Buyer wants me to deliver car on eBay

cheddar

Hi all, 

Popped a car on eBay classified as a private seller a few days ago. Got this message last night:

"Can it be delivered to Sometown pls?"

Now, this is an older car and we're asking £1300 so it's nothing high end or fancy, we also have Best Offer on it. He's not made an offer and he's a long term eBay user with 2.5k feedback buying mainly and selling some bits and the location does indeed appear to be Sometown. Now, this is 55m away from us and hubby would have to drive there and get a train back (don't know anyone else with a car who can come along to take him home) which would take up half the day. So I replied:

"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  

He replied

"I'd love the car if any way you can get it to me I'd have it"

I know of scams where someone says they'll use a courier or company to pick it up etc but he's not mentioned that just literally the above. I'm super confused. He's either just strange or something but there's no WAY I'm risking hubby driving all the way there for him to look and either say he doesn't want it or offer some stupid amount. 

I've not replied because I'm just confused more than anything. Is this a typical scam I'm not aware of? What would you ask him? I'm not desperate enough to mess around with suggesting the obvious to him like asking a mate to run him down or getting the train himself etc. I'm just more curious/confused than anything...

I mean I could ask for payment upfront via bank transfer before it's delivered but surely stuff can still hit the fan at that point if he doesn't "accept" the car?

Any ideas? It's doing my head in 

pbartlett

Given the buyers rating, then it is most likely not a scam but exactly what they say - could you deliver the car for them to look at, examine, and then make an offer or say no I don't want it.

Sounds like the answer is 'No' so just say so.

MalMonroe

Best advice, when buying and selling with eBay, is to ensure that you do EVERYTHING via your eBay account. I hope you have been messaging each other via only the eBay website? That way you have a money back guarantee if anything goes wrong. If you haven't, I'd suggest starting now, messaging only via eBay. 

Also, what are the T&Cs on your advert? Do they say 'collection only'? 

You say " we also have Best Offer on it" - so you don't need this person who wants you to deliver your car with no guarantees of anything whatsoever. Whether or not he's a scammer is no concern of yours because he's obviously wanting a car for nothing, delivered to his doorstep.

Just say no and keep saying no. Broken record effect. Your instincts are telling you to say 'no' - please listen to them. You do not have to give any reason to this person. You have no idea who they are or what they are up to. If you follow eBay advice and format, prospective buyers will bid and then before they collect the car (because you aren't delivering) they will pay for it, so you are not out of pocket.

Even if you don't manage to sell the car straight away with your first ad, that doesn't mean to say you won't be successful. Just be patient and don't be sucked in by any pity stories. 

soolin

As above, probably not a scam but certainly nothing you should feel pressured into doing. You say in the OP 
"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  
so stick with that, you are under no obligation to deliver and once you have said no buyer should accept that and walk away. 

cheddar

Messages have only been through eBay and I've pretty much already told him no. 

I've not specifically put collection only as I expected people to want to come to look at it as is usual.

Best Offer is an option on eBay classified where people can offer you something different to the listing price. It's not an auction listing so no bidding is involved. I've used eBay for over a decade and I know how it all works. 

Car has been listed in several places for a few weeks now, hoped to avoid eBay, I'm in no hurry, we've got a new car and the old one is securely stored. 

I'm not concerned and I'm probably not even going to bother replying to him, I was just curious if anyone knew of people doing this more than anything or if it was a known scam of some kind. Just bored and curious on a Sunday afternoon. I do appreciate the concern though. 



 

cheddar

soolin said:

As above, probably not a scam but certainly nothing you should feel pressured into doing. You say in the OP 
"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  
so stick with that, you are under no obligation to deliver and once you have said no buyer should accept that and walk away. 

Oh he can't pressure us into going all that way, we're far too lazy for that! 

I'll put it down to him being a bit of a simpleton. 

Thanks guys! 

soolin

cheddar said:

soolin said:

As above, probably not a scam but certainly nothing you should feel pressured into doing. You say in the OP 
"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  
so stick with that, you are under no obligation to deliver and once you have said no buyer should accept that and walk away. 

Oh he can't pressure us into going all that way, we're far too lazy for that! 

I'll put it down to him being a bit of a simpleton. 

Thanks guys! 

