Changes to Well-Known Auction Site

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I don’t know as to whether I am allowed to specifically name ‘a well-known’ online auction site here but I am certain everyone will know which one I mean. It appears that from 4th February there are major changes to the operation of this site for both private buyers and sellers. I am also certain that everyone who has used that site will have had the same email but for those who may have missed it from the above date onwards buyers will pay a ‘buyer’s protection premium’ which will be included in the selling price. However, and probably more importantly, sellers will not get paid until delivery of their item has been confirmed. Whilst I am sure the vast majority of private transactions will be conducted with the utmost probity, I am also equally sure that some possibly insouciant purchaser will fail to confirm delivery, thereby preventing or delaying the seller from receiving the proceeds of their sale within a reasonable time. Personally, in the 20 years I have been using this online auction, for both buying and selling, I have never had a problem and I hope this continues but it seems to me that by putting the costs of listing an item onto the buyer rather than the seller, who will now list for free, is a bit of an unfair practice. (and yes, I do know that ‘real’ auctions also charge a buyer’s premium)

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

As I’m selling off all my surplus tools on eBay this is a little bit concerning but hopefully most buyers are honest. You have to use tracked delivery to get ‘seller protection’, I was a bit surprised they stopped charging the private sellers a commission but I’m not going to argue, maybe Facebook market place was take some of their business?

Tony

[VicParticipant @vic]

On the flip side I ordered something recently and the seller put five loose items in an ordinary C5 envelope. Three items burst through the envelope and were lost, the other two were damaged. The seller wants me to modify my feedback, which I’m unprepared to do until/if the  replacements arrive.
Quite a percentage of the stuff I used to buy from eBay is now sourced from Amazon as the delivery is quick and predictable. I’ve got fed up recently waiting for three or four days for vendors on eBay to post stuff second class.

[Phil PParticipant @philp]

If the seller uses a tracked postal service, surely that will be all they need to confirm delivery, and not have to rely on the buyer doing it.

Phil

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

Ebay has just about run it’s course for me.

For 20 years it’s been a good sideline.

 

Jimb

[Chris Crew]

On 25 January 2025 at 10:08 Chris Crew Said:

I don’t know as to whether I am allowed to specifically name ‘a well-known’ online auction site here but I am certain everyone will know which one I mean.

…

As I understand the forum’s Terms and Conditions and Code of Conduct, you can name away.

For your own protection though please don’t indulge in fact-free libellous rants!   Members are responsible for what they post on the forum and some organisations are litigious.  Though unlikely to pursue an individual, it’s not unknown…

Dave

 

 

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

“If the seller uses a tracked postal service, surely that will be all they need to confirm delivery, and not have to rely on the buyer doing it.”

That may well be the case, we don’t know until the new procedure is in operation. I may be wrong, but as I read it the buyer will have to positively confirm delivery because the item may have been delivered to another address and signed for by a recipient. This happened to me when a courier delivered an item in error to a house almost opposite my property. The householder signed for the delivery, even though it had my correct name and address on the package, but couldn’t be bothered to point it out to the driver or walk over the road to tell me, some people! After several days of phone calls and emails the courier identified the error, went back to the property, collected the package and walked the 30yards over to my house with it.

Plus, I am sure we all know of people who hardly ever go online except to carry out their immediate task and then don’t go near their computer, even to check for any emails, for days or even weeks in some cases. If, having received their purchase, they then don’t follow the procedure by positively confirming delivery the seller is going to be left in limbo. If somebody doesn’t go back online to check their messages they will not see any reminders from both the online auction site or the seller asking them to  confirm delivery. We will have to wait and see how the new procedure pans out.

[Dennis DParticipant @dennisd]

Royal Mail tracking is a joke. Recently bought something from Ebay ,seller provided tracking number but when it did not arrive on time I checked RM site but they only update when delivery is attempted.  Item turned up next day but RM still have not updated

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

The new ebay terms are similar to Vinted. They will rely on delivery confirmation by the delivery company. That may not be good for buyers due to leaving packages on doorsteps etc.  It also puts an end to cash on collection.
More importantly at a 75p minimum charge it significantly increases the cost of low value items. It’s not clear, to me at least, if the charge applies per item or order for multi-item listings. Hopefully per order.

We really need a new national auction and market place for technical stuff.

Robert.

[Dod MoleParticipant @georgeclarihew]

I must be some sort of dinosaur as I have managed to survive 74 years without dipping my toes into the Amazon nor the Ebay without feeling left out – and I don’t have anything to do with Farcebook nor do I hear any Tik-Toks ticking.

