Seller requires "collection in person" but courier not acceptable... unfair?

Lit_Up

I am buying a small chest of drawers off eBay, someone has previously asked whether the seller can wrap the item for a courier to collect - seller says they do not wish to 'deal' with couriers. I have then said that they would not need to wrap the item, and could a relative collect (by relative, I mean, a courier)... they say that ONLY the buyer can collect.

Is there an eBay law which requires me to collect in person rather than send a courier or a relative to collect? A courier surely satisfies the 'collection in person' criteria. The item is of LOW value. We're talking maybe 50 quid. The seller says it's because they don't want to be held liable for damage in transit - but couriers have insurance for that... besides, this ISN'T a fragile item!

Seller doesn't seem to have caught on to eBay practices...

What are the rules here?

cootuk

I would imagine they don't want to stay in for hours waiting for a courier.
If you collect it's your responsibility, if a courier collects then the lines are blurred.

steveo3002

thing is a courier will mean they have to wait in all day and package it up to a good standard , collection in person should be able to narrow it down to a hour or so when it suits both , like at the weekend or something

NIC26

You have asked if you can arrange courier & they have said no. I don't think the seller is being unreasonable, because you don't like the answer.

There are potential issues with allowing a buyer to arange a courier. Mainly dishonest buyers claiming item not received (paying through Paypal) or courier causing damage in transit and seller being liable, having to wait in for courier to arrive. If the seller thinks it will be simpler to do a cash on collection transaction where buyer has a chance to inspect item that's fair enough. It's their choice. I would forget it & move on since the terms of sale don't work for you.

bylromarha

Are you seriously telling me you would book a courier, tell the seller a relative was collecting, expect the seller to wait in all day as you weren't sure when your relative would collect, then be surprised that the courier would refuse the parcel as it wasn't packaged up and the seller would probably not pass the item on anyway when the big yellow DHL van (or whatever courier) turns up on the doorstep?

Buyer doesn't seem to have caught onto ebay practices...

RFW

I've occasionally had sellers asking if they can send their own courier to collect, my answer is if they can bring a cash payment and collect within a one hour time frame then there is no problem. There is a much bigger risk in having a courier collect than the customer themselves let alone the hassle of having to wait for an unknown courier to call.

WhiteHorse

'Buyer collects' is not uncommon. It saves the seller a lot of hassle. If I was selling a chest of drawers, I would stipulate that too.

At the end of the day, if you don't like the deal, walk away.

Candlemoth

The contract is between you and the seller, they set the rules in regards to how you get your item not ebay. If you arrange pick up when seller states you need to collect it and the company break the item you would still be responsible for paying for delivery and the item.

soolin

Lit_Up wrote: »

I am buying a small chest of drawers off eBay, someone has previously asked whether the seller can wrap the item for a courier to collect - seller says they do not wish to 'deal' with couriers. I have then said that they would not need to wrap the item, and could a relative collect (by relative, I mean, a courier)... they say that ONLY the buyer can collect.

Is there an eBay law which requires me to collect in person rather than send a courier or a relative to collect? A courier surely satisfies the 'collection in person' criteria. The item is of LOW value. We're talking maybe 50 quid. The seller says it's because they don't want to be held liable for damage in transit - but couriers have insurance for that... besides, this ISN'T a fragile item!

Seller doesn't seem to have caught on to eBay practices...

What are the rules here?

I have a few collection only items- I will NOT allow a buyer to send a courier under any circumstances at all. If something can be easily packed and boxed for a courier then I would have offered one.

Obviously_the_best

Lit_Up wrote: »

Seller doesn't seem to have caught on to eBay practices...

What are the rules here?

There are no rules, the seller states the terms of the transaction, you either accept or decline.

And as it says 'collection in person', that means the buyer has to be there in person to collect, it's not the seller that hasn't caught on, it's you

RFW

soolin wrote: »

I have a few collection only items- I will NOT allow a buyer to send a courier under any circumstances at all. If something can be easily packed and boxed for a courier then I would have offered one.

I have had a courier that satisfied my terms, ie they turned up within an hour slot and paid cash, I was slightly staggered it happened. It was a fairly big courier company too (can't actually remember which one now).