Help needed please!

[OrangeBeehive]

Hi all,

Sorry to post in chat but a little eBay advice needed!

I've sold a bulky, expensive, collection-only item on eBay. Buyer has paid via PayPal and wants to send a courier to collect it (I was hoping they'd live a bit nearer so they could collect themselves, but they're at the other side of the country!) The courier would be paid for by them.

I already know from posting on Chat that I've been really stupid here - is there any way this sale can go ahead without me potentially ending up out of pocket?

Options could be - arranging for courier and insurance myself and asking buyer to pay the cost?

Refusing to permit courier unless buyer arranges insurance through courier?

Refunding and relisting - would I get negative feedback as buyer has already paid?

The buyer has 100% positive feedback going back years and may well be perfectly honest, but i can't risk losing out here.

Thank you!

[coreyp]

How much did it sell for, how heavy is it.
My feeling is that you arrange the courier with enough insurance & bill buyer for it. Doesn't seem complicated...

[butterflygirl15]

refund and ask for bank transfer or cash if they arrange the courier or collect themselves. Or ask them to paypal you the extra and sort the courier yourself.

If you are relisting you need to send a cancellation request to get your fees back.

And all buyers have 100% feedback - it means nothing.

[Stubbed]

Next time put cash on collection only, no couriers in your listing.

Because if you are going to send by courier you should list it as such, you would get more buyers

[OrangeBeehive]

Thanks both - butterfly I've followed your advice, but haven't offered to arrange the courier. Just said either bank transfer or cash is needed instead of PayPal if buyer isn't collecting in person, and advised her to take out insurance and tell the courier how she wants it packing and storing. Which I think is reasonable given the auction stated collection in person!

[OrangeBeehive]

Stubbed lesson learned re. Cash on collection, I thought PayPal was better as it's a large sum of money (over £500) and it would reduce the risk of time wasters. But didn't realise there was then a risk to me!

[lljkk]

Is it fragile & really hard to courier safely?
If you are going to send by courier, then payment by paypal should be safe

[baabi]

Over £500!!! I would never accept that amount by PayPal, specially on a collection item. The potential for something to go wrong is high and is way too much money to loose. If I were you I would refund and insist on cash on collection after their examine the item and are happy with its condition or bank transfer and arrange courrier myself. You need to request a cancellation to get your fees back. If they don't agree to it you may risk negative feedback and loosing your fees but I much prefer that then risk loosing money and item. They might agree to travel for collection. I live in Manchester and had people travel from all over, including Cornwall, to collect items.

[OrangeBeehive]

ll I wouldn't say so, it's an electric adjustable bed though so could easily break?

On the other thread I was told that not only would the buyer get a refund from me if it was damaged (as it's paid for through PayPal) they would also be able to claim damages from the courier!

Hopefully it's all sorted now. Have refunded PayPal and buyer is going to investigate hiring a van to collect. If they go ahead, we'll sort money via another method that won't screw me over if anything goes wrong, if they don't, I'll relist (and include "no couriers" in big letters!)

Glad I asked here first!

[OrangeBeehive]

Baabi great minds, we must have posted at the same time. I've done pretty much what you said - already refunded PayPal, buyer getting back to me about how they want to proceed!

[lljkk]

Glad the buyer understands. Anything that costs that much, unless from a pro-seller, should probably be inspected upon collection anyway.