Local Pick Up Causes Problems

[zakback]

Had a sale today that charged shipping. Customer paid and no shipping was charged. Called Ebay and found out buyer picked "local pick up". Buyer is in Brooklyn, NY, I am in Indiana.

Buyer sends me an email to ask why he wasn't charged shipping which confirms that shipping was to be charged.

I cannot understand why Ebay with all its talent in the heart of silicon valley cannot put a simple filter in that checks for this error and stops it.  It is is baffling beyond belief. 

Also, I could not understand the customer service rep when he spoke. I was always thought to speak clearly and understandably. EBay hire people that speak clearly.

I will stop using local pick up. Its a hassle and no one in two years has used with me.

One last thing, it leaves you open to scammers! Don't use it!

Just got a message while typing this! Buyer wants to cancel order! Doesn't want to pay the extra $10 in shipping.

Just another day on Ebay!

[kensgiftshop]

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@zakback wrote:

I cannot understand why Ebay with all its talent in the heart of silicon valley cannot put a simple filter in that checks for this error and stops it.  It is is baffling beyond belief. 

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There was no error, the buyer chose local pick up.

It's up to the buyer to choose the correct delivery method.

[sg51]

Just got a message while typing this! Buyer wants to cancel order! Doesn't want to pay the extra $10 in shipping.

Once you get into this kind of mess, getting a cancel request is good news indeed. Cancel immediately before anything else can go wrong.

[pburn]

So, here's what I'd do if I were a seller:

Take "local pickup" off all of your items. There is nothing you currently have listed that is too heavy or would cost too much to ship.

If a buyer lives in your town--or near enough to make it worth their while--let them contact you to inquire about local pickup before the sale.

[atikovi]

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@sg51 wrote:

Just got a message while typing this! Buyer wants to cancel order! Doesn't want to pay the extra $10 in shipping.

Once you get into this kind of mess, getting a cancel request is good news indeed. Cancel immediately before anything else can go wrong.

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Except the seller loses the Paypal fee.

[gwzcomps]

I have always wondered about listing stuff with local pickup on eBay. I have some stuff I would like to sell that is too heavy to ship standard ways. I have had no luck with freight since no one follows through when I give them a quote. I have heard nothing but bad things about local pickup though. I only offer local pickup if the buyer asks first.

[slippinjimmy]

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@pburn wrote:
So, here's what I'd do if I were a seller:

Take "local pickup" off all of your items. There is nothing you currently have listed that is too heavy or would cost too much to ship.

If a buyer lives in your town--or near enough to make it worth their while--let them contact you to inquire about local pickup before the sale.

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I've had Local Pickup as an option on every listings since that option because available a couple of decades ago.

I have never had a buyer pick that option (it is NOT the default) when they actually wanted it shipped. Even if it happened one or twice I would not change my ways because I do get a reasonable amount of pick up orders and it's a fantastic opportunity to upsell. Always cool to turn a $10 pick up into a $100 transaction.

[sg51]

Except the seller loses the Paypal fee.

Correct, unfortunately (as of last year).

That doesn't mean that it makes sense to force a transaction that buyer isn't pleased with and seller hasn't shipped.

We can hope that competitive payment processing services will arise which do not charge for refunds.

[pburn]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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I have never had a buyer pick that option (it is NOT the default) when they actually wanted it shipped.

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Well, it just happened to the OP, didn't it?

[earlyant-77]

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@pburn wrote:

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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I have never had a buyer pick that option (it is NOT the default) when they actually wanted it shipped.

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Well, it just happened to the OP, didn't it?

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To be fair, we don't really know the options that the buyer actually saw on the invoice, or if it was in the app, that the 'free local pickup' didn't show as 'free shipping'.

[itsjustasprain]

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@atikovi wrote:

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@sg51 wrote:

Just got a message while typing this! Buyer wants to cancel order! Doesn't want to pay the extra $10 in shipping.

Once you get into this kind of mess, getting a cancel request is good news indeed. Cancel immediately before anything else can go wrong.

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Except the seller loses the Paypal fee.

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Just curious - how much is the Paypal fee that the seller doesnt get back?

[atikovi]

About 3%

[divwido]

Pick up items are better listed locally.   Buyers on eBay do not read, they shop by picture.

[slippinjimmy]

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@pburn wrote:

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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I have never had a buyer pick that option (it is NOT the default) when they actually wanted it shipped.

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Well, it just happened to the OP, didn't it?

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Yes of course it happened to the OP, so what?

I stubbed my toe on the edge of my bed once, should I have thrown the bed out and slept on the floor because it?

My point is that this situation can happen but it's very rare, there is no reason to make a change in strategy (eliminate Local Pickup) just because of a one-off thing.

So much knee-jerking around here!

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

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I stubbed my toe on the edge of my bed once, should I have thrown the bed out and slept on the floor because it?

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If you cut off your toe, you won't have to throw out the bed.