Buy it Now/best offer large item pick up only - brought at full price by someone miles away with furrin name- dodgy or not?

[Thandeka]

Nargh I am a total newbie to eBay selling (though quite the pro at buying!). Anyhow I listed a cross trainer as £150 or best offer. (properly expecting to get a best offer) I listed item as cash on collection (as thought that was safer than paypal but was I wrong?).

Anyhow just had someone buy it at full price (without making an offer) but they live several hours away (and will need a van for the item) so I am a bit bemused- no contact previously to arrange collection or whatever. They also are obviously foreign (and am trying to word this as delicately as I can because I know this will probably appear discriminatory but you do read all the stories about nigerian internet conmen etc so I am a bit wary but also don't want to be an ignorant bigot (as this last sentence may appear so NARGH! (and really really sorry if I have upset or offended anyone with last sentence I hasten to add- the name on its own wouldn't bother me in the slightest- its just the combination of no communication, the distance, the fullprice not making an offer that is making me wary of it being some kind of internet scam)

I don't think I can send an invoice as I wanted cash on collection - but can you send an invoice saying cash? I have emailed the seller about collection and no response just yet.

Does this sound dodgy or am I just being a nervy newbie seller? Any steps I can do to protect myself?

[lljkk]

When did they commit to purchase?

[mel1981]

cash on collection is best- as I found out a week or so ago on here. As supposingly people pay pay pal, collect and then say to ebay/pay pal that they never received the item as you have no proof they did (eg proof of posting receipt). So you will end up having to refund the money and they keep the item!!
I had someone once buy it now on an item when I eventually heard from him he ask me to drop it off!! somewhere he thought was local to me but was 1hr away by car (& I dont drive- so would of been 3 buses to get there with 2 kids) I told him quite abruptly no as it was collection only- he reluctantly collect 2 weeks later.
Not sure how long buyers have to collect/pay for an item. But if its been a few weeks I would threaten to open a dispute- they usually pay up or at least contact.

[thisisyesterday]

if it's cash on collection then i can't see that it would be a problem.
they turn up, give you the money, and take the item

perhaps they have family in the area, perhapos they'll be driving through, perhaps it was such a good price they're willing to drive that far?

[YanknCock]

It may be that the buyer didn't realise where you were. This has happened to me twice in the last few weeks where I sold something as collection only, and then the person who won turned out to be hours away. People just don't read carefully.

[Thandeka]

It was over the weekend while I was away so I probably should give him more time (I'm a dorky ebayer who pays the second I win an auction so I am daft and expect everyone to be the same- then again since I am not doing paypal he can't pay me but an email would be nice) he has only purchased three things before too on Ebay so maybe he isnt used to the ways of ebay.

So how long should I give him to make contact- a week? I have emailed him to make contact.

[YanknCock]

If you're dorky, then I'm dorky too, because I always pay the minute the auction is done!

I would send the person a friendly email that says something along the lines of: 'Congratulations on winning this item. I just wanted to check that you were aware this is collection only? I see that you are in xxxx and the item is located in yyyyyy.'

That's pretty much what I said. If you don't get any communication within 7 days of the auction end, you can start an unpaid item dispute so you don't lose your fees when/if you relist.

[Thandeka]

Yeah will do.

Unfortunately I completely fucked up sending the invoice thingy (which I think I didnt need to do anyhow as it is cash on collection- fool!) I put in the amount in the postage section doubling the cost. I emailed to say ignore it and tried to see if ebay would let me retract it- they dont but showed me how to send it correctly, so I did cept somehow I sent it wrong again so now I have sent 3 invoices two inccorrect and one correct. Horribly embarrassing! So yeah will give him at least a week before opening a dispute.
Cringe!

Cheers for all the advice- will keep you posted.

[Thandeka]

Seller has been in touch- very confused by my invoice debacle (cringe) but also appears to possibly think the item will be delivered. Ho hum awaiting on his reply to ask about pick up....

(and now someone from gumtree has been in touch wanting to buy it too- Nargh!)

[YanknCock]

If he can't pick up, would suggest cancelling the transaction. When you do that, there is a place to write the circumstances, and you just say something like 'Terms of sale were for collection only, buyer is unable to collect'. As long as the buyer agrees to cancel the transaction, you get your fee back and can then relist. That's what I've just done with my collection only item.

[Thandeka]

Hmm curiouser and curiouser- today I had an email from paypal saying I had an amount of £1200 deposited into my paypal account and paypal were freezing my account until I verified this. Which I am not going too as I don't have anyone owing me that kind of money so is dodgy as hell.

