Cash on collection via ebay

se2020

There is an item near me that I would like to purchase, I would prefer to collect it and pay cash once I have seen it.

I am trying to make a 'best offer' but I am getting the 'choose automatic payment method' screen and there is no option to choose cash on collection.
Or collection at all for that matter.

Collection is offered in the listing.
I presume if my offer is accepted I will still receive the collect code and can get the sellers address but I don't really want to go through the hassle of asking them for a refund on the automatically-paid postage cost or a refund for the whole amount if its not as described when I arrive?

Is there anything I or the seller can do to override this setting?

Another reason for me asking is I have also had several local buyers of my items pay for postage. The items I sell are heavy/bulky and have a high postage cost relatively to the value of the items so collection was common but I have not had a single collection for months so I am wondering if this has changed with the automatic payment system introduction?

soolin

Unfortunately the seller is unlikely to be able to over ride it- I found that out myself. I have a whole load of similar items from a collection- most people buy more than one but despite me removing the immediate payment required, the system defaults to immediate payment and I can do nothing about it. It's driving me round the twist as I am then needing to refund excess postage all the time.

These items I'm selling are small, I can have loads in the same box in the same weight band but buyers are forced to make immediate payment. I even told people to make offers, thinking that way they could offer on a few, then wait for my invoice- but all these items are coming up as immediate payment as soon as they accept the offer. 

se2020

I have found the same, 
Previously it was quite common for me to sell a higher value item plus several low value items to the same buyer as it made the lower value items worth while if they only had to pay one lot of postage. 

This has virtually stopped recently and I only seem to be selling single items now.

I still get the occasional buyer asking if I can combine postage but I think most of them just make an offer on the more expensive item, I accept,  then once they realise they have already paid for it they don't have the incentive to 'fill up' the order with any of the cheaper items like they did before

prowla

Yep - eBay have decided to make it so you have to set up your automated payments if you want to make an offer.

The T&Cs also say that they will use that method for all future payments too.

I'm not agreeing to that and have stopped making offers; the result is I'm just letting things go if I miss them ending.

I raised a thread on it a while back: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6465589/ebay-offers-want-payment-up-front?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=ebay

One of the sellers on that thread said they'd had issues with this system when they wanted to combine postage for the buyer but the items had been auto-paid.

soolin

prowla said:

Yep - eBay have decided to make it so you have to set up your automated payments if you want to make an offer.

The T&Cs also say that they will use that method for all future payments too.

I'm not agreeing to that and have stopped making offers; the result is I'm just letting things go if I miss them ending.

I raised a thread on it a while back: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6465589/ebay-offers-want-payment-up-front?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=ebay

One of the sellers on that thread said they'd had issues with this system when they wanted to combine postage for the buyer but the items had been auto-paid.

I have that issue of combined postage and overpaid postage - and yes it is a pain. However, for me this is short lived and I can put up it, Once the free listing period ends I shall stop selling my personal collection of widgets and most of my other things are not bought in bulk anyway. My business account has mainly postage included so makes no difference.

I still prefer the immediate payment required on all sales - overall the time it saves me in dealing with non payers is worth it.