Payment for Cash on Collection when I'm not there to get the cash?

[trendingorange]

I've sold a piece of furniture (£350) which is in my late Mums home 200 miles away from my home.

The buyer wants to send a courier (I have a builder in who will let the courier in - the house is empty apart from that, so he can't walk off with the wrong thing!) but I won't be there.

I suggested the buyer send me the money directly via PayPal 'friends & family' as I think that is safe and the payment can't be reversed?

Is that ok? I don't want to get ripped off! Especially as the piece of furniture is a sentimental item (too big for my house) and I have to share the money to the rest of the beneficiaries of my Mums estate.

The buyer has no protection if they use the friends and family option IIRC, so they may not be keen to do that - not sure about other PayPal methods though.

I can't collect the cash on collection as
A. I won't be there when the item is collected
B. The buyer won't be there either to hand over the cash.

This is why I need a different solution, I don't want to be the one exposed to being ripped off....as I know I'm honest....but I have no idea if the buyer (who is a stranger) is honest too.

If the item needs to be sent via courier, then you need to arrange the courier yourself. The buyer then pays you the full amount plus the courier charges. You are responsible for being able to prove the item was sent and delivered. If they send their own courier, they could claim the item never turned up, and you wouldn’t have any proof of it being sent/delivered as you didn’t arrange the courier yourself.

This is a known scam! Be careful!

www.antifraudnews.com/paypal-scams/

But if they pay me via PayPal : Friends and Family the payment can't be reversed?

I would check the funds were actually in my account before letting the item go.

You are not protected on eBay or Paypal for collected items paid for by Paypal. Phone Paypal and ask them if friends and family payments can be reversed (obviously don't tell them why you need to know ).

What payment method was on the advertisement? Is the buyer trying to change that? Just say no thanks pay as per advert:

I don't know if friends and family can be reversed, but the eBay/PayPal/courier thing is a very dodgy combo. Who would actually, realistically want a second hand sofa (that they haven't seen themselves) so badly, and with such certainty that they would pay for a courier? It makes no sense!

I don't think you can ask for PayPal friends and family for an eBay sale, the "buyer" will either dispute this or disappear if you can ask for them to use it and it can't be reversed!

I buy quite a lot of furniture and arrange couriers and always pay via normal PayPal. It's not ideal for the seller but nobody has complained. I wouldn't be happy with f&f as a buyer and eBay would back me up.

Obviously cash on collection is ideal for you but if that's not possible then the only other option with eBay is sort the courier yourself and accept normal PayPal.

PayPal friends and family is 100% fine to accept for collection items, as there is no buyer protection. They payment cannot be recalled. It’s goods and services payments that you should never accept.

OP you could accept PP F+F or a bank transfer?