How much postage should you pay when buying off ebay?

What should you charge for delivery when listing an item for sale?

How do you claim for compensation if an item never arrived or was damaged during transit?

This guide is designed to answer these questions and help those who are new to ebay (both buyers and sellers) to make it an easy and rewarding experience.

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Buyers shouldn't need to pay over the top for postage, but obviously when purchasing from an ebay seller you are unlikely to pay the exact same price charged by Royal Mail for delivery because the seller will have to pay listing fees to ebay as well as a percentage of the final selling price to Paypal (if used) and in most cases they will cover this added expense within their postage costs.

In addition there are packaging expenses to take into account and some sellers also charge extra handling fees to cover electricity, internet connection and petrol/diesel when travelling to their nearest Post Office.

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There are certain things a seller can do to keep their costs down such as using recycled packaging where possible like old newspaper/magazines or even scrunched-up supermarket carrier bags to protect items contained within the parcel rather than expensive bubble-wrap and polystyrene. However they shouldn't scrimp on packaging, particularly on items that can easily be damaged so a buyer should take this into account if querying the cost of postage.

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That said, it is extremely annoying to receive an item that has cost a considerable amount less for the seller to send than what you were charged.

For example, I recently purchased a pair of baby's soft pram shoes and queried the postage price (before bidding) that was specified in the listing (£3.95). The seller admitted that it was an error and revised the listing to show the new postage price (now £2.75). However, when the shoes were received a few days later they had been sent by 2nd Class Large Letter rate and had cost just 48p. Even taking into account the additional costs that the seller may have incurred, an extra £2.27 on top in my opinion is a little bit excessive!

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I think it would be fair to say that no more than a £1 is a fair 'handling charge' to be added to the actual postage cost for the vast majority of items such as those that can just be popped into a jiffy-bag (like CD's/DVD's) or plastic postal bags (ideal for items of clothing). Additional but reasonable charges could be expected where items such as china/glassware require more protection. 

I myself now send virtually everything that I sell by first class recorded delivery (due to the high number of claims I have had in the past for non-delivery which has now fallen to virtually none), and calculate my postage costs as follows:

ACTUAL weight of item (eg. 220g = Royal Mail's 1st class rate of £1.45) + 72p Royal Mail's STANDARD charge for Recorded Delivery + 50p (my own handling charge).  

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At the end of the day, everyone has their own views on this matter and it's obviously up to the individuals involved in each transaction as to whether they are happy or not with the terms of the listing. This guide was written for the benefit of buyers and sellers alike and is not intended to offend anybody!

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My own personal advice to any potential buyer is to check the postage costs before you bid. If none are specified then contact the seller for a quote. Some sellers (like myself) send most of their items by Royal Mail's 'RECORDED DELIVERY' service which requires a signature upon receipt of delivery. This does however cost an additional 72p on top of the postage rate (RM's service charge - not the seller's!), so please take this into account before complaining about the postage costs.

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Avoid any 'rip-off' auctions or 'buy it nows' that offer an item at 99p for example with a postage charge of £19.99! This is simply because the seller is trying to avoid paying listing fees to ebay and should therefore be reported by using the link at the bottom of the item page as it is a breach of ebay's policies designed to protect their members.

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Sellers may find it a good idea to weigh items that they are listing for sale on a pair of kitchen or bathroom scales to give them a good indication of what they will cost to post. After all you don't want to end up out of pocket by charging too little, but at the same time you don't want to 'put off' potential bidders by making your charges too excessive!

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ROYAL MAIL'S POSTAGE RATES EFFECTIVE FROM 7TH APRIL 2008

SMALL PACKET RATE - FIRST & SECOND CLASS (UK ONLY)

Small packet rate is what most sellers will generally use to send their parcels as it covers items that measure over 353mm (length) x 250mm (width) x 25mm (depth) or approximately 14" (L) x 8" (W) x 1" (D). Any packages that are smaller than this can be sent at the less expensive 'LARGE LETTER' rate.

