ebay buyer messing us about. UPDATED - SOLVED.

uralmaid

Just looking for a bit of advice.  Last week we posted an ad selling a motorcycle. As it was a big item we stated cash on collection only.  Right at the last minute a chap made a bid which was the winning one.  He had not asked any questions or anything prior to bidding.  Once the auction ended I messaged him to ask when he would like to collect.  
He answered saying he was hoping to come either this weekend or next week as he wanted to re-arrange his garage and organising a trailer to collect it.  I gave him the option of different dates to collect as unfortunately we are going away after the weekend (didn't tell him this for obvious reasons).  He said he would check which date was best and get back to us that evening - which he didn't!
Mid morning the next day he emailed to say he was sorry he hadn't come back to us but stating that he was hoping to collect the next day which was the day we told him we couldnt do due to hospital appointments. He gave me his phone number and asked us to ring him so we could give him the address and discuss how best to pay.

I rang him and explained that I had said this and he said he would come Friday instead. I said if he wanted to pay by bank transfer that is fine but we would need to see that our account had received the money before he could take the vehicle.  He agreed.
He said he would ring us on Thursday evening to confirm he was coming - but hoped to be with us by 10.30 on Friday. No phonecall or message received.  No email from him yet today (8.31).  I am beginning to think he is a timewaster and have decided that if no contact is made by lunchtime today I will cancel the sale.  Do you think this is the right thing?  It is very rare we have sold anything on Ebay before and am very wary of scams. Thanks

Mark_d

I think you should give the buyer a date by which he needs to pay/collect.  Personally I never want "cash on collection" as I prefer to have the payment/sale confirmed as soon as possible after the auction.

uralmaid

Just after posting this he rang to say he is just setting off.  Agreed bank transfer but told him that until we see the money has arrived in our account he wont be taking it!