Why Can't Sellers Offer Restricted Local Pick Up Only to Buyers???

[coast-commerce]

"Local Pick Up Only"

Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that ebay does not allow for sellers to require buyers to take delivery of their purchased item(s) in person (local pick up), but can only offer local pick up as an (added) option to the buyer. If ebay does permit restricted local sales and delivery, how is this accomplished?

As a seller, I must decide where most of my potential customers are and offer a shipping method that satisfies both parties. If it is impractical (shipping a bicycle for example) or expensive (such as shipping a microwave oven) to ship a purchased item, a seller must offer courier shipping anyway. It appears that sellers have the option to offer local pick up in addition to conventional shipping, but not exclusively.  

If I am selling a small appliance for example, shipping and handling may be expensive and could very well be a deal breaker. If a seller is selling shoes, coats, hats or anything else that most folks want to try on or at least see up close in person, is difficult to do with ebay's current shipping options.

Unless a seller is willing and able to manage returns (most casual sellers are not), it makes sense to meet a buyer in person and allow them to see, touch or try-on the item they just bought; if they are unsatisfied, it would be simple to issue a refund. 

Local pick up saves shipping and handling cost, is faster to deliver, is personal, is easier to manage returns, allows the buyer to see the actual item they bought on-line before they decide to keep it...what is the problem???

[orangehound]

Of course, local pickup is often available as an option, however you can make local pickup the ONLY option.  In the Shipping Details section, there is a drop-down tool that gives a seller four shipping strategies:

• Flat: same cost to all buyers
• Calculated: cost varies by buyer location
• Freight:  large items over 150 pounds
• No Shipping:  Local pickup only

If you select that last option, all the shipping options disappear ... local pickup is all that remains.

[serowa]

I agree and I actually have two items on Local Pick up. But I acquired this knwoldege the hard way.  I put 2 things on Local pick up not realizing that there was a button thta block shipping. So from nowhere the item sales on the same day because  eBay added shipping costs of $10.00 for a big 45" Pappasan Chair. I wrote to the buyer and told them this was a mistake because it was supposed to be a local pick up only. They also admitted that they wondered why the shipping cost was so low. I called eBay and that is when they showed me how to place on pick up only. I dont undestand why eBay put the shipping costs and what critera they used to get  $10 for something that shipping would not be less than $40.00. I had to correct the other item for pick only which they had placed a shippping cost of $ 7 for two Chairs!!

[warts331]

I listed a big heavy mirror for local pickup only as the only option; no shipping option.

The other day, somebody in Puerto Rico just purchased it and asked if I would be able to ship it there! 

I told him that I could not, that it is very big and heavy and would cost a lot more to ship than what he had paid for it. 

But how was he even able to purchase it at all?

[waahter]

I have people choose local pick up ( which is free) and then want me to ship. Yet, they did not pay any shipping charges? How do I send them an invoice for the shipping? Or, do I cancel the sale and have them buy again?

[tdumonde2014]

You can send them a paypal invoice for the shipping charges. Typically ebay requires the seller to pay return shipping fees on NAD cases, though I'm not sure how it would work with shipping being paid outside of ebay. Also keep in mind that the return shipping charges could be very expensive if you're on the hook for them.

[soh.maryl]

As a seller, you usually list with local pickup only if the item is too big or too bulky or just too much trouble to pack and ship.  When/if a buyer wants you to ship, why would you then decide to go to the trouble to do something that you didn't want to do to begin with? 

[anthology-of-treasures]

This can be easily accomplished on a Macintosh using the application GarageSale.

Here we have three large wood chests using a template with the default shipping services of Priority Mail and Parcel Select.

Click on Shipping:

Add a 3rd service. Change it from the default to Local Pickup.

Don't want Priority or Parcel Select and longer? Then delete them.

The above modification of an existing template takes a few seconds. What you really want to do; however, is create a one or more master templates with Local Pickup only and Local Pickup + various other shipping services. Then you don't have to make manual modifications - you just hit the Command a D keys on your keyboard at the same time to instantly duplicate one of your master Local Pickup templates and you are off to the races.

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread here: https://community.ebay.com/t5/forums/postpage/board-id/shipping-returns-db.

Thanks.