eBay buyer wants a week to pay or pay in person. Opinions requested 2 2

[thehumantorch]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:54 AM, jsilverjanet said:

I'm always curious how it's marked as shipped/received (on a pick up) and if the buyer can then open a case that he never got the product or that there is damage etc and allow for a return

That would be a risk but this is a $50 purchase so not a huge hit.  Odds are this is just a local buyer who wants to save shipping on a low dollar purchase.  And this might lead to future sales or purchases from this buyer.  I always want to know local collectors and give them a reason to deal with me.

[KirbyTown]

On 7/25/2022 at 12:52 PM, jaxcomics said:

I love MCS and regularly encourage people to use them, but no service is perfect in avoiding late paying/bad buyers. I'm still waiting on several payments from their Prime Auction. Obviously MCS gives 15 days and that's fine, but after a week I always consider it a toss-up as to whether the buyers will come through or not. 

You're right that a non-paying winner is always a risk. I was referring more to the buyer's offer to deliver cash via a local friend. That idea was giving the seller pause, and it's a situation you would never encounter when consigning through Lone Star  🥳

[littledoom]

On 7/25/2022 at 12:10 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

For my benefit, how does that work if not expressed in the listing? Presumably once sold you can't change the shipping method, how do you mark it delivered?

all my listings offer local pick up, and you can't mark it delivered. Maybe one per every 150-200 sold items get locally picked up. It's rare.

[WolverineX]

On 7/25/2022 at 3:46 PM, thehumantorch said:

That would be a risk but this is a $50 purchase so not a huge hit.  Odds are this is just a local buyer who wants to save shipping on a low dollar purchase.  And this might lead to future sales or purchases from this buyer.  I always want to know local collectors and give them a reason to deal with me.

Agreed. do it.  Local buyer would be awesome.  

[Lightning55]

The buyer has already messed up, in my opinion.  If he needed more time to pay, he should have cleared that with you WAY before he bid on it.  So he is bidding, knowing he doesn't have the money.  Who does that???   He is holding your payment and the entire transaction hostage, without your consent.

But since the buyer has put you in that position (thanks), you now have to evaluate the alternatives. 

If you don't want to wait the week, just calmly inform the buyer.  If he doesn't pay, you can file it as unpaid after a few days.  You can also put it right back up for auction in the meantime so as to minimize the time it is off the market.  If the buyer pays on time, pull it back down.  That would be my first choice of action.

You remember the old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."  The buyer has already fooled you once by bidding without the intention of paying promptly, didn't have the common courtesy to ask you first.  Don't give him a second shot at you.

Don't advise doing the pick up thing.  You have no way to prove that it got "delivered".  If you go that route, pick a public place, not your home.

EBay tried to put a system in place where the buyer was sent a code, and when they picked up the item they gave you the code to post on the item page.  That proved that you had met to transact, otherwise you would not know the code.  I don't know if that was only a trial or ever put in place permanently.

 

[Toz]

I don't see a problem.Sometimes it may be a case like with me.I don't keep much in my account I use to buy funny books.I work 10 hours a day and only get a chance to go to the bank one day a week.Some of the sellers here have been very gracious with me and held my books till I could get the money in.

But in the end,use your own discretion.And good luck.

[gumption]

As a seller on Ebay, I’ve dropped off an item at a person’s apartment, with his permission first, and during the daytime. He lived in the same city and was nearby my work commute. Plus, it was a nice item and the less time spent in postal delivery, the less anxiety for me.

Most importantly, I took photos of the apartment building and his unit number, me leaving the package at his doorstep, and the door opening as he was coming out.

An extended time for payment is acceptable as long as they seem sincere and responsive. You just have to trust your gut instinct with that.

[Artboy99]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:51 AM, thehumantorch said:

I wouldn't have a problem waiting a week or two for payment.  I wouldn't allow him to pick it up at my home but might meet him somewhere safe like a police station.

I definitely wouldn't meet the guy at a McDonald's parking lot!

[Antonio]

Thanks all.  I will wait the week, and that's it.  No pick ups. As for MCS, I didn't think of it, but it seems to be a very good idea.

 

Much appreciated!

