DOZENS of eBay users have been unable to list items on the secondhand website after it updated its app.
The eBay app was updated on April 7 and from now on certain features will no longer be supported.
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Among them are certain business policies, which are the payment, postage and return details for buyers.
Business policies are important as they let a buyer know how to pay the seller, how long it will take to post an item, the delivery options they offer and if they accept returns.
Rather than setting their preferences on these for each listing, sellers can create a template which can be applied to new and existing listings.
Among the business policies that have been removed are the ability to set a handling time of more than three days, add a subtitle and use the Gallery Plus feature to view larger photos.
But the update has caused confusion for sellers, who have been left unable to list items using the eBay app.
Sellers have said that when they try to post an item they are met with the message “complete your listing on a web browser to apply your business policies”.
Several have taken to the eBay community forum to voice their confusion.
One seller said: “I wonder if anyone else has encountered this… I’m on the eBay iPhone (iOS) app, and I find a listing that I want to use to ‘sell one like this’.
“When I click on the button that says ‘sell one like this,’, I get the following message on my phone:
‘Complete your listing on a web browser to apply your business policies.’
“I’m able to complete the listing on a web browser window that opens on my phone.
“Up until now, I’ve been able to do this using the app, without any redirection to a browser.
“This is now happening, regardless of what sort of change I want to make to any existing listing.”
Another user said: “Why won’t the app permit me to list… Keep getting a screen telling me to complete my listing on a web browser.”
How to spot valuable items
COMMENTS by Consumer Editor, Alice Grahns:
It’s easy to check if items in your attic are valuable.
As a first step, go on eBay to check what other similar pieces, if not the same, have sold for recently.
Simply search for your item, filter by “sold listings” and toggle by the highest value.
This will give you an idea of how much others are willing to pay for it.
The method can be used for everything ranging from rare coins and notes to stamps, old toys, books and vinyl records – just to mention a few examples.
For coins, online tools from change experts like Coin Hunter are also helpful to see how much it could be worth.
Plus, you can refer to Change Checker’s latest scarcity index update to see which coins are topping the charts.
For especially valuable items, you may want to enlist the help of experts or auction houses.
Do your research first though and be aware of any fees for evaluating your stuff.
As a rule of thumb, rarity and condition are key factors in determining the value of any item.
You’re never guaranteed to make a mint, however.
The issue could be related to changes to Simple Delivery shipping, which came into force from April 7.
An eBay spokesperson said: “Users impacted by this change will still be able to use business policies when listing through their web browser, but if they would prefer to list using the app, they can disable business policies in My eBay.
“The policies set on their existing listings will not be affected. We expect this to impact a minority of users.”
What should I do if I am affected?
If you are affected then report the issue to eBay on your desktop by clicking the question mark icon in the lower right of the page.
You can also report it by shaking your phone while using the eBay app.
When contacting customer support you should quote the reference ALERT15875.
You may be able to disable your existing business policies in My eBay.
To do this, first hover over the My eBay section in the upper right of the screen.
Click summary, then the Account tab.
Next scroll down until you see Business Policies on the left under the Selling section.
Click on Business Policies, then opt out on the far right.
Click opt out for now and follow any steps provided by eBay.
What other changes has eBay made?
Ebay has made a huge update to its delivery options which will affect buyers and sellers.
Private sellers can now only list items on eBay using Simple Delivery.
The service was also applied to eligible listings from April 7.
The change could make it harder for sellers to choose which courier they want to deliver items to their buyer.
Ebay said the service will be an “all-in-one delivery solution” that will remove hassle and save customers money.
It said sellers will save 20% on postage costs due to competitive rates with couriers such as Royal Mail and Evri.
It also said the change will speed up the payment process, which will mean sellers receive their profit faster.
The change means that when listing an item, eBay will recommend the size and weight of it.
The seller must then confirm this information is correct before they can post it.
Once the item is sold the seller will get a QR code and prepaid print label.
The seller then needs to take the item to their nearest courier location or can book a home collection.
But sellers have said they will need to travel further to drop items at courier points, which will complicate the process.
Meanwhile, some sellers have said that the Post Office would not accept parcels with Simple Delivery postage labels.
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