Flipping - here's one I haven't had before...

[stable05]

I have a regular buyer, buys cheap items of mine (mainly furniture), pays straight away with Paypal then I sometimes have 3-4 week wait for them to pickup even though I stipulate 5 days in my listing.  I tolerate it because they regularly buy items helping me to shift stock.  They have happily told me they 'flip' my items - that is they on-sell them on a different selling platform, most likely for more than I sold them for initially, using my photos.  Still I have no problem with that - good on them.

Then today, after making me wait a month for picking up their recent purchases, they ring and tell me they have on-sold or 'flipped' the items they bought off me and would it be OK for the new buyer (their buyer) to pickup from MY property and pay me the money they owe (so I would get to see how much the items went for second time around) and that my buyer will collect the money from me at a future date.

Now that's pushing the friendship...  I was able to come up with three reasons why this just doesn't cut it with me, how many can you think of?

[sueken4812]

Do it with a "handling" fee.  Tell them you'll charge half of their on-sold profit.

[chameleon54]

I dont have any problems with people buying my items then onselling for a profit, BUT your customer sounds like he,s either got a very carefree, low care factor attitude or hes just rubbing your nose in it. Either way I wouldnt want to get mixed up in his scheme. Any problems with waiting around for non showing buyers, dodgy payers etc. and the buck stops with you instead of him. I wouldnt be touching it with a barge pole.

[imastawka]

How about you let him give the new buyer the address, then cancel the first sale and

refund the first guy through paypal cos he never collected.

Then keep the money from the new buyer.

Whatever you do, this guy is gunna be peed off and you'll lose him

as a customer anyway. 

May as well make some money out of it

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

why not try to talk HIS buyer into buying some of your stuff instead.  Then message the flipper and tell him his buyer had a change of mind when they saw your items.  Then, ask him to pickup his items ASAP.

[lane-ends]

how dumb his b uyer would feel ripped off. Who do you think he will bring it back to if there s a problem with it.

Maybe that is why they took so loing for previous pick ups they were lining sales up before they paid you?

[stable05]

My buyer actually admitted they listed it and sold it (I don't know where) even before they have picked it up from me.  Risky at best

[digital*ghost]

I'd start charging storage fees. 

Seriously, though, it's a bit much putting someone in the (unnegotiated) position of basically acting as their storage faciity, and then to take it one step further and be their agent. 

I'd tell them for legal reasons (don't know if there really are any, to be honest, could be some insurance reasons? sounds legit to me, anyway 😄 ) I can't be involved in, or faciliate, a business transaction on behalf of a third party. 

[black*poppy]

I would let the buyer come and collect.

Would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation...

"OMG, how much did he charge you?  Really?!  Well I sell them on ebay for.... "

No way is that conversation not going to happen.  What a dumba$$ your buyer is to set that up, unless he really was out to sabotage himself for some reason.

[thecatspjs]

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@stable05 wrote:

I have a regular buyer, buys cheap items of mine (mainly furniture), pays straight away with Paypal then I sometimes have 3-4 week wait for them to pickup even though I stipulate 5 days in my listing.  I tolerate it because they regularly buy items helping me to shift stock.  They have happily told me they 'flip' my items - that is they on-sell them on a different selling platform, most likely for more than I sold them for initially, using my photos.  Still I have no problem with that - good on them.

Then today, after making me wait a month for picking up their recent purchases, they ring and tell me they have on-sold or 'flipped' the items they bought off me and would it be OK for the new buyer (their buyer) to pickup from MY property and pay me the money they owe (so I would get to see how much the items went for second time around) and that my buyer will collect the money from me at a future date.

Now that's pushing the friendship...  I was able to come up with three reasons why this just doesn't cut it with me, how many can you think of?

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If it is a regular source of income for you and they are making dosh through you and vica-verca then I would pull their telephone number and have a friendly chat about how you can both work something out.

Personally if I offered pick up I would do some sums prepare my position before I rang, something like adding a surcharge for collection to cover original FVF for eBay sale and something for moi for the "pick up" service outlet.  

At least give some thought to approaching it  as an entrepreneur - regular customers are not that easy to score, maybe you can work out some sweeteners to make it worth your while.

I have sourced some fantastic regular suppliers via eBay over the years and they're happy, and I am happy, and the buyers that buy my wares are happy. 

Maybe they were a bit cheeky in expectation, but they have actually sought to check its ok with you AND they obviously trust you to make that kind of offer in the first place.