Buyer wants to come to my home

Dumbledore55

I've just sold a Scalextric set and the buyer hasn't paid but has just sent me a message saying 'send me a phone number so I can come to your house to collect it'.

I don't want anyone coming to my house and they haven't even paid yet - what shall I do? Do I have to let them collect it?

masonic

You don't have to let them collect it. If you do, they don't have to come to your house - you can arrange to meet them somewhere else. I don't think I'd do it as it seems like unneccessary hassle to me and the buyer should have arranged to do this before they bid.

Dumbledore55

Thanks masonic - I've e-mailed him back saying that I don't do collections from my home and that he should have checked before bidding. I've said I would arrange collection from my place of work but only if I receive full payment first. I hope that works, I don't want a stranger at my door or to try and do a cash deal on my doorstep.

bargainaholic

When E-Baying I try & find things close to me so I can collect & save on postage, but I always ask if it's OK before I bid.

If you're not keen for them to collect & feel you need to give an excuse, just say you work odd hours & are on call out. Go on to say it would be difficult to arrange a time you could definately be there & so rather than keep them waiting you'd prefer to post the item, or if they're very local drop it off to their house for petrol cost.

masonic

Dumbledore55 wrote:

Thanks masonic - I've e-mailed him back saying that I don't do collections from my home and that he should have checked before bidding. I've said I would arrange collection from my place of work but only if I receive full payment first. I hope that works, I don't want a stranger at my door or to try and do a cash deal on my doorstep.

I think you should be cautious if the buyer ends up paying by paypal, as you would not be able to stop a paypal chargeback for goods not received. I don't know whether a receipt signed by the buyer would be enough to stop a chargeback, but it would probably put them off starting one.

Dumbledore55

What a pain!! - I really just want to post the item like I usually do - I expect he just won't pay up and I'll have to resell the item.

black-saturn

I sometimes sell old photos, books and postcards about the area I live in. Inevitably someone from my area is going to buy them and usually they want to pick them up in person. I have sold about 30 things to people who pick them up in person now. It usually just means you get a knock at the door, they hand money over and you hand the thing over and theres loads of thankyous and everyones polite and you get positive feedback straight away. If your worried you could always have someone else in your house when they turn up.

HairyHatMan

I always offer collection in person. You get the cash in your hand with no possibility of a bounced cheque / paypal clawback etc, and the buyer gets the item cheaper by not paying any P&P, which will probably increase the amount they're prepared to bid. It's no more riskier than giving them your address to send a cheque. You just arrange a mutually convenient time for them to call, so it's not like you've got t owait in all day for them.

Hermia

I now have a note on all my auctions saying I won't allow people to call at my house. I was driven to this by two buyers. One turned up drunk & stinking of BO (I had to spray the whole house afterwards). I was absolutely terrified as the buyer was a huge man and I'm a very small female living on my own. The second buyer emailed me to ask if collection at home was okay before he bid. I said okay, but warned him I worked long hours and was not at home that often. He won the auction and then said he would come on his way home from work at 6pm. I said I wouldn't be in and he refused to come when I was in. He wouldn't buy the item and basically said it was my fault for not being flexible with the times.

Dumbledore55

That's my worry - single mum living alone - I'll see what his response is to my request. I'm not that keen on his tone so far, he won the item on 11th October and I sent an invoice. Then on 13th he sent a message asking for my address because would collect the item the next day - I didn't get that message because I was away. Then sent a rather sharp message on 14th saying - giv me your phone number so I can collect item. At no time has he even asked if it would be Ok or when it might be convenient for me!!

bleugh

just meet nearby, i usually meet just off the m4 or in work!, or by mcdonalds, etc