Help please with courier delivery

SAHD_Jim

soolin wrote: »

Allowing users to send their own courier can be a real issue if item arrives damages, or gets lost. You as the seller are still liable to refund the amount in case of loss or to face a SNAD if item arrives damaged.

Not true, unless the buyer has paid by PayPal and any seller who allows a buyer to use PayPal and agrees to an item being collected whether by the buyer or their agent is leaving themselves open to a whole world of pain. If a buyer wanted to use their own courier I would expect a bank transfer just as I would expect cash on collection.

If a buyer uses a courier to pick up a "collection in person" item, this person is their agent. The seller's liability ends once the agent collects the item in the same way as if it was cash on collection. PayPal muddies things because it is hopelessly biased in favour of buyers.

Clearly if the buyer felt the item was not as described they could take legal action but any damage/loss in transit would be for them to take up with the courier. They would have no eBay buyer protection.

soolin

SAHD_Jim wrote: »

Not true, unless the buyer has paid by PayPal and any seller who allows a buyer to use PayPal and agrees to an item being collected whether by the buyer or their agent is leaving themselves open to a whole world of pain. If a buyer wanted to use their own courier I would expect a bank transfer just as I would expect cash on collection.

If a buyer uses a courier to pick up a "collection in person" item, this person is their agent. The seller's liability ends once the agent collects the item in the same way as if it was cash on collection. PayPal muddies things because it is hopelessly biased in favour of buyers.

Clearly if the buyer felt the item was not as described they could take legal action but any damage/loss in transit would be for them to take up with the courier. They would have no eBay buyer protection.

Firstly, we are all aware of the paypal on collection scam- but you are overlooking the issue that on ebay paypal is compulsory and will show as the default on your listing.
If buyer uses that to pay then you are rather stuck. Obviously you can refund payment and refuse to sell, but that leaves you paying all the fees and possibly with a neg as well from the disgruntled buyer.

So, your idea will work if you can persaude the buyer to use a different payment method- but if they don't then as the seller you remain responsible for the goods until you prove that they have been safely delivered to buyer and even then buyer has 45 days to open an SNAD claim which tends to almost always go in favour of the buyer.

Have a read of the postage sticky thread.