My sold item specified "Collection Only", now buyer wants me to courier it?!

Smithills

Compared to you guys, I feel like eBay has served me well over the years, but all of a sudden, I get a feeling that might change. An item finished yesterday that I was selling- bit large, and potentially breakable so I had specified "Collection Only". With around 20 minutes to go until the end of the auction, I get an e-mail from someone who has already bid on it asking if I would post/courier it. I replied no, would be worried about breakage etc. Their bid won, and now they want me to pack it up and post/courier to them, saying that they would be responsible for any breakage.

After searching on the threads, I have come to the conclusion that I need to ask for a mutual cancellation, and have put this in motion. What are your thoughts please?:o

pinkshoes

Never do a mutual, as it can backfire.

How far away do they live? I would volunteer to drive it over yourself, charging them 40p/mile for the petrol, and £6/hour for your personal time.

You can then get cash on collection.

Smithills

Thanks PS, but too far! Approx round trip about 400+ miles!! That's why I wondered about them being able to collect...but that's their worry. Though being transferred to my worry now!

What do you suggest then, just me to cancel it?

BaileyB

Put it as a NPB and say you explained in your acution and in an email collection only, if they then go on and bid they deserve all they get.

You might get a neg but if you follow the NPB all the way it should be removed by ebay.

Smithills

OK, so the buyer has agreed and cancelled the auction. That's good, though I am rising above the sarky comments, the "I said I would pay for it, I can organise it, it's easy" bit of the e-mail. It's my time that's precious, you divot!:mad:

The buyer has a low feedback, and a neg in there for comms, so perhaps that's not a surprise. What will they say about me?!

Smithills

Thanks Bailey, I have saved the e-mails, and am ready to go to eBay if necessary. My 100% rating is important to me, I'm a good buyer and a good seller!!

StaffsSW

Smithills wrote: »

"I said I would pay for it, I can organise it, it's easy" bit of the e-mail. It's my time that's precious, you divot!:mad:

Their offer to supply packaging materials and someone to wrap it safely is conspicuous by its absense....

I've had the exact same problem twice before - first time I stupidly agreed to it and wasted so much time getting it packed, and then it turns out the buyer hadn't paid for a service that could collect that size parcel - and then another day off work to wait for the second courier.

The second time round it was on one of my private ID's, so I didn't care much about the feedback. I waited for the courier to arrive, then handed them a bike with no packing or labelling which was understandably refused and also incurred a failed collection charge.

I wore the neg with pride for about week before the buyer was NARU'd and it was removed.

anon_ymous

Next time,make it clear that you wont use couriers to send the item. Im thinking, when I send large/heavy goods to use PM, as they're cheaper than others and I get tracking.-and then charge anyone coming to collect an extra fiver or so for the packaging used

Smithills

Thanks everyone, no neg yet! It certainly makes me think that I will be clearly specifying No Couriers (but not in big ranty coloured writing) in the future. And I suppose I could have cancelled their bid at the time- but then I think well, it would be unusual, but not entirely unfeasible for the bidder to be near me when the auction ended. I shall have to remember this faffing about though to prompt me not to be so trusting...:cool:

jasmineswhiskers

This still never ceases to amaze me. I had the same just before Xmas. If I was prepared to courier it I would have put it as the postage option. So they expect you to pay for all the packaging materials, spend time and effort parcelling it up and then to wait in all day for a courier who might or might not turn up. (And if they send a certain courier whose name I won't mention then the chance of any fragile item arriving in one piece is zero!)Hmmm....

glitter123

I made the mistake of agreeing to do that for a buyer - not really thinking it through. I had listed it as collection only but when I agreed to the courier option I didn't take into account I would lose more money when they paid via paypal. I then spent ages securely packing and the (heavy) parcel at my own expense.

I've learned my lesson now.