difficult buyer - problems collecting item

[scaramanga]

Hello. I sold a wardrobe last Friday on ebay. Clearly stated collection only and Cash on Collection. I forgot to stipulate that I would like it collected within 7 days. £50

Buyer bid without any prior contact and paid the following day by paypal. Still no contact. I refunded Paypal immediately and sent polite notice stating "you may not have realised I stated cash on collection only so have refunded you payment and if you could contact me to arrange collection date and bring cash that would be super". Got brusque reply which said paypal was preferred payment method but would pay in cash and then suggested collecting the wardrobe between 1-2 today. I said this wasn't possible as I am at work and that evenings or weekend would be best (assuming this coming weekend 7th/8th sept). Just looked at emails before going to bed (big mistake) and have received a message asking if can collect wardrobe about 10ish tomorrow evening.

My partner is away at the moment and I dont want anybody i dont know coming into the house at 10 at night when children are in bed. I replied and said that was not a good time (but didnt go into detail) and said Saturday or Sunday would be best and that I could ensure somebody would be here between 9-5 each of those days.

Ping - another message - "That is not convenient as we are busy all weekend - we will collect the wardrobe on Sunday 15th between 5pm and 7pm"

This means I will have waited nearly 2 weeks to get rid of the wardrobe which I could do with having out of the house as we have already got new wardrobe in room and it is getting a bit crowded.

I can see I am at fault as didnt state when it needed to be collected by but do you think it is reasonable to expect they would collect within a week. They live about 1 hour from me and I assume they have a vehicle to transport this wardrobe as it is big.

My main worry as well is that they just might not turn up and then I will have wasted a couple of weeks. Any advice?

[FlusteredFairy]

It's a shame that idiots like that might put people off selling large items collection only. You were in the right to ask for a reasonable time to have people moving a wardrobe around your house. 10pm isn't really whats usually meant by evening.

I know you should have gone into more detail in your listing about picking up times but it's easy to say that after it's done. We all forget to put stuff in now and then.

Good for you for sticking to your guns on the price. They sound pretty experienced at this, intimidating you with the time and moving the wardrobe downstairs first.

[teabagpleb]

Ebay makes Paypal a permanent payment option (they own Paypal...) but in the depths of their advice sections they recommend that collected items are cash only to avoid the paypal chargeable scam where someone claims they didn't receive the item and you can't prove they did.
So worth stating that with a link in listings and that any Paypal payments will be refunded.

Glad you got your cash and got shot of the wardrobe.

[SoupDragon]

Focus on the fact that the wardrobe has gone and you got the money :)

[scaramanga]

Thanks for comments. Yes - they were delightful and I am glad I had a friend here.

I am not going to leave neg feedback as said above (1) they know where i live and there was something edgy about them (2) It would be hard to pin it down to one particular thing.

I am not going to leave any feedback and just in case I foolishly venture into the world of "cash on collection" in the future - I am going to block them as buyers - once I figure out how to do this

Wasted too many hours on them already this week so will just draw a line under it - lesson learned

[FannyMcNally]

I'm a wimp, I wouldn't leave negative feedback knowing they know where you live.

[laeiou]

I think that moving the heavy wardrobe downstairs before saying they didn't think it was worth the price agreed and offering 40% less was a deliberate move, and not the last time they'll try it. I'm not an eBay expert but wouldn't the OP pay eBay fees based on the official price, not the reduced price?

It's a shame that feedback can't be left to warn other sellers of their tactics.

[alemci]

sounds a horrible experience. shame your dp wasn't around. I'm sure they wouldn't have behaved like that.

mostly i have sold collection items to one lovely people so you were unlucky. cheeky coming at 10 when you requested they didn't and wearing muddy boots.

[SoupDragon]

Intimidating behaviour and trying to back out of what was agreed.

I would report them before they left negative feedback for me so there might be a chance of Ebay removing it.

[LilyBossom]

you can't leave bad feedback for a buyer and not really sure what you would be reporting for.

[laeiou]

The last minute price reduction tactics and their general intimidation makes it sound like they deliberately wanted you to feel uncomfortable in your own home so you'd accept any offer. Would you consider reporting them or leaving feedback or whatever the ebay process is? It's awful to think they are doing this deliberately- you'll not be the first one they've done it to - and future sellers are agreeing one price on eBay then accepting another when the item is collected. I agree that they're probably selling it on, they have a van...

[SoupDragon]

You may have made mistakes but at least you weren't a twat. Unlike the buyer.

