Possible eBay scam?

[curvature]

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I sold an item on eBay on Friday and have concerns over the buyer -

The listing was a set price with the ability to make offers.
The buyer paid full price without making any offers.
The buyer has 0 feedback.
The buyer became an eBay user the same day of the sale.

I have asked the buyer for a phone number and email address but have had no response.

I am correct to be nervous about sending a £300 item to this person?

If I cancel the sale will eBay give me the fees back or do I lose that? My thinking is I would rather take a £30 hit than £300.

[QBee]

Everyone has to make a first purchase or sale some time.
Try contacting him/her again.

I would also be twitchy in these circumstances.
I certainly wouldn't be dispatching the goods before confirmed receipt of the funds.

[Grumps.]

I thought there was a function you could enable that would ignore buyers with feedback below a certain level?

[OutInTheShed]

You have made a contract to sell the item, I think you need to go through with that.

The zero feedback, new ebay member could be entirely genuine.

In your position, I think I would choose my carrier carefully, even if it cost me a little more.
I would also consider security marking the item such that you could prove a returned item is not the one you sent.
A lot depends on the nature of the item I suspect.

[curvature]

Thank you all for your comments.

I have tried to contact the buyer but not had a reply.

Yes we all have to start somewhere but as we all know eBay always seems to favour the buyer with any dispute.

The item sold was a set of cycle wheels so I suppose I could mark them before sending.

The payment was made straight away and eBay have now issued the payment to my bank account.

Postage I was going to use Parcelforce and insured to the correct value.

[QBee]

I have paid full price when the "make an offer" thing was there.
I really wanted the item and didn't want to get gazumped.

Take time and date stamped phots of the items before packaging them, and also of the packaged items.

Is the buyer within 100 miles of you? If you are worried, drop them off instead of posting them.
I have done that before now, you will soon know if the buyer is a decent bloke and a fellow bikeist.

[curvature]

QBee said:

I have paid full price when the "make an offer" thing was there.
I really wanted the item and didn't want to get gazumped.

Take time and date stamped phots of the items before packaging them, and also of the packaged items.

Is the buyer within 100 miles of you? If you are worried, drop them off instead of posting them.
I have done that before now, you will soon know if the buyer is a decent bloke and a fellow bikeist.

Thanks for that, the buyer is within 30 miles so could arrange to do that especially as I will have to pass that way for work this coming week.

You could be right about the buy it now sale as there isn't another pair the same for sale on eBay.

I'll try and contact the buyer again.

[Tony_T]

Definitely drop them off if they are within 30 miles. And make sure they mark them as delivered while you are there.

[jondude]

Deliver, take photos of the delivery as most couriers now, item clearly in house (show house number and that) or preferably him holding the items.

If still worried issue a receipt with 'all items received in good condition'. If he starts giving reasons as to not wanting to sign or receive that, double check the photos above are clear

[OutInTheShed]

Drop them around, make sure the buyer is happy.
If he's not, offer to cancel the sale.

[Orang]

Grumps. said:

I thought there was a function you could enable that would ignore buyers with feedback below a certain level?

Having been in a situation similar to the OP (except my "buyer" was 300 miles away and registered on eBay only minutes before the end of the listing) I do not think there is any mechanism on eBay to prevent these "school holiday" situations.

I did a check on street view and the address was genuine but was part of a large development of apartments. Never heard any more from the "buyer and as this was about five years ago, cannot remember what the outcome was regarding fees but I no longer bother with selling on eBay now.

[johnoz]

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

[QBee]

As said above, get photos of the guy taking delivery, and something signed by him to confirm delivered.
He's probably genuine anyway, but by delivering them yourself you avoid the "they arrived damaged" refund claim.
He may well be glad you are offering to deliver them to keep them safe.

I bought a bike rack a few years ago and went to collect it, to make sure it fitted my car, as the design changed over the evolution of the car.
Had a nice friendly chat with the seller over a cup of tea. Still got the bike rack.

[Ruskie]

I know it’s difficult to sell niche items but I don’t sell anything over £100. There are so many scammers mixed in with genuine it’s hard to decipher.

[Narcisus]

Refund the payment then message them saying you will drop the item off and would like cash on delivery please. Make it sound like you are doing them a favour.

If they say no to that then no way would I send my £300 item …

Edit to say no matter how many pictures you take or signatures you get eBay will still side with the buyer unless you have a proper proof of delivery.

[gazza285]

johnoz said:

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

EBay will issue a collection code, you get the code from the buyer to confirm they have the item.

[anonymous-user]

johnoz said:

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

Not worth the paper.

I sold an AC, signed receipt by carrier, receiver denied receiving it, they refunded him.

Only way you'll get money back is fully insured. Then it's a fight with the carrier. Best taking it round yourself and getting a collection code.

[Narcisus]

gazza285 said:

johnoz said:

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

EBay will issue a collection code, you get the code from the buyer to confirm they have the item.

Dont count on this working … I tried it on 2 sales and it just did not work so back to cash on collection only.

First sale was only 30 quid so I risked it. 2nd sale was £250 and the buyer popped to a local cash machine.

It may work great for the op but is it worth the risk after a 30 mile trip when the buyer could just pay with cash ?

[ChocolateFrog]

johnoz said:

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

There's an option to mark as delivered while you're stood there now, exchange QR codes or something like that.

[gazza285]

Narcisus said:

gazza285 said:

johnoz said:

I think if you drop it off yourself, then the buyer can say he did not receive it! eBay work on tracking numbers, so if you don't have one you could loose out.

EBay will issue a collection code, you get the code from the buyer to confirm they have the item.

Dont count on this working … I tried it on 2 sales and it just did not work so back to cash on collection only.

First sale was only 30 quid so I risked it. 2nd sale was £250 and the buyer popped to a local cash machine.

It may work great for the op but is it worth the risk after a 30 mile trip when the buyer could just pay with cash ?

It’s worked every time I have tried it, probably 20+ sales and purchases.