Buyer wants item posted to different address

kerri_gt

I need a little bit of advise please. I sold an electronics item (broken, listed as such) on eBay last week. When I went to post it today the buyers house number was missing from the delivery address both on eBay and Paypal (address showing as verified on Paypal).

I contacted the buyer asking for their house number and they have replied saying thanks for noticing, they've been having problems with their address showing, and could I send it to a friends address instead please.

Now, it makes me a bit suspicious that they didn't just give me the house number. Why have it posted elsewhere?

The buyer does have 100% feedback, albeit limited activity on eBay.

The item sold for less than £15 so it's not a massively high value item.

Am I being overly suspicious?

Obviously_the_best

I'd say you probably were being a little suspicious, it's fairly uncommon for people to try and nick broken stuff 😃

Barny1979

Doesn't it invalidate the seller's ebay guarantee if they send an item to a non-registered address?

ailey

Barny1979 wrote: »

Doesn't it invalidate the seller's ebay guarantee if they send an item to a non-registered address?

I believe that you have to send it to the registered address to be covered by EBay or Paypal.

soolin

Barny1979 wrote: »

Doesn't it invalidate the seller's ebay guarantee if they send an item to a non-registered address?

ailey wrote: »

I believe that you have to send it to the registered address to be covered by EBay or Paypal.

The sicky postage thread covers the point about seller protection.

Basically to be protected against an INR it must go fully tracked to the address that paypal say is 'OK to send to'. For bank claims for misuse of card proof of postage must be shown again showing the paypal address was used.

I do send small value items to other addresses but everyone must make up their own minds where their comfort level lies.

trukdiver

ailey wrote: »

I believe that you have to send it to the registered address to be covered by EBay or Paypal.

What if you've got several addresses on Paypal and you ask the seller to send it to one of the others? e.g. If you have a work address and a home address (both registered on Paypal)?

The last couple of times I've paid for something on eBay, it's gone straight through without going to the Paypal site (apart from asking for my Paypal logon details). For me (if it's something that won't fit through the letter box), that means logging in to Paypal and changing the defaults before paying, then going back into Paypal and changing them back after paying. It used to be much easier to just select the shipping address and payment method for each transaction...

soolin

trukdiver wrote: »

What if you've got several addresses on Paypal and you ask the seller to send it to one of the others? e.g. If you have a work address and a home address (both registered on Paypal)?

The last couple of times I've paid for something on eBay, it's gone straight through without going to the Paypal site (apart from asking for my Paypal logon details). For me (if it's something that won't fit through the letter box), that means logging in to Paypal and changing the defaults before paying, then going back into Paypal and changing them back after paying. It used to be much easier to just select the shipping address and payment method for each transaction...

If you want to use an address other than your primary one you need to disable the automatic paypal payment system and pay manually through 'pay now' instead.

I buy a lot for my mother so when prompted to pay I say no to the automatic payment bit, allow myself to be diverted to paypal, choose my mum's address and then pay. Saves having to worry the seller with thinking they might be scammed.

kerri_gt

Obviously_the_best wrote: »

I'd say you probably were being a little suspicious, it's fairly uncommon for people to try and nick broken stuff 😃

Its an e-reader with a broken screen.

I guess I wouldn't have been so suspicious if the address of the friend was in the same town - but the friend is over an hour away by car (looked at the map)

The other thing that made me suspicious is the payment name that shows up in Paypal looks to be some kind of business name - not the usual Joe Bloggs that you tend to get for eBay purchases.

I guess this person could have bought the item on behalf of a friend with no eBay account for whatever reason.

The postage paid is for Royal Mail so I will get getting POP as standard anyway. Plus if anything was fishy, I have the communications showing 'please send to alternative address'

Thanks for your input.

soolin

kerri_gt wrote: »

Its an e-reader with a broken screen.

I guess I wouldn't have been so suspicious if the address of the friend was in the same town - but the friend is over an hour away by car (looked at the map)

The other thing that made me suspicious is the payment name that shows up in Paypal looks to be some kind of business name - not the usual Joe Bloggs that you tend to get for eBay purchases.

I guess this person could have bought the item on behalf of a friend with no eBay account for whatever reason.

The postage paid is for Royal Mail so I will get getting POP as standard anyway. Plus if anything was fishy, I have the communications showing 'please send to alternative address'

Thanks for your input.

If you had read the sticky thread I suggested then you would know the POP and email won't help you with an INR or bank fraud claim if you send it to a different address. As I said earlier, often do send smaller items elsewhere, but I am aware that by doing so I would lose any claim.

soolin

kerri_gt wrote: »

I did read the sticky when I was directed to it. What I meant was, I have the communications, and copies so that may possibly deter the buyer if they were up to something fishy. Often fraudulent requests for change of deliveries are made verbally over the phone to avoid tracing, either direct to the company, or the carrier.

It doesn't matter how the request to change address is made, you voluntarily give up your seller protection if you post to a different address.

I have not been scammed (yet) and probably get asked- via eBay messages, at least once a month. I have not heard of scammers phoning with a change of address .