eBay: confused about Paypal vs cash on collection

[Wigeon]

I am selling something which is collection only. It's currently on an auction (ending in 6 days) and a Buy-It-Now. eBay seem to insist on Paypal as a default payment option for buy-it-now. A potential buyer has contacted me saying he wants the item, but wants to pay cash, not Paypal. He says that if he tries to do buy-it-now, the system is making him use Paypal.

Is this legit? Is it within the eBay rules about not buying / selling outside of eBay/ fee avoidance? He's included his mobile in the message to me, which makes me think he's trying to do the transaction outside eBay. Is there some way I can do this legitimately?

I am really quite keen to get rid of the item (an old front door) and there hasn't been much interest in it (this is a re-listing), so I am keen to keep this potential buyer, if possible. But am also keen to keep my eBay account and positive feedback, and not be scammed by this buyer (if that's what's going on?) Or maybe he's just genuinely trying to help me avoid Paypal fees.

Heeeelp!

Bump

Never ever accept PayPal for a cash on collection item.
You are just asking to be scammed. You can't avoid having it as a option but eBay can't insist that you have to take the payment that way. If anyone tries to pay just refund them.
The way the scam works is that the buyer pays by PayPal collects the item and once they have the item pits in an item not receive claim. The seller does not have the tracked courier or Royal Mail info which PayPal require ( obviously as the buyer collected it.)
PayPal refund the buyer and hey presto they have your item and their money and you have no money and no item.

I've got the opposite problem though! I listed it with PayPal (which eBay insists you put for buy it now), and the buyer wants to give me cash. But how does he buy tge item, and thus end the listing, if the system insists he pays via PayPal?! Or do I just end the listing early? (Never done that but assume I can?).

Tell him to come round, look at the door, pay you cash.
Instantly hop on line & end your listing (choose a random reason).
Sorted.

If you do end the listing early, what's to stop this person changing their mind and not collecting, or turning up and trying to barter down the price?

Sorry I meant you don't end the listing until after they have driven away & you have cash in hand.

I don't see the value of receipt; the whole transaction would be happening outside of Ebay* so buyer would have minimal comeback.

*which is against Ebay rules, btw, but they don't have to know...

In similar situations I've agreed a price with the buyer for the Buy-It-Now, told the buyer I was going to set that price on my listing for a few hours, and had the buyer buy at that price. If they hadn't bought I would have reset the price.

There's no problem with going cash on collection but I always make it clear that although the transaction will side-step Paypal it won't side-step ebay. It puts you on the hook for the 10% ebay fee but I like to stay away from dodgy business.

There's nothing to force the buyer to turn up but that's the nature of selling for collection on ebay. If that were to happen you'd just have to cancel the transaction.

don't bother with a sold as seen receipt. Means nowt. Just take their cash and end the listing. Is easy.

If the buyer is trying to buy-it-now and is asking for immediate PayPal payment it means you have it set on your listing like that. I think it is ebay's set up fornat. However you can change it. You need to go on revise listing and untick that box. That means they can buy the item within ebay but can pay cash on collection which is always recommended. Once it has been paid and collected you can go and manually tick on payment received and item dispatched. As advised up thread a scam is more likely if using paypal to pay collection items. I hope that makes sense and helps you decide what to do.

Ah, ok, that's much clearer. Thank you very much. I've revised the listing to include an 'other' payment option, so hopefully he can now buy it, not pay via PayPal, then collect it and pay cash.

Thanks v much! I am only an occasional eBay seller (more often a buyer), so this is very helpful! Thank you all

paypal is always added to ebay listings you cannot remove it. But you must never accept paypal for a collected item, never.

They can buy it now, and then give you the cash on collection. You can then mark it as 'payment received' in My EBay, even though they didn't use PayPal. Just did this as the weekend with my buyer and it works perfectly. If they try and pay with PayPal just refund them.

Thanks. Managed to change the listing, buyer did Buy It Now, then came tonight, paid in cash, went away happy. Success all round!