topic Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :( in Selling

Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

purplerain55 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:23:22 GMT

No joke, it was apparently trialled from 17th May til 26th June and is now being implemented on all ebay sales. Some will still have the old checkout until it is fully implemented.

Buyers have no option to pay later, it is apparently to stop non paying buyers. But it is affecting sales big time. I've been on ebay for over 12 years and I was totally confused when I attempted to purchase 17 items from 1 seller, seller was happy to combine postage. But when I attempted to buy the items I found I had no choice but to pay for each item individually, so I didn't buy them. So how confused will new ebay shoppers be.

At the same time I had a buyer wanting to combine items from my ebay store and was having the same issue. So I phoned ebay about it, at first the ebay rep thought we were pressing the wrong buttons and eventually she informed me that this will be how the new checkout will be for everyone. The buyer has to pay individually including postage costs, if they don't pay there is no sale. The seller can then refund the overpaid postage and then the seller has to contact ebay for a credit on the fees for the overpaid/credited postage.

This sounds very complicated and it turned me off buying the 17 items I wanted to purchase, so how many other buyers are turning away because they don't like or don't understand the new checkout system.

Try it if you don't believe me, click on buy it now and you will see it takes you directly to the ebay checkout, there is no longer a COMMIT To BUY button, you either pay or there is no sale. It's to stop the non-paying buyers, but what about the buyers who want to buy lots of items and don't want to have to pay all those individual postage costs in the hope that the seller will refund the overpaid postage.

Hoping ALL buyers & Sellers that aren't happy with this new system will contact ebay to voice their opinions. I think it's promoting off ebay sales, buy 1 item contact the seller or buyer and do the rest of the deal another way. Not that I'm promoting off-ebay sales, but if I thought of it I guess all others will too.

Hoping Ebay will see some sense and revert back to the old checkout system. Maybe bring back the ability to NEG non-paying bidders to get rid of the time-wasters rather than fiddle with a system that has worked for over a decade.

No doubt there will be some that think this is a good idea, but if you actually try it as a buyer you will see how fumbled it is. On-line shopping should be as stream-lined as possible, having to pay and then wait for a refund is definitely not stream-lined.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

go-tazz — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:33:08 GMT

Use the cart function,(it's there for that purpose so you can buy multiple items from the same seller and get

their automatic postage discount or select request total from seller if they haven't set that up):

https://pages.ebay.com.au/help/pay/cart.html

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

collect247 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:08:31 GMT

That's why ebay are encouraging sellers to use free postage lol.

But as tazz said put the items into the cart and then request total from seller.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

davewil1964 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:26:32 GMT

... or contact the seller (as one of my regulars does, because they use the app) and get them to set up a listing for you.

I do BIN with best offer at way more than the items are worth. When the buyer makes the agreed offer, I accept. Easy.

I very much doubt what you are told is correct. That would mean that only Paypal payments are accepted, and they've already been down that road, with the consequence that other payment methods, if chosen by the seller, are available.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

treasuresgalore — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:27:18 GMT

Not as simple as that, the new option doesn't give you the option to ask for combined postage. I experienced it today, spent ages on the phone to ebay and the NEW WAY is to pay for all the individual postages even when in cart and then seller can refund overpaid postage.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

imastawka — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:50:39 GMT

And what about the 17, or whatever, times Paypal flagfall?

I don't think CS have a clue and just spouted the first thing that came to mind.

Gotta be a glitch

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

collect247 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:53:17 GMT

$5.10 that the seller won't be getting back then when it should only be $0.30 what a joke

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

digital*ghost — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 08:41:18 GMT

eBay have been ~~playing with~~, ~~or perhaps unable to fix the supposed glitch~~ "trialling" this for years, and honestly I have always wondered why it can't generate the same amount of swift, mass outrage and backlash amongst users that it deserved, which is on the same level as someone saying something like "the wage gap is a myth"* on Tumblr, because that would put a decent portion of the site's population in a meltdown.

It has appeared in various forms, eg when it first started happening, users couldn't even add multiple items to the cart (because the add to cart button was also removed). If site functionality was ok so it didn't constantly cause multiple, separate transactions, and/or FVF on postage wasn't involved I probably wouldn't have quietly seethed over it for the last few years (on other's behalf, because it has yet to have a massive effect on my sales, though I do get people making multiple payments).

CS always give a differernt answer as to why it's happening, so the only thing I feel you can take away for sure is that even if they're not doing it on purpose, they're in no rush to make the site inviting and useable to those who buy / sell multiple-item orders.

If anyone needs me, I'll be over here waiting for the day this storm can break >>

*I have no interest in sparking, or participating, in a debate on that topic.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

go-tazz — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 08:58:26 GMT

@eezipeezi888 wrote:
That's why ebay are encouraging sellers to use free postage lol.

