Cash on Collection – Buyer wishes to arrange courier

smashed

Hi, I put a used fire on ebay as cash on collection only due to the bulk /weight of the item the fact that I do not have any original packaging.

A bidder bought the item BIN on the same day and then said that he wished to arrange a courier as he lived 100miles away.

I replied and have explained (twice) that I am unwilling to use a courier. There is a high risk of damage to a heavy / fragile item and then I will be stuck trying to claim the cash back from a courier which will be difficult as I have no decent packaging.

The buyer has come back again and said that he has found a courier himself who will package the item for him etc etc.

I wish to reply and tell him that arranging his own courier will leave me even more open as I cannot claim on his courier etc etc and there is just too much risk. Obviously, I don’t want him to say that I should arrange said courier either. I am at work during the week and I can hardly take an unboxed fire into work to be picked up.

I am struggling to stay diplomatic as I wouldn’t even dream of trying to push a seller into doing something that was not on the listing. Similarly, the cold weather is the perfect time for me to sell the fire so I don’t want this dragging on.


Any decent suggestions?
Am I being unreasonable or do I just hold my stance and reiterate collection only and reiterate why?

chancesare_2

If the item is lost or damaged in transit YOU are responsible as the seller. This is why you cannot accept courier collection by the buyer.

smashed

And that is precisely what I have said to them but they still keep badgering on about it.

chancesare_2

As long as you listed as collection only, then there is nothing they can do.

Perhaps one more carefully drafted message:

Dear Buyer

Thank you for your interest but as I have explained the item is collection only. I am not in a position to allow a courier to collect as it does not offer me any protection should the item become damaged or lost in transit. My decision on this is final.

If you wish to collect, please let me have your telephone number so we can make the necessary arrangements.

Yours, seller.

shaun_from_Africa

Why not ask the buyer to pay you via a bank transfer and point out to them that by doing this, they will have no buyer protection so any damage or loss to the fire during transit will be totally at their risk.

I realise that you didn't want a courier to collect, but if they can get one who will be willing to do the packing, this may be easier and quicker than having to cancel the transaction, do a non paying seller dispute, then relisting.

pendulum

+1 to the above. I would accept a courier but only if I'd been paid by a method that cannot be reversed. If not, relist.

smashed

Thanks...
To clarify, if somebody pays via Bank Transfer then Ebay will do absolutely nothing for the buyer if a dispute was raised against me? (also wondering for my own future purchases).
I thought there was ebay protection as well as paypal protection.

It still doesnt help me much as I am at work during the day and cannot take the fire with me..

Obviously_the_best

Nope, absolutely zilch, ebay can't refund a bank transfer, they don't have the power and you haven't used PayPal at all so it doesn't involve them

smashed

The buyer has responded telling me that it is not my responsibility once the courier picks it up.I don't think he understands.
He has also said that we should cancel the transaction as it is clear that I don't want him to have it :-O
I just expect a collection .... Like the listing says.
Auction cancelled ....thanks everyone.

Notmyrealname

smashed wrote: »

The buyer has responded telling me that it is not my responsibility once the courier picks it up.I don't think he understands.

No, I don't think you understand. If he arranges a courier then it is his responsibility if it gets broken and it would be him as the customer of the courier who would have to make a claim against them, not you. As you are not the customer of the courier you could not claim.

shaun_from_Africa

No, I don't think you understand. If he arranges a courier then it is his responsibility if it gets broken and it would be him as the customer of the courier who would have to make a claim against them,

But if the buyer has paid via paypal then it doesn't matter who paid for the courier or whose responsibility it is to make a claim as all the buyer will have to do is to open a paypal dispute for goods not as described or goods not received and it's almost guaranteed that they will win the dispute.