First time member purchases pick-up only & pays, but doesn’t want to communicate through Ebay

[dillsdprib]

I had a buyer purchase a dresser, paid for it and they did initially contact me through EBay messaging to arrange for pickup, because it’s sold as local pickup only. I contacted buyer and they suggested to contact them through their email or by phone for now on. They seem not too comfortable to communicate through EBay. I believe the buyer holds a high level position in Wash. DC because they provided a link in the initial message that’s traced to the Federal DC government, so I’m thinking confidentiality is of importance  (buyer became a member & completed purchase transaction on the same day BTW). Can a buyer with high level federal stature (?) request to communicate outside of EBay for a pickup only sale? Thank you!

[dtexley3]

Per eBay and the blues, once an item has been purchased on eBay you are allowed to communicate outside eBay to arrange pickup.

[emerald40]

Once this has been set up through local pickup, even peons can request that you call them to make arrangements.

With local pickup cash only, they come, they see, they pay, they leave.  Over and out.  No refunds.  So it is not as important to keep a paper trail.

[rdj831]

Not everyone can easily communicate through eBay at all hours of the day. 

The buyer picks up- you keep the money. Simple.

[gkyn29]

The person is already coming to your house to pick the item up or at the very least, meeting you in person. You can't get much more personal than that...not sure what the problem is with giving them a call to tie things up.

Furthermore, I'm sure purchasing a dresser on ebay is a matter of utmost security of the nation (this is a joke in case you were wondering). More likely they probably don't spend 24 hours in front of their computer logged into ebay their whole lives as another poster mentioned.

[missjen831]

You actually need to keep all communication ON ebay so that they can see that you arranged for the buyer to pick up the item. if you don't have communications ON ebay where ebay can see that pickup was arranged, buyer can file an INR and win.

[gkyn29]

I disagree. There is a reason why you can choose to release your phone number to buyers through the ebay system.

[gkyn29]

The first mistake the OP made was accepting Paypal for local pickup, not the whole thing with the communication, which is secondary.

For local pickup you should take cash only, exactly like you would in a CL listing.

Local pickup is bad for the seller in so many different ways. There is absolutely no seller protection, there is no tracking, so you're gonna get hit that way, and no proof of delivery.

CASH ONLY if you are going to do it.

[d-k_treasures]

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@gkyn29 wrote:

The first mistake the OP made was accepting Paypal for local pickup, not the whole thing with the communication, which is secondary.

For local pickup you should take cash only, exactly like you would in a CL listing.

Local pickup is bad for the seller in so many different ways. There is absolutely no seller protection, there is no tracking, so you're gonna get hit that way, and no proof of delivery.

CASH ONLY if you are going to do it.

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You don't need tracking when the listing is local pickup only. The buyer can only file an INR if it shows in ebay messages that the seller refused to let the buyer pick the item up. And a SNAD would not be allowed for a dresser - you don't have to plug it into your computer or something to see if it works or not.

So after you get a date and time when you talk to the buyer, you can recap that call or email in an ebay message to the buyer. Then you can follow up with a thank you for picking up the dresser thru ebay messages.

[missjen831]

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@gkyn29 wrote:

I disagree. There is a reason why you can choose to release your phone number to buyers through the ebay system.

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That has nothing to do with why communication needs to be kept on ebay. Ebay will cover the buyer on an INR case on a local pickup if they cannot see, via communications ON ebay, that the seller allowed the buyer to pick up the item. So from a seller protection standpoint, OP needs to keep most communication on ebay.

[missjen831]

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@gkyn29 wrote:

The first mistake the OP made was accepting Paypal for local pickup, not the whole thing with the communication, which is secondary.

For local pickup you should take cash only, exactly like you would in a CL listing.

Local pickup is bad for the seller in so many different ways. There is absolutely no seller protection, there is no tracking, so you're gonna get hit that way, and no proof of delivery.

CASH ONLY if you are going to do it.

---

Ebay doesn't allow cash only on local pickups though, the OP really had no choice, he was required to take paypal. And you don't need tracking on a local pickup, you need communication via ebay messaging--

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Sold-another-local-pickup-only-item-and-local-buyer-paid-with/...

[fashunu4eeuh]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@gkyn29 wrote:

The first mistake the OP made was accepting Paypal for local pickup, not the whole thing with the communication, which is secondary.

For local pickup you should take cash only, exactly like you would in a CL listing.

Local pickup is bad for the seller in so many different ways. There is absolutely no seller protection, there is no tracking, so you're gonna get hit that way, and no proof of delivery.

CASH ONLY if you are going to do it.

---

Ebay doesn't allow cash only on local pickups though, the OP really had no choice, he was required to take paypal. And you don't need tracking on a local pickup, you need communication via ebay messaging--

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Sold-another-local-pickup-only-item-and-local-buyer-paid-with/...

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Jen, I am confused now. In the written policy it states cash payments are allowed for pick-up. 

From frequently asked questions:

“...I often have buyers pick up items from my store. Can they pay in cash?

Yes, payment in cash is allowed for payment on pickup, or cash on delivery sales. However, cash isn't a generally accepted payment method on eBay, and cash payments can never be sent through the post....”

And a little farther down the policy is this under  Guidelines:

• Payment upon pickup
  If you offer payment upon pickup, you'll also need to offer one of the approved electronic methods, and may include this statement in your listing: "Contact me for payment methods to pay on pickup."

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/payment-policies/accepted-payments-policy?id=4269

[fashunu4eeuh]

Oh wait, i am slow, you were saying you need both cash and electronic payment option, not just cash alone. My bad! Please pardon my misunderstanding.

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

Oh wait, i am slow, you were saying you need both cash and electronic payment option, not just cash alone. My bad! Please pardon my misunderstanding.

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Correct.

Now we have asked eBay why not delete the 'electronic payment obligation' for pickup ONLY listings, but they don't answer, other than suggest there isn't many LPO so less risk of eBay facilitated scams. 

What could possibly go wrong? 

[phono_0490xxxxxx]

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@missjen831 wrote:

You actually need to keep all communication ON ebay so that they can see that you arranged for the buyer to pick up the item. if you don't have communications ON ebay where ebay can see that pickup was arranged, buyer can file an INR and win.

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It's the use of the global 'all' word that brought disagreement, you know.

Later,  'most' used wisely in thread.

Communication by eBay messages is important as advised.

However, the messages way is not practical when organising the pickup times, especially advising the seller if buyer is delayed in agreed time... traffic... slow to get ready to leave helpers... family drama..  etc.

If the buyer won't respond the sellers messages they are not [strictly speaking] communications between parties, but are Documentation if it turns to become a scam.

It needs to be said how the electronic payment scam can go.

By Credit Card charge back if the paypal transaction was funded by a credit card.

The receiver of funds doesn't see how the paypal transaction was funded [could be bank account] by the buyer.

That's what can possibly go wrong.