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eBay

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Original poster

Some numpty wants to arrange a courier for collection only item. What do I do?

83 replies

EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 06:52

I sold a chair on Sunday night. The buyer lives miles away.
I was paid by paypal (thanks a lot) on Sunday night with no message, so yesterday I emailed to ask when they wanted to collect it.
I got a message in the evening saying they are just arranging a courier and what is my address etc.
No idea what sort of courier - if it's someone like Parcelforce I'll have to wait in all day AND wrap the bloody thing up, though I suppose it might be a normal furniture courier but if it is, that'll cost a fortune for a £10 chair so seems unlikely.
Also I'll need online tracking as she paid by paypal.
What can I do?
I've just replied saying that I am not able to wrap the chair for a courier, I cannot wait in all day and I will need online proof of delivery.
What do I do if she insists on sending someone else? I guess it's only a tenner and it might all be fine, but seriously - I hate new ebayers.
She only has a low feedback, so clearly doesn't get that you are supposed to discuss these things before bidding.
I don't want a neg for this. Any thoughts most welcome.
Thankyou Smile

OP posts:
whyme2 · 03/07/2012 06:58

You could arrange the courier yourself and then you would be in control of when they came. You also need to charge her for packing materials if necessary too.

flubba · 03/07/2012 06:59

How annoying for you!

If you specified collection only, then it's collection only. If they want to sort out a courier, then they'll need to sort out a courier who'll pick up at one particular time (like you would if they were coming to pick up themselves). Not sure what the courier's rules are re: packaging, but you could bung it in a bin bag having told the buyer in advance that that's what you'll do (word it more nicely! :) ) or charge extra for packing...

HeadsShouldersKneesandToes · 03/07/2012 07:02

You could message them back saying that if you have to wait in for a courier, your time is charged at £10 per hour and this cost will be added to the cost of the item, as well as the additional cost of packaging.

Collection only means collection only, you have no obligation to cooperate, I would suggest that if the buyer doesn't want to collect in person the sale should be retracted and you should sell to the next-highest bidder.

Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 07:03

Thanks guys...I don't actually plan to pack it at all, I don't see why I should...it's very difficult anyway and I would not feel confident that it would arrive in one piece.

Also arranging a courier on her behalf when it only sold for a tenner is just too much hassle. I don't want the responsibility of sending a fragile, large item using a third party iyswim.

I really think she is expecting to use arseholeforce parcelforce or something and they will just turn up and refuse to take it as it isn;t in a box.

Thanks for the ideas though...I'll have to wait and see what she says. I'm not sure what the rules are for sellers on accepting courier arrangements.

OP posts:
Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 07:04

Heads...my first thought was to cancel the transaction, but as she has paid already, and you have to accept paypal for almost everything these days - she would probably neg me for it.

I'm trying so hard to be kind and friendly but I just want to scream at her!

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 03/07/2012 07:07

There's no reason why the collection should not be by a courier.

You however can arrange a convenient time for the collector to collect - irrespective of whether that collector is buyer, buyer's DH/DN/BF etc, or buyer's commercially arranged collector.

So you can say: OK, Mondays after 6pm work best, though you might catch me in at other times.

StealthPolarBear · 03/07/2012 07:07

Any chance by courier she meant friend who shell ask to collect?k prob not! Make sure you record and photograph any damage as presumably part of the reason for collection was so she could accept it iyswim

HoneyDragonWearingLederhosen · 03/07/2012 07:10

Yup tell her to get insurance and agree to accept liability to any damage. If the courier trash it she can claim against you.

Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 07:12

Yes Stealth, that's it.

Edith, thanks - I've asked her to let me know her plans regarding courier requirements, if it's something like HDNL or PF then obviously it'll have to be a no, but if she actually has someone that does door to door without the need for packing stuff, I'll probably let her go ahead - after all it's her fifty quid and if she doesn;t like it, she'll have to send it back.

The thing is most of those couriers don't provide online tracking - I only know of one who does - and so I might end up with a not received claim and have to give the money back, but it isn't an awful lot I suppose.

I'm sure she won't be able to get a cheapo service to collect after 6pm though.

OP posts:
Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 07:13

Honeydragon, whatever she agrees to with me, she can still put in a paypal claim if it gets damaged.

Paypal only accept online tracking/POD so unless she is willing to share these with me, I will be stuffed if anything happens to it.

I hate ebay.

OP posts:
HoneyDragonWearingLederhosen · 03/07/2012 07:43

I know, but I always tell people now as thankfully that swung it for a friend of mine in a dispute where the buyer was trying it on. She took a photo of the item before shipping and made the courier sign that it was intact.

Like you she had a numpty buyer. EBay told the seller to take a photo of the item and claim against the courier. He suddenly refused and backed down.

I hate all this crap with eBay Sad

fergoose · 03/07/2012 08:04

you must refund her payment and ask her for cash on collection only. If a buyer arranges a courier then you have no tracking number and they can claim item not received so if a courier is to be arranged you need to do it yourself, don't let a buyer arrange their own.

