sellers allowing buyers to arrange couriers

soolin

We seem to be getting a lot of threads both here and on the community boards where sellers are allowing buyers to arrange their own couriers.

Whilst I hope that such questions will be given attention to assist the buyers if posted here on MSE I would also generally remind sellers that this is not a good idea.

Sellers remain liable for the item until such time as it reaches the buyer in good order, as such the sticky postage thread should be noted:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3146680

allowing the buyer to send a courier means that even if that courier damages the item the seller may well find themselves losing a paypal chargeback for a damaged item - and with no contract wit the courier a seller might not be able to make any claim against the courier's insurance. Also, even if tracked there is no way of knowing where the courier has been instructed to deliver the item- so again a seller could face difficulty if a buyer has arranged for courier to say deliver parcel to a work address- as seller would lose an INR claim if the paypal payment showed a different address.

It is also not always a good idea for the buyer either, how do you know seller will wrap it properly? If it arrives damaged through poor packaging and you win your paypal claim, you still have t get it shipped back to seller at your own cost- so you lose two lots of courier charges. Also what happens if seller is not in when courier calls- you will almost certainly still have to pay a courier charge for the failed collection.

As a buyer or a seller do think carefully about this before you proceed, it can be problematic