Had to refund for 2 missing parcels - is it really worth it?

[Podrick]

I just sold a few items of childrenswear this autumn. 15 items sold and 10 did not, even after 2 tries. Of the sold items, 2 apparently went missing in the post. With the new ebay rules favouring buyers I don't have confidence that they actually DID go missing - suspect they were just reported missing as a con - they were £20 items, the best priced items I sold. Taking this into account it was in no way worth selling things on ebay this time around.

I used to ebay a lot of things but normally sold more items and they made higher prices, and very very rarely did anything ever go missing. I am thinking it is just no longer worth the effort, I may as well give everything away. I have always given away half and sold the other half but ebay seems a dead duck now - postal charges are so high and missing parcels are happening so much. Does anyone else feel the same?

I certainly wouldn't bother selling children's clothes on there - I have bought quite a few children's clothes on ebay and never paid more than the list price of about 99p for them. Great for me but must be very frustrating for the sellers .

Think I will just give mine away.

Still use ebay for larger things - just sold a futon on there - but there are soooo many baby things on there that it is a buyers' market.

Shame.

I used to sell about £1,000 worth of old clothes a year or more. I honestly think it is no longer worth the trouble as I am going to go to the same effort for £100 and a lot of grief

The only thin I sell in there is the DC's mini Boden stuff as that is still selling well, agree about the ball being entirely in the buyers court.

If over £30 I send recorded, if not I think the postage will be prohibitively high

I sold lots of dcs clothes a couple of months ago. Most of them went for the 99p start price. Lots of people havent even left feedback.

TBH, I dont feel that ebay is worth selling clothes on anymore. And I always send recorded too.

You can still get your money back though for the missing parcels from RM - no reason to be out of pocket. I send parcels almost daily and they rarely go missing.

How do you get your money back if parcels gone missing Bubblerock? I tried claiming and Royal Mail said "tough, you didn't use recorded"

I have sold about 1,000 with maybe 1 gone missing, then 2 go missing from 15 and potentially more for all I know from this batch as I have had no feedback for Parties / celebrations : Party bags for 9 year old boys? ( 2 messages. Latest 31 Aug 09, 9:48:01 PM)
SixtyFootDoll 31 Aug 09, 9:48:01 PM DS is9 Into WWF wrestling, Dr WhoHarry Potter, Spongebob, Th
Podrick 31 Aug 09, 9:16:00 PM What is cool for this age... Transformers?
several of them still. I think it is because buyers can now say stuff was never received and insist on a refund with no comeback for sellers.

Oops sorry about that post ... Am postng from my phone!

Proof of posting is free and then you are covered up to about £39. Just ask for pop at po. They'll either write the postcode on printed receipt or hand write you a special receipt.

Then if go missing send off with a form and you do get your money back - you can even claim compensation if parcel takes way over the time to deliver - I got a book of 12 1st class stamps I think!

Yep - as Mspontipine says, always get proof of postage whatever you send then you are covered. Don't let it put you off selling good items, I think you were just unlucky and if you are covered next time by pop then you have no worries.

On balance, I still think it's worth selling on Ebay, even if it is small items. Our kids wardrobes constantly seem to be full of outgrown items, anything that is in good enough condition to sell I ebay, everything else goes in the humana clothes box.

My dh always thinks I spend far too much time and effort listing/selling/posting etc for such little reward as a lot of things only realise a few pounds profit after fees. Way I see it though, is lots of little sales will eventually amount to £50 in our paypal pot, I then move this to our bank account and use to pay gas, electricity, you name it! I am a sahm, have never found anything that fitted in around our family life so decluttering on ebay, even if we don't make much, still helps. We buy a fair amount too, I hate shopping with a passion so love the ease of having stuff delivered. Must say though, I get a shock when I do go shopping in M&S and the like and see 'real' prices!

I always get a pop - have just submitted 2 claims to Royal Mail so will see if they pay up. Tbh even if they pay up the time and bother of issuing refunds and filling in claim forms is simply not worth it to me.

I think local charity shops railings are about to start creaking with my dd's outgrown clothes!

Podrick what age is your daughter alot of us have daughters and would buy on here in for sale bit

I hadn't thought of that! My dd is 10 alrhough on the small side. Perhaps I should investigate picture trail!

Thanks for the idea