Help with super nervous seller!

[sea.breeze]

I'm in QLD, I just bought a p/u dehumidifer from NSW, because they had the original packing box. I checked with the seller about the box and that I needed that for the courier. OK so I won the auction and paid for the item which is only $150. Then I booked a courier to collect and sent the seller a courier label to affix to the item. Everyone was happy.

Suddenly today I get a paypal refund as the seller cancelled.

He somehow thinks this is a scam, even though I've sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff over 15 years he thinks this is some elaborate fraud. I ask him what is he worried about he's already been paid, he says he has trawled through the PayPal website and says because I'm picking it up, after it's collected somehow I can change the delivery address and say that I never received it.

I tried to explain that 1. That is not possible, it has a label on it, and 2. Even if it was possible he isn't responsible for the delivery as I picked it up. Then he checked my address and finds out that there's air b&b downstairs so that 'set his alarm bells off', so I said I can scan my drivers license with my address but that's apparently not good enough.

If it wasn't for the fact that he has a box I wouldn't bother. As far as I can see there is not possible way that he can be scammed in the way that he's claiming.

What say you people, if he asks you for advice what would you tell him? I'll refer him to this thread. Any further questions just ask.

Meantime I'll have to cancel the courier for the moment. Which by the way is TNT/Smartsend.

[digital*ghost]

The seller probably googled and found scams associated with the buyer arranging pick-up via a courier - believe me when I say it not only is possible, but quite common, though usually involves international transactions. 

The only thing your seller would have to fear from this situation on eBay, though, is a CC chargeback. You have little to no protection at all through eBay or PayPal when you arrange a courier service yourself to pick up an item, but the seller also has no protection against a chargeback, which you could potentially access. They don't know you from a bar of soap, and have obviously tried to research whether this would be safe for them to proceed, and from the info they have, decided the risk was too high. I'm assuming they are incorrect in so far as you personally posing a risk, but it would be difficult to convince them yourself from this point (I understand you are no longer interested in trying, anyway). 

The only thing that would provide the seller protection against a chargeback is full documentation showing proof of collection / delivery - for someone who understands exactly what the risks are and how to protect themselves from those risks, it could be worth offering them that in order to ally their concerns, if someone is just scared of risking a scam in general and doesn't have the specific knowledge of what they need to be safe, they probably won't be convinced until they are a little more educated. 

[repentatleisure1952]

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@sea.breeze wrote:

Pretty smark cookie I'm dealing with here. He has seen through my 15 year plan where I gradually build up perfect feedback selling tens of thousands of dollars of stuff, just so that I can scam him out of $150 in a way that's not even possible.

All that time and planning to carry out my darstardly scheme has come to naught. I have been foiled.

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I won't comment on your "selling" feedback.

Perhaps the seller looked at your thread from o4.18.2019 & went YIKES!

[sea.breeze]

I pity people that are unable to tell that something is fishy.

Anyhoo, it's all good, I just found a better one for $100 on gumtree that just got listed no box but the seller is going to drop it round. So I'm happy. Just saved $85 including the courier.

[*tippy*toes*]

I get real cheesed off if a pick up item has no box. It means I have nothing to throw in the bin. Then I have to find something to throw in the bin, and convince myself it's a box from the item I bought. Otherwise, it's such an anti climax.

As for a de humidifier, my neighbour recently bought one BRAND NEW from Hardly Normal for under $100. Big bugger it is too. I think you got ripped off buying second hand.

[eol-products]

For $100 it would be a one off as they normally retail for $400 for a cheap one. 

[padi*0409]

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@eol-products wrote:

For $100 it would be a one off as they normally retail for $400 for a cheap one. 

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Maybe it was an upmarket kettle and teatowel combo.                

[gutterpunkz05]

I am guessing it did not have a box, you can get some good deals if you have to take items off display

[eol-products]

Especially when no one is looking.

[gutterpunkz05]

Like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nierAE255S0

[4channel]

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@sea.breeze wrote:

I'm in QLD, I just bought a p/u dehumidifer from NSW, because they had the original packing box. I checked with the seller about the box and that I needed that for the courier. OK so I won the auction and paid for the item which is only $150. Then I booked a courier to collect and sent the seller a courier label to affix to the item. Everyone was happy.

Suddenly today I get a paypal refund as the seller cancelled.

He somehow thinks this is a scam, even though I've sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff over 15 years he thinks this is some elaborate fraud. I ask him what is he worried about he's already been paid, he says he has trawled through the PayPal website and says because I'm picking it up, after it's collected somehow I can change the delivery address and say that I never received it.

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It may be worthwhile considering the possibility that the seller doesn't want to sell you the item.  Could there be another reason, one that he isn't disclosing?

There has been a recent increase of sellers not getting enough for an auction and coming up with elaborate tales of the item falling off of a table and breaking or they have discovered some fault with it just after the auction has finished. Or could it be that this is too much work for the seller to be there for a pick up? Is he lazy?

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@sea.breeze wrote:

I tried to explain that 1. That is not possible, it has a label on it, and 2. Even if it was possible he isn't responsible for the delivery as I picked it up. Then he checked my address and finds out that there's air b&b downstairs so that 'set his alarm bells off', so I said I can scan my drivers license with my address but that's apparently not good enough.

If it wasn't for the fact that he has a box I wouldn't bother. As far as I can see there is not possible way that he can be scammed in the way that he's claiming.

What say you people, if he asks you for advice what would you tell him? I'll refer him to this thread. Any further questions just ask.

Meantime I'll have to cancel the courier for the moment. Which by the way is TNT/Smartsend.

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There would be a record of pick up with the courier service and a record of delivery. No doubt he would know the name of the company. Also after this dialogue, he should know that you wouldn't dare try something on.

So after he refuses to let you have your item, he finds out there is an Air B&B below you right? How would he know? Is it part of your residence?

You offer your licence scan and that's not good enough for him? Something may not be right here. BTW: I've seen your feedback. You have a 15 year history on eBay and your FB is SOLID! Your renegging seller may not be!