Did they take away Support Chat or is its not being there another glitch?

[ltldpr]

The chatbot is useless, so I typed in "agent" and the bot said to choose how I wanted to contact an agent, but only gave me the Call Back option.

Can't "choose" if there's only one option.

Did they take it away?

I searched announcements and "What's New" on the boards. Nothing mentioned. I searched the board postings, and didn't find anything about it other than an Ozzy who somehow ended up on the US site. 

I've used it before. Is it just gone?

I just had some questions about creating a "Local Pickup" (only - no shipping) listing because the "help" article mentions something that does not exist on my listing page (Pay on Pickup option).

And I need clarification on this sentence: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup." What's the "eBay order form"? 

Rather than make a post about it, I tried to contact support via chat, but can't. So here's a double subject post. 

[eburtonlab]

@ltldpr 

Currently the call back option is showing a 15 minute wait for a call back, so perhaps heavy call volumes due to current issues with variations or trading card listings are preventing the chat with a human option from appearing until the current backlog is cleared.

And I need clarification on this sentence: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup." What's the "eBay order form"?

I think that is just a printout of the order details page.

[u2_vintage]

Are you asking how to purchase the label properly? If you go to the Label page and scroll down below where you choose the 'Service'. You'll see 'Addition Options'... tick that and select 'Require signature on delivery'. Then tick 'Purchase shipping label'. Hope that answers... good luck 💯

[ltldpr]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

@ltldpr 

Currently the call back option is showing a 15 minute wait for a call back, so perhaps heavy call volumes due to current issues with variations or trading card listings are preventing the chat with a human option from appearing until the current backlog is cleared.

And I need clarification on this sentence: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup." What's the "eBay order form"?

I think that is just a printout of the order details page.

---

@eburtonlab 

Hahaha! I just replied to you in the Tech Support forum.

It was yesterday when I tried. It's still not there today. Yesterday, the wait time was only 2 mins. 

Even with a long wait time due to the call volume, the contact box isn't empty. The call back option is still there. The chat option doesn't even show up on the page. Something is up. 

As for the Order details, I hope you're right. Any idea where the "Pay on Pickup" option is? Maybe I should make a post about it rather than stack subjects like I did.

Thanks!

[ltldpr]

No, I'm wanting to list a fireplace mantel and I'm wanting Local Pickup Only. No shipping or freight. The article for creating the listing is outdated and/or just wrong. 

Here's the article:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipping-items/setting-shipping-options/local-pickup?id=4181&st=3&...

It mentions "In your payment options, select Pay on pickup and any other payment methods you'd like to accept."

Can't locate Pay on pickup in the listing form.

Also, "In your item description or checkout instructions, specify when and how the buyer can collect the item."

Don't know anything about "checkout instructions".

And this: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup."

Don't know what "the eBay order form" is, but I'm supposed to have the buyer sign it since I'm not using the app.

I just want to understand all of this before I create the listing because ignorance is no excuse when it comes to getting bleeped in transactions on eBay (or anywhere else). I wish the "help" articles were kept up-to-date. 

[brightlightbookseller]

You don't have to worry about the payment methods part, necessarily, just create the listing with only Local Pickup as an option.  If you want to offer the option for them to pay cash at pickup, that option is buried if it's still available, but it does exist, but it's better usually to just have the buyer pay via eBay then pickup.  They'll get a QR code and a 6 digit numeric code, either of which you can enter if you use the app, but since you're not planning to use the app, you'll just have them sign a printout of the order page from the eBay website, which may hold up for a non-receipt claim.  I have no confidence in that part and would highly encourage you to install and sign into the eBay app for this, so you can have the pickup confirmed with the code, but that's up to you.

[eburtonlab]

@ltldpr 

You are most welcome.

I don't recall if I saw a chat option last time I used that link, but it was there a few days ago at least.

If I go through the standard Help & Contact page, I can get the chat assistant for certain combinations of options, and I can get as far as the "OK, before I connect you with an agent, please tell me what you need help with" -- but after that I only get an option for email, where previously I would get chat or call back options.

Any idea where the "Pay on Pickup" option is? Maybe I should make a post about it rather than stack subjects like I did.

Not sure. Is that an option you choose when you list using the new listing tool? My experience with the pick up is nonexistent as buyer or seller.

[ltldpr]

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@brightlightbookseller wrote:

You don't have to worry about the payment methods part, necessarily, just create the listing with only Local Pickup as an option.  If you want to offer the option for them to pay cash at pickup, that option is buried if it's still available, but it does exist, but it's better usually to just have the buyer pay via eBay then pickup.  They'll get a QR code and a 6 digit numeric code, either of which you can enter if you use the app, but since you're not planning to use the app, you'll just have them sign a printout of the order page from the eBay website, which may hold up for a non-receipt claim.  I have no confidence in that part and would highly encourage you to install and sign into the eBay app for this, so you can have the pickup confirmed with the code, but that's up to you.

---

Thank you!

