Clarification needed for the phrase "free local pickup" and "local pickup only"

[thecrankenator]

As a buyer, my question is as follows:  When a seller lists an item as "local pickup only," does this necessarily exclude having someone or a company pick up the item for you?

Specifically, I am interested in a piece of furniture.  There is no way I can make it to the location it is found in.  If I'm willing to risk it and buy it sight unseen, trusting only on-line photographs (in the age of PhotoShop), can my other part of the deal (the "local pickup only" part) not be carried out by a 3rd party that specializes in packaging up, transporting, and safely delivering furniture?  If so, is this something that must have the seller's explicit permission, or can it simply be something they are informed of after the purchase?

I have a hard time seeing how this does not perfectly satisfy the "local pickup only" designation when the item will indeed (and only) be picked up locally.  Ebay has it listed as "Shipping to: Will arrange for local pickup only (no shipping)."  If the buyer arranges for company A to pick it up locally and company A then ships it, it seems ebay's terms have been met.  The seller does not ship the item, and the item is picked up locally.

Clarification will be much appreciated!

[missjen831]

You have to ask the seller. Because it’s entirely up to the seller. The seller can refuse to allow a 3rd party to pick up the item. But if you were to send a company with cash, I’m sure the seller would be more than happy to comply. If you pay with PayPal, then some sellers might not be willing to hand the item over to a 3rd party. 

Have you read the eBay money back guarantee and PayPal user agreement? Are you aware that buyer protection will not cover you if you have a 3rd party pick up the item? 

[robot-hands]

Shouldn't matter to a seller that likes to get paid.

[dominicwanderingscholar]

A seller should not have a problem with a third-party pickup. Contact the seller and tell them who will be picking up your item, and on what day, about what time, and that the person or persons picking up your item will identify themselves as such. If the seller refuses file a wrongful suit with both eBay and PayPal. A trusted seller will work with you. Such sellers should not be selling anything, not even be giving away peanuts to monkeys. If eBay or Paypal will not then back you, it is they who are little more than peanuts for monkeys and know nothing about good salesmanship.

[robot-hands]

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@dominicwanderingscholar wrote:

 If the seller refuses file a wrongful suit with both eBay and PayPal. .

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You'd have better luck shouting at a mountain to move out of your way.

[7606dennis]

I would interpret "free local pickup" as meaning the seller allows local pickup at no cost to the buyer.  This would, in my opinion, be an option to buyers but the seller also ships in needs be and most likely charges for that service.  A check of the Payment & Shipping Tab should show the type of shipping available.

The term, "local pickup only," would indicate to me that the seller does not ship and if you want to buy it you will be required to pick up the item from a location designated by the seller.  The seller may or may not charge for this service.  If the item is heavy and requires specialized equipment for loading I would expect to pay accordingly.

[7606dennis]

With regard to your sending a third party to pick up purchased merchandise, it would be a matter of you legally authorizing the third party to act as your agent.  In that case it would be similar to FOB: Point of Origin terms and all responsibility of the seller would end when your agent takes control of the shipment. 

I'm not sure whether eBay rules could force a seller to turn over possession of goods to an agent if not specifically mentioned in the listing.  In any case, I would want some sort of legal proof that the third party was, in fact, your agent.

[fab_finds4u]

Free local pickup means there's no shipping OR handling charge applied when you pick it up.  Local pickup only means the seller doesn't ship.   

It shouldn't matter to the seller if the buyer or their agent picks it up.  

My personal experience with a pickup--I just purchased a local pick up only item a few weeks ago.  It was on the west coast  and I'm  on the east coast.    Before I made the purchase I got a few shipping quotes because I had no idea what the shipping would cost, and If it was too much I would pass.  I had an excellent idea what the item weighed and the dimensions. 

I called Plycon, who a lot of antique dealers use, and also got several quotes from uShip.  (eBay endorses uShip)  And it pays to shop the shipper because my quotes were from $500 to over $1500.   When I had some idea what shipping cost I made an offer, it was accepted; I paid the seller with PayPal.  

Your seller might want cash only before it is picked up.   Local pickup says to contact the seller for payment and pickup arrangements.  Mine had no problem accepting the PayPal payment because items collected in person are not eligible for PayPal protection.  And uShip has online viewable tracking-very important because there can be no false claims of not received that way!     I then chose the driver with the best price (he had excellent feedback) and proceeded to accept the shipping quote (pay), and then came a small snag--I needed the seller's contact info and the pickup address before I could accept the quote and submit payment.  I messaged the seller I needed his # for the driver and the address for uShip -and eBay kept blocking the info!!!  I even tried to provide mine to him phonetically like area code "nein oh for" for  904.  No dice.  It was blocked.    I had to call eBay and rant and rave like a maniac  how messed up it is to block messages after you win and pay.  I did apoligize to the rep as she didn't make that asinine rule  but still do they have any idea how aggravating that can be? 

eBay used to be transparant.  Either party had the right to know who they were in a transaction with BEFORE the transaction was completed.  Now you have to jump down their throat and threaten to cancel because you don't have what you need to complete the transaction, their contact information.  That's pretty messed up that I was not allowed to pass on my # or the uShip driver's #.   I NEEDED THE PICKUP ADDRESS TO COMPLETE THE USHIP PAYMENT!  I am serious as a heart attack I had to get downright rude and then they still didn't help.  I got his NAME from PayPal and I googled it, lucky from me his name is unusual- he was actually very well known in his business so I was able to contact him through his business website.   But again, with no help from eBay.  Which is quite concerning.  It made me so angry I had to call eBay for anything!  

Final outcome-it was  picked up less than 48 hrs after the EOA and it was delivered 4 days later.   They say all's well that ends well,,,,,,,maybe so but I was angry eBay caused grief and made me spend time and effort to gather information that should have been automatically supplied after the end of the auction.  

[missjen831]

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@dominicwanderingscholar wrote:

A seller should not have a problem with a third-party pickup. Contact the seller and tell them who will be picking up your item, and on what day, about what time, and that the person or persons picking up your item will identify themselves as such. If the seller refuses file a wrongful suit with both eBay and PayPal. A trusted seller will work with you. Such sellers should not be selling anything, not even be giving away peanuts to monkeys. If eBay or Paypal will not then back you, it is they who are little more than peanuts for monkeys and know nothing about good salesmanship.

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Nope. To all of this. The buyer needs to contact the seller first and find out if they will allow a 3rd party to pickup the up. And the buyer needs to arrange a time and date not demand one. Neither eBay or PayPal have a “wrongful suit” that can be filled. The seller is not required to release the item to anyone but the buyer. And neither of them cover local pickups under buyer protection. 😉

[missjen831]

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@7606dennis wrote:

With regard to your sending a third party to pick up purchased merchandise, it would be a matter of you legally authorizing the third party to act as your agent.  In that case it would be similar to FOB: Point of Origin terms and all responsibility of the seller would end when your agent takes control of the shipment. 

I'm not sure whether eBay rules could force a seller to turn over possession of goods to an agent if not specifically mentioned in the listing.  In any case, I would want some sort of legal proof that the third party was, in fact, your agent.

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eBay rules cannot force the seller to turn over possession of the goods. The seller isn’t required to turn over possession to anyone but the buyer. 

[missjen831]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

Free local pickup means there's no shipping OR handling charge applied when you pick it up.  Local pickup only means the seller doesn't ship.   

It shouldn't matter to the seller if the buyer or their agent picks it up.  

My personal experience with a pickup--I just purchased a local pick up only item a few weeks ago.  It was on the west coast  and I'm  on the east coast.    Before I made the purchase I got a few shipping quotes because I had no idea what the shipping would cost, and If it was too much I would pass.  I had an excellent idea what the item weighed and the dimensions. 

I called Plycon, who a lot of antique dealers use, and also got several quotes from uShip.  (eBay endorses uShip)  And it pays to shop the shipper because my quotes were from $500 to over $1500.   When I had some idea what shipping cost I made an offer, it was accepted; I paid the seller with PayPal.  

Your seller might want cash only before it is picked up.   Local pickup says to contact the seller for payment and pickup arrangements.  Mine had no problem accepting the PayPal payment because items collected in person are not eligible for PayPal protection.  And uShip has online viewable tracking-very important because there can be no false claims of not received that way!     I then chose the driver with the best price (he had excellent feedback) and proceeded to accept the shipping quote (pay), and then came a small snag--I needed the seller's contact info and the pickup address before I could accept the quote and submit payment.  I messaged the seller I needed his # for the driver and the address for uShip -and eBay kept blocking the info!!!  I even tried to provide mine to him phonetically like area code "nein oh for" for  904.  No dice.  It was blocked.    I had to call eBay and rant and rave like a maniac  how messed up it is to block messages after you win and pay.  I did apoligize to the rep as she didn't make that asinine rule  but still do they have any idea how aggravating that can be? 

e

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Both eBay and PayPal buyer protection cover local pickups so that is not why your seller was OK with it. You had buyer protection . If you had send someone to collect it for you, that would have been an except and there would have been no buyer protection if it was damaged. The MBG does say that INRs are excluded but the blues have confirmed that buyer protection IS VALID if the item isn’t picked up at no fault of the buyer, if the seller doesn’t make arrangements for it to be collected. 

[missjen831]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@dominicwanderingscholar wrote:

A seller should not have a problem with a third-party pickup. Contact the seller and tell them who will be picking up your item, and on what day, about what time, and that the person or persons picking up your item will identify themselves as such. If the seller refuses file a wrongful suit with both eBay and PayPal. A trusted seller will work with you. Such sellers should not be selling anything, not even be giving away peanuts to monkeys. If eBay or Paypal will not then back you, it is they who are little more than peanuts for monkeys and know nothing about good salesmanship.

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Nope. To all of this. The buyer needs to contact the seller first and find out if they will allow a 3rd party to pickup the up. And the buyer needs to arrange a time and date not demand one. Neither eBay or PayPal have a “wrongful suit” that can be filled. The seller is not required to release the item to anyone but the buyer. And neither of them cover local pickups under buyer protection. 😉

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Meant to say at the end, neither eBay or PayPal buyer protection will cover local pickups when a 3rd party is involved.