No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics

Home Business Magazine Online

Until 2011, companies in need of delivery services had a variety of options but little variation. The last-mile logistics companies operating at that time offered basically the same type of service for approximately the same fee. Some were known to specialize in certain areas, such as international deliveries, but no player in the industry would have been considered disruptive.

Then Postmates appeared and launched a movement that revolutionized last-mile logistics. Postmates showed that crowdsourced delivery was a viable business model and opened the door for Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and other companies to make last-mile logistics more accessible and affordable by leveraging the gig economy.

In the decade that followed the appearance of Postmates, crowdsourced delivery services had a significant influence on conventional last-mile logistics companies. The following are some last-mile logistics innovations that emerged from the crowdsourced delivery movement.

Mobile ordering

Mobile apps are the foundation of the crowdsourcing movement. They empower the network that connects drivers with customers who need their services, democratizing access to last-mile logistics.

The value that apps added to last-mile logistics inspired every major delivery company to prioritize app-based access. Visit the FedEx website today and you are encouraged to use its mobile app to access “a more convenient way to ship and track.”

As mobile technology has advanced, the apps used in last-mile logistics have evolved to provide much more than just ordering capability. They provide real-time status updates, a portal for delivery instruction, picture proof of delivery, and more. Mobile technology has also been adopted as the tool delivery companies use to recruit, deploy, and update drivers.

Streamlined scaling

In essence, turning to crowdsourcing for delivery services allowed companies to meet their last-mile logistics needs without hiring any drivers. Rather, a network of independent contractors — who set their own schedules and pursued their own goals — provided the workforce needed to keep customers satisfied.

After pure crowdsourced companies like Postmates proved the approach’s viability, conventional companies leveraged it to create services like Amazon Flex. The approach allows companies to streamline their scaling process without taking on significant risk. When seasonal demands increase delivery volumes, driver rosters can quickly be expanded with the independent contractor model.

To gain access to drivers, however, companies using the independent contractor model also must now carefully consider their pay structures. Whereas traditional drivers were committed to a particular company and a preset salary, independent contractors may deliver for multiple companies and prioritize the assignments that pay the best. To consistently have access to the best drivers, companies utilizing the crowdsourcing model must offer competitive rates.

Driver ratings

User-generated ratings are a big part of crowdsourcing, as those who have used ride-sharing platforms know. They provide the motivation for independent contractors to provide excellent service.

When delivery companies began to embrace independent contractors to help with scaling, they also adopted the type of rating systems that crowdsourced delivery companies employed. It is a tool that allows them to differentiate drivers and prioritize those who will not detract from their brand image.

Enhanced transparency

Initially, price transparency was a problem in the crowdsourced delivery space. Studies conducted during the delivery boom sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic showed that many crowdsourced delivery platforms failed to provide clear breakdowns of the fees they were charging their users.

Today, however, transparent pricing has come to be seen as a value-added feature companies can offer to differentiate themselves from the competition. It’s common today to see statements about a company’s commitment to transparency among the other information it provides on its ordering platforms. Transparency in pay structures is also an essential component of attracting skillful drivers.

Price bidding

With conventional delivery services, delivery companies determine their fees based on a variety of factors and communicate them to potential customers. Most crowdsourced delivery platforms take the same approach. However, a new approach is emerging from the crowdsourcing space that makes pricing more dynamic.

Price bidding platforms allow those with delivery needs to pit delivery drivers against each other in an auction setting. Customers communicate their delivery needs and invite drivers to bid on the price they would charge to provide them. This approach not only gives more control to the customer but also supports the type of flexibility crowdsourced drivers appreciate.

Crowdsourced delivery services have had a dramatic impact on last-mile logistics, disrupting conventional models with an approach that promises better efficiency, flexibility, and affordability. To compete, industry leaders have allowed the core components of crowdsourcing to inform their business models. The result is a more innovative marketplace in which both companies and consumers have more options to meet their delivery needs.

The post The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/operations/role-crowdsourced-delivery-transforming-last-mile-logistics/

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics

Home Business Magazine Online

Until 2011, companies in need of delivery services had a variety of options but little variation. The last-mile logistics companies operating at that time offered basically the same type of service for approximately the same fee. Some were known to specialize in certain areas, such as international deliveries, but no player in the industry would have been considered disruptive.

Then Postmates appeared and launched a movement that revolutionized last-mile logistics. Postmates showed that crowdsourced delivery was a viable business model and opened the door for Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and other companies to make last-mile logistics more accessible and affordable by leveraging the gig economy.

In the decade that followed the appearance of Postmates, crowdsourced delivery services had a significant influence on conventional last-mile logistics companies. The following are some last-mile logistics innovations that emerged from the crowdsourced delivery movement.

Mobile ordering

Mobile apps are the foundation of the crowdsourcing movement. They empower the network that connects drivers with customers who need their services, democratizing access to last-mile logistics.