With free postage there is no need for combined postage as far as eBay is concerned they make more

money on free postage as you can't reduce the postage.

I've had a few listings with free postage re-listing for a few weeks at $9.99,(today I changed them to $7.99

with $2 postage and sold 3 on this account and one on my other account).

Same total price but no sales until I included postage,(so free postage didn't work for those),

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

lyndal1838 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 09:26:35 GMT

Digi I would have joined the mass outrage.....if it had happened to me.

I buy quite a lot using the Cart, especially when I can add up to 10 items to take advantage of discount vouchers. I have NEVER had an occasion when I was unable to buy unless I paid for each item immediately. It would be a deal breaker and unless I had dealt with the seller on a regular basis I would not trust them to refund any overpaid postage.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

purplerain55 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:04:04 GMT

Exactly my point IT IS A DEAL BREAKER and unfortunately it is happening to many sellers. Lucky for you if it's not happening to you.

The ebay rep I spoke to had no idea what was wrong to start with, she thought (as most people think) that we were dimwits pressing the wrong buttons, but then when she asked someone else in the office she read it out to me all about the 'trial' and 'implementation date being 26th June'. She obviously had only just found out about it herself, but it is happening, it is shocking and it is disgusting.

Don't burry your heads in the sand and think it will all go away, I almost lost a sale today due to it & the seller I was buying from almost lost a sale today too, but thankfully you can still send combined invoices direct from Paypal.

I've since bought a different item from a totally different seller and same thing happened it went straight to the checkout, no 'commit to buy button', no 'continue shopping' button just pay now or no sale. I only wanted the 1 item so it was fine, just letting you know that out of the 4 sellers I bought from today, only 1 had the good old fashioned checkout system where I could 'continue shopping' and 'request total from seller'. I guess as the weeks roll on there'll be more complaints and then I may be believed.

Just thought everyone should know about it, when your sales slow down just think it could be because your buyer couldn't work out the new ebay checkout system. Not every buyer will contact their seller to let them know they're having difficulties, but when they do remember this thread when they say they can't buy items and wait for you to combine an invoice, they're telling the truth and they're not idiots that don't know what they're doing, it's ebay has changed the checkout system believe it or not!!

The ebay rep said it is what ebay sellers want and it's to stop the non-paying buyers. So if you're an ebay seller and it's not what you want, let ebay know before it's too late. Just my opinion, I'll leave it at that as I realize I'm not being believed. all the best to all of you.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

lyndal1838 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:23:03 GMT

@purplerain55 wrote:
Exactly my point IT IS A DEAL BREAKER and unfortunately it is happening to many sellers. Lucky for you if it's not happening to you.
I am a buyer only and have not had any problems buying through the Cart.....no immediate payment in sight.

The ebay rep I spoke to had no idea what was wrong to start with, she thought (as most people think) that we were dimwits pressing the wrong buttons, but then when she asked someone else in the office she read it out to me all about the 'trial' and 'implementation date being 26th June'. She obviously had only just found out about it herself, but it is happening, it is shocking and it is disgusting.

Don't burry your heads in the sand and think it will all go away, I almost lost a sale today due to it & the seller I was buying from almost lost a sale today too, but thankfully you can still send combined invoices direct from Paypal.
I am definitely not burying my head in the sand....if it was happening to me I would be the first to come here and complain but I am certainly not going to complain about something that I have not had happen.

I've since bought a different item from a totally different seller and same thing happened it went straight to the checkout, no 'commit to buy button', no 'continue shopping' button just pay now or no sale. I only wanted the 1 item so it was fine, just letting you know that out of the 4 sellers I bought from today, only 1 had the good old fashioned checkout system where I could 'continue shopping' and 'request total from seller'. I guess as the weeks roll on there'll be more complaints and then I may be believed.
A lot of sellers are opting to use the Immediate Payment option to try and reduce the non paying bidders. This is the individual seller's choice and nothing to do with ebay.

Just thought everyone should know about it, when your sales slow down just think it could be because your buyer couldn't work out the new ebay checkout system. Not every buyer will contact their seller to let them know they're having difficulties, but when they do remember this thread when they say they can't buy items and wait for you to combine an invoice, they're telling the truth and they're not idiots that don't know what they're doing, it's ebay has changed the checkout system believe it or not!!
If ebay had changed the system I am sure there would have been a notification....I have not seen anything at all.

