An empty box for sale

vikingaero

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thule-ProRide-591-Bike-Cycle-Roof-Mount-Carrier-box-only-/121095800254?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item1c31df45be

Hmmmm.

iammumtoone

I see lots of empty boxes for sale, some of them go for alot of money. I used to think why? who is that stupid to pay for an empty box? Until that is I got burgled and on reporting my stolen items to the insurance company we were going through how I could prove I owned these items and do I have the box was asked quite a few times. Suddenly the penny dropped!

shaun_from_Africa

Scams involving empty boxes are fairly common on ebay but this isn't one of them.
It is collection only so if the buyer pays with paypal then it is only the seller who is at risk of being scammed, and if the seller pays cash on collection then they have a chance to check what they are buying before paying.

iammumtoone

How can you scam someone selling an empty box?

shaun_from_Africa

How can you scam someone selling an empty box?

By paying for it with paypal, collecting then simply opening a goods not received dispute.
By doing this, the buyer is 99% guaranteed to get their payment refunded in full.
Unlikely to happen for an empty box, but if it goes for a few £'s, still possible.

iammumtoone

there seem to be so many ebay scams. I sell on there but most of my items are for low valve this has put me off selling anything of high valve on there.

sillygoose

iammumtoone wrote: »

I see lots of empty boxes for sale, some of them go for alot of money. I used to think why? who is that stupid to pay for an empty box? Until that is I got burgled and on reporting my stolen items to the insurance company we were going through how I could prove I owned these items and do I have the box was asked quite a few times. Suddenly the penny dropped!

And of course a roof mounted bike rack is just the sort of thing that could easily get stolen off a parked car - maybe even with an expensive bike on it (empty bike box available separately), could result in a substantial insurance claim... not that I am suggesting...

Or it could be the seller is just too lazy to go down the recycling place with it when he can possibly get someone to pay him for the privilege of taking his rubbish away!

ballisticbrian

It's just a box. Have you not seen used paper clips and short legnths of rope for sale on eBay? Every strange thing you see is usually not a scam.

techspec

If you have one to sell - it could add value if in original box.

I got £15 for my old phone box and instructions.

iammumtoone

ballisticbrian wrote: »

It's just a box. Have you not seen used paper clips and short legnths of rope for sale on eBay? Every strange thing you see is usually not a scam.

Actually the paper clips etc you see are scams (kind of). It is a way for low feedback buyers and sellers to buy and sell in return for positive feedback. If you need a good feedback score this is a quick, cheap and easy way of achieving it.

Fire_Fox

Question from other members is mildly amusing.