The value that apps added to last-mile logistics inspired every major delivery company to prioritize app-based access. Visit the FedEx website today and you are encouraged to use its mobile app to access “a more convenient way to ship and track.”

As mobile technology has advanced, the apps used in last-mile logistics have evolved to provide much more than just ordering capability. They provide real-time status updates, a portal for delivery instruction, picture proof of delivery, and more. Mobile technology has also been adopted as the tool delivery companies use to recruit, deploy, and update drivers.

Streamlined scaling

In essence, turning to crowdsourcing for delivery services allowed companies to meet their last-mile logistics needs without hiring any drivers. Rather, a network of independent contractors — who set their own schedules and pursued their own goals — provided the workforce needed to keep customers satisfied.

After pure crowdsourced companies like Postmates proved the approach’s viability, conventional companies leveraged it to create services like Amazon Flex. The approach allows companies to streamline their scaling process without taking on significant risk. When seasonal demands increase delivery volumes, driver rosters can quickly be expanded with the independent contractor model.

To gain access to drivers, however, companies using the independent contractor model also must now carefully consider their pay structures. Whereas traditional drivers were committed to a particular company and a preset salary, independent contractors may deliver for multiple companies and prioritize the assignments that pay the best. To consistently have access to the best drivers, companies utilizing the crowdsourcing model must offer competitive rates.

Driver ratings

User-generated ratings are a big part of crowdsourcing, as those who have used ride-sharing platforms know. They provide the motivation for independent contractors to provide excellent service.

When delivery companies began to embrace independent contractors to help with scaling, they also adopted the type of rating systems that crowdsourced delivery companies employed. It is a tool that allows them to differentiate drivers and prioritize those who will not detract from their brand image.

Enhanced transparency

Initially, price transparency was a problem in the crowdsourced delivery space. Studies conducted during the delivery boom sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic showed that many crowdsourced delivery platforms failed to provide clear breakdowns of the fees they were charging their users.

Today, however, transparent pricing has come to be seen as a value-added feature companies can offer to differentiate themselves from the competition. It’s common today to see statements about a company’s commitment to transparency among the other information it provides on its ordering platforms. Transparency in pay structures is also an essential component of attracting skillful drivers.

Price bidding

With conventional delivery services, delivery companies determine their fees based on a variety of factors and communicate them to potential customers. Most crowdsourced delivery platforms take the same approach. However, a new approach is emerging from the crowdsourcing space that makes pricing more dynamic.

Price bidding platforms allow those with delivery needs to pit delivery drivers against each other in an auction setting. Customers communicate their delivery needs and invite drivers to bid on the price they would charge to provide them. This approach not only gives more control to the customer but also supports the type of flexibility crowdsourced drivers appreciate.

Crowdsourced delivery services have had a dramatic impact on last-mile logistics, disrupting conventional models with an approach that promises better efficiency, flexibility, and affordability. To compete, industry leaders have allowed the core components of crowdsourcing to inform their business models. The result is a more innovative marketplace in which both companies and consumers have more options to meet their delivery needs.

The post The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/operations/role-crowdsourced-delivery-transforming-last-mile-logistics/

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

The post No More eBay Fees! appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Original source: https://www.moneymagpie.com/make-money/no-more-ebay-fees

The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics

Home Business Magazine Online

Until 2011, companies in need of delivery services had a variety of options but little variation. The last-mile logistics companies operating at that time offered basically the same type of service for approximately the same fee. Some were known to specialize in certain areas, such as international deliveries, but no player in the industry would have been considered disruptive.

Then Postmates appeared and launched a movement that revolutionized last-mile logistics. Postmates showed that crowdsourced delivery was a viable business model and opened the door for Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and other companies to make last-mile logistics more accessible and affordable by leveraging the gig economy.

In the decade that followed the appearance of Postmates, crowdsourced delivery services had a significant influence on conventional last-mile logistics companies. The following are some last-mile logistics innovations that emerged from the crowdsourced delivery movement.

Mobile ordering

Mobile apps are the foundation of the crowdsourcing movement. They empower the network that connects drivers with customers who need their services, democratizing access to last-mile logistics.

The value that apps added to last-mile logistics inspired every major delivery company to prioritize app-based access. Visit the FedEx website today and you are encouraged to use its mobile app to access “a more convenient way to ship and track.”

As mobile technology has advanced, the apps used in last-mile logistics have evolved to provide much more than just ordering capability. They provide real-time status updates, a portal for delivery instruction, picture proof of delivery, and more. Mobile technology has also been adopted as the tool delivery companies use to recruit, deploy, and update drivers.

Streamlined scaling

In essence, turning to crowdsourcing for delivery services allowed companies to meet their last-mile logistics needs without hiring any drivers. Rather, a network of independent contractors — who set their own schedules and pursued their own goals — provided the workforce needed to keep customers satisfied.