Am convinced it is a scam now- you know the one where you refund X amount and somehow end up diddled out of loads of money? Does anyone know how this works? Can anyone help save me from diddling?

[LaurieFairyCake]

er...the thing to be careful of here is also the email you were sent - DO NOT go through the email by clicking on it. They could be trying to steal your account. Go through paypal.com and then phone them.

I had a dodgy email pretending it was from paypal and they tried to steal my account.

[Thandeka]

yup i did that.
on hold to paypal at the min. grrrrr

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yep, sounds like they're trying to steal your cash - have you had a dodgy email from them yet saying 'oops, we had to transfer money from another account and we've overpaid you, can you send the money back'?

Of course you won't cos you're not daft - hopefully paypal will just reject the transaction.

If it is anything to do with your original sale I would only take cash - buy one of those pens which checks whether the notes are fake from whsmith - also don't take a bank cheque/order as some of them are faked.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Bankers draft - I've heard they can be faked too.

[Thandeka]

Now had this email from buyer:

very sorry but my bank I wait five days due to the exchange of cards. wants to buy the equipment very Can you wait. apologizif not you please wait. very sorry. You may leave again at the count of the block sells my account on ebay. and the poor lady did not assess the issue. thank NAME and ask for answers. NAME

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

So Paypal said I had £150 paid into my account but it had been rejected so I didn't and that had tipped my balance over the transaction limit for money laundering ( £1200 I have spent/recieved in transactions)

So he hasnt overpaid but he has tried to pay via a method I don't want. Nargh what do I do now?

[LaurieFairyCake]

For the reasons stated earlier I would only accept cash on pick up - if that money doesn't clear for whatever reason or they claim it wasn't sent to them (cos they picked it up) they can get their money back.

I would reject the transaction - and email them to say cash on pick up. If they have the cash on their cards they can easily get it out the bank and pay you properly when they pick it up.

[Thandeka]

Very good advice thanks Laurie.

Have emailed him:
Hello,
The item is being sold as CASH ON COLLECTION only. My paypal isn't working so you can't use paypal for this. Can you get the cash and come and collect the item in London with a van in the next 7days? If not would it be okay if we cancelled the transaction?
Thanks
Alice

The £150 has been rejected anyhow according to the man on the paypal phone - so either his end (coz of his card issue) or my end because of being over the money laundering limit.

Defo going to get me a money checker pen too!

[Thandeka]

ooops Alice isnt my name honest

[Thandeka]

Thandeka is giving up on all forms of internet security.

[LaurieFairyCake]

lol

you did the right thing - hope you get it sold properly soon.

[Thandeka]

I am sooo confused by this buyer as more and more he seems genuine just not used to ebay!

He just wrote:
if two paypal does not work I have to pay as I live from you about 4 hoursDo you have a different recompensed by ebay. then please give. NAME drive by car. NAME

So looks like he is worried about not being covered by PAYPAL protection which is a fair concern.

So I replied;
Hello,
The cross trainer is BIG and doesn't come apart very easily so you will need a van (as stated in original listing) unfortunately it WILL NOT fit in a car (I tried- it doesn't work!). The reason for cash on collection is safety as unfortunately some ebay buyers have been known to pay via pay pal and then collect and then claim "item not delivered" and then get their money back as there is no proof they picked up as no postage. I am happy to give you a reciept for the money, and you are more than welcome to view and try out the item properly before you buy it- it is in full working order I promise- I don't sell things that are not as described.

You are such a long way away- are you sure you still want this? Did you know you can search for cross trainers within your postcode on ebay? (use the search function on the left hand side).

I am happy for us to cancel this transaction if you feel the distance is too far or you can't get a van.
Thanks
NAME

Do you think this is fair? I am kind of hoping he cancels so I can go with the possible local gumtree seller (no listing fees and less hassle!)

[LaurieFairyCake]

Stick to your guns - for all you know he/she is pretending not to be able to converse with you in order to claim the money back.

I think you're being perfectly fair.

[Thandeka]

Yeah and since they get to see and try out the item they can see it isnt a dud so they dont need the same buyer protection as they do with post- where you could be sent a dud.

Thank heaven for mumsnet ebay topic - thanks for all the advice! Cheers LaurieFairyCake especially!

[Thandeka]

haha he sent me:

I'm sorry but in this situation, you must opt out of the transaction. Sorry and good luck NAME

Well technically he is opting out but I ain't going to argue semantics. Have cancelled and asked him to accept so I get my listing fees sorted.
Phew.

Now to try again!