To be wary of this eBay buyer?

[LiteraryDevil1]

I'm selling something (a pram part) on eBay on auction format that ends tomorrow night.
Since last night I've had loads of messages from a potential buyer asking if it fits the model she has, can I post it next day delivery as they need it for next Sunday, can I use UPS or another company and find my local drop off point, can I include another part (had said in the listing I could). I've spent a fair amount of time figuring out couriers and trying to weigh it which was difficult due to size and shape. I updated the listing with the price of the courier for next day delivery. Tonight I've had more messages saying she can get someone to collect it for me. She lives about 5 hours drive away from me so it seems odd that a friend could collect. She's asked if I can help package it for the friend to collect.

It all seems a bit odd but maybe I'm being paranoid

I've made the listing PayPal only now as worried that friend will turn up without means to pay for it having assumed the buyer has already paid. I've had trouble before with this happening so have learnt from that mistake!

I'm not sure if English is their first language so the questions might be coming across a little strangely but it just strikes me as odd.

The item is £28.00 (starting bid)and only one watcher so if they are the watcher they are quite likely to win it. It's been on a few weeks now with no bids so am eager to sell but something just seems odd about this.

Would you be wary or am I just being silly?

what's her feedback score?

be firm - tell her no collection, courier only - or whatever suits you. You owe her nothing.

If it's collected you are much better getting cash not PayPal. I would change to PayPal if posted of cash only on collection and make sure they know. Otherwise they can say they never received the item and PayPal will reimburse them.

I'd be wary but she might just be an over cautious/inexperienced buyer. You can always turn down any requests you can't accommodate.
If it's collected do not accept PayPal, it could be a well known scam. They pay, collect, them claim the money back from PayPal saying item was never received and you will have no proof they came and took it.

If she collects make sure it’s cash ONLY. If they pay by PayPal, refund them and remind them their friend will need to give you the cash.

Good idea! 100% positive but only sold/bought 2 items this year. Nothing precious to last month. They are selling speakers and other similar things.

Sorry, just seen the posts about cash on collection. Good point, thanks, will change it again.

Don’t all PayPal for collected items.. cash only on collection.

I would not deviate from your plans; if you were going to post it only, then do; if collection only, stick to that for cash.

I couriered once against my better judgement - buyer then claimed item was faulty after two weeks and PayPal found in their favour

If it's collected you are much better getting cash not PayPal

I've heard this before but dont understand why? I personally prefer not to be given cash at the door in case they try and renegotiate the amount or haven't got the right cash and you are put under pressure at the door.

if she has no friend to collect it then PayPal befire collection would surely weed her out as a fraud?

Doesn’t sound too unusual to me - just sounds like someone who needs it in a hurry and is trying to make sure it can get to them in time.

I’d say to her you’d rather courier it, UPS is 24 hours so shouldn’t be an issue?

If the item is being collected then do NOT accept a PayPal payment. make it cash only. £28 is a perfectly reasonable amount to pay in cash, not as though it is thousands. make sure the buyer understands that it is cash only. if the friend turns up without the cash they don't get the goods. it is apparently too easy to claim the PayPal back again so you end up with no money and no item!

If it is being collected then surely all the packaging needed is a box large enough to fit the item.

If you are uncomfortable with the arrangement then

A) make sure there is another, visible and audible, adult in the house with you on collection

B) have the item ready , at the door, conduct the deal at the door, don't let them in

C) if they ask to use the loo say something like your partner is in the bath where the only toilet is.

I don't know if it has changed but it was a known scam that a buyer would pay via Paypal , collect item and then put a claim in for Item Not Received . As a seller there was nothing you could produce to prove it had been collected in person. Cash at the door is best !

What WinkysTeatowel said. If the buyer is arranging collection, they pay you cash. If you don’t do this you leave yourself open to the buyer opening a case with eBay for non-delivery and you losing money and the item. If they insist on paying by PayPal and still want it collecting, tell them no as I’d say for high certainty they’re trying their screw you over. Check their eBay score and read their feedback too. You can’t keave negative feedback against a seller so read through it carefully. Less than 10 feedback and don’t sell it to them. If they pay by PayPal, ensure you get it sent so there’s a signature on delivery and a reference number to check the status of the package.

I’d be dubious of this person though to be completely honest.

Yes, cash only on collection or they can say item not received to reverse payment.

Correction, you can’t leave negative feedback for a BUYER.

My friend fought with eBay and PayPal over a set of golf clubs which mysteriously never arrived despite being collected by the buyer. He even had an email saying the clubs were even better than the buyer expected! Finally won but DEFINITELY don't accept PayPal for collection items.

Have changed the listing to cash on collection.

Sounds a bit dodgy to me to be honest,5 hours is a long way to travel for something costing only £28. suely the petrol costs would outway the price of the item

OP, just remember you cannot remove PayPal for a payment option, even for a collection only item, and no matter how many times you type “cash on collection only, no PayPal”, a huge percentage of buyer still pay with just that...... as I advised earlier, if this happens and they are coming to collect just refund the payment and remind them cash @ pick up only.

Personally I'd say do it via courier only. Even if they aren't doing anything dodgy they sound hard work. I don't like people collecting because you have to tell them when you are there/not there.

I would do courier only, you don't know who she is...and you don't know who she intends to send...and if she lives five hours away surely courier is handier than driving five hours to you and then five hours back...that would make me suspicious for a start...

Oh god I wish I hadn't starting selling stuff other than clothing now!
To be honest I'm not happy to have someone collect unless they are local. I've had trouble before with being messed about with people not turning up then rearranging them being an hour late. I've told them I'm away at the end of the week and they said it will be either one day or the other. I've got better things to do than hang around waiting for things to be collected as it's half term and I want to do things with my children. They've not actually bid yet so all pie in the sky anyway.

trying to weigh it which was difficult due to size and shape

Fetch bathroom scales or take item into bathroom if there's enough room in there.
Zero scales.
Put item beside you.
Stand on bathroom scales.
Note weight.
Get off scales.
Pick up item and get back onto scales.
Note new weight.
Subtract first weight from second weight to determine weight of item.

It's amazing how many people don't think of doing it that way when something is an awkward shape.
Works with wiggly pets as well.

You don't have to allow collection.
If you aren't happy, end the listing by saying there was a mistake in it. block that buyer, and relist it later.

Someone else has bid and the questions galore person hasn't.