 

Anthony

[Tnexus]

On 7/25/2022 at 9:29 AM, KirbyTown said:

Curious why you chose to sell on that site instead of consigning with MCS? You wouldn't have to deal with any of this buyer nonsense.

My biggest problem with MCS consignment is the type of books I sell often are ones no one would find under MCS's descriptions. I generally have to be specific in my Ebay description for the specific type buyers.

[Domo Arigato]

On 7/25/2022 at 10:56 AM, Antonio said:

The buyer is asking for a week to pay or the buyer " can have a friend pay cash and pick the item up."  The friend supposedly lives not far from me.

Many are commenting to not let his friend do a local pick up for him, because you would have no way to prove you gave him the item.

But if his friend pays with cash.....doesn't that mean he would have no way to prove that he paid for the item either?

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by Domo Arigato

[Lightning55]

On 7/26/2022 at 12:34 AM, Domo Arigato said:

Many are commenting to not let his friend do a local pick up for him, because you would have no way to prove you gave him the item.

But if his friend pays with cash.....doesn't that mean he would have no way to prove that he paid for the item either?

 

Good point.  I like the way you think. 

A step beyond that, if eBay can't see that the item was paid for, seems difficult for them to charge a fee.  They only charge the sales fee upon payment, deduct the fee from the payment. 

At least that is how it is done with fixed price items, not sure about auctions because I haven't done any in years.

[Lightning55]

On 7/25/2022 at 12:29 PM, KirbyTown said:

Curious why you chose to sell on that site instead of consigning with MCS? You wouldn't have to deal with any of this buyer nonsense.

MCS is a great site to sell on.  I use them, and eBay.  I get much better prices on eBay, even after figuring the commission to each. 

Things sell much faster on eBay for me.  You do have the occasional buyer shenanigans, but only in a few % of sales.

I can get repeat buyers on eBay, no idea who bought my MCS stuff.  It's good not to be dependent on any one site.

[Krismusic]

I’m surprised about the no pick up rule many people have I did pick up for a high dollar book as I didn’t want it lost in transit meet the seller at the bank and he called into eBay about it and they asked us to send message to them and leave feedback stating it.. was all good oh well I was the buyer so I felt better having it in hand and completing checkout when I got it in hand.. guess things changed in eBay’s policies 

[Pat Thomas]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:10 AM, ADAMANTIUM said:

keep in mind that with the ebay payouts now, you're going to be waiting about another week for the payment (if on time) to make it to your bank, so bare in mind  

Once you establish with ebay that you ship on time, they generally pay out the next day. My only problem with ebay are non payers (who seem to always want more scans and ask a bunch of questions). Every selling option has some kind of drawback, though.

[Nick Furious]

On 7/25/2022 at 2:37 PM, Lightning55 said:

The buyer has already messed up, in my opinion.  If he needed more time to pay, he should have cleared that with you WAY before he bid on it.  So he is bidding, knowing he doesn't have the money.  Who does that???   He is holding your payment and the entire transaction hostage, without your consent.

This was my thought through the entire thread.  This is not a buyer I would be looking to encourage a long-term relationship with.  You don't negotiate new terms and conditions after winning an auction.  The mindset alone would have me not wanting to get in any deeper with him.  Waiting a week and then shipping the book to him may not be the end of your issues with him.  

[Nick Furious]

On 7/25/2022 at 10:19 PM, Lightning55 said:

MCS is a great site to sell on.  I use them, and eBay.  I get much better prices on eBay, even after figuring the commission to each. 

Things sell much faster on eBay for me.  You do have the occasional buyer shenanigans, but only in a few % of sales.

I can get repeat buyers on eBay, no idea who bought my MCS stuff.  It's good not to be dependent on any one site.

MCS is more like a concierge level selling service.  Just give them your laundry and they do all the washing and folding.  There is a negative in the smaller audience leading to slower turn and possibly lower prices.  But the convenience factor is great.  I assume that once in a while we benefit from the fact that some sellers there have MCS credit and would prefer to use that rather than buy on Ebay.  But that can't be all that common.  

[theCapraAegagrus]

Some form of "no, but thanks for looking" would be my response.