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what happens if a buyer has paid for an item for local pick up but never comes to pick the item up?
I sold a large item yesterday on 05/10/25 I am uncomfortable shipping for local pickup. Got an offer for $800 and took it. As I understand from eBay messaging, I am to contact the buyer to arrange pickup and scan a bar code once they come get it. Simple enough. However, its been over 18 hours since the buyer paid and I have made several attempts to get dialogue started about arranging for pickup. So far zero response, nothing. I notice the user name has been a member since April of 2025 and has zero feedback. To me, these are red flags BUT since they paid (of course I do not have the funds yet) wouldn't you think the burden is on them to at least respond and pick up their items? What if they never pick up the items or even respond to me in spite of multiple attempts by me to do so? If this is a game or attempted scam of some sort, I am not sure what it does to me other than I am losing out on potential sales while waiting on this person(s) to live up to their end of the bargain.
zmvb33a
OP1 year agoOne other small detail I just realized...after calling eBay they asked if I had called the buyer to arrange something. I did not realize the number for the buyer was available to me so I called it and noticed the area code was for California, which is a bit of a concern since its local pick up where I live in Texas. MAYBE they will have someone they know come pick it up...but after messaging on eBay, calling on the phone and texting on the phone ONLY to verify the buyer understands its local pick up not shipping, I would expect some reply of "Will get with you soon" or something. If he buys and I am proven wrong, that is great. But my gut tells me this is a buyer not real interested in buying what he paid for. Its odd to me.
mudshark61369
Mentor1 year ago@zmvb33a,
This is the Mother's Day weekend, so your buyer may be away visiting Mom, as @golfingaddict alluded to. You only accepted the offer yesterday afternoon, after all.
golfingaddict
Mentor1 year agoI understand.
golfingaddict
Mentor1 year agoYou have not given this transaction enough time.
18 hours over a weekend is not very long.
Give it a few days for the buyer to respond.
If they do not respond and do not pick up the item you may end up needing to return the payment to the buyer. But it is much too soon to deal with that just yet.
zmvb33a
OP1 year agoWould your sense that this is legit be altered much if the buyer's phone number was a California area code (remember, this is for "local pickup only" and I am in Texas), and there has been zero response now 24 hours later to my eBay messages, text message or voicemail? I am 99.9% sure this is a troll job, scam or a mistake at this point, (further supported by his eBay id being created in April of this year and has zero feedback) but I AM going to wait until at least tomorrow morning before doing what I feel certain I will need to, which is cancel this and get my item BACK on the board for sale.
house*of*paws
Mentor1 year agoHi @zmvb33a
My expectation would be that a new member might not understand how eBay works … especially the Local Pickup Only option.
Since it’s also the weekend … I would be especially careful to NOT suspect nefarious motives so quickly.
I certainly would NOT cancel a paid order until at least a week had passed without communication … AND after you’ve given the buyer a specific deadline for picking up the order.
zmvb33a
OP1 year agoFYI he finally called me back. I asked if he was from California he said "yes". I asked if he was planning on driving here to Texas to pick it up he said "That is a long drive. Can you just ship it?" After explaining I am not comfortable shipping something that large (which is in my ad by the way) which is why I put "Local Pick up only" he was at a loss for words. So I told him I would cancel it so someone else who could pick it up locally would have a chance to buy it. My takeaway I suppose is to put "Local pickup online" in multiple places on the ad AND once a bid or offer is made, verify with the person they understand and will comply with "Local pickup ONLY".
house*of*paws
Mentor1 year ago@zmvb33a
Glad to hear you got a response! 😊
MANY buyers seem to miss the 'Only' part of Local Pickup. I recommend that when you relist the item, you put 'Local Pickup Only' in the Title ... AND you put at the TOP of the Description:
For Local Pickup Only! This item will NOT be shipped!
zmvb33a
OP1 year agoThat is EXACTLY what I did just now, plus I added in the description a couple sentences MORE about making SURE the buyer understands it is LOCAL PICK UP ONLY. We shall see...
house*of*paws
Mentor1 year ago@zmvb33a
Too bad you didn't put the glaring, large font, colorful letters at the TOP of the Description ... instead of the last paragraph with small font.
Also, there's a chance that a buyer might not understand the abbreviation P/U in the Title ... but best of luck to you!