Ebay buyer collecting by courier

[Zio Di Roma]

Hi All

I've some heavy bits and bobs for sale and one seller not unreasonably wants to collect by courier. However I am aware of the "I never received the item" scam.

Does the courier signing a receipt avoid that issue, or is there a safer method?

FWIW I suspect the buyer is kosher because he is selling that sort of stuff on Ebay.

Cheers.

[CoolHands]

There’s some kind of code if I recall correctly that is weird and a pain in the arse. I think they have to give you the code and you input it to show it’s been collected. Or vice versa I can’t remember. Obviously it’s st cos you can’t find the code etc but anyway google that

[Fermit]

CoolHands said:

There’s some kind of code if I recall correctly that is weird and a pain in the arse. I think they have to give you the code and you input it to show it’s been collected. Or vice versa I can’t remember. Obviously it’s st cos you can’t find the code etc but anyway google that

Yep, I had to provide one of these when I collected a used TV costing £600 from London.

[CoolHands]

Ok so the buyer will have to give the courier the code then. That will go well, I’m sure!

[Griffith4ever]

It comes down to trust of your buyer because when you don't send it yourself, ebay and PayPal wash their hands of you. The buyer can simply lodge a "not sent" claim and get a full refund. Things MAY have changed with this coded transfer thing mentioned but you will have to contact eBay or PayPal (IF PayPal was used) to be sure. The ebay forums are usually full of people asking about these kind of things too.

[Zio Di Roma]

After I said I'd get the courier to sign a receipt he went quiet on me and hasn't bid. So maybe a bit scammy then.

[andy43]

I think you’d need to be in direct contact with the buyer to get them to issue the code to you when the courier is on your doorstep.
I’d also be getting him to sign a receipt and I’d also photograph his van.
If the buyer has backed off, yeah yet another scam. Might be worth reporting the messages to eBay.

[Bluevanman]

For collections the buyer has a 6 digit code or a QR code (sent to them by email)
If the buyer is present when they collect you scan the QR code with your phones eBay app
If the buyer isn't present or doesn't have the eBay app on their phone or doesn't have a phone (yes that has happened to me) then you input the 6 digit code instead

[Timothy Bucktu]

You can sign and photograph whatever you want...if the collection isn't registered electronically, don't be too surprised if things turn sour pretty soon after collection.

[dundarach]

If you advertised as collection only, tell them to collect or cancel the deal, no couriers!

Or take the risk, it's your choice.

Unfortunately the golden rule with eBay now is to only list things you're happy to give away!