Please Help- Not paying for postage

owey

powertron wrote:

Just inform them politely you do not offer collections.

I have had people in the past who want to collect items but part of my profit is based on them paying the shipping and handling fee.

i.e. my shipping and handling fee cover the paypal and ebay fees. There is nothing wrong with refusing collections.

But if they collect in person, you might sell more items and they would pay with hard cash so no papal fees, have you never sold anything in the local paper or out of a shop window as the only people that would collect would be local. Or you could deliver to local people for a small charge.

angelcake

yes....I was gonna say why not deliver for a small charge. Perhaps next time state in your auction ...collections not available....or something like that, I have seen that before and accepted it because it was already stated when I looked!!

Just say that method was not stated on auction.....perhaps if you don't want to upset them (they know where you live!!) say you will agree to a mutual agreement if they don't wish to proceed etc...

angelcake

owey wrote:

But if they collect in person, you might sell more items and they would pay with hard cash so no papal fees, have you never sold anything in the local paper or out of a shop window as the only people that would collect would be local. Or you could deliver to local people for a small charge.

or they could give you counterfeit money like we have heard before!!

I really think its too risky....

neilwoods

Ok so he loses a cpl of sale by not accepting people to come and collect.

If people want the item adly enough they will pay the postage, plus this way you stay safe in your own home. very foolish to hand out your address to a complete stranger, you have no idea who they are.

Plus it also means you having to stay in and wait for them to turn up, and have heard too that some buyers turn up they try to barter the price down.

Anways it is going to cost them to come collect the items, so why dont they just pay that for the postage.

Stick to your guns and only offer what you want, dont let the buyers dictate to you what they want. Otherwise you will only end up in trouble, and it isnt worth it.

soolin

Regular posters here know that I have in the past sold sci fi collectables and strangely enough those sales generated more 'can I collect' enquiries than all the rest of my items put together before and since.

My own explanation of this is firstly that once you re seen to be selling sci fi items people want to see what else you have, I did allow one collection where the guy came into the house before I could stop him and started browsing through some display cabinets saying 'will you sell me this?'. Very alarming.

The other thing I found is that sci fi people are often loners (i suppose the less kind person would call them geeks ). Therefore collecting an item and maybe meeting a fellow 'fan' or collector is a real event and they look on it almost as a day out. I had several people try to strike up friendships with me, there was even one who once he realised I was female actually asked me very politely if I would be his girlfriend! (My sons thought that was hilarious especially as he sent a little photo that showed him to be about 25 years of age, and I'm a fair bit older than that!).

Lastly, and possibly a more serious reason, condition of collectables is all important. Therefore a collector will want the chance to see whether Mint in box (or whatever) is really the case..however, to get round tha I always showed a good few photos and gave a completely true description rather than just say 'good' or 'like new'.

Personally I do not allow collections any more unless someone has a reason that I can understand. If that loses me sales, then so be it.

Soo

rose_sparky

I will allow collections, but I have to admit to inwardly groaning when they request this.

Whilst some people have been ok, others think that by collecting an item it's a ticket to spending two or three hours with you "talking" ebay.

Money_Maker_Shaker

I lkie the new avatar Soo, nice to see you are keeping the sci-fi theme going!