Buyer on ebay from China wants to pay by cash

hermum

Tell the buyer that you can't go through with the sale at the moment as you've moved house & then put it in the hands of a specialist auction house.

blue_monkey_2

No, don't do it. They cannot want it that badly if they cannot find the time to do it in a solicitors office.

Get it to an auction house ASAP and ask them value it and possibly, look after it. If anyone comes to your house then you do not have it anyway, let them go to the auction house and buy it from them.

I guess you know how much it is worth now so I agree with everyone else. Auction it, do it properly and then you'll not be having to worry about it anymore. Tell the buyer the sale is off. You never had the money in the first place, they could get the teapot and you get scammed.

They have probably set up a false ID on eBay using the name of the hotel and the owners name to make it look like it is him that wants it. DO NOT BE FOOLED. Please just tell them the sale is off but if they want it they can buy it from xx auction house as it is now going through proper channels.

I would also think about reporting it to the police as a potential scam.

Oliver14

OP What you need to think. If you got the interest you already say you have. How much interest you would get with a proper Auction house and advertising behind you. In all likelihood it would make far more money.

I can see no reason not to take it to an auction house to at least get if officially valued (items are worth more with an official valuation) unless there is something your not telling us? I'm not accusing you of anything but I do find it strange that will all this information that you have given us in the past couple of posts you have never got an official independent valuation.

Also you need to look at Soolins points as there is a possibility you cannot legally sell it. An auction house should be able to tell you this also.

hermum

Also if you can sell it if there was enough interest to bid it up to that amount of money without it being verified by an expert & people were willing to take a chance on it being authentic on a few pictures & description on ebay. Imagine how much it could potentially be worth.

Mistral001

Oliver14 wrote: »

OP What you need to think. If you got the interest you already say you have. How much interest you would get with a proper Auction house and advertising behind you. In all likelihood it would make far more money.

I can see no reason not to take it to an auction house to at least get if officially valued (items are worth more with an official valuation) unless there is something your not telling us? I'm not accusing you of anything but I do find it strange that will all this information that you have given us in the past couple of posts you have never got an official independent valuation.

Also you need to look at Soolins points as there is a possibility you cannot legally sell it. An auction house should be able to tell you this also.

Ah, I see what has happened.

The OP has gone to get it valued or asked an auction house to help with the deal and they have refused point blank as in effect it has been already sold by an another auction house ie. ebay. If I was them I would have taken the same attitude ie. "should have have come to the proper professionals in the first place, sorry cannot help you"

Well maybe a lesson learned as the OP has said.

A trip to China might be on the cards. If I was going to get £20000 I would consider it as it looks like the Op will have a few legal problems selling it to someone else or at a proper auction house until the Op knows definitely whether this buyer is genuine or not.

Oliver14

Geneticdeviant100 wrote: »

H It seems the buyer did not want this, and there was a possibility that due to object's value it would be held by Chinese customs..

Or the other option is they are trying to avoid import duties. That also rings alarm bells.

Anyway we can all speculate till the cows come home. The decision is your OP. If Mistral is wrong though and you are able to speak to an Auction House that I still believe is the best option. Good luck in whatever decisions you make but don't make them hastily.

terra_ferma

http://community.ebay.co.uk/topic/Seller-Central/Buyer-Ebay-China/18000399623

scheming_gypsy

Geneticdeviant100 wrote: »

She then texted she has no time.

i think that bit explains most of it.

She's got time to fly to the UK from China and hang around outside train stations while somebody counts $20,000 but doesn't have time to go to a solicitors to do it.

I'd be tempted to turn up a tea pot off the market and let them scam me out of it.

emma.b123

What's the buyers history like on ebay - is there any? We had quiet a lot of obvious scammers when we were trying to sell our car - unfortunately big spend purchases do attract scammers. I'd bet that this person hasn't travelled from China, but is part of a ring based in London. I would not go and meet with this person - there's the possibility there maybe not quite who you expect there to meet you, I certanly wouldn't be comfortable walking into London with something worth £20,000 - or £20,000 cash. bear in mind, IF they did happen to travel into the UK from China, they would have some difficulty getting through £20,000 through customs legally. Also be aware you wouldn't have any cover if the money happens to be conterfeit. Cash transfers can be made through organisations such as western union where you can collect from post offices etc. as another option. Personally, I'd cut my losses on this and if it is actually a genuine antique - go through a legit auction house (their fees are on par with ebay) - preferably one who specialised in your items and also attracts online and phone bidders if you expect overseas interest.

Geneticdeviant100

Thanks for all your answers again.

"Oliver14". Due to the state of the Chinese art market, it is extremely difficult to value a Chinese work of art, even by a major auction house. Things are fetching way over estimate at the moment. Sothebys recently estimated a Chinese porcelain vase at $800-$1200, but ended up selling for many millions. A 18th century Rhino horn cup brought for only £100 in 1980 fetched over £100,000 last year. At the moment Chinese Yixing teapots are now a hot item at the moment. Some around £100,000. 10 years ago you would have been lucky if they made £1000. My parents were collectors, and my late father had a particular fascination for Chinese art.

Mistral001. You are quite right. What if we sold at a major auction house, without giving him a chance. He may well have sued us, if he had the money, stating that as he was the successful bidder, we were legally obliged to sell to him, if he could pay legitimately.