eBay Quandary...

[NiceCupOfTea]

I know how much you guys love eBay posts.

Selling a bed/mattress on ebay, somebody's made an offer I am happy with. I said collection only, and she is talking about getting a man with a van to collect. I am a bit nervous, I was hoping somebody would come round and give me cash and take it away. I am worried that either it will get damaged in transit (I have no packing for it) and she will claim it's not as described (not having seen it in the flash), or perhaps having paid by paypal it will be a case of "there's an issue", paypal refund her and I am minus bed and money.

How to proceed?

[snake_oil]

I recently sold a bike on the bay - cash on collection only. Guy wins auction and proceeds to pay instantly by paypal

So I contact him, say that sorry, cash only, as there's no seller protection for items that are paid for by paypal and then collected, as there's no proof of post. He responded with not wanting to carry large amounts of cash around London. Sensing an impasse, I proposed him paying cash outside a Tesco Extra cashpoint under security cameras. I figured if he was a scammer I'd never hear from him again, but fair play he agreed so I refunded his paypal, he turned up, paid cash, and all was well.

So, my point is, refund them the paypal and insist man with van turns up with the cash.

[Oldandslow]

Or she comes with the man in the van. Inspects the goods and pays you. After that it's between her and man she hired.

[Cold]

Hang on, someone is buying a used mattress?

[NiceCupOfTea]

Literally used 3 times in a spare room before it was turned into a nursery.

[Alex@POD]

Cold said:

Hang on, someone is buying a used mattress?

I sold a bed frame once, in great condition. When the guy came to collect I still had the old mattress, no matter how knackered I told him it was, he wanted it! One less thing for the tip!

[Steve H]

Cold said:

Hang on, someone is buying a used mattress?

While I understand some people getting bit sniffy about a "used" mattress, someone buying a second hand bed is unlikely to want to then throw a grand at a new top spec memory foam mattress and buying a new cheap one could end up with something lower quality than the one they are throwing away.

If the hygiene/ocd/firstworldproblems aspect of sleeping on a used mattress is off-putting then you'd better not ever stop in a hotel, I would imagine their mattresses have a much more varied and interesting life than one in your average domestic spare room .

[PositronicRay]

Cold said:

Hang on, someone is buying a used mattress?

Not really that strange, when young and skint I furnished my 1st house entirely from the classifieds. At least I had the chance to inspect it, more than can be said for some of the "flop houses" I was used to. Before "tick" second hand ruled.

Do you insist on a new mattress when visiting a hotel or staying with a friend?

[gregs656]

I wouldn't; my reason being that if I wanted the faff of dealing with a courier (even a man and van) then I would have advertised that it could be delivered and pocketed the extra cash.

[Gad-Westy]

gregs656 said:

I wouldn't; my reason being that if I wanted the faff of dealing with a courier (even a man and van) then I would have advertised that it could be delivered and pocketed the extra cash.

Yep. Exactly. You limit your market when you define collection only and so by extension would expect and accept that you're going to get less for the item. To then have requests for courier collection after the event is a piss take.

I've had this plenty of times when selling big car parts. Wheels, seats or body panels that would be easily damaged in transit. They are a pain to package sometimes and can involve a few hours of faffing. I just want someone to turn up, pay and take them away.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

I've just had this when selling house contents.

Woman was pfaffing about trying to organise a courier who would bring cash. In the end I cancelled the deal & contacted the under bidder who had a local post code.

Depends how much money you are talking as whether to risk it.

Other disadvantage is you can arrange a time with local. Couriers tend to need a wider time spread.

[TooMany2cvs]

NiceCupOfTea said:

I said collection only, and she is talking about getting a man with a van to collect. I am a bit nervous, I was hoping somebody would come round and give me cash and take it away.

Not that easy for most people to move, though. Even if she rents a van, it'll not be much cheaper than an hour or two of man+van, and she's still got to physically shift it.

NiceCupOfTea said:

I am worried that either it will get damaged in transit (I have no packing for it) and she will claim it's not as described (not having seen it in the flash)

So she comes with man+van, or beforehand. Or you take lots of clear photos to show undamaged before it leaves. Once it's in his hands+van, then it's her problem anyway.

Flogging on eBay means you can't insist on cash/non-Paypal anyway, even if she collects.

[gregs656]

TooMany2cvs said:

Not that easy for most people to move, though. Even if she rents a van, it'll not be much cheaper than an hour or two of man+van, and she's still got to physically shift it.

Things she should have considered before buying it.

What you want with this kind of stuff is someone who has the capacity to fulfil their end of the deal.

