Pick up and how secure it is?

[expanded_perceptions]

Hi all.

I have a potential buyer who lives local to me and wants to pick up the item if they go ahead and purchase. They have excellent FB and are a long term member from 2006, I initially had no issues with this, but as a new seller and still under the 21 day rule (for a few more days thank heavens) and the new rules, I wondered what may go wrong? I know I read that PayPal will not cover without tracking etc.. but don't want to trawl through thousands of threads again.

Basically what precautions should I take and what are the pitfalls of a pick up, and when I say pick up, it is already agreed that it would be a neutral venure. Thanks!!

[horizon1907]

Hi ichi, I think pick up is wonderful. It lets the buyer see the item. They can then say ya or nay. If they haven't payed as yet through paypal and $$ are changed at the time of the transaction, that is more the better. They  have inspected the item and by paying you, it means that they are happy with it.  Hope all works out well for you.

[twyngwyn]

The buyer is NOT COVERED with Paypal for pick-up items....so cash is BEST ( and less fees for the seller 🙂 )

[lyndal1838]

The buyer picks up the item, pays you cash.....no paypal fees, no 21 day hold on your funds and no possibility of any sort of dispute in the future.

You have a dream buyer there.....don't let them get away.

[expanded_perceptions]

Thanks guys! To be honest I am not sure the buyer is interested in paying by cash? I did mention that he could inspect the item as it does have some minor marks etc that I have multiple images and descriptions of in the listing. I think however that he wants to still go through eBay as he has not mentioned otherwise.

I actually thought it was the seller who is not covered for pick up items? Perhaps I am wrong, can you clarify? Thanks!

[lyndal1838]

Neither the buyer nor the seller are covered for pick up items.

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

---

@expanded_perceptions wrote:

Thanks guys! To be honest I am not sure the buyer is interested in paying by cash? I did mention that he could inspect the item as it does have some minor marks etc that I have multiple images and descriptions of in the listing. I think however that he wants to still go through eBay as he has not mentioned otherwise.

I actually thought it was the seller who is not covered for pick up items? Perhaps I am wrong, can you clarify? Thanks!

---

PayPal does not provide protection for buyers or sellers for items that are picked up.

However, some unscrupulous buyers have been known to do a credit card funded payment chargeback for 'unauthorised use' well after an item has been picked up.  There have been some threads on this during 2014.

This is why many 'pro-seller' posters will encourage sellers to only accept cash for pickup items.  Some posters will say that if PayPal is offered it must be accepted if a buyer chooses to use it.  Best to state your preference for "cash after inspection" in your item description.

[lane-ends]

Highlight to your buyer if they pay paypal before pick they will have no protection if they find the item unsuitable on pick up.

[expanded_perceptions]

Once again thanks all for some great replies! You think you have learnt a fair bit, and then something crops up that makes you realize how much you still don't know!

Whilst I have your attention, does anyone know if it is the address in a PayPal transaction or the name, or both that is crucial? I have just sold an item, and the name on the eBay shipping label is just an ambiguos name that could be a first name or last name, say Daniel, then in the PayPal email it is a different name that is the payer, for instance again " David Davis, has paid for an item, ship now", and then the same ambigous 'Daniel" is on the shipping label, but I need to send with Signature on delivery. I have messaged the buyer through eBay and he says it is ok to send to the 'David Davis'..... am i over thinking things and too paranoid about all this 'buyer protection'? My question, I guess is, is there a correct name I nned to send to, or is it the address that is crucial here?

[digital*ghost]

---

@expanded_perceptions wrote:

Whilst I have your attention, does anyone know if it is the address in a PayPal transaction or the name, or both that is crucial? I have just sold an item, and the name on the eBay shipping label is just an ambiguos name that could be a first name or last name, say Daniel, then in the PayPal email it is a different name that is the payer, for instance again " David Davis, has paid for an item, ship now", and then the same ambigous 'Daniel" is on the shipping label, but I need to send with Signature on delivery. I have messaged the buyer through eBay and he says it is ok to send to the 'David Davis'..... am i over thinking things and too paranoid about all this 'buyer protection'? My question, I guess is, is there a correct name I nned to send to, or is it the address that is crucial here?

---

I get that quite often, and can't say 100% for sure if the sender of the payment is the PayPal account holder, or something else (eg the name on the credit card used to pay for the purchase, if funded that way). Possible reasons for this is that it's a family member using another family member's card / account, or the purchase is a gift and the buyer is getting it sent to someone else.

That being said, the shipping address is what's most important, and as a name is provided with the shipping address, separately from the payment sender's information, it's best to use the name provided with said shipping address. (Sometimes I'll have a full name under buyer info, and a single, short name under the shipping address, eg Joseph Bloggs as the buyer name, then just Joe on the shipping address, and in those cases I'll usually use the full name, but if the two names are completely different, I'll stick with what was with the shipping address).