After pure crowdsourced companies like Postmates proved the approach’s viability, conventional companies leveraged it to create services like Amazon Flex. The approach allows companies to streamline their scaling process without taking on significant risk. When seasonal demands increase delivery volumes, driver rosters can quickly be expanded with the independent contractor model.

To gain access to drivers, however, companies using the independent contractor model also must now carefully consider their pay structures. Whereas traditional drivers were committed to a particular company and a preset salary, independent contractors may deliver for multiple companies and prioritize the assignments that pay the best. To consistently have access to the best drivers, companies utilizing the crowdsourcing model must offer competitive rates.

Driver ratings

User-generated ratings are a big part of crowdsourcing, as those who have used ride-sharing platforms know. They provide the motivation for independent contractors to provide excellent service.

When delivery companies began to embrace independent contractors to help with scaling, they also adopted the type of rating systems that crowdsourced delivery companies employed. It is a tool that allows them to differentiate drivers and prioritize those who will not detract from their brand image.

Enhanced transparency

Initially, price transparency was a problem in the crowdsourced delivery space. Studies conducted during the delivery boom sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic showed that many crowdsourced delivery platforms failed to provide clear breakdowns of the fees they were charging their users.

Today, however, transparent pricing has come to be seen as a value-added feature companies can offer to differentiate themselves from the competition. It’s common today to see statements about a company’s commitment to transparency among the other information it provides on its ordering platforms. Transparency in pay structures is also an essential component of attracting skillful drivers.

Price bidding

With conventional delivery services, delivery companies determine their fees based on a variety of factors and communicate them to potential customers. Most crowdsourced delivery platforms take the same approach. However, a new approach is emerging from the crowdsourcing space that makes pricing more dynamic.

Price bidding platforms allow those with delivery needs to pit delivery drivers against each other in an auction setting. Customers communicate their delivery needs and invite drivers to bid on the price they would charge to provide them. This approach not only gives more control to the customer but also supports the type of flexibility crowdsourced drivers appreciate.

Crowdsourced delivery services have had a dramatic impact on last-mile logistics, disrupting conventional models with an approach that promises better efficiency, flexibility, and affordability. To compete, industry leaders have allowed the core components of crowdsourcing to inform their business models. The result is a more innovative marketplace in which both companies and consumers have more options to meet their delivery needs.

The post The Role of Crowdsourced Delivery in Revolutionizing Last-Mile Logistics appeared first on Home Business Magazine.

Original source: https://homebusinessmag.com/management/operations/role-crowdsourced-delivery-transforming-last-mile-logistics/

No More eBay Fees!

If you like to sell your old clutter online, eBay fees used to eat into your profit. Not anymore! Now, you can sell fee-free across all categories except motor vehicles. This could save sellers a huge chunk of cash over time. eBay also announced further steps to make selling online for private sellers easier – here’s the lowdown.

What’s Changed at eBay

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

Remember HMRC Rules

 

What’s Changed at eBay

eBay first introduced fee-free selling for private sellers on their fashion categories earlier this year. The success of this trial means private sellers can now sell anything they want without fees (except cars, motorbikes, and vehicles). They have also taken several steps to improve the selling experience and safety for those who use the online auction site.

Simplified Selling

The selling process is now much easier than before, with AI-tools aiding sellers not only to find similar items for accurate pricing, but also to write descriptions and enhance photos with ease.

Simplified Delivery

How many times have you wanted to sell something on eBay but been put off by the postage process and costs? Now, sellers can use a tracked and fully insured delivery service at competitive rates – prepaid by the buyer, to make it easy to send. The buyer provides the information on their prepaid label for you, helping reduce the risk of seller error.

For local listings, eBay has improved its user experience to find listings only local to you available for collection, skipping the delivery costs altogether. The listings are still covered by eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, too.

eBay Balance

From mid-October, sellers will be able to use their eBay balance for their own purchases on the site. This simplifies the use of the site as a private seller and a buyer, especially as you can also use your eBay Balance for enhanced listings or to buy delivery labels, too.

How Much Could You Make with Your Clutter?

How long is a piece of string?! There are so many things you can sell on eBay that it’s easy to raise hundreds or even thousands of pounds from your unwanted stuff.

Things that sell particularly well are:

According to eBay, half of the UK’s households estimate they hold between £50 to £300 of unwanted items, with a quarter sitting on more than £500 of unused items that could make easy money on online auction. People who use eBay to clear their clutter say they do so to be more sustainable and reduce waste, make extra money, and clear extra space in their home.

Remember HMRC Rules

Remember that if you regularly sell items online, you will need to register for Self Assessment and declare your earnings each year to HMRC if you make more than £1000 a year.

This usually doesn’t apply if you are selling unwanted items from your own home, irregularly. However, if you decide to make a side business flipping thrifted items on eBay – which will require a business account on the auction site, too – you’ll need to register with HMRC.

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