Sold 2 items advertised as local collection only, both winning bidders are not local!

[parentallyinept]

Hi, I have just sold 2 items on behalf of my husband. Both are bulky and would be very awkward/heavy to post, so I specifically stated throughout my listing that they were local pickup only, cash on collection. Both winning bidders are most definitely not local! How do I go about fixing this? Thanks.

Surely it is their issue- if it specifies collection then it is their decision how far they are willing to travel

refund any pp payment and ask when they are collecting.

Thanks for the replies. I haven't contacted anyone yet, I shall do that now. Fair point re how far they are willing to travel. As yet, neither party has paid, but I did specify cash on collection. I guess I just jumped the gun a bit (previous bad experiences with eBay).

My husband often buys things on eBay that are collection only, and plans to use a courier company to collect.

Don't think this means a lot, we have bidded on things and travelled.

Doesn't mean a lot. We've travelled miles to pick things up and had people travel miles to us.

I cleaned out our garage last month, in it was a lightly used external hardwood door which I needed out of the way because my new car wouldn't fit otherwise. I'm in Stoke, the guy who won it (for a whole £2.50) was in Yorkshire. I had reservations but he did turn up and was thrilled with it (said they were £100+ in B+Q). As I needed it gone and he was doing me a favour I refused his £2.50 and told him to stick it in a charity tin instead.

you must never let a buyer arrange their own courier.

Just ask them when they are collecting - and if not forthcoming, send a cancellation request to get your fees back.

Get a quote for courier (try MyHermes or similar) unless it's something like a car or an entire fitted kitchen and inform the buyers that this is how much delivery will cost, if they say they don't want to travel.

People are sometimes willing to travel for an item they really want. If someone's prepared to come from Glasgow to Cornwall to pick up a rare kid's toy or whatever, that's up to them...

I've bid on stuff near my mum in the past, if we've been going down. She is 300 miles away, but we visit fairly often.

They may have a friend or family members local to you who will collect it for them.

Only time I had someone arrange their own courier, I got them to pay the money (£400) in to my bank account a few days before item was collected. I didn't like doing it though.

I once collected something from Barnsley - and I live about 160 miles away!

It was something I had seriously struggled to find though and I still saved money on it, even adding a tank of petrol to the cost.

I would not allow someone to send a courier to collect so would be pissed off if someone bid and then tried that. If I was happy to use a courier to collect I would have put it as an option on my listing!

you have no protection if a buyer arranges their own courier so you must never allow it.

One buyer travelled 300 miles round trip to come buy a bike off us. Just ask them when they would like to arrange collection.

Ask them about collection time. If they wanted courier option it was up to the, to contact you before they bid.

Thank you All. One of the winning bidders got back to me to ask if he could send a courier, which I declined. I'm still waiting to hear back from the other buyer.

It's so frustrating when this happens - I was selling bulky kids toys recently - brand new in packaging /boxes so put collection only in delivery options and then in capitals throughout listing - collection only from postcode XYZ
The winning bidder then messages me after auction ended saying they didnt drive and could I meet them at the bus station in the town centre with the toys !
After explaining that no,I couldn't as have two small Children and the items were too bulky they then messages me to ask me about bus timetables and how to get from bus station to my house and was there a bus stop outside my house!! (no!), I ended up sending a cancellation request as it was clearly too much hassle
They accepted and I received my sale credit back
Whenever I have purchased collection only I find out all travel arrangements myself and ask questions before bidding ,sadly not everyone follows the same EBay etiquette
I ended up giving the toys to the local charity shop

Butterfly what do you mean you have no protection?

I've let people arrange their own courier and got proof of collection and it's been fine.

I'm just a bit worried now if I do it in future, so wondered what you meant.

Rosie you have proof of collection but no proof of delivery the courier contract is with the buyer not you so you have absolutely no evidence to provide PayPal with the YOU posted the item and it was delivered to the buyer.

If you're happy to use a courier arrange one yourself rather than the buyer that way you are fully protected.

proof of collection means sod all - courier breaks item, buyer claims with paypal for the loss, you the seller cannot claim for the breakage as you didn't have the contract with the courier and then you lose your money - or the buyer claims not received and you lose the money again.

That happened to my parents butterfly, buyers arranged courier, buyer claimed item was damaged, parents offered partial refund and buyer promptly resold item on eBay for more than what she paid.

Surely if you get payment for your item first through bank transfer then you are safe as Paypal is not involved?
I had a buyer send me nearly £400 in cash by special delivery. Their courier collected the sofas a few days later.