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Original poster

Sold collection item only on eBay - buyer lives 200 miles away

146 replies

whichwaytohome · 12/12/2023 22:22

I did start a thread in the eBay topic, but it's quiet and I need to know what to do next.

I listed a large item on eBay (after it never sold on FB). I clearly pointed out it was collection only and having just checked, there is no postage options on the listing.

I got notified that someone has bought it and paid (and I need to link to my bank, I'd hoped for cash on collection as I've bought that way 100s of times).

There is no address for this person, because I'd chosen collection only, eBay don't give you the address.

I've messaged the buyer asking when they can collect, but not had a reply yet.

I will not post this item, as it's in very good condition and those in worse condition have sold on there for far more, I put it cheaply so someone local would be tempted.

If I did post I'd lose even more as I never factored that in, so the buyer hasn't paid for a postal service.

I don't know what to do. 15 years of buying, but never having sold, and I've sold to someone who is likely to be awkward and want it posting or courier.

note from MNHQ - please read OP's updates before posting.

OP posts:
Moglet4 · 13/12/2023 07:55

titchy · 12/12/2023 22:38

Except OP then tells EBay it's been collected, 'buyer' says they haven't received it and EBay refund the buyer. OP has neither item nor money.

Refund them, and insist on cash on collection.

Show quote history

There are 2 options now to mitigate that. A QR code can be generated by PayPal which the seller scans on collection or there is a form that can be printed from eBay which the buyer signs when they have inspected the item and picked it up.

imnotsickbutimnotwell · 13/12/2023 07:55

topnoddy · 13/12/2023 07:50

If you do end up cancelling make sure the buyer requests the cancellation that way you won't get charged the fees

You can cancel after 4 days for “buyer not paid” or at anytime for “buyer agreed to cancel” and you will get your final value fee back. The only time ebay keep those fees is if the sale goes through and you are paid.

You will never get the listing fee back but most people have free listings.

Ilovemyshed · 13/12/2023 07:58

I've had buyers drive miles to collect stuff.

One lady came and managed to leave her car parcel shelf on my drive and I had no way of getting in touch except via ebay messages. She'd done a hundred miles or so then had to come back!

Equally, I bought something I really wanted that was 300 miles away but was in the same area as family we were visiting the following week, so we collected it then.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General shopping
PolarStar · 13/12/2023 07:59

I've sold lots of furniture over the last year and only one person has collected in person, the others have all been courier. I won't say this is great because mostly it's been a huge pain in the arse as the couriers all want to give you a collection slot of say 4 hours (usually week day) and some items have taken several weeks for us to agree a date and time. Also had the problem of buyers asking me to dismantle furniture for collection and I have refused and offered to refund (they get a cheaper rate with the courier for less volume). The collection code function on eBay does work quite well though, I ask for it before or as the courier arrives and would not load without it, I also take photos of the item being loaded too.

Andthereyougo · 13/12/2023 08:02

They may have a friend/relative in your area who’s going to collect.
They may use AnyVan or other courier to collect.
( I’ve done both the above for collection only items)

ohtowinthelottery · 13/12/2023 08:05

Andthereyougo · 13/12/2023 08:02

They may have a friend/relative in your area who’s going to collect.
They may use AnyVan or other courier to collect.
( I’ve done both the above for collection only items)

I was just going to say the same as this. A relative in Norfolk who buys lot of stuff on EBay once bought an item for sale on the outskirts of Wrexham and asked us to collect it for him. We live about 20 miles away, picked said item up then delivered it to relative when we were visiting them a month later.

backinthebox · 13/12/2023 08:13

I live at one end of the country, my relative lives at the other - we frequently pick stuff up along the way for each other to drop off when next visiting. You can’t just assume that because a buyer (who, let’s remember here) has bought and paid for something they are going to start hopping up and down asking for postage. There’s only one person who seems to be agitated by the process so far, and that’s the seller!

MyNanSaid · 13/12/2023 08:14

An awful lot of misinformation on this thread. 🤦🏻‍♀️

If buyer arranges a courier, THEY have the contract with the courier. Potentially Courier collects, buyer then raises item not received with EBAY, EBay asks seller for tracking details, SELLER has no tracking details as the buyer has those so seller loses the payment AND the item she sold.

Not a risk I'd be prepared to take.

topnoddy · 13/12/2023 08:19

imnotsickbutimnotwell · 13/12/2023 07:55

You can cancel after 4 days for “buyer not paid” or at anytime for “buyer agreed to cancel” and you will get your final value fee back. The only time ebay keep those fees is if the sale goes through and you are paid.

You will never get the listing fee back but most people have free listings.

Show quote history

The buyer has already paid in this case and had no contact with the seller it seems .

eBay now automatically cancel the sale after 4 days in my experience .

Ittastesvile · 13/12/2023 09:10

This happened to me. Buyer was a joker. I cancelled the order and relisted.

Mumsanetta · 13/12/2023 09:14

You’re wasting time clearing the wreckage of the future i.e. you’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet. And even if it does happen, so what? Buyer asks you to post and you say no, it’s collection only, end of. I have personally travelled from London to Devon to collect an item as I was passing through on my way elsewhere.

HurdyGurdy19 · 13/12/2023 09:39

If they do collect, then accept cash on collection only.

My friend lost £400 on a laptop she sold on Ebay.

The buyer paid by PayPal, collected the item, then opened an Item Not Received ticket. EBay found in the buyer's favour, as my friend couldn't provide proof of postage.

