Buyer paid in cash but still hasn't completed transaction through eBay

[exile_on_george_st]

Advice required. A buyer contacted me to negotiate a price on 2 of my items. I agreed to a lower price on the condition that he pick them up and pay in cash. The items were clothing and I told him that he would have to purchase through eBay but that he could wait until he had seen the items before committing to purchasing them. I sent him offers through eBay in accordance with the agreed prices.

He came over to inspect the items and was happy to purchase and paid me in cash. I asked him to complete the checkout process by accepting the best offers on eBay (to avoid any problems for either him or me being suspended). He hasn't done that yet. So currently the 2 items are still listed and there is a risk they'll be purchased by someone else. I tried to amend the listings to add "SOLD DO NOT BUY" to the title but as there are outstanding offers on the items I cannot change the title or the description. It looks like I can change the price though. Would there be any problem with me increasing the prices of the 2 items to something ridiculously high to ensure that no one else buys the items. As far as I know the best offers will still be valid and my buyer can still complete his purchase at the agreed price. 

[*sparklz*]

End the listings so no one else can buy them.

Not sure why they did not take them there and then.

[exile_on_george_st]

Not sure what you mean by "Not sure why they did not take them there and then." The buyer paid me and took the items.

I don't think ending the listing is an appropriate solution. If I end the listing eBay can not get its fees and I run the risk of getting a suspension notice. eBay's monitoring system detects when a seller has ended a listing after correspondence between a buyer and seller.  I have ended a listing before and received an email warning me about conducting transactions outside of eBay. 

[*sparklz*]

Just end the listing or change the price to a huge amount no one will buy it and let it run its duration.

Your OP reads as he looked and paid but did not take them.

[*sparklz*]

What is the item number?

I will go do the BUY NOW so ebay can get their fees and you mark as payment received and posted then you will have a clear conscience 🙂

[dazzledayz]

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@exile_on_george_st wrote:

Not sure what you mean by "Not sure why they did not take them there and then." The buyer paid me and took the items.

I don't think ending the listing is an appropriate solution. If I end the listing eBay can not get its fees and I run the risk of getting a suspension notice. eBay's monitoring system detects when a seller has ended a listing after correspondence between a buyer and seller.  I have ended a listing before and received an email warning me about conducting transactions outside of eBay. 

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How did the buyer get your address?

Surely they would have had to click to buy to find your location?

If that's the case, then you simply mark the item as paid (cash).

If you supplied the buyer your address then you are treading a very fine line the way eBay has been lately.

Depending on how accurately the new system (bots) work, it's likely you'll still be charged FVF and also be hit with a penalty if you just remove the listings and say nothing.

[exile_on_george_st]

Thanks but that just complicates things further. I have jacked up the prices and will wait for the buyer to complete the transaction. If he doesn't I'll contact eBay so that there's a record that I haven't tried to avoid eBay fees. They'll be able to see the correspondence between me and the buyer.

[*sparklz*]

If they end as unsold then just delete them and move on.

[exile_on_george_st]

Nothing wrong with providing address details to potential buyers so they can inspect an item before purchasing, Happens all the time especially with high value items like cars.

[davewil1964]

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@exile_on_george_st wrote:
Nothing wrong with providing address details to potential buyers so they can inspect an item before purchasing, Happens all the time especially with high value items like cars.

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On eBay these days, it can cost both parties a 7 day communication suspension. That's for a first offence...