You must only ever accept cash for collection items, never ever paypal

Once you have refunded her you can send her a transaction cancellation request

nowwearefour · 03/07/2012 08:23

But I thought you had to offer paypal for all transactions
Now? How do you accept cash only for collection only items? I recently sold one collection only and was nervous he would claim something like not there and I wd hbe to refund. Thankfully he was a genuine ebayer and all was fine but it might not have been.

fergoose · 03/07/2012 08:50

you just write on the listing cash on collection only - and if they pay by paypal you refund them

Otherwise you are leaving yourself wide open to scammers I'm afraid. I cannot believe eBay haven't done something to rectify this.

hermionestranger · 03/07/2012 08:52

This happened to me. eBay said to open a cancel transaction case with the
Buyer, clearly stating that it is collection only, you will get your fees back but will
Have to resell it. How annoying!

Vickles · 03/07/2012 10:25

Cancel transaction babe, and refund paypal payment.
She should have checked with you first.
She is in the wrong.

Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 11:41

Thanks everyone, I'm just afraid that because ebay insist on accepting paypal, she will get the hump and give me negative feedback.

I also can't believe that they haven't rectified it, it makes it impossible for sellers.
But then they have always been on the side of the buyer I think...at least since I started using ebay in 2005ish.

I haven't heard back from her yet so will see what she says and as it is a fairly low value item, if she genuinely has a plan (doubt it!) I might take a risk on her...but really, if she sends parcelforce etc, it'll want packing, and like you say she can claim against me if it gets damaged en route, and if she sends a proper job courier that doesn't require packing, there won't be any tracking or proof of delivery.

It's a lose-lose, unless everything goes perfectly to plan and she is totally honest.
I am tempted to cancel and refund but I think I will wait for a response from her first. I'll let you know what happens x

OP posts:
fergoose · 03/07/2012 12:29

If I were you I would rather neg feedback than a buyer keeping your item and your money. It is only a red dot on a website - don't let yourself be held to ransom over it.

savoycabbage · 03/07/2012 12:34

So would I. Negative feedback is not 'real' in the same way as arranging couriers and paying for packaging. It's not that bad.

fergoose · 03/07/2012 12:40

And you could do everything she is demanding and still get neg feedback, it is not guaranteed that a buyer will leave good feedback even if you do everything they are demanding.

savoycabbage · 03/07/2012 13:03

I was held to ransom with a buyer saying she would leave me negative feedback. She wanted to keep the item and have a refund and I decided that I wasn't going to let her rob me so ....well she did give me a negative and it drops off the chart thing at the top after twelve months, you get a chance to respond and your % does recover too.

Flibbertyjibbet · 03/07/2012 13:13

I would risk the bad feedback. I had this over a pram once. 'Local Pick Up, Cash On Collection Only' in large letters in the listing. Person 200 miles away bid at the last minute.
Paid paypal and said she'd send a courier.
I refunded the paypal and said no courier, the listing stated local pickup cash only and thats what I'd accept.
Said she'd send cash by special delivery if I was going to be 'awkward' and send her husband to pick up but she would not know for 2 weeks what his next lot of routes would be.
'I want it gone within 7 days as per listing'
'I'll send a courier'
'I don't want to use a courier I want the buyer to pick the item up so that we all know they are happy with it, give me the money and leave'
'all you have to do is wrap it in a bin bag and wait in for the courier'
'I work so won't be in when the courier comes, you are unable to do local pickup, therefore you cannot have the item'
'oh you are just being a bitch because the item went cheap, well have it your way but I'll leave appropriate feedback'
'you do that and I'll respond with 'item stated local pick up, buyer 200 miles away demands courier'.

She went away after that. Didn't even leave feedback after all her threats. Stick to your guns, refund the paypal and if she gets arsey you email ebay resolution team, which is what I did. THey got back to me and said that as the item states local pick up only, if she leaves a neg because I won't let her send a courier than they will cancel the feedback and give her a strike.

I couldn't face listing the pram, gave it to surestart to find a good home for it!

Don't worry about one neg off an idiot - anyone looking at your feedback will see your 'response' and know that you are ok.

Flibbertyjibbet · 03/07/2012 13:21

correction, I reported her to ebay for 'feedback extortion'. I cut and paste the email from her threatening to neg me if I didn't let her send a courier. They replied saying that as my listing clearly stated local pick up cash only, then if she DID leave a neg it would be removed and she would have a strike against her.

HeadsShouldersKneesandToes · 03/07/2012 18:27

Emilie, if the transaction is cancelled she doesn't get to leave you feedback at all, pos or neg, so there is no risk to you.

Cancel it. Anything else is silly and not worth it for the £10 you'll get out of it (if she's not trying to scam you out of that too).

Original poster
EmilieFloge · 03/07/2012 18:31

This latest:

Hi,

I am not sure that I really understand your concerns. Whilst of course it is preferable to wrap the chair, most couriers come armed with blankets for the purpose and will also work around the times that you are available. As regards cash on collection, as you have marketed and sold the chair via Ebay it is a condition of sale that you accept Paypal. Sooooo, not really sure what the problem is here. We most definitely want the chair as have bid and won it on Ebay and we accept that that is a binding contract. I will ask the courier to contact you as soon as possible and hopefully they will be able to work around your availability which is of course right and to be expected. I am sure it will all work out just fine but maybe you need to look to local ads/garage sales etc in the future to sell your goods as Ebay does not seem to be a comfortable forum for you. If you could furnish me with your address and phone no so that I can instruct a courier to liaise with you and find out a good time for pick-up that would be great and we can go from there.

Many thanks for your time,

Ms Patronising Mc Nasty

who will leave negative whatever I do.

OP posts: