How does buying something for collection only work?

[TheAlias]

So the auction finishes, presumably I get I tough with the seller to arrange collection and pay cash when I see him but how does EBay know I've paid?

You can still pay via PayPal if you want. Otherwise I think it's up to the seller to mark the item as paid.

Pay them cash once you have inspected the item.

Ask for some kind of receipt

I thought paypal for collection items was a big no no?

Paypal for buyers collecting is good. Paypal for sellers handing over is bad. If the seller is happy with Paypal I'd pay that way.

If you do hand over cash, the seller should mark the transaction as "paid". It's a manual operation rather than happening automatically as a result of a Paypal payment.

paypal is not good for collecting if not as described. And a receipt is pretty pointless really.