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It has never been quicker or easier to sell things online, with thousands of people getting rid of old clothes, electronics and furniture. Now in its fourth decade, eBay has proven itself as the go-to platform across the world, managing to hold back even the hottest of competition from Vinted and Depop.
However, private sellers are at risk of being caught out by a recent change to the listing and delivery rules. From this month, users of the long-running site will be forced to use eBay’s Simple Delivery service as most other methods have been scrapped.
The huge revamp began its roll-out on April 7 and will be completed on every existing listing by April 28. This means sellers will have to state the parcel’s size and weight, with buyers then paying a postage fee set by eBay.
Parcels can then be dropped off at Post Office or collected by Royal Mail, or left at an Evri parcel shop. Be warned: Parcels may be rejected by the Post Office if the postage label chosen doesn’t match the actual parcel weight and size.
It is important to check any existing listings as eBay has began automatically switching them to Simple Delivery and incorrectly estimating the weight using historic data. As such, some sellers have needed to buy a second, more accurate label and lost money.
According to the MoneySavingExpert, eBay has informed Royal Mail to accept any Simple Delivery parcels so long as they’re within the maximum dimensions accepted by the carrier.
There is an exception to this rule change – it doesn’t apply to business sellers. This group can still manage their own postage options.
You can also opt of Simple Delivery for any items weighing less than 100g or on sale for under a tenner. There is also an exception for bulky items that measure 61 x 46 x 46 cm or tip the scales at 20 kg.
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