Legality of Ebay collection only listings.
Discussion
Recently bought an item on Ebay listed as collection only.
Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
I bought a caravan awning from a seller in Leeds last year, I am in Reading. It was bespoke to a specific model of retro caravan i.e. complete hen's teeth.
I emailed the seller before bidding and said "are you OK if I arrange for Parcelforce to collect this for me due to the distance if I win?", he was, so I bid and won, only bidder!
I appreciate the horse has probably bolted for you on that but it's an approach i've used before a couple of times and generally no problems. Parcelforce just turn up, stick a label on it and go.
What's his reason for refusing the courier? My seller was an old guy who found it a bit unusual but was easily persuaded.
ETA: ah, just seen post below. Hadn't considered the PayPal reversal thing. Fair enough.
Probably trying to avoid Scam No.6 on here: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2015/02/09/common-e...
I emailed the seller before bidding and said "are you OK if I arrange for Parcelforce to collect this for me due to the distance if I win?", he was, so I bid and won, only bidder!
I appreciate the horse has probably bolted for you on that but it's an approach i've used before a couple of times and generally no problems. Parcelforce just turn up, stick a label on it and go.
What's his reason for refusing the courier? My seller was an old guy who found it a bit unusual but was easily persuaded.
ETA: ah, just seen post below. Hadn't considered the PayPal reversal thing. Fair enough.
Probably trying to avoid Scam No.6 on here: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2015/02/09/common-e...
Edited by PurpleTurtle on Tuesday 28th April 14:36
Nobody in their right mind allows payment by anything other than cash or bank transfer if an item is being collected.
Too easy to collect the thing & reverse the transaction & Ebay/Paypal's default is to side with the buyer. Meanwhile the seller has no address for the buyer.
Not surprised he won't allow it to be collected like that & surprised he's accepted your money before collection (I'd send it back & ask for CoC)
Too easy to collect the thing & reverse the transaction & Ebay/Paypal's default is to side with the buyer. Meanwhile the seller has no address for the buyer.
Not surprised he won't allow it to be collected like that & surprised he's accepted your money before collection (I'd send it back & ask for CoC)
rfisher said:
Recently bought an item on Ebay listed as collection only.
Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
Have they said WHY they are refusing a courier?Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
rfisher said:
Recently bought an item on Ebay listed as collection only.
The listing would have been "collect in person" which means the buyer is contracted to collect themselves. (i.e. technically NOT courier or random off PH
)It will be the buyer who is in breach, not ebay or the vendor.
rfisher said:
Recently bought an item on Ebay listed as collection only.
Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
If the item is Collection Only and it's been listed as such, he's done no wrong... I know there was a case of someone getting in trouble collecting stuff (window panes IIRC Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
) but I would just go and collect the damn thing. It's not as if you are driving from Kent to Cornwall on a jolly without licence or insurance, so if you keep a low profile, it should be fine. Try to get ther this evening, ask seller for his address.I bought a PC a few weeks ago and had to go to Ascot to collect it from North London, but I think cops are only pulling people over who have done something to trigger their spidey senses, ie banger with no insurance, poor condition, or car clearly packed for a vacation or heading to a typical holiday destination ie Lake District / Wales / Cornwall...
Though if your ebay seller also happens to run a B&B in Lake Windermere, just tell the officer the purpose of your journey if you get stopped

rfisher said:
Recently bought an item on Ebay listed as collection only.
Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
Wait until government advice allows travel is the simple option.Emailed seller with 2 hours to go on the listing to ask if I could arrange a courier due to lockdown, but didn't get a reply.
Seller lives >150 miles away, but I'd travel to collect if I had to (I've done it many times before).
Seller is refusing to let me arrange a courier to collect.
I've tried to find someone local to collect it from his lawn (so they don't have to go into his house) without success.
So what are my options here?
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
If hes desperate to sell then he may opt against this but there is no technical limit on ebay for collection only that if a collection is not agreed in 30 days he can if he wishes ask ebay for a refund of fees.
Collection only is the buyer going to the sellers place and picking up the product. Simply saying you will send a courier is not the same, as the seller could have just listed it as available to post anyway. There are too many scams out there where buyers use this ruse to get the item and their money back, I don't blame the seller one bit. OP, you knew it was collection only, you should have given the seller the opportunity to discuss it with you two hours before end of listing is unreasonable, as is now thinking of some sort of contract waving at them.
rfisher said:
...
I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
Absolutely not. You contracted on a buyer collects basis. The seller has done nothing wrong. You can collect after the lockdown ends, or if the item is sufficiently important as to give you a reasonable excuse for going to get it, you can go and get it now. That depends on what the item is and why you need it. I've paid for the item. I want the item.
As we are in lockdown and I'm not legally alllowed to travel to his home, could I claim breech of contract etc.via scc?
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 28th April 15:08
I am interested in that also, but what interests me most in threads like this is what makes some people suppose that the law exists to be an instrument of unfairness. The OP made a deal on clear terms, wants to change those terms, but thinks that the other party is the one in the wrong. Sheesh!
Tried to get someone local on PH (Princes Risborough) but no joy.
I guess I'll just wait until I'm allowed to travel.
Don't really get the 'courier introduces an element of risk' argument.
Hadn't even thought about the risk he's taken accepting Paypal payment for collection listing.
Think I'm being stalked by 2smb lol.
I guess I'll just wait until I'm allowed to travel.
Don't really get the 'courier introduces an element of risk' argument.
Hadn't even thought about the risk he's taken accepting Paypal payment for collection listing.
Think I'm being stalked by 2smb lol.
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It's not collection only, it's collect in person