Need some input.

[millyminder]

I had some old roofing tiles listed ( over 300) &  a member wanted to look at them A time was arranged & they came out & bought them. After they left I thought I had better remove them from ebay in case another buyer clicked buy it now. & they were already sold   After loading them( pretty tiring) I did not think to  tell the buyer to  buy off ebay They lived 3 hours away & even if I did tell them there was a chance someone could try to buy them in the meantime & I would get a red dot for selling something I did not have..  We have no phone signal here so they could not have used their phone & would not want a stranger in my house using my computer I have now been suspended by ebay for breaking the rules What is one supposed to do in this situation

[lyndal1838]

I must admit my initial reaction was the same as Stawka's.....there was no sign that you are suspended or had any interaction with ebay at all.

Maybe it seems a small thing to you but answers given here can be very dependant on members being given the full story.    something insignificant to you may make a considerable difference to the answers you are given.

In future, just make sure that BIN button has been hit before money changes hands and the buyer takes the goods.  And with pick up items hitting the button does not lock the buyer into paying until he has inspected the items.

[rocket2retro]

It appears that any listed item that you end (without sale), ebay will check any messages pertaining to that listing. If they conclude that you sold the item outside of eBay they will penalise the seller (not sure what happens to the buyer who may have instigated the transaction).

I received a warining (complete with instructions on how to sell the item on eBay to anyone requesting an 'outside' sale) & a friend had his account limited for the same offence (but was able to talk his way out of it, as he had a legitimaate excuse).

Makes me wonder about the state of affairs at eBay, that they are now taking this step (after not caring for the past 14 years I've been selling).

[imastawka]

What about all the sellers that are now allowed to say they have

the item listed elsewhere, and may end the listing at any time?

It used to be a no-no to have things listed elsewhere,  but the policy has changed.

It seems the messages were the downfall here.

[digital*ghost]

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@millyminder wrote:

 We have no phone signal here so they could not have used their phone & would not want a stranger in my house using my computer

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They would just have needed to be able to access the internet on their phone, if they had one with the app, and could access your service via wifi. (If I was the buyer, I wouldn't have felt comfortable logging into my eBay account on a stranger's computer anyway). 

Another alternative if that wasn't possible, is to increase the BIN price straight away, add best offer, and ask them to send through the offer for the correct amount as soon as they can so you can process and finalise the sale (the high BIN price should prevent anyone else from buying the item).

[brerrabbit585]

Ebay needs to help sellers out in this sort of situation and make it possible for sellers to mark something as sold when they end an item, so that ebay gets the fees. It's impossible to get some buyers to buy things on ebay, especially with pick-up items - they just want to inspect, pay, and take the goods home.

I've had people ask me for an invoice for goods on ebay they haven't even bought yet and they don't understand that I can't send an invoice until they've actually bought it. It takes a lot to get through to some of them too. This is for items that are to be posted and it'd be even harder for items that have been paid for in cash and picked up.

[springyzone]

I agree with you, rabbit. I think with pick up items, a lot of people might want to have a look before they commit to buy. I've seen wedding frocks sold that way-with invites in the ad for people to come & try on etc

So those people aren't going to press sold and pay before they turn up.

There definitely should be an option on pick up items for the seller to mark as sold. To end a listing and mark as sold.

[lyndal1838]

But Springy, that option is already available.

When the buyer hits the BIN button they do not have to pay until they have inspected the dress and tried it on.  Only when they are happy do they hand over the cash and take the item.   It has always been that way.

[brerrabbit585]

It's not the same, lyndal. You're talking about the buyer marking it as sold, I'm talking about the seller marking it as sold (because the buyer never will).

I certainly hope that if I ever list an item for pick-up only that people 'buy' it just so they can have a look at it.

[brerrabbit585]

I meant to say I hope people don't just buy something because they want to have a look at it. If it was an auction it wouldn't work the same anyway.

[lyndal1838]

If it is a pick up only item that is exactly how it works.....the buyer is at liberty to refuse to pay for the item when he comes to inspect it and pick it up.   Under ebay rules there is no protection on pickup items as the buyer is supposed to inspect it and assure that it is in working order and exactly as described.