[LilyBossom]

doesn't sound good - good for you for sticking to your guns. I didn't think you were unreasonable at all tbh.

[nickstmoritz]

oh dear, that does not sound very nice. I'm glad you had someone with you. I too would really not want someone coming round at 10pm and good on you for sticking to the price - they are probably going to re sell for a profit anyway and they should not be haggling. At least it has gone now.

[scaramanga]

Hello - Update oh this.

As I have mentioned a few times - I am a relatively inexperienced ebayer and I acknowledged that I should have been more specific in my listing about collection times.

Thanks to those that offered constructive comments/criticism.

I managed to arrange a time for them to come - last night. I said I would be in from 4pm onwards and would really like them to be here before 930 as children etc etc. They said would be here between 8-9 I also had friend round so I felt a bit more comfortable.

Buyers arrived at 10pm - 2 men - no apology for being later than agreed. I opened door - at this stage I just wanted shut of the wardrobe.

They walked in wearing really muddy boots (really wet, thick mud). I asked if they would mind taking off (cream carpets). They begrudgingly did this then went up and looked at the wardrobe. I checked they were happy with it. Said yes. They carried it downstairs and their language was delightful.

They got to the front door and I reminded them that I had refunded paypal and would need the cash. One then said he thought it was just worth £30 and would I take that. I said that it had been sold at £50 and this was the agreed price. The other one was outside muttering something. He then held out £30 and said "come on love lets agree on £30 - I am doing you a favour getting this out of the house". I felt really initmidated but stuck to my guns and said "you can have it for £50 as agreed or feel free to leave it" - Was hoping he would take as I would not have been able to move said wardrobe.

He muttered something under his breath and gave me the full amount. I did not feel relaxed having them in the house - should have gone with my gut instinct from the messages I received - although according to some people on this post I am probably being unreasonable.

On Ebay I will be selling by post only from now.

[Mindmaps]

If you need something collected in a smallish time frame,especially a large awkward item you either need to be very specific about your scalability or flipping flexible. You have been neither:)

[sarahtigh]

in your first message you said evenings or weekends would be best, they then offered 3 evenings albeit late, then they said 5-7pm on saturday 15th which i know is 2 weeks time but you had at that point said no to 4 other times this is their 5th suggestion

A)1-2pm next day, B) one night at 10pm (that is probably reasonable as quite late and C &D ) 2 further evenings at 9pm which is not really that late especially as you had previously said evenings better than the daytime, they are abrupt but you are really not being very accomodating

[WhoNickedMyName]

They will have got your address from Paypal.

I think you're being really unreasonable. By this point I'd be telling you to forget it.

[alemci]

seller gave address out on email, had to wait for them to send it I think.

[alemci]

I don't blame you yanbu. you asked for cash on collection which I would. they seem dictatorial in their tone.

I have sold and collected cash only. most people are fine and accommodating. have you got a relative or friend who could be there. 10 is far too late. I wouldn't answer phone or door after 9 p.m.

[laeiou]

I'd be put off too. Telling you that they'll turn up at some unspecified time but perhaps after your bedtime is very rude.

Do you have a shed or garage that the wardrobe could be stored in while awaiting collection?

[MrsJK]

Others would probably disagree but I personally would speak to EBay about cancelling the sale / asking if would give out your address. You may get negative feedback but surely that's better than all this run around especially if your not comfortable.

Alternatively do you have a male friend who could come over at a time after 9pm (or whatever they suggested!)

[sarahtigh]

I think YABU about collection

every time they have suggested you have said no albeit politely it was still no; unfortunately that makes you a non-performing seller you need to be more accommodating

next time state specifically

" cash on collection only; contact within 24 hours of auction ending; pickup within 7 days, evenings (not wednesday) between 6-9pm and all day Saturday/sunday
weekday daytime pick -up is not available or later in evenings sorry
unfortunately I can not help with removals"

or a variation on above

the only thing they said that was unreasonable was expecting help lifting in van, however they should expect it to be ready to remove, not have to move your bed etc to get to it

you can easily request sellers details once paid

ebay and paypal do not tell you so but they will admit when pressed that the seller has no proof of delivery if takes paypal for collection only so if buyer says item not arrived you have no proof that it was collected and you have to refund, paypal will admit that casjh is safer for seller when collecting so OP did right to refund, the only down side is that if they then subsequently do not turn up you can't file a non payment dispute

[RobotHamster]

I think i'd tell them to bog off and sell to someone else tbh.

[SoupDragon]

Could your address have been on something when they paid by Paypal?