The ebay rep said it is what ebay sellers want and it's to stop the non-paying buyers. So if you're an ebay seller and it's not what you want, let ebay know before it's too late. Just my opinion, I'll leave it at that as I realize I'm not being believed. all the best to all of you.
Yes, the ebay rep was right....Immediate Payment is to stop non paying bidders and it is constantly being advised on the boards when members come here asking how to reduce the non payers.
It is not being implemented by ebay on all sellers.

I currently have 19 items in my Cart waiting to be paid for and not one of them came up as immediate payment. I would not buy any of then if I had to pay immediately as I want to take advantage of the current discount voucher.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

zanadoo_56 — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:40:20 GMT

Perhaps that explains why I clicked to buy one item then decided to see if the seller had the item in another colour which they did. So I clicked to buy that one as well.

I looked at the seller's other products a bit further, then went back to My eBay and scanned down to where I expect to see a Pay Now notice for both items. There was nothing. My two items were not combined....in fact there was no record of them at all. What the?

So.....I treked back to the seller's page, found the items again and put them in the cart. I already had two items pending in the cart (different seller) because I am waiting for an answer to a question I've asked before proceeding with the puurchase. I rarely use the cart because I tend to get the orders mixed up when it comes to adding messages, but I could see in this case I had no choice re the second purchase.

Honestly, I'd like to say what I truly think about eBay, the random glitches (if that's what happened in my case) and their so-called improvements but those words aren't allowed on the boards.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

treasuresgalore — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:40:24 GMT

Seller I spoke to was just as P'd as I was as he definitely had not made the individual choice for buyers to pay immediately.

The way ebay is working for you is how it should work. Unfortunately ebay are taking away that ease of buying and selling and complicating it.

One would think that ebay should notify all of us of all changes, that is why I was so horrified when I found out today.

But then again I could be imagining it, and I guess I really shouldn't complain if it's not happening to everyone.

Love and peace

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

digital*ghost — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:44:28 GMT

@lyndal1838 wrote:
Digi I would have joined the mass outrage.....if it had happened to me.
I buy quite a lot using the Cart, especially when I can add up to 10 items to take advantage of discount vouchers. I have NEVER had an occasion when I was unable to buy unless I paid for each item immediately. It would be a deal breaker and unless I had dealt with the seller on a regular basis I would not trust them to refund any overpaid postage.

I actually (technically) have to on the other site, otherwise I risk being shut down permanently. There's nothing that would actually officially impel me to on a case by case basis, but I have written it into my shop policies that postage excesses of $X or more will be refunded, and it's a site TOU that I uphold my shop policies. This is actually only applicable to overseas customers, though, because I do flat rate postage for Aussies.

I spent forever on trying to come up with a viable postage charge using their system because all you can do is enter a P&H cost on an item, then enter an separate cost if it was being sent with another item. It's so ridiculously simplified and impossible to tailor to my actual needs (which ideally would be weight-based) and purchases can't be made if payment isn't made so I can't do post-sale invoicing to combine etc, either.

The reason I mention this is because when you are faced with having to work with a less than ideal system, you have no choice but to simplify how you do things (in other words, if something becomes impossible, there's no point dwelling on what can't be done, you just have to work with what can be done, which I think a lot of people on eBay find to be a stumbling block. Or, TL;DR - immediate payment required would be fine for the vast majority, if they thought about it and used other tools available to provide the same kinds of final costings / revenue. (On the perpetual proviso that the site functioned as intended, and consistently.... which is something that sadly actually sounds preposterous. o_O ).

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

bluebudgies — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:56:46 GMT

Ebay doesn't need to implement this to stop non-payers. The option is already there to tick the immediate payment button if that's what a seller wants.

If they are indeed making all sales immediate payment, they'll need to employ a LOT more staff to handle the phone calls from sellers claiming their excess postage fees back.

And what does a seller do when a buyer buys two items with tracked postage and pays for them separately? To be covered by the tracking they need to post them in separate parcels and not combine them.

Personally, I think it's just another fairy story made up by an ebay staff member who has come up with their own explanation for one of ebay's many glitches. I certainly hope this is the case!

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

*tippy*toes* — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 16:26:31 GMT

I guess it's lucky I run auctions then. No problems sending multiple invoices yesterday to combine postage and no issues with payment.

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

bigbrickshop — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:06:30 GMT

From what I have read eBay is gradually changing sellers over to the new system. It appears that if you offer PayPal only as a payment method then your listings will be changed to immediate payment required. Do you offer other payment methods?

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2017/7/1499567926.html

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

brerrabbit585 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 01:25:53 GMT

Does that article relate to ebay in the US or everywhere? I ask because the moderator said they tested it "a ways back" and that's definitely an American expression!

Re: Buyers now have to pay individually for each item, no more combining invoices :(

collect247 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 01:32:12 GMT

By the looks of that web site it's USA