Inspecting a high vaue item prior to purchase

[leather47]

Located a foam dispensing unit at a initial price of $10,000. I wish to inspect the item prior to purchasing the high value item. Seller indicates ebay won't allow the address to be revealed. How can I get an address for the item?

Thanks

Pat

[kattinsanity]

I used to buy bubble wrap from a big seller~~E Supply Store.  I just went back and checked his listings and sure enough~~they have their e mail address and their toll free telephone number right on all their listings if anyone has any questions.  I'm sure there are many other sellers who have that info in their listings and ebay allows it.

Couldn't this seller have their phone number and/or e mail  address in the listing in case anyone has questions?

[missjen831]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

I used to buy bubble wrap from a big seller~~E Supply Store.  I just went back and checked his listings and sure enough~~they have their e mail address and their toll free telephone number right on all their listings if anyone has any questions.  I'm sure there are many other sellers who have that info in their listings and ebay allows it.

Couldn't this seller have their phone number and/or e mail  address in the listing in case anyone has questions?

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Contact info is no longer allowed on listings as of the summer 2017 update. Only store subscribers and high volume vehicle sellers can provide a customer service phone number via the "ask sellers question" feature. 

[phcd1]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

...Couldn't this seller have their phone number and/or e mail  address in the listing in case anyone has questions?

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Not anymore, policy violation.

[kattinsanity]

I guess then the only option for the OP is to bid on it, inspect it upon "pick up" and if he doesn't like it he just doesn't pay for it and walks away.  If the seller wants payment through pay pal leave it for someone else to take their chances on.  If a buyer pays through pay pal, inspects the item and doesn't take it they're screwed~~their money is in the hands of the seller and I don't believe there is any buyer protection on a local pick up once it's paid for.  Local pick ups should only be paid for by cash after the buyer accepts it after inspection.

[7606dennis]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

I guess then the only option for the OP is to bid on it, inspect it upon "pick up" and if he doesn't like it he just doesn't pay for it and walks away.  If the seller wants payment through pay pal leave it for someone else to take their chances on.  If a buyer pays through pay pal, inspects the item and doesn't take it they're screwed~~their money is in the hands of the seller and I don't believe there is any buyer protection on a local pick up once it's paid for.  Local pick ups should only be paid for by cash after the buyer accepts it after inspection.

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Actually, if the sale is an auction, if the buyer decides not to pay after the hammer drops they could find themselves on the business end of a lawsuit.  Ten grand may be enough for the seller to push the legal issue.

Personally, I would probably be hesitant to buy such an item on eBay and would probably opt for buying from an authorized dealer through their B&M showroom or, if I was determined to buy online, through their their web site or that of the manufacturer.

[kattinsanity]

I don't know what a foam machine (or whatever it is) is but it would most likely be advertised under industrial so if the OP didn't purchase it after inspection the seller would be able to cancel the transaction as "buyer requested to cancel" & get his fees back or he could make a 2nd chance offer to other bidders.  Even under ebay motors a buyer isn't required to complete the purchase of a car AND in that case the seller is just out his flat rate listing fee~~there are no FVF on the sale of cars.  A 10 grand purchase isn't usually "small claims court" material so the seller would have a lot of legal fees if he decided to take a buyer to court for not completing the transaction.

[missjen831]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

I guess then the only option for the OP is to bid on it, inspect it upon "pick up" and if he doesn't like it he just doesn't pay for it and walks away.  If the seller wants payment through pay pal leave it for someone else to take their chances on.  If a buyer pays through pay pal, inspects the item and doesn't take it they're screwed~~their money is in the hands of the seller and I don't believe there is any buyer protection on a local pick up once it's paid for.  Local pick ups should only be paid for by cash after the buyer accepts it after inspection.

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Actually ebay and paypal both cover SNADs on local pickups. Only INRS are not covered. So the buyer can pay with paypal and file case if he discovers, when he goes to pick up the item, that it is SNAD.

[freeshipusa1]

$10 grand is not huge money on Ebay,there is a shop which sells preowned watches,all their watches are in 5 figures.

one day they sold a $25K preowned ROLEX and the buyer returned an empty box,Ebay told the seller they have 3 days to refund or else Ebay would do it for them.

[freeshipusa1]

I have never heard of ebay disallowing address disclosure,it may just be seller excuse ,whatever reason,he does not want any one to come and look at it.

Could be it is being used by a business right now,or he is selling a consigned piece or he does not have it in possession .

[freeshipusa1]

if he wants to give you the address,he will find a way,it is not that hard.

[kattinsanity]

If you fail to take delivery of the item isn't that the same as refusing delivery when the seller ships it to you?  If you pay for it, inspect it and never take delivery wouldn't you lose your buyer protection?  You would have to prove delivery back to the seller and if you never took it how can you prove you never accepted it and have nothing to return to the seller to get your refund?

I didn't think ebay got involved in local pick up transactions for that reason~~no proof of delivery for the seller and no proof for the buyer that they didn't receive the item.  That's why LPU shouldn't be paid for through pay pal~~cash on pick up only.

[kattinsanity]

My post office just refused a package due to REALLY wrong zip code.  I just messaged the buyer giving her the complete address she supplied with her payment & telling her I will cancel the sale and relist it and she can purchase again giving the correct address.  Maybe it was because I was involved in a transaction with her that my message was sent with all that info?  Maybe this seller could actually give the OP his physical address?

[missjen831]

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@kattinsanity wrote:

If you fail to take delivery of the item isn't that the same as refusing delivery when the seller ships it to you?  If you pay for it, inspect it and never take delivery wouldn't you lose your buyer protection?  You would have to prove delivery back to the seller and if you never took it how can you prove you never accepted it and have nothing to return to the seller to get your refund?

I didn't think ebay got involved in local pick up transactions for that reason~~no proof of delivery for the seller and no proof for the buyer that they didn't receive the item.  That's why LPU shouldn't be paid for through pay pal~~cash on pick up only.

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eBay has been involved in local pickups for a few years now as long as PayPal is used. PayPal also covers local pick up SNADs. Local pickups should be cash transactions but eBay disagrees with that and it was said by an eBay rep on another thread recently that there is no reason sellers should refund PayPal payments on local pickups! My arguement against that is that while eBay may protect the seller, eBay will not protect them from a PayPal dispute or a credit card chargeback so there is very good reason to not allow PayPal on local pickups! Its in both the buyer and the sellers best interest to void PayPal on local pickups. 

[missjen831]

Also eBay is getting even more involved in local pickups, they are changing things so that sellers can offer both shipping and pickup on the listing or something like that. There was an announcement a few weeks back. They are making it easier to list for local pickup 

[femmefan1946]

I just messaged the buyer giving her the complete address she supplied with her payment &

On the other hand, if your Message had been blocked, you already had her email address through Paypal, so maybe eBay just didn't bother.