Help with nightmare buyer

On_My_Lonesome

Hi,

Apologies such a long story.

I have been clearing out the house and selling a few bits on Ebay. One of the items that finished last weekend was a large stereo stack system with speakers that I advertised a collection in person.

The winning bidder lives in London and i am in Manchester. I emailed straight after auction finished asking what he wanted to do about collection and he said he wanted to send a courier. Even though this meant boxing it up which I didn;t really want to do (hence advertising as collection in person) I felt I had to agree rather than risk bad feedback.

He emailed asking if Ok to collect on Wednesday and I agreed to an evening collection as long as he had paid by Monday evening so I knew was going paid for and to give me time to get boxes. He didn't pay until Thursday night so that collection never happened.

I have told him countless times in emails that it will need to be 4 boxes as too big for any less, today he told me has booked a courier for Monday as agreed and booked 2 boxes! No way it will fit in 2 boxes so again told him that. He has now increased it to 3 and said leave out the sattelite speakers. Is this putting myself open to ebay problems?

The other problem is that when I have looked at the courier that he is using the big speakers and main stereo will be above the maximum size for their parcels and the spereo will be above the weight limit for the, I have told him this but he just replies saying it will be fine. Does anyone have any suggestions for what I do if the courier arrives and refuses to take the boxes? I am really wary of receiving bad feedback as have 100% at the moment and even 1 negative or neutral would hit me hard as I have only sold a few things.

Having looked at his feedback it appears he does this sort of thing with a lot of purchases can I report him to Ebay once this is all finished?

Sorry for going on I hope that all makes sense and thanks in advance

mcjordi

just refund and block him.. your asking for problems here..

On_My_Lonesome

Can he leave negative feedback though if I do that?

mcjordi

yeah he can do.. but just counter that in a comment something like.. ad stated collection only but he wanted delivery"

hermum

Yes he can.
You should never allow buyers to arrange their courier, or change the terms of the auction.
If there's a problem, such as it gets broken in transit, you will have to refund & won't be able to claim from the courier as you don't have a contract with them.
What courier is he using who will do an evening collection?
Personally I would refund & take the neg.

Jen_Jen1985

yes they can, you should have stuck to you guns and said collection only but too late for that now.
Theres always the chance the courier will not take the boxes due to size and weight, then you could apologise and say that it looks likke a courier will be unsuitable for the item and offer them the chance to collect in person or refund and cancel the transaction.

jlux111

Yeah, he can unfortunately.

I was in a very similar position at start of year. Sold a very expensive hifi amplifier advertised explicitly for collection only.

Buyer bought and paid for item and insisted I post.

It was a long and arduous process thereafter with many carefully worded emails.

Ultimately, I refunded him and he left me negative feedback. After another carefully worded email he revised the negative to a positive..

All you can do is try to be as polite and professional as possible and hope he is reasonable.

All the best

On_My_Lonesome

Thank you all. He did ask for me to try and put the sattelite speakers in with it so I might do that and make sure its too big for them to take even mentioning to the collector that it is oversize and hope he refuses to take it that way he will have to collect or ask for it to be cancelled himself.

I know thats not very honest but think might be my only option. If he requests cancelled sale does he get to leave feedback?

hermum

I don't know how much this sold for but a neg could be the least of your problems, if you have to refund him & he has the item.
You may not be able to prove delivery,and you won't be able to claim for damage but would have to refund him.

On_My_Lonesome

It wasn't an expensive item I was actually going to take to tip originally, it sold for £16 so not much at all. It was sold a for spares repairs as not even sure it is working properly so that might help if claims damaged I guess?

Am now wishing I had taken it to the tip to be honest and saved this hassle.

hermum

On_My_Lonesome wrote: »

It wasn't an expensive item I was actually going to take to tip originally, it sold for £16 so not much at all. It was sold a for spares repairs as not even sure it is working properly so that might help if claims damaged I guess?

Am now wishing I had taken it to the tip to be honest and saved this hassle.

Hopefully it will. I don't know why people bid & then say that they want to arrange a courier.