Even if she had obtained a written acknowledgement of the collection of the item, it would not have been accepted

Original poster
whichwaytohome · 13/12/2023 11:49

@Pingu135 no, I put it on a buy it now, maybe I should have put it on auction.

OP posts:
Original poster
whichwaytohome · 13/12/2023 11:53

@HurdyGurdy19 Your poor friend Flowers

I know I'm worrying, but I am an anxious person, I tend to think of 'what it', instead of dealing with things that arise. I guess I'm scared of unexpected things, so I think through all the negatives to be prepared for them. DM always used to tell me off when I was little for being like this.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 13/12/2023 12:01

I'm sure there at least used to be a system on eBay where you could get the buyer to notify eBay that the item has been collected. When I sold DD's bike I got the buyer to open the eBay app and mark the item as collected before I handed the bike over.

Original poster
whichwaytohome · 13/12/2023 12:04

@imnotsickbutimnotwell Thank you, that is very informative. I think I must have paid for the listing as they say my fees are £2.66. The buyer has paid already. The listing was clear throughout that only collection was allowed and there is no postage on the listing, as it's collection only.

Someone said Yodel is only a tenner - as I said I sold it much cheaper than others on there, and I will literally have a few pounds if I do that, after their fees and paying for Yodel.

I'm selling it for my DD. She bought it with her saved Christmas and birthday money. I was cross as it was £100 and I told her she could have bought something better, but it was her choice. She then never played with it. I put it at a low price as it was collection only, so those near would be tempted. If I was prepared to post it I would have put it on for higher.

Someone also asked how I know where she lives if I don't have her address - eBay have given me her name and town.

I've not heard yet, but am expecting that she will contact me and maybe has someone down here to collect or is coming down to visit.

OP posts:
Taurusandvirgo · 13/12/2023 17:42

MyNanSaid · 13/12/2023 08:14

An awful lot of misinformation on this thread. 🤦🏻‍♀️

If buyer arranges a courier, THEY have the contract with the courier. Potentially Courier collects, buyer then raises item not received with EBAY, EBay asks seller for tracking details, SELLER has no tracking details as the buyer has those so seller loses the payment AND the item she sold.

Not a risk I'd be prepared to take.

That's if the item is sold as being posted. In that circumstances seller is responsible for delivery not for posting. So what you say could well happen. If item is sold as collection, it's different. Seller has no duty for ensuring item is delivered. Only for ensuring they obtain proof of it being collected, to avoid a "not received" claim.

Taurusandvirgo · 13/12/2023 17:44

HurdyGurdy19 · 13/12/2023 09:39

If they do collect, then accept cash on collection only.

My friend lost £400 on a laptop she sold on Ebay.

The buyer paid by PayPal, collected the item, then opened an Item Not Received ticket. EBay found in the buyer's favour, as my friend couldn't provide proof of postage.

Even if she had obtained a written acknowledgement of the collection of the item, it would not have been accepted

eBay have measures in place to prevent this now. Sellers can prove collection and that's good enough.

letsallmeetupinthehyear2000 · 13/12/2023 17:49

My neighbour sold a vintage sign someone had left in her garden years ago. Guy who bought it came down from Scotland to collect. He was a collector or dealer and I guess it was worth it/ he collects other items at same time

Flatulence · 13/12/2023 17:53

I've bought collection-only items from miles away. I've used a courier or, in a couple of instances, asked my mum to collect if it's near her.
Don't worry about it. If the person asks for it to be posted, cancel the sale.

chocolatefiends · 13/12/2023 17:56

They might have a family member or friend near you you who is going to collect it for them. As it's a toy, it could be a grandparent near you is going to collect it and take it them when they visit for Christmas - it could be a Christmas present.

MuchTooTired · 13/12/2023 17:58

You can cancel the sale if she won’t collect it.

It's possible she’s a collector though, I am of a particular type of China pattern and have been known to travel 400 miles round trips to pick it up if the price was right and there were rarer pieces in it 🫣

WhereYouLeftIt · 13/12/2023 18:03

I have twice driven long distances (Midlands to South Coast) to pick up collection-only items. I factored my petrol costs into how much I was willing to bid, maybe they have done the same.

Siha345 · 13/12/2023 18:21

I’ve found that in-person buyers on eBay aren’t really in a hurry to collect things. I had someone buy a table but wasn’t going to be in my city for a few weeks. Another bought a desk and took a few days to even get in contact. You’ve been very clear that it’s collection only so you don’t have to post it if you don’t want to. You can cancel the order and refund but I don’t think the buyer can cancel it on their end. Try not to worry, it sounds like you’ll have no trouble selling it again if you do need to cancel and I’m sure this kind of thing happens all the time. Is there a reason you used eBay rather than fb marketplace?

Original poster
whichwaytohome · 13/12/2023 18:30

@Siha345 I used eBay as on FB all I had was messages saying they wanted it, but were going to pay me a bank transfer through some company or another, or the courier was going to pay me. They were all obvious scams.

It's 24 hours since I messaged her and she's not responded. I don't know how long to wait before messaging again, as it's a busy time of year, but I also need to know a day as will need to be in next week.

My funds are also on hold. I put in my bank account and that's gone fine, but they sent a message saying my funds are on hold, something to do with a card, but I signed up for direct debits through my bank account.

I just hope if I do need to refund that they don't take money from my bank and the held funds. I think I'll stick to other sites or getting DH to do it in future.

OP posts: