EBay---customer paid but won't collect item!
- Thread starter manicatel
- Start date
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
That's right. But deliver it yourself and you have none.
The Chronicals
Disruptor
You should not accept PayPal for collection only or personally delivered items for reasons mentioned, it's setting yourself up for the easiest scam in the world. PayPal advise against it in their TC's but annoyingly eBay force you to accept Paypal for collection items. Essentially you lose all Seller Protection by allowing collection or delivering personally, so for up to 180 days post sale, that money could be disputed as 'item not received', and you will lose, even if you have signed paperwork, CCTV etc. Occasionally if you have enough evidence you can open a Police case, and PayPal occasionally do back down when the law is involved - but even getting an active investigation from the Plod these days for internet crime is a rarity.
He can retrieve his money from you for up to 180 days post purchase if he dosent collect. After that, you can keep both.
He can retrieve his money from you for up to 180 days post purchase if he dosent collect. After that, you can keep both.
The Chronicals
Disruptor
Sellers cannot leave negative feedback for buyers, so he could be the biggest scammer in the world and still have 100% feedback, in fact many do big up their feedback buying cheap £1 products to look legit in a scam.
You also open yourself up to chargebacks even if he never intended to. Many occasion I've had a chargeback happen, and when contacting the buyer they say their card was used on a few sites that was not them, so the bank reversed charges for entire weeks/months. So they dont even intend to scam you, but if you dont have a tracking number, then you will lose against the chargeback, also have pay Paypal a chargeback fee, and you may not be able to contact him to re-pay as it could be six months down the line.
The mental thing is, some people are just genuinely honest and decent and trusting. I've just had someone PP Gift me £1500 for something I was selling on Gumtree, I didnt even ask for a Gift payment. Literally mental. Thankfully being the good chap I am, it will be on the way to him tomorrow, but seriously...thats mental, not sure if it restores my faith that there is some old school English trust left in this day and age or wonders the sanity of some folk.
manicatel
pfm Member
Wow, ok that’s the kind of info I was needing, even if it’s not exactly good news for me.
At least I now know where I stand. By my reckoning, it’s now on day 58 since the sale finished, so only 122 to go!
Looking at his feedback, he appears to have purchased music & Hifi related gear as well as more mundane stuff.
Going on holiday soon, so this is going to take a back seat for a while. I’ll be sure to update here if/when developments happen.
Once again, thanks for all the info here. Much appreciated.
At least I now know where I stand. By my reckoning, it’s now on day 58 since the sale finished, so only 122 to go!
Looking at his feedback, he appears to have purchased music & Hifi related gear as well as more mundane stuff.
Going on holiday soon, so this is going to take a back seat for a while. I’ll be sure to update here if/when developments happen.
Once again, thanks for all the info here. Much appreciated.
richardg
Admonishtrator
Not sure what business you are in but in mine, motorcycle parts, the trust is very high. Each year I send a few bits and pieces before payment has been made too. Been ripped off once so far in a few years of doing this. I noticed a difference when I was selling car parts. I wouldn't trust any of that lot.
The Chronicals
Disruptor
Just go to 'cancel sale' on the ebay transaction, its a drop down menu. Dont refund directly through PayPal as you wont get your eBay fees refunded, and the item will show as unpaid.
richardg
Admonishtrator
He will have to. It's gone beyond 30 days. This is a faff.
I would just chill and wait.
The Chronicals
Disruptor
Times change dude, scams evolve on a daily basis when it comes to the internet, no one can keep up with them all.
The only risk you have at being scammed in this scenario is allowing him to collect his item and taking payment through PayPal. As AV8 said, just refund him and say when youre ready to collect you can pay cash but you are only holding it for X amount of time till you relist.
Just remember in future, collection means no PayPal. If anyone pays with PayPal on a collection only item, just refund it. You do risk a negative feedback doing this butif you call eBay if it happens, then will often remove it if you stipulate on your listings Cash on Collection only. Although there is the grey area where you are technically breaking eBay rules doing that as you 'have' to accept PAyPal on eBay UK - see its a mindfield!
TheFlash
Reiki Audio
Sorry, I disagree with much of the advice here about being scammed under so many circumstances.
I paid for a washing machine I'd bought on eBay as collection only. When I turned up to collect it, the guy took a photo of it loaded into the back of my car with me standing by it. I asked him whether that was because he going to miss it... but, no, it was proof I had collected it.
FYI only as it's a red herring, as I wouldn't do anything daft like taking it to his house, if you pretend on eBay you want to buy postage or print postage label or whatever then his full name and address should pop up.
Finally, if he has your mobile number, message him via eBay and ask him for his. I like the idea of telling him you're moving house and it has to go.
Good luck,
Nigel
I paid for a washing machine I'd bought on eBay as collection only. When I turned up to collect it, the guy took a photo of it loaded into the back of my car with me standing by it. I asked him whether that was because he going to miss it... but, no, it was proof I had collected it.
FYI only as it's a red herring, as I wouldn't do anything daft like taking it to his house, if you pretend on eBay you want to buy postage or print postage label or whatever then his full name and address should pop up.
Finally, if he has your mobile number, message him via eBay and ask him for his. I like the idea of telling him you're moving house and it has to go.
Good luck,
Nigel
Bart
pfm Member
No, some couriers might though. (Only kidding !)
simon g
Older, wiser but no longer retired
Nigel,
You really do need to accept that accepting PayPal for a collection item is a very big risk. In your above example, had you taken the item, gone home and then reported that you had not received the goods, then the seller would be forced to refund the payment. He can have all the pictures and receipts he likes, but the only acceptable proof of delivery is via tracked courier service that has delivery confirmed by signature (if for an item over a certain limit, &150 I think?). If you don't believe this then go and read PayPal and ebay T&Cs. Indeed, ebay have recently tightened this up even further, with deadlines on how long taken to dispatch.
Cav
pfm Member
If the contract was buyer collects, then having the money and the goods is not wrong. The onus is on the buyer to collect.
How long the seller has to keep the goods for collection is a different issue. Arguably, the seller could start to charge to buyer rent for storing what is, having been paid for, the buyers property. I would contact the buyer to put that proposition.