Buyer wants to pickup but I didn't offer local pickup, what's the safest way to proceed?

[haozhe2005]

I sold something without offering the option for local pickup, buyer told me he lives in the same city and will be back from work in a week, he can pay first but he wants to pick it up when he returns after a week.

Since I didn't offer the option to pick up locally in the listing, I'm not sure how we could proceed, I guess after receive the payment we can arrange a time for pick up, but the buyer has to manually confirm in eBay that he has received it. My question is how do I make sure the seller does do that, instead of picking up and claiming that he never receives it? I know I can ask the seller to press the confirm button in front of me but is there a better approach?

Thanks!

[ramcycle2010]

I think the buyer is provided with a code by eBay, they need to give that to you when they collect their order. 

[ramcycle2010]

Offering local pickup | eBay

Proof of pickup

Proof of pickup is required to protect you against item not received cases.

For proof of pickup you can:

• Use the eBay app to scan the QR code the buyer received through email
• Use the eBay app to manually enter the 6-digit code the buyer received through email

To scan the QR code:

1. Go to Selling on the eBay App.
2. Go to the Sold tab.
3. Select the Arrange Pickup banner.
4. Tap the Scan to confirm pickup button.

If the buyer doesn't have their email with the codes, they can also access the code by going to their Purchase history in the eBay app.

[ramcycle2010]

Offering local pickup | eBay

If you don't want to use the app, ask the buyer to sign a copy of the eBay order form at the time of pickup.

[countessalmirena]

If you didn’t originally offer pickup, there won’t be a code. That means if the buyer pays by PayPal, for instance, you won’t have an easy-to-present proof of pickup and will be vulnerable to an INR claim. (Yes, you can ask buyer to sign at time of pickup, but that is not a straightforward proof of pickup that the bot-driven eBay process recognises, and it may involve anxious hours and repeatedly trying to get eBay CS staff to accept that it’s valid — in my view too risky to do if it’s possible to avoid.)

You may be able to send a new invoice with postage removed… Sellers, can someone confirm?

If you can’t… You'll be best off telling the buyer that cash on pickup is the only way that you are able to offer the pickup option, as you didn’t set up the listing with pickup in mind.

Set a firm date and time for the pickup. If no option to remove postage from invoice, don’t send a payment reminder (as that resets the timeframe in the buyer’s favour, 4 days from new invoice/reminder).

[ramcycle2010]

Yes, you can send a new invoice with the postage removed.

I don't offer local pickup myself, I'm more likely to drop off orders when I'm out and about if I'm able to. Never had an INR claim for a drop off, and I know where they live if I do.

Sometimes I'll pickup locally as a buyer, never had a problem there either. Most of the time, the seller leaves the order outside for me to grab, no contact and no problem.

[sugar249]

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@ramcycle2010 wrote:

I don't offer local pickup myself, I'm more likely to drop off orders when I'm out and about if I'm able to. Never had an INR claim for a drop off, and I know where they live if I do.

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And knowing where they live means nothing,  what are you going to do?  If you post it you know where they live as well, it doesnt help if something goes wrong.

[e_purchasing]

If you dont want pick up, tell them you do not offer it  and it is by shipping otherwise Cancel-Refund-Relist with pick up and ask them to re-purchase as eBay requires a QR code for pick up and the current transaction will not generate one as it was not listed for pickup

[springyzone]

I'd be inclined to send a message and say that you are willing to allow a pick up in one week's time but if the buyer wants to do that, you do not want them to pay beforehand. You can only proceed if they pay cash (for the item only) at the time of pick up. That you can't accept paypal as your ad was not set up for a pick up sale and won't generate a QR code.

Then ask them if that is agreeable to them and if they still wish to proceed, as if it is not, you are willing to cancel the sale for them.

I agree with setting a firm date or time range for pick up.  I don't know what your ad was like though. Did it include a separate postage cost or was it fre postage? I am assuming it included a separate charge as that would be why most people would elect to pick up-to save money.

I personally would not be adjusting any invoices if that is the case.

My reasoning is if, by any chance, they did not pick up as arranged, you could open an unpaid item claim & withdraw the offer of accepting a pick up. Postage or nothing.

In my opinion, the buyer is acting a little bit entitled. He may be fine, probably is, but as your ad didn't mention pick up, he really should have run it by you first before buying, plus asked if it would be okay to then leave it a week before picking up. But I suspect his offer to pay first is just to show good faith.

If he agrees to a cash payment at pick up, just mention also that exact cash would be appreciated as you may not be able to make change. You'd be surprised at the number of people I've had who hand over eg a $50, when something is $15, and expect I'll have the correct change. There have been times I have felt like saying, here's a $20 & a $10, all I have on me, sorry.