I know it’s not a car but the amount of messages I get from people on marketplace saying they want my item and will need it delivering , I’m fed up with it. If they want something they can come and get it, I’m jolly well not driving anywhere to deliver something. I did once agree to deliver something to a person who had bought from me previously but who said she was ill with a bad back and couldn’t leave the house , it was an expensive item and the money would have been welcome. I loaded my car and just sent her a message to say I was on my way as agreed and would be with her at 2pm only to get a message back to say she was out and could She message me later to tell me she was home and I could deliver it then, as she was out with her friends and wasn’t entirely sure what time she would be home. 

Needless to say I declined, told her the item was available if she wanted to collect but I wouldn’t hold it for her nor could I deliver, she was a bit whingey about it and it did actually sell a few days later to someone who turned up exactly on time to collect. 

cheddar

soolin said:

cheddar said:

soolin said:

As above, probably not a scam but certainly nothing you should feel pressured into doing. You say in the OP 
"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  
so stick with that, you are under no obligation to deliver and once you have said no buyer should accept that and walk away. 

Oh he can't pressure us into going all that way, we're far too lazy for that! 

I'll put it down to him being a bit of a simpleton. 

Thanks guys! 

I know it’s not a car but the amount of messages I get from people on marketplace saying they want my item and will need it delivering , I’m fed up with it. If they want something they can come and get it, I’m jolly well not driving anywhere to deliver something. I did once agree to deliver something to a person who had bought from me previously but who said she was ill with a bad back and couldn’t leave the house , it was an expensive item and the money would have been welcome. I loaded my car and just sent her a message to say I was on my way as agreed and would be with her at 2pm only to get a message back to say she was out and could She message me later to tell me she was home and I could deliver it then, as she was out with her friends and wasn’t entirely sure what time she would be home. 

Needless to say I declined, told her the item was available if she wanted to collect but I wouldn’t hold it for her nor could I deliver, she was a bit whingey about it and it did actually sell a few days later to someone who turned up exactly on time to collect. 

I've noticed an increase in such things as well. We renovated a while back and we swapped and changed a few bits and I popped them on local sites stating they had to be collected 90% of them asked for delivery...sigh. Told em all no. People can be so annoying. 

soolin

cheddar said:

soolin said:

cheddar said:

soolin said:

As above, probably not a scam but certainly nothing you should feel pressured into doing. You say in the OP 
"Sorry, it's not currently insured fully and it would cost us a fortune in time, petrol, train tix etc"  
so stick with that, you are under no obligation to deliver and once you have said no buyer should accept that and walk away. 

Oh he can't pressure us into going all that way, we're far too lazy for that! 

I'll put it down to him being a bit of a simpleton. 

Thanks guys! 

I know it’s not a car but the amount of messages I get from people on marketplace saying they want my item and will need it delivering , I’m fed up with it. If they want something they can come and get it, I’m jolly well not driving anywhere to deliver something. I did once agree to deliver something to a person who had bought from me previously but who said she was ill with a bad back and couldn’t leave the house , it was an expensive item and the money would have been welcome. I loaded my car and just sent her a message to say I was on my way as agreed and would be with her at 2pm only to get a message back to say she was out and could She message me later to tell me she was home and I could deliver it then, as she was out with her friends and wasn’t entirely sure what time she would be home. 

Needless to say I declined, told her the item was available if she wanted to collect but I wouldn’t hold it for her nor could I deliver, she was a bit whingey about it and it did actually sell a few days later to someone who turned up exactly on time to collect. 

I've noticed an increase in such things as well. We renovated a while back and we swapped and changed a few bits and I popped them on local sites stating they had to be collected 90% of them asked for delivery...sigh. Told em all no. People can be so annoying. 

I am literally sitting at my PC now putting things for free on FB markeplace having had another few hours of sorting out the mountains of stuff I have here. I have everything from virtually new curtains , some tagged clothes , puzzles china tea and dinenr sets etc. I suspect the vast majority of people saying yes please will either ask for me to deliver or else suddenly have trouble with their car or child when they are due to collect. 
I'll almost certainly end up taking several trips to the local charity shop with my trusted trolley later in the week once I run out of patience with no shows.

EDIT- 20 minutes after starting to list I have my first 'any chance you can deliver this to xxx(post code)  this afternoon as this completes my set'. I don't know the exact address they want, but the sat nav says the post code they have suggested is approx 24 minutes away...so probably an hours round trip by the time I mess about. That's a firm No from me then. 

24Tweezers

You should see some requests I've had on freecycle!  You offer something 'free to collect' and STILL you can guarantee someone will say they want it, bring it round to so-and-so address, without even a please or thank you!

cheddar

Good grief, people are so flipping entitled.