                    Small Packet Weight          First Class               Second Class

                        100g                                £1.14                            £0.95

                        250g                                £1.45                            £1.24

                        500g                                £1.94                            £1.63

                        750g                                £2.51                            £2.08

                      *1kg*                                £3.08                            £2.49

                      1.25kg                               £4.30                             N/A

                       1.5kg                                £5.00                             N/A

                      1.75kg                               £5.70                             N/A

                        2kg                                  £6.40                             N/A

                        4kg                                  £8.22                             N/A

Each additional 2kg (or part) costs an extra £2.80

*Maximum weight for sending items by 2nd class is 1kg*

RECORDED DELIVERY

If you need proof that your item has been delivered the cheapest way to do this is to use the 'RECORDED DELIVERY' service for both 1st and 2nd class mail. This costs an additional 72p on top of the price specified above and will mean that the item needs to be signed for upon receipt. In addition you will be able to track it's delivery status by inputting the tracking number on Royal Mail's website - very handy if a buyer is claiming that they haven't received their purchase! 

STANDARD PARCELS

This service is likely to be used as a cheaper alternative for sending larger, more heavier items. However, the service is a little slower - usually items will be received within 3-5 working days from sending.

Parcel Weight                         Price

      2kg                                    £4.20

     4kg                                    £6.85

     6kg                                    £9.30

      8kg                                    £11.40

     10kg                                  £12.24

     20kg                                  £14.26

ENHANCED COMPENSATION

Royal Mail's 1st and 2nd class service and standard parcel service covers you for loss or damage of your item up to the value of £34 currently.

You can pay for enhanced compensation up to the value of £500 as detailed below:

LEVEL 1 - Compensation up to the value of £100 - COST £1.00

LEVEL 2 - Compensation up to the value of £250 - COST £2.25

LEVEL 3 - Compensation up to the value of £500 - COST £3.50

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A QUICK WORD OF ADVICE FOR BUYERS AND SELLERS ABOUT CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION

It is important for sellers to retain proof of posting receipts until the buyer has received their item safely in case a claim needs to be made against Royal Mail.

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Royal Mail will not start searching for an item of mail considered 'lost' until after 15 working days from the date of sending (UK). For mail sent overseas a period of 25 days must have elapsed before a claim can be registered.

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When submitting a claim form for lost or damaged items sold/purchased on ebay, you will be required to include a copy of the original proof of posting receipt as well as documentation detailing the ebay listing transaction number and actual price paid for the item. The easiest way of providing this is to enclose a print-out of the final auction page. Also required is a copy of the PAYPAL transaction if this method of payment was used. The claim form itself can be obtained from your local Post Office or downloaded from their website.

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PLEASE NOTE: Royal Mail will only compensate the value of the price paid for the 'missing' item plus the ACTUAL postage cost (UK only) as shown on the proof of posting receipt (but only if claimed). They will not reimburse for a seller's additional handling fees. Royal Mail DO NOT reimburse shipping costs for 'lost' items posted overseas unless a trackable service has been used which is unfortunately VERY costly.

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If an item arrives damaged it is important that the buyer retains the packaging as Royal Mail are likely to request to see it in order for them to establish that it was sent securely wrapped and protected in the first place. Sellers may want to add wording to this effect at the bottom of their listings to advise their customers and to cover themselves in the event of a problem.

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Certain items are excluded from Royal Mail's standard insurance cover unless sent by 'SPECIAL DELIVERY' such as ceramics and glassware. Check at your local Post Office or online if you need further advice.

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  Some seller's specify that 'they will not be held accountable for items that are lost/damaged during transit'. Obviously a seller cannot be held responsible for problems that occur once an item is dispatched, however most will be only be too happy at the very least to provide a buyer with a 'proof of postage' receipt in order for them to submit a claim if something goes wrong.

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Royal Mail virtually always contact both parties involved in a claim for compensation for verification purposes in an attempt to combat fraud - so beware!

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Other services are also available from Royal Mail for sending items that are deemed urgent or extra valuable including 'NEXT DAY' and 'SPECIAL DELIVERY'. Another option is to use a reputable courier service all of which have their own specific rates. 

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THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY GUIDE AND I HOPE THAT IT WAS OF INTEREST TO YOU. IF YOU FOUND THE INFORMATION HELPFUL IN ANY WAY I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD CLICK ON THE 'YES' BUTTON BELOW.

THANKS AGAIN AND HAPPY EBAYING!