NEVER accept Paypal for collection items. A timely reminder.

[SistersOfPercy]

With Christmas approaching and some of you clearing out larger items I feel it's worthwhile reminding those who perhaps don't use eBay so often why accepting Paypal for collection items is a bad idea.

To fulfil Paypal's seller protection you need to prove an item has been delivered. Without this you won't win any 'Item not received' case levelled against you. Proving this is done via entering a valid tracking number into the dispute console. Valid numbers come from Hermes, Collect+, Royal Mail etc. Not Bob down the road with a van sadly.

When you accept Paypal and the buyer collects you cannot prove it has been delivered. Yes, you can get your buyer to sign something but as above this will not satisfy Paypal so you'll still lose any case.

This has been a grey area of eBay for a while. They realise the danger involved in this and so don't tend to act on auctions that state 'Cash on Collection' only. Of course, if your buyer does pay via Paypal you do risk upsetting them and a neg and low stars when you refund.

When listing items for collection add the following to your listing:

Cash on Collection Only

No Couriers

A buyer will sometimes decide to ignore your auction wording and ask to send their own courier. As this could well be Bob down the road with a van this is also a bad idea so it's always worth adding in 'No Couriers'.


For those who don't know how the scam works...

wendy Advertises her Laptop on eBay. It sells for £500

Dave pays via Paypal and asks if he can collect as he/his brother/uncle/aunt etc are in the area tomorrow and can they collect it please.

Wendy thinks this is easier than packing it to post so agrees.

Laptop is collected.

Dave receives laptop, but goes to Paypal and opens a case for item not received. Wendy can't prove Dave collected it, she has no tracking number and only her word that Dave picked it up. Dave denies it was him and Paypal refund his £500. He now has both the £500 and the Laptop.

So, to reiterate...

NEVER accept anything other than cash for a collected item

Stay safe on eBay

[Mrscog]

Bumping because I didn't know this!

[summerwinterton]

and if they arrange their own courier you will have no tracking again, or it item damaged you cannot claim for the loss as you don't have the contract with the courier. so you will lose again.

[ICantSpellNoffink]

I already knew this (I am both cynical and smug) but I know it often catches people out so it a good reminder.

Also don't ever, ever agree to pay off eBay or Paypal however plausible the seller is and however amazing his feedback is.
Unless it's collection obviously.

[pilates]

Op, what if you get them to sign a receipt on collection of item?

[HeadDreamer]

I know this but you can't select no paypal. You can ask for no paypal in the description, cash on delivery etc. But people will still try to pay paypal. I've had it a few times. Luckily I've never had problems. What I've learned is to not sell expensive items on ebay. It doesn't matter for a £35 jumperoo or a £10 bumbo seat. I'll sell laptops and pushchairs on gumtree instead.

[HeadDreamer]

pilates signed form doesn't count. It specified from recognised couriers. But if you manage to put out a receipt that looks legal and binding, I think people won't try it on, maybe?

[HeadDreamer]

I guess what the OP is saying is if they pay by paypal, you refuse to hand over item. Isn't it? You refund their money and say 'cash only'?

[MediumBox]

you can still go to small claims court to get your money back.
but that is a pain in the arse.

[yeOldeTrout]

Meh, I have taken paypal for collection items with no regrets & I expect I will consider doing it again. But obviously good that should be an informed decision.

[TheOddity]

So weird. My friend told me this exact scenario happened to her dad and basically a big scary guy came round, collected laptop and the PayPal money magically disappeared as soon as he left with the laptop. 10 year old left with no laptop and no funds to replace it.

[SistersOfPercy]

Pilates nothing will satisfy Paypal other than a tracking number showing delivery. Even a photo of the buyer wouldn't cut it. A 'legal and binding' receipt would again mean nothing. Even posting a receipt tracked wouldn't work as the weights would be different and it could be proved.


If I've had a buyer pay with Paypal I have apologised and refunded and asked for cash. It isn't without risk, the buyer could leave negative feedback, but in all my years of doing this I've never had anyone object to it. In fact, when I've won a collection item in the past I've explained to my seller why I'm paying with cash and not paypal as they have requested.

You could go to small claims, but proving it could be difficult. David says he didn't collect it. How do you prove he did? Especially if he did indeed send someone else.

Its a very very tricky area which catches a lot of people out. In simplest terms it's just best to say 'cash on collection only'.

[SistersOfPercy]

oddity this time of year will bring them out. kid needs a laptop? Lets find someone who isn't as familiar with how Paypal works.

Weigh up what you are willing to lose. As head says a £10 Bumbo is probably worth the risk, but a £100 buggy? Not so much.

[pilates]

Thanks for the heads up Sisters.

[louloubelle2]

I don't get this. What's to stop someone sending someone to pay in cash saying the item hasn't been received? You've got even less proof then...?

[Mynameismummy]

I didn't know this! Thanks for posting.

[SistersOfPercy]

I don't get this. What's to stop someone sending someone to pay in cash saying the item hasn't been received? You've got even less proof then...?

You have the cash, they have the item. They can't raise a Paypal case because they haven't used it and raising an eBay case wouldn't work as they could see the item hasn't been paid for via Paypal.

[summerwinterton]

eBay cannot claim back a cash payment. But they can a paypal one.

I just wish eBay would close this blooming stupid flaw in the system and educate people that they should never take Paypal unless they have online proof of delivery. Most people are ignorant to it through no fault of their own and will be ripped off. There was a Mumsnetter years ago who lost £400 plus on a mobile this way. Luckily with lots of advice and help Paypal actually gave her back the money. The system is utterly flawed and the victims are sellers who just don't realise.

[Landoni112]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am in the middle of this problem at the moment. I have sold a rug Cash on Collection only, received Paypal payment, refunded and reminded buyer it was cash on collection only, they were fine with it.
The rug is being collected tomorrow, but when I go onto ebay it still states the buyer has paid, but not that I have refunded the buyer. My paypal balance shows the refund.
Can anyone advise me that I will not have to refund the buyer again if they claim they didn't receive the rug after collecting it.
Ps the buyer seems genuine, but only has 1 feedback.

[summerwinterton]

no - if you have refunded then they need to pay cash when they collect. The buyer must have marked the item as paid within eBay. You will not be made to refund them twice if you refunded correctly. You did click on the payment itself and hit refund?

[Landoni112]

Hi summer, I can't remember how I refunded them...I might have just done it through my paypal account, I assumed it would be linked to ebay and when I originally checked I saw the arrow next to the £ sign on my ebay selling page, but that has now disappeared.

[summerwinterton]

as long as you refunded them correctly, and didn't send their money as a payment, then it is fine. If you log into paypal it will say refunded next to the payment if you have done it right.

[Landoni112]

Thanks Summer for putting my mind at rest, its does say refunded on paypal so hopefully I am covered, Thanks!