An idea for ebay to consider

[peternt2001]

Over my time on ebay, i have purchased a few high priced buy it now items, from sellers. I have contacted them before the end of the selling period and have asked if they are prepared to enter into a layby situation for a high priced item. The sellers has been happy to accomodate such a request, in all cases it is normally only over 4 weeks for items over $1000. I have been happy with getting high priced items and not having to outlay all the cash at once, and i think the sellers have been happy to have sold their product with not too much fuss.

I just wonder if this might be a feature for ebay to consider offering sellers and buyers for items over a certain price, that are also buy it now. With the economic times like they are, more and more people are not parting with large amounts of money at once for what can seem like indulgence products, and are starting to become reluctant to put it on a credit card.

I just thought this could be a feature that may help sellers sell more, and give buyers more opportunity to buy more using cash instead of credit.

[*new2vintage]

I think it's unlikely that ebay will introduce a layby service. It means more Paypal fees for sellers and it would still be possible for a buyer to not pay an item off and demand a refund. Layby may work for K Mart and other stores but not on ebay. By the way ebay doesn't allow payments to be made with cash unless it's a pick up transaction.

[peternt2001]

Im sorry for my poor choice of words, when i say " cash " i mean money people actually have and not credit. The times i have done this with a buyer everyone has walked away happy. And yes i know there would be lots of problems that could happen, it would need carefull planning and thinking if it were to happen, I am not saying it would be a mandatory thing for sellers,  but i still think it is a worthy idea, for the sellers who would be interested in it.

[leader-of-the-band]

and what do you propose for the situation where all but one agreed layby payment is made and then the buyer messages "I have reconsidered and now I don't need this item anymore, please refund all that I have paid" when in actual fact the situation is "in the fours weeks since I bought your item on layby I have found it elsewhere for $200 cheaper" ?

Any 'layby' agreement with a seller on an item by item basis should be negotiated prior to bidding/buying.  I don't believe that eBay should introduce it across the board.

[kiwiroo1212]

I think its a great idea i have already used the Layby option very succesfully on another site several times with no problems.

Ive used it once here as well again with no problems.

[putney32]

there is already a payment option in place, whereby a Buyer can buy a big $ item and then pay it off (with interest) over whatever period they choose.

it is called PayPal.

use a c/card and PayPal and pay off your purchase at your leisure, eBay sellers are in the business to sell items, not be a Financial Loans Office.

[kiwiroo1212]

Lol its not always about being a loans office lol most B&M stores offer layby these days.

It's handy, its convienient to the buyer but i do stress you need good communication on both sides.

Do i ever think it will be officially implimented by EBay here probably not .However, nothing wrong with chatting to your seller before you bid to ask them

On a plus side I have seen seen on some sellers  listings offer a Layby service so even if its not officially offered some sellers are alreay doing this. 

Who knows what the future holds.......

[digital*ghost]

The main reason an idea like this will be forestalled is all of the administration that eBay / PayPal would have to take on. If private layby arrangements are made, then both members handle all of that administration themselves (and take all the risks themselves), if it were an official option available on eBay, it would require a level of administration that would be difficult to implement, particularly as the entire concept of layby contravenes how PayPal is currently set up. (While I know that other payment methods are possible, in order to make this a "safe option" for members, eBay would probably have to make PayPal mandatory in order to prevent people from selling items for thousands, taking a bunch of money from a variety of people over several weeks, then never being heard from again as no one would be any the wiser until sometime after their final payment was made).

Sending multiple payments for a single item via PayPal voids both buyer and seller protection, so there would be an issue there, too.

Handy as it may be, I can't see eBay / PayPal overhauling policies and increasing what they're prepared to administrate, to facilitate lay-buys.

BTW, there's no eBay policy that disallows cash being used in a transaction unless it's pick-up - it's not recommended, and I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to send cash through the mail, but it's not an eBay policy breach.

[patchoo78]

most B&M stores offer layby these days.

Yes and those stores don't have t o pay listing fees or Final Value Fees on their stock

[peternt2001]

and what do you propose for the situation where all but one agreed layby payment is made and then the buyer messages "I have reconsidered and now I don't need this item anymore, please refund all that I have paid" when in actual fact the situation is "in the fours weeks since I bought your item on layby I have found it elsewhere for $200 cheaper" ?

wouldnt that work like a bricks and mortar shop, if you dont complete the layby you forfeit your money and the goods ?

there is already a payment option in place, whereby a Buyer can buy a big $ item and then pay it off (with interest) over whatever period they choose.

it is called PayPal.

use a c/card and PayPal and pay off your purchase at your leisure, eBay sellers are in the business to sell items, not be a Financial Loans Office.

that is my point, for people who dont want to use credit.

most B&M stores offer layby these days.

Yes and those stores don't have t o pay listing fees or Final Value Fees on their stock

No they might not have to, but they have to hold the stock, do the paperwork, pay rent to westfield and all the other costs associated with running a B&M shop.

I wasnt saying it had to be implemented for every seller, just thought if they could come up with a way for sellers that wanted to do it, they can. I have contacted a few sellers of expensive items and asked them if they were prepared to do a layby, and all have said yes, and i havent had any problems with any of them and they havent had any problems with me.

It was just an idea for sellers to get the opportunity to sell more of their higher priced items, Like someone else commented, there are sellers who on their auctions advertise the fact they are open to a layby situation already.