I'm fine with them paying via eBay. They can wait until they get here and see it before paying, right? Am I able to give them the address without going to Ai eBay jail via messages? 

And what if they drag it all the way home to find that it's too big? That would be a return that they initiate just like if it had been shipped, right? They'd have to bring it back to me, right? 

I've sold a lot of pickup items on Facebook (for cash), but never once on eBay, even though I have it listed as an option on my handful of ancient listings. Now, I want it to be the only option, and I don't want to end up breaking some sort of rule that I don't even know about.

[brightlightbookseller]

You can’t give your address before they commit to buy, don’t know about if they click that and then don’t pay yet. I think it just requires an ongoing transaction. I have been blocked from sending messages with our address before though, when the buyer hadn’t ordered yet, so they do scan for that. 

A return would require the buyer to get it back to you somehow, yes, though they wouldn’t have any way to prove delivery unless eBay generates a code for that too. Never had to deal with that so far.

[ltldpr]

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@eburtonlab wrote:

@ltldpr 

Currently the call back option is showing a 15 minute wait for a call back, so perhaps heavy call volumes due to current issues with variations or trading card listings are preventing the chat with a human option from appearing until the current backlog is cleared.

And I need clarification on this sentence: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup." What's the "eBay order form"?

I think that is just a printout of the order details page.

---

---

@eburtonlab wrote:

@ltldpr 

Currently the call back option is showing a 15 minute wait for a call back, so perhaps heavy call volumes due to current issues with variations or trading card listings are preventing the chat with a human option from appearing until the current backlog is cleared.

And I need clarification on this sentence: "If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup." What's the "eBay order form"?

I think that is just a printout of the order details page.

---

I just got off of eBay chat on Facebook, and you are correct about the volume. It doesn't appear when the volume is too high. Thanks you!

I got answers to my other questions about the pick up only listing too.

Edit: I'd mark yours as the best answer, but I made a double subject post, and brightlightbookseller helped with the listing question. Can't do both, so I won't do either. Thank you, nonetheless! 

[kensgiftshop]

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@ltldpr wrote:

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And what if they drag it all the way home to find that it's too big? That would be a return that they initiate just like if it had been shipped, right? They'd have to bring it back to me, right? 

---

No.

Others have posted that they had to provide a shipping label to have the item returned.

If you pick it up or they bring it back, you could use the label to ship back a small box so tracking shows something was returned.

[eburtonlab]

I just got off of eBay chat on Facebook, and you are correct about the volume. It doesn't appear when the volume is too high.

I notice that the chat option has been removed from the UK page as well, even outside the hours of operation when call volumes are presumably not an issue. That makes me think the chat option may not be returning.

I suspect that that page itself was never intended to be a general purpose contact page, and the fact that the chat and call back options remained on that page when the same links were removed from other pages was an oversight -- one that eBay may finally be getting around to correcting.

[ltldpr]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

---

@ltldpr wrote:

---

And what if they drag it all the way home to find that it's too big? That would be a return that they initiate just like if it had been shipped, right? They'd have to bring it back to me, right? 

---

No.

Others have posted that they had to provide a shipping label to have the item returned.

If you pick it up or they bring it back, you could use the label to ship back a small box so tracking shows something was returned.

---

I'm curious how a return label is generated if "Pickup only" is the only shipping option in the listing. I guess eBay just sends any old label? 

Here's what an employee on eBay Facebook said about a return (emphasis mine):

EMPLOYEE: When it comes to returns, local pick up items work the same way as shipping an item. We'd expect the item to be returned to you before you issue a refund.

However, depending on what return reason the buyer chooses, we wouldn't be able to say how the mantle would be returned (whether the buyer brings it to you or you pick it up from them). With that said, when it's an item this large, we typically see both parties are very communicative and work together to find a resolution.

ME: How do we prove that I've received the return if that happens?

EMPLOYEE: We can see all communication that happens on eBay, so documenting everything through eBay Messages or the return is the best course of action.

------------

I definitely do not plan on picking an item up if the buyer shows up here, sees the item, loads the item, takes it home, and then decides they don't want it or it won't work for them. 

Seems like eBay is very cloudy in how that works. Why would a seller ever have to go pick something up from a buyer's house unless they personally delivered it themselves? Regardless of the reason (cloudy area is the reasoning). 

If it's not as described - don't take it home. Insist on a refund when you see the item. No problem.

Why is all of this so complicated? I don't issue refunds or take returns on anything I sell on Facebook Marketplace. Wouldn't do it at a yard sale or flea market either. If ya don't want it, don't take it home. Easy as that. Not with eBay though. Ugh.

It's all as clear as mud lol.

[ittybitnot]

 Why would a seller ever have to go pick something up from a buyer's house unless they personally delivered it themselves? 

@ltldpr 

You wouldn't have to personally go pick it up.  You just have to monetarily fund the return if you want it back for a SNAD request.  Though one might logically assume that items  that are picked up, would be a final sale, eBay thinks differently.  Items that are picked up are still apparently covered by the MBG for buyers.