topic Re: Do I have to accept pick-up? in Selling

Do I have to accept pick-up?

afro-swing — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:19:21 GMT

Hi,

I have sold an item recently and advertised a postage price for it. I didn't however include an option for pick-up, although didn't expressly say "no pick-up".

The person who won the auction has asked for my phone number and address so he can pick up the item. I'm quite protective of these details so am uncomfortable giving them out.

Do I have to accept pick-up or can I reasonably ask him to pay for the item and postage and mail it out to him instead?

Thanks,

Af.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

a_beautiful_room — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:34:23 GMT

You definitely do not have to allow pick ups from your home, though it might be wise to add it to your listing to save this uncomfortable situation happening afterward.

You can either pleasantly suggest that you are unable to organise collection from your home (no need to give reasons) or you could suggest you meet at a local place, and try and fit it in with your schedule so that you are not overly inconvenienced. I guess that still means giving out your phone number though.

Just be pleasant but firm and if pressed you can always say you are a rotating shift worker or something that will give an explanation without going into detail, but best to just refuse but very politely 🙂 And update your listings in future.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:46:23 GMT

I have done pick up items where we simply arrange a time and place via ebay messaging. No personal info given. 🙂

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

a_beautiful_room — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:51:22 GMT

Having just looked at your current listings and seeing you have offered pick up on those, I will revise my comments to say why on earth are you feeling uncomfortable? The items you are selling now will need to be collected from your home, so don't know what the problem is with the current request at all ?

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

afro-swing — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:25:32 GMT

Thanks for the advice people. Much appreciated. I'll arrange to make the transaction at my workplace.

Not sure what to make of the last two comments though. Yes, I am offering some purchases pick up only (given the weight/size). I was just uncomfortable with this particular purchase (which wasn't a pick-up item) based on the email response they gave me.

Thanks,

Af.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

afro-swing — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:26:54 GMT

To clarify further, I'm uncomfortable giving out those details to this particular person. Fair enough?

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

leader-of-the-band — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:35:32 GMT

if you feel that way about this particular buyer then make sure you put them on your Blocked Bidder List. If you don't, they may well buy one of your current pickup items. Imagine how hard it would be to take a bed to work!

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

arlottstreetstation — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:46:08 GMT

Being a little hard on the Lady aren't you guy's? She obviously has issues, for whatever reason, with this particular transaction & buyer...I thought this was a "Friendly" forum

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

a_beautiful_room — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:09:41 GMT

Please just re-read your opening post, you say nothing about this particular buyer or their possibly weird emails, in which case my first answer would apply. You say you are uncomfortable giving out address and phone number details and don't even clarify by saying "in this instance". So please don't jump on us for being confused 🙂

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

bsal6160 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:13:33 GMT

I for one would be really peeved if I bought an item of here and it was local, that I couldn't pick-up. Why risk the post, and when pick-uped it can not be returned, for on collection the buyer automatically agrees to item as described and all that.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:45:15 GMT

You would be entirely unreasonable to expect to be able to pick up even it they lived two streets away unless they stated pick up allowed in the listing or you asked before buying. there are many reasons why a seller does not allow pick up and it is entirely their choice.

In the OP's case obviously they don't have a problem with pick up and saying they don't want to provide this particular buyer with their address is rather petty, what if the same buyer had purchased one of the pick up items? All the buyer has to do is request the phone number from ebay anyway and they will be given it.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

lane-ends — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:52:47 GMT

I for one would be really peeved if I bought an item of here and it was local, that I couldn't pick-up. Why risk the post, and when pick-uped it can not be returned, for on collection the buyer automatically agrees to item as described and all that.

i dont generally allow pick ups for many reasons, how far buyer has to come is not one of them

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

davewil1964 — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:05:36 GMT

I allow pickup, but as I drive a taxi and will normally be in all areas in a day or so, I generally deliver.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

2106greencat — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:20:46 GMT

Hi bsal, I agree in part, but there are different circumstances to consider. Selling to someone on ebay is literally selling to a 'stranger', I am a single mum, and while I have allowed pick up on occasion, I am not that comfortable with someone coming to my home that I don't know, maybe sounds paranoid and silly, but that's just how I feel.:-)

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

possums_place — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:56:57 GMT

Not silly at all Greencat. I don't allow pickups and choose not to sell anything that is too big to post.

There are to many nutters out there. I had one a few years ago, really scary experience.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 23:06:35 GMT

I think the sticking point with the OP is that they are obviously not averse to pick ups as they list large items that way, for some reason they do not want to give this buyer their phone number or address but what if that same person had bought one of those items? They also cannot stop the buyer getting their phone number, anyone in a transaction with them can get that information.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

the_hawk* — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 01:45:18 GMT

If a seller was offering pickup on some of the items they had listed i would expect to be able to collect an item if I was near by regardless if that item was listed as pickup.

If they are happy to have some things picked up, why not all?:|

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

ufo_investigations — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 03:34:18 GMT

If a seller was offering pickup on some of the items they had listed i would expect to be able to collect an item if I was near by regardless if that item was listed as pickup.

If they are happy to have some things picked up, why not all?:|

I sometimes sell items for friends and the pickup locations are their house not mine, just because I am offering pickup on some items don't mean I have to offer it on the ones I don't.

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

***super_nova*** — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 08:01:15 GMT

Having people coming to pick up items can be a bother, but I do usually list with that option. If somebody is picking stuff up, I have it ready by the front door, or if I was not feeling comfortable about particular person, I would ask friend for cuppa at the time.

It is not very often that people live close enough, but having the possibility of pick up can drive the price higher if there is local bidder, who obviously is counting on saving on postage. For instance, in this moment I am about to list something that I hope will fetch about $20, it will go into 3kg satchel, so will cost the buyer about $32 - $35 which is a good value for this item. If I get a local bidder they may bid close to the $30 mark - much better for me 🙂

Re: Do I have to accept pick-up?

the_hawk* — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 12:48:54 GMT

I sometimes sell items for friends and the pickup locations are their house not mine, just because I am offering pickup on some items don't mean I have to offer it on the ones I don't.

I hope you tell potential buyer in those listings you don’t actually have possession of those items, false item location and all that stuff