[TooMany2cvs]

gregs656 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Not that easy for most people to move, though. Even if she rents a van, it'll not be much cheaper than an hour or two of man+van, and she's still got to physically shift it.

Things she should have considered before buying it.

What you want with this kind of stuff is someone who has the capacity to fulfil their end of the deal.

You wanted it collected. It's being collected.
The auction says "accepts Paypal". She wants to pay by Paypal.
What is not being fulfilled?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

TooMany2cvs said:

gregs656 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Not that easy for most people to move, though. Even if she rents a van, it'll not be much cheaper than an hour or two of man+van, and she's still got to physically shift it.

Things she should have considered before buying it.

What you want with this kind of stuff is someone who has the capacity to fulfil their end of the deal.

You wanted it collected. It's being collected.
The auction says "accepts Paypal". She wants to pay by Paypal.
What is not being fulfilled?

Except the actual listing will say "collect in person".

So, courier does not meet that criteria and adds an extra dimension.

[anonymous-user]

TooMany2cvs said:

You wanted it collected. It's being collected.
The auction says "accepts Paypal". She wants to pay by Paypal.
What is not being fulfilled?

Adrian the auction is collection only with cash on collection, read again.

[TooMany2cvs]

BAM225 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

You wanted it collected. It's being collected.
The auction says "accepts Paypal". She wants to pay by Paypal.
What is not being fulfilled?

Adrian the auction is collection only with cash on collection, read again.

It's a while since I last sold anything on the 'bay, but you certainly didn't used to be able to list auctions without accepting Paypal.
Has that changed?

[anonymous-user]

Lets look at it realistically
I am an experienced e bay buyer and seller btw

1. There is always the risk of bad feedback on any sale
2. There is potentially the risk of bad feedback and losing the goods ie the value of the sale on this one of yours
3. There is the complication of a third party being involved namely the driver of the van

A few years ago I sold a DVD copier thing bit like a PC Tower it was sold cheap it was sold as cash on collection
Guy buys it pays via paypal. I say its supposed to be cash on collection
Anyway long story short I ended up boxing it up and his courier picks it up. Buyer claims damaged in transit opens case
I stood ground said that's between you and your courier
Buyer backs down.I contacted both e bay and paypal.
Both said that if buyer had not backed down I would likely have lost case as I wouldnt have been able to prove its condition at actual point of sale.

Taught me a lesson. I never ever do a cash on collection that involves a paypal transaction
Here is a typical wording I use:

ONCE AGAIN TO CLARIFY
NO POSTAGE OPTIONS THAT MEANS I WONT BE BOXING UP AND USING A COURIER TO SEND IT
NO COURIER OPTIONS THAT MEANS I WONT BE BOXING UP AND USING YOUR COURIER TO COLLECT IT
IT HAS TO BE CASH ON COLLECTION HENCE ITEM BEING PRICE IT IS


DONT BUY THEN ASK ME TO DISPATCH OR MAKE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR COURIER - IT WONT HAPPEN
ITS SIMPLE CASH ON COLLECTION
THAT MEANS YOU ARRIVE YOU INSPECT THE ITEM YOU PAY CASH
NO EXCEPTIONS

In your case its your decision I would simply refund and explain the problem. You can sweeten it up by saying its a big problem if it gets damaged in transit etc
One way to check the buyer out is to look at their feedback. I'm not meaning all the gushing "great buyer" "wonderful buyer" crap.
I mean the feedback she LEAVERS FOR OTHERS. Look at her comments to others has she left much negative or neutral ? Can you see any where its been amended *
Your other problem is the driver. If he damages/ tears it getting it in van then chances are he will say it must have been like that when I picked it up. In that case the buyer is much more likely to argue it with you as you are just a written person. Arguing face to face is harder
Good luck but prepared to lose the dosh in worse case scenario

• amended feedback: This is feedback amended by the buyer usually after a case or refund has been requested or given. If a buyer leaves a lot of feedback for a seller which shows as amended it is an indication of a buyer that finds fault a lot

[Filton-flyer]

I find Guntree to be a bit more local, and people tend to bring cash.
It does limit your market a bit but I find people are a bit more genuine.

[Ikemi]

It has to be cash on collection if the buyer is collecting the item. Honestly, there is no point in taking photographs of the mattress in good condition, as PayPal simply does not care. Buyer will collect, raise a dispute for the item not arriving, and PayPal will ask for evidence of postage ... which you won't have.

Any reasonable person will accept a cash on collection arrangement. If they don't, then they're out to scam you!