

Just now, Rob MacKillop said:

 Just about to 😀

Excellent. Very best of luck with the sale. Out of interest, what are they?

[Rob MacKillop]

12 minutes ago, snorkie635 said:

Excellent. Very best of luck with the sale. Out of interest, what are they?

 

Jack Cassidy Fretless - I've just placed on the For Sale page here.

The others are non-bass: Eastman DM-1 Gypsy-Jazz Guitar, Zither Banjo, posh (expensive) ukulele...some others too...just can't remember them at bedtime! 

[Dad3353]

For the few that don't know, or know of, Rob, take it from me that there is not a Gooder Egg to be had. Top-notch bloke. Just sayin'. 

[Pow_22]

Another thing I have had with eBay recently, having sold quite a bit of gear these past few months with a rig rebuild, is they now want my National Insurance details as I've hit their threshold.  Apparently if you sell more than £1,700 annually they will now ask for this

[pete.young]

26 minutes ago, Pow_22 said:

Another thing I have had with eBay recently, having sold quite a bit of gear these past few months with a rig rebuild, is they now want my National Insurance details as I've hit their threshold.  Apparently if you sell more than £1,700 annually they will now ask for this

 

To be fair to Ebay, they have no choice in that. Once you sell more than £1740 Ebay is obliged to notify HMRC under UK digital sales legislation. You're required to pay tax on anything you earn over £1000 p/a.

 

Might be an idea to fill in a self-assessment form if you're in this position, to stave off any unwanted interest from HMRC.

[acidbass]

There is a way around the default Simple Delivery option - I give my For Sale items extra large size and weight dimensions and it allows me to select an 'Other Courier 3-5 days' option.  That way you can set your own delivery cost and arrange your own courier, just like the old way.

[Maude]

My son has fallen foul of this seller choosing delivery malarkey. As usual the scamners are one step ahead. 

He has been selling off a lot of his Star Wars Lego collection to pay off some debt. Sold one set for £160, seller chose cheapest delivery option and when the set arrived claimed that he had been sent a box of old boxer shorts. Sent ebay a picture of the box filled with boxer shorts and ebay have refunded him and made my son pay to return the item. As it was cheap delivery nothing was weighed which would be his only hope of proving what was returned didn't match what was sent out. 

He's fighting ebay but at the moment he's one lego set and two lots of postage down and the proud owner of the scamners old pants. 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

I almost fell for the simple delivery annoyance ! I sold a small pedal , and something didn’t seem right . It only dawned on me when I went to print label etc .

 

What I did was contact buyer and get his address, explaining that I’m sending via Royal Mail 24.  No problem then , and  I got perfect feedback . However, even after the buyer provided feedback I still got pesky automated notifications reminding me to post item 🤦‍♂️

The way things seem to be heading , I’ll probably remain a buyer but not a seller anymore . And I’m not buying anything from a seller that uses Evri !

[Suburban Man]

1 hour ago, acidbass said:

There is a way around the default Simple Delivery option - I give my For Sale items extra large size and weight dimensions and it allows me to select an 'Other Courier 3-5 days' option.  That way you can set your own delivery cost and arrange your own courier, just like the old way.

I got hit by this new eBay diktat too, but as acidbass says, there are ways around, the trouble is you have to remember to implement them when you’re doing the listing, rather than when the sale is made. Yet more mind-numbing admin, just so eBay can improve their margins…