[Dod Mole]

On Dod Mole Said:

I must be some sort of dinosaur as I have managed to survive 74 years without dipping my toes into the Amazon nor Ebay……

That is your prerogative and choice which is to be respected. Whilst I too avoid the mainstream ‘social media’ I have to say that I have had some amazing bargains over the years from the online auction site and others which would not have been available elsewhere and certainly not on the ‘High Street’. I don’t know how the new procedure will affect the auction site in the future, but all I can say is that I consider it has saved me literally thousands of pounds over the years. Doing any sort of business online gives you a wider choice and immediate price comparisons for exactly the same product or service.  A slight digression, but I recently bought a train ticket from Paris to Nice online which is a five and half hour journey on a TGV for the amazing equivalent of £20. No, I couldn’t believe it either but with a few clicks of the mouse it’s true!

PS, I once acquired a Diaform in superb condition and with all the diamonds etc. on the auction site for £23! I have never had the need to use it but at that price when dealers were asking £2000 for the same thing,  who could resist such a lovely piece of old British engineering?

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

You may have noticed that if you search for an item that the results if you read. Often now say new busness. There seem to be a huge amount of these new buisness people opening a ebay shop. They once have recieved an order from you , then order through a warehouse were the stock is kept. They do not actually have any stock. Found this some time ago when ordering a chinese diesel heater which were being sold & money taken for. Only for a few days later to be told they were out of stock. It stinks. I have a huge amount of equipment to sell but dare not list on the flee bay site. P.S. I have been scammed many times but to be fair it was mainly with electrical items & mobile phones. Item not recieved. Package opened etc. But Royal mail did a signed for post. MMM.

Steve.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I had to talk to the TAX man a couple of weeks ago about paying tax on the interest on an investment and during the talk with the man on the phone had details about what I had in my ISA what I had earned from writing articles for the magazine Model Engineers Workshop and my sales on eBay. Luckily these didn’t exceed my £1000.00 personal limit but I had heard that the tax man was collecting this information and it makes me a bit more wary of my earnings.

David

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

David,  we are all liable for tax and it comes hard when that statement from HMRC drops through the letterbox. Income tax is exactly what it says it is,  i.e. a tax on income from whatever the source of that income may be, except for certain benefits if you are eligible. Though those who have to pay tax are the ‘lucky’ ones because it means their income is above the measly personal allowance, although it doesn’t feel that way sometimes. At one time tax on all bank interest was deducted at source with the net amount being credited to our accounts. Now it is paid gross with a personal allowance of £1k so a lot of people were relieved of the burden but it has to be declared. ISA interest has never been taxed but savings are limited to £20k per year. There are perfectly legal ways we can mitigate the tax obligation on our savings, one of them being Premium Bonds but you have to have a substantial number of them to have any chance of a regular return. There is a limit of £50k per person but there is nothing to stop you putting anything above this in your wife’s name and having the winnings paid into your bank account. It has to be a spouse as I understand it because otherwise you would be liable to Capital Transfer Tax. I know I have digressed and I expect you know all of this and if I am wrong I hope a more knowledgeable person will add to my education. Maybe I should change my accountant? lol!

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Beware “Proof of delivery”

Was expecting a delivery from another site a few days ago. Kept checking on the “Track your order” button and was surprised to note “Delivered” box. Checked the proof button to find a photo of a bright orange packet on my doorstep. Time I was  checking was 2.30 pm. Delivery time was 12.15pm. Problem being, not only was the parcel in obvious sight, less than 10ft (3 and a bit mtrs.) from a public footpath but at the time of delivery I was less than the same distance, inside my house, from the delivery person who obviously had an aversion to either knock on the door OR, ring the doorbell.

Yesterday, a parcel “Delivered” to a colleague, from me, described as “Left outside Garage door”

 

Regards  Ian.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Circlip, so what is your seller going to do and in law what is the legal position of ‘delivered’, anyone know exactly? Has anyone challenged this type of ‘delivered’ in court when they didn’t receive an item? In my mind leaving an item outside a property isn’t delivered if it goes missing.

Tony

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Royal Mail were entrusted to deliver a package, nothing arrived, and after a few days I asked my postman. He made enquiries and it was delivered by his colleague a few days earlier, a meaningless photo of my drive under the front of my landrover was proof. No card telling of the delivery was left ! Postie and I looked and could see nothing ! filed a non delivery claim, got refund. 6 months later a wet and ruined package was found under a rose bush. That the part was not as shown, a cheap copy of what I had ordered made me feel better as it would have been returned anyway !

How this new scheme will work in such circumstances will be interesting. Noel

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Similar story for me, post man scanned parcel to say they had delivered it. No photo or anything. That same day my wife had been handed three parcels, when there should have been four.</p>
All I got was well she says it’s been delivered so there’s nothing we can do, have you asked your neighbours or looked in the bins.

I did all those checks but to no avail. Post Office still insisted it had been delivered.

Seller on eBay sent a new item and didn’t claim as it was more trouble than it was worth.

Not sure how it would be if I was sending a one off item and it got undelivered.

Mick

[Author]

Posts