Potential Buyer Wants To Call In To Demo First.

[austmagz]

I'm not familiar with this situation.A potential buyer contacted me to ask if they could come to my home and use the piano to see what its like. The piano is packed and ready to be delivered to a new buyer. As any auction I'm not familiar with the idea of anyone visiting a seller to try out their item.Even in your everyday auction on an auction's business premisis for anything they dont let buyers test drive a vehicle. 

What are the rules for buyers and sellers in this situation? And,what about the safety factor?

Thank you for your help.

[lyndal1838]

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule for this item. 

I would have thought that it would be a Pick Up item and the buyer could try it out before paying.  As you are going to send it to the buyer I think I would be allowing him to try it out before buying.  It is expensive and you have already admitted it was not the right item for you.

Maybe it will not be the right item for the potential buyer either.

I know I would not be parting with that amount of money without trying it out first.

[a_beautiful_room]

There are no ebay rules to cover this situation so you must do what you feel comfortable with.

Certainly for that amount of money, I would not want to buy without inspecting first. But that is entirely your perogative whether you allow that to happen.

As to safety .. make sure you have a freind or neighbor there, I wouldn't let someone in the house if I was there alone. Which is just simple common sense, not a stain on the reputation or conduct of any buyer. When I had people coming to look at something I would put it on the verandah, so that they could look without them having to come inside, but that may not be suitable in your case. I wasn't afraid of strangers coming to my house, just cautious, and worried that if they came inside I might not be able to get rid of them (if they were chatty - I wasn't interested in making a new friend! - just wanted to sell the item)

I would allow it, you want to sell the item, you have an interested buyer. You don't have to send it if they want to buy it, they may pay cash rather than paypal, plenty of advantages.  Just have a friend there and everything should be fine.

[austmagz]

The auction is still going.No one has any bids.They were enquiring to see if they could try it out first.I would have thought theiy would be better off going to a shop to try one out.I guess if they buy it they can try it if they are able to pick it up at the same time.Most people generally buy something that they already know its what they want.
I might have to contact ebay and ask for help.

Thanks for helping.

[austmagz]

The safety factor was on my mind first.The protocol for this was new to me.
I've sold a piano before but they paid via paypal,picked it up and left..

[old_new_emporium]

I have had, on the odd occasion people come and check out an item. There has never been any problem with this from my perspective. Quite often I get paid in cash and all is well. .

[austmagz]

It worked for you.Thats a healthy sign.

[a_beautiful_room]

There is no point whatsoever contacting ebay for "help". You will speak to a call centre in the Phillipines or India and they won't have a clue ! I repeat - there are NO ebay rules to cover this situation. Have them come if you want to and don't if you don't. That's it. I've had hundreds of buyers come to my house to inspect or pick up and never had a problem. They won't go to a shop and try it out and then buy yours - who's to say it will be in "shop brand new" condition or working order?

Anyway you have enough information from other users now to make your own decision.

[putney32]

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@austmagz wrote:
The safety factor was on my mind first.The protocol for this was new to me.
I've sold a piano before but they paid via paypal,picked it up and left..

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you were lucky to have found such a trusting buyer

payingfor a pick up item with Paypal means no buyer protection whatsoever (and no Seller Protection) offered by paypal and if it wasnt working when they unpack it and get home they would have done over a thousand dollars !!!!

not many buyers willing to gamble that kind of money without trying out the product before paying!

[egglesdtp]

When I have sold furniture, I encourage people to come and inspect it first. Same goes when I buy secondhand furniture, I always want to see it first. It's a bit like buying a car - you wouldn't buy it without test driving it first. 

I know if I was laying out the sort of money you are asking for the piano, I wouldn't like to buy it sight unseen.

Just bear in mind the suggestions regarding safety. Have someone with you if you are nervous about letting someone into your home. And it is preferable for the buyer to pay cash or with a bank cheque, not Paypal, if they are picking it up.