eBay

weatherloach · ‎07-01-2017

Hi

I sold an item and the buyer asked me before the auction ended if he could pick it up. I told him yes and gave him a pick up spot at a gas station. He asked me if he could pick up at a restaurant instead. the restaurant is not far and I said ok. Then he asked me to meet inside the restaurant. I told him why inside the retaurant? He said outside would be ok.

Anyway I started not being confortable with the meet. I am afraid of being scammed. I told him he would have to sign me a form stating that he recieved the item. He said ok to that.

What if he signs whatever and later on says it wasn't him that signed? How can I protect myself? I will never meet again with a buyer, I am not confortable with it.

Please advise as I have to meet him Sunday 11am eastern time.

Thxs

Pat

retrose1 · ‎07-02-2017

@banana-posts wrote:
@retrose1 wrote:
@banana-posts wrote:
Dear buyer,

Upon further research and since you have already paid through paypal. Per ebay, pickup is not possible for your protection and mine should a delivery dispute arise in the future. Unfortunately I will have to cancel our meeting.

Your package will be shipped on xxx. Thank you for your business.

Regards

I get this request quite often. My answer is always NO. Why on earth would you put your self in that kind of a position, ever?
I see it as no different as a B&M store. I would work 12 hours a day in my vintage B&M and leave my store late at night and while I would have an occasional shoplifter, no one ever came in to rob me or broke into my store.

But considering that we hear that there are robbers profiling sellers on the internet, Craigslist gets the most press, then people should be aware of the online image they present if they ever do local pickup. Just as they should be aware of how they present themselves that would make them a target for scammers.

If they feel unsafe because they are older or slight of build or female, then bring along a big mean looking friend or relative and meet in a place that has people and security. OR just sign your emails Mad Dog or Bubba and see if they still want to meet.
It's very different from a B&M store and Craigslist because on ebay you have the option to ship the product and receive payment before said shipment. On ebay you don't have a physical storefront. On ebay buyers have the option to say they never got the product and ebay will reward them with a big fat refund from the seller's bank account. Pictures, signed receipts mean nothing to ebay.

ebay is not craigslist, it's not a B&M and it's not a site that protects it's sellers. To put yourself in a position to A. be scammed with a non-receipt claim or B. be robbed when you can easily avoid both is foolish.

Sellers here are slaves to ebay's rules and policies. B&Ms are not. It's really getting old hearing this ridiculous comparison. And no one came in to rob anyone until the day they got robbed.

The comparison is not ridiculous and I make it because there is no difference in a face to face meet and no more physical danger than if you were a clerk in a B&M store or selling/buying at a flea market. Especially if you are smart about when and where you meet, and being aware of your surroundings. The way the transaction was made is of course different, but the exchange of money and item is the same with the trunk of your car substituting for the counter at a B&M.

I agree that some sellers are slaves to ebay's rules and even more of them are afraid of every little thing - because ebay has made them afraid with their adversarial systems of communication, transaction and dispute.

If you check my posts on this thread, I have pointed out that local pick up is the least likely way to keep from getting scammed, which is the basis of the OP's question, and offered several suggestions and things to think about. Given the choice between local pickup with cash in hand and shipping to the buyer - I will drive halfway across the city to meet the buyer for cash now, instead of waiting 6 months for the paypal time limit to clear.

(*Bleep*)

donker55 · ‎07-02-2017

A lot of cities/towns have safe pick up areas at the local police stations. If your home town does I would do the pick up there. You need to keep yourself safe.

kavi1030 · ‎07-02-2017

Meet at a police station only. ask an officer inside if he will be willing to be there for the transfer of money and item. I do know that they will do it with craigslist people.
Other than that, ship it.

memphiskansasgirl123 · ‎07-02-2017

1. If the buyer paid via Paypal and the listing did not include local pick up: Do Not Allow Local Pick up, your listing requires you to provide a tracking number.

2. I would have the buyer send a message agreeing to cancel the sell, I would re-list the item setting up as local pick up only.

3. During the local pick up, be careful of being the recipient of lots of cash. Take a male friend, get the money before you allow the buyer to load and/or take possession.

wolfbyte · ‎07-02-2017

@creativecrisis wrote:
@weatherloach wrote:
yes he paid through paypal. I think you make a lot of sense in asking for cash only. My guts feeling is telling me that I am going to get screwed. I will wait to see if other experienced sellers post by the morning to make a final decision but more than likely I will refund and claim that the item got broke by accident and can't be sold.

thxs again

pat
Don't refund and cancel the sale, becase you'll receive a seller defect. I suggest you simply message the buyer and let them know you're unable to do the local pickup. Ask the buyer if they want the item shipped or would prefer to cancel. If the buyer requests to cancel the sale, you won't get a defect for doing so.

Agree with creativecrisis.

I agreed to meet a buyer once who had paid for an item and then asked me to meet them for pick-up. There were no issues and the buyer immediatley left positive feedback. However, I still showed as not having shipped the item. When I called eBay to asked them to fix this, they said they couldn't. They stated that the buyer should have asked me to change the shipping to a buyer pick-up BEFORE the buyer bought the item. As a result, I got my seller rating "dinged" by eBay. Took a year for that little mark to age out. I won't do that senario again.

wolfbyte · ‎07-02-2017

To clarify on the above, although ebay could see from buyer feedback that the buyer received the item, I got dinged for not uploading tracking.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-02-2017

I see no reason not to meet inside a public place, but if you feel that insecure - meet at your bank so you can deposit the money and there are plenty of cameras and a security guard there.

This makes a lot more sense to me than a police station.

If there is one place where there are a lot of criminals it's at a police station.

I'd worry about being mugged in the station parking lot.

I have invited buyers to meet in the Friendship Room at my church after Sunday service and mention we have homemade cookies and bars, but for some reason no one has ever taken me up on that. And the cookies are Good, especially if Mrs. Purdy is baking.