MSE News: eBay shoppers to 'click and collect' at Argos stores by Christmas

Former_MSE_Helen

"Online auction site eBay is teaming up with Argos to trial a 'click and collect' scheme..."

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eBay shoppers to 'click and collect' at Argos stores by Christmas




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VT82

I don't get it...

eBay was once about disintermediation - cutting out the middle men, with real people selling to real people.

Then they make it unpalatable for real people to sell on it due to the protection given to dodgy buyers (they haven't paid? ok, give it a couple of weeks and you'll get your fees back, ignoring the fact that your videogame has also gone down in value by a fiver in the meantime).

They they make it unpalatable for real people to buy on it due to protection given to dodgy sellers (you didn't get your item? ok, we'll try and get you your money back, but if they've emptied their Paypal account, then tough).

Then they make it even more unpalatable for real people to sell on it due to ridiculous fees (3% for Paypal that would make b*****d banks blush, and now even charging fees on legitimate postage costs!).

And now they make it very clear that it's really all about just being a marketplace for big business, by offering eBay as a 'store' from which you can use Collect+.

I'll happily still buy stuff off eBay from a big business seller, as I'm not one to cut off my nose to spite my face, but I would never sell on there again.

RFW

VT82 wrote: »

And now they make it very clear that it's really all about just being a marketplace for big business, by offering eBay as a 'store' from which you can use Collect+.

I'll happily still buy stuff off eBay from a big business seller, as I'm not one to cut off my nose to spite my face, but I would never sell on there again.

The big businesses are self regulating the little sellers have to be monitored, so not only do big businesses bring in more revenue they cost them less to manage. If you're running Ebay and want to keep growing it's a no brainer as to how you go about it.

There are plenty of sites with people selling any old tat and no comebacks for dodgy sellers.

soolin

VT82 wrote: »

I


They they make it unpalatable for real people to buy on it due to protection given to dodgy sellers (you didn't get your item? ok, we'll try and get you your money back, but if they've emptied their Paypal account, then tough).

.

You are about 6 years out of date, buyer protection is absolute, it doesn't matter whether seller has funds in their acount or not.

jamesd

Now, how much do I have to pay Argos to deliver it to me near a time of my choosing? Fast food places can manage it, why can't Argos and many other delivery services?

RHemmings

jamesd wrote: »

Now, how much do I have to pay Argos to deliver it to me near a time of my choosing? Fast food places can manage it, why can't Argos and many other delivery services?

I don't know what causes it. But the delivery services clearly have incredible trouble managing it. I personally think that some sort of delivery to a place where it can be collected, e.g. Argos, is the best option for me. Wait until an online system says it's ready to be collected, then pop down to collect it. So much better than waiting at home wondering if the delivery company will claim it's been delivered when it hasn't, or seeing the computer system says that delivery was attempted and a card was left when you know damn well that it wasn't.

pikachu_bumface

I guess it's to compete with Amazon, with the Amazon lockers in local shops (there's one in our Co-op), same with the 1-hour London deliveries.

I think it sounds good for Christmas - hopefully it will cut down on the lines at the Post Office depot. Good to have the option if needed, if I worked in a city centre it would be ace.

Pincher

Prefer Collect+, because it's a grocer that opens till 11pm, and it's on the way back from the tube station.

Not everyone has cars, and both my nearest Argos stores are on A roads.

RHemmings

Very disappointed to hear that it's only for big sellers. It would be very useful if there was a mediated pickup service for private sales. It would be possible for one of the big courier companies to get together with a company such as Argos and create such a service.

mije1983

RHemmings wrote: »

Very disappointed to hear that it's only for big sellers. It would be very useful if there was a mediated pickup service for private sales. It would be possible for one of the big courier companies to get together with a company such as Argos and create such a service.

As it's only a trial, I imagine it's easier to start with just a select few large sellers. No doubt if this is successful for both eBay and Argos they will look into expanding it to more sellers.

zerog

RHemmings wrote: »

It would be very useful if there was a mediated pickup service for private sales.

Not mediated as such, but http://www.postoffice.co.uk/poste-restante