cash on collection only item,buyer wants to arrange courier...

*smurfy*

I sold an item(large christmas lights)and i put cash on collection only,which in past has never caused any problems.But the buyer messaged me before sale finshed and asked if they arranged courier could they,i said sorry no it was cash on collection,or i would deliver local for cost(all of which was listed in advert).Anyway they still very close to end of sale bidded and won,then paid by paypal! So refunded the payment and said again cash on collection etc.And i wasnt happy with a courier collecting item and this was also the reason i wasnt posting via hermes etc,as i didn't have a day where i could wait in all day for them to collect and the item is too big to post via hermes shop,where as someone personally collecting 99% of time want to collect sundays,or nights when i can be about. I'm trying not to unhelpful,but i feel i was very clear and never had a problem like this before,so dont know how to solve it.

soolin

You are totally right in refusing to allow a courier to collect.

However you now need to be careful and try and work a bit with the buyer As they hold all the cards now that you have refused PayPal.

As I'm sure you realise you can't refuse PayPal, so now you have you need to negotiate a bit with buyer to get them to complete the transaction as otherwise you are going to get stung with the fees.

lindseykim13

My 'rule' in these situations is to send them a revised invoice with a courier charge on. It that means a 2hr slot expensive one then so be it, that's their own fault.
Ebay will help in this situation as although they paid you can say that the buyer has refused to pay postage if they do refuse of course.

soolin

lindseykim13 wrote: »

My 'rule' in these situations is to send them a revised invoice with a courier charge on. It that means a 2hr slot expensive one then so be it, that's their own fault.
Ebay will help in this situation as although they paid you can say that the buyer has refused to pay postage if they do refuse of course.

If original auction did not show postage you can't add it later- buyer can quite rightly refuse to pay again and you can't do an NPB without getting it appealed due to the original payment having been made.

angelcake

Unfortunately as others has said, the buyer has all the power here! They can leave you neg etc... Can you not send it Collect+ or ask someone to have it collected from them, I have on occasion got my friend who I know is home a lot to take parcels for me. Not ideal but maybe a begrudgingly easier way out of it?

cestlavie

soolin wrote: »

If original auction did not show postage you can't add it later- buyer can quite rightly refuse to pay again and you can't do an NPB without getting it appealed due to the original payment having been made.

gosh is that right? if you sell something cash on collection and do not list postage, you cannot then charge for postage/courier if buyer demands it delivered? that's mad! the buyer surely has not fulfilled his terms of the contract of sale by not picking item up?!

i had no idea, thanks for info

soolin

cestlavie wrote: »

gosh is that right? if you sell something cash on collection and do not list postage, you cannot then charge for postage/courier if buyer demands it delivered? that's mad! the buyer surely has not fulfilled his terms of the contract of sale by not picking item up?!

i had no idea, thanks for info

If the auction states collection only then you can reasonably expect a buyer to collect. What has muddled it here is that buyer paid by paypal which has been refunded- so seller is now stuck with no way of forcing payment and no way of insisting item is collected. If a buyer 'demands' that somehting is posted then it is up to the two parties to negotiate a charge- but then you are back to the why not just list wih a courier

The issue always is that we sellers prefer cash on collection, but even if a buyer does not use paypal and just doesn't bother collecting then we are still stuck. If we open an NPB on them then they have to use paypal to close that dispute to avoid a strike.

If an item can be couriered it really doe spay to show that in listing an add the courier charge, but maybe say that item is available for collection by prior arrangement. Then if buyer contacts you to say they want to collect you can insist on cash. If they refuse and pay by paypal the invoice automatically adds the courier charge-assuming your account is set up to not allow buyers to change invoices.

*smurfy*

Thanks for all the comments the problem has now been solved i contacted ebay who were for a change very helpful! If you list an item collect only like i did,the person has to collect,you do not have to accept a courier,they can either send family/friend etc to collect,and as they were refusing to collect i was within my right like i had done to refund,and told i could cancel sale because they were not holding upto their end of the contract of the sale,and as such ebay have refunded my fees.

porto_bello

My experience is similar to smurfy's.

If you highlight and are clear about cash on collection in your listing and make more than one attempt in the listing to repeat it, I've found eBay pretty helpful in supporting me, if a buyer tries to pay by paypal and collect.

I have to add that for me, cash on collection items have been almost completely trouble free. I've only really had this issue once and (like smurfy) may have been fortunate in encountering a particularly helpful member of eBay, who has been quick to conclude that the seller has been absolutely clear about bidder/buyer payment method and the inappropriateness of paypal and picking up/sending a courier.