Time wasting....

[lynsav-9]

My buyer makes an offer which I accept. He asks for address (and email) to collect from. I respond with I will provide address when payment is received. After 48 hours I take out an unpaid item case to which immediately he asks me to cancel the order with a non specific excuse. If I do that I leave myself open to negative feedback and no returned fees, so I am not responding and will let UIC run its course and close it. To get to understanding a course of action has taken hours of research on the internet, often with bad advice from some users, difficult to find advice from Ebay, and left me with an item that I can't relist for a week. The buyer is obviously opportunistic, knows the ropes and seems to have lots (200+) of good feedback. That doesn't make sense to me. Am I the only one up against this?

[myboardid]

First, if you had come here you would have gotten answers!  Now, regarding the buyer's request to cancel - you can do that when the buyer asks you to without any penalties for you.  You would get your fees refunded and the buyer would not be able to leave feedback on a cancelled transaction. 

Next, the buyer ASKED FOR YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.  That is a HUGE red flag!  It indicates that your buyer is a SCAMMER.  he would use this email addy to send you a message saying you had been paid, but you need to provide a tracking number before the money would be released to you.  IT is a SCAM, the money isn't really there, and he would count on you NOT going to your account to see if you had received the money or not.  You can cancel NOW using "Buyer request" as the reason and relist immediately afterwards.  

Also (and I don't know what you sold), list the item with fixed price, Immediate Payment Required.  If it is an electronic item, high priced or designer goods, it is a scam magnet and you should consider the high probability that you will get another scammer buyer who will take it from you and you will have to refund.  If you can't afford to lose it, don't sell it. 

[fern*wood]

So, this is a pick up only item?  I can understand them asking for your address after the purchase but not the email.  Regardless, if they ask to cancel, any negative feedback is removable and you don't forfeit your fees.   Now, you just have to wait out the time before relisting by going the route you took, which by the way, seems odd to require payment ahead of time if it was a pick up only time.   I welcome cash for those. 

[frodobagginskennedy]

once you open an UIC you cannot cancel the sale.

[soh.maryl]

Not sure how this works on the UK, but, on the US site, items that are local pickup are expected to be paid for when the buyer comes to pick up his purchase.

And, of course, no buyer needs your email information.  

[fern*wood]

I wish posts from other countries on the US board would somehow be flagged to alert us of this important detail, so we don't look like idiots responding with US rules that may/may not apply in their country.  

[itsjustasprain]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

Not sure how this works on the UK, but, on the US site, items that are local pickup are expected to be paid for when the buyer comes to pick up his purchase.  

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It is prefereable to pay on pickup but the buyer can still use an electronic form of payment if they want to. Seller is required to offer one payment method that way. Of course you want to verify that you do have the money in Paypal before arranging the pickup.