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Seller offers local delivery but wants paying for a man with a van price WWYD?

36 replies

WeAreEternal · 13/06/2013 10:53

I bid on and won a large item, the seller stated collection only but said "I have a van so am able to deliver locally if needed"

I sent the seller a message to ask how much he would charge for delivery before the auction ended but he didn't reply. I really wanted the item so I bid anyway.

After the auction ended the seller emailed me with his address and said "don't pay by PayPal as I only accept cash" (which is fair enough.)
I replied and said I would like him to deliver the item if possible, he said that's fine and he would "get back to me after checking out costs"
He later emailed and said he had called a few men with vans and he would charge £60 for the 8 mile delivery. (It's a big but not heavy item by the way)

So I replied and said I didn't realise that he would be charging for a delivery service, and that I would have to think about it and explore other options.

I've called around a few men with vans and had quotes from £40-80.

I told the seller that I've had a quote for £40 and that if he can't give a better quote I will go with them, but the seller said "that's fine but I still expect you to come here with the cash

OP posts:
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Greywacke · 13/06/2013 10:57

I think he has to accept PayPal. I would pay by paypal and book the £40 delivery. Then you also have protection from PayPal.

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WeAreEternal · 13/06/2013 11:14

Pressed send too soon.

It would be difficult to get to the sellers house (I can't drive at the moment) so I'm really not sure what to do.

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WeAreEternal · 13/06/2013 11:17

Thanks for the reply Grey.
He put in his auction "I DO NOT ACCEPT PAYPAL" in bit red capitals, so I imagine if I just paid PayPal he would refund straight away.

I don't begrudge him expecting a fee for delivering, but if he wanted to charge a man with a van price he should have said that in the auction rather that just saying he could deliver locally.

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 11:26

a seller must never take paypal for a collected item he is quite right to want paying in cash for it. You will want to check the item before paying anyway won't you? If you paypal the money and the item is not as described you have to give online proof that the item has been returned before you get your money back.

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RoooneyMara · 13/06/2013 11:46

How much do you want the item?

If you aren't bothered then I'd tell him you want to cancel the transaction and he can relist.

He sounds very unpleasant to deal with - plus you'll have to travel to give him the money, which wasn't clear at all from his listing. If he was delivering it himself then you could have paid him.

I would switch off from dealing with him I think - not worth it.

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RoooneyMara · 13/06/2013 11:46

He also should have replied to your question earlier in the listing.

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 12:08

yep am inclined to agree - seller does seem to be cashing in on delivery charge if nothing else.

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WeAreEternal · 13/06/2013 13:37

I entirely understand the reason sellers want cash for collection only items, which I did say in my original post.
However, if I am using a man with a van, who is offering a delivery service, then surely I am well within my rights to pay by PayPal. I can always ask the man to give me a 'proof of delivery' receipt if I need to.

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 13:46

but that won't be an online proof of delivery? a piece of paper means nothing and is worthless.

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plainjaney · 13/06/2013 15:10

A seller cannot refuse to accept Paypal so if you wanted to use that as a payment method you would be perfectly entitled to.

He can refund the payment and refuse to complete the transaction, then you would have the option of reporting him as a non performing seller and you can leave feedback reflecting your experiences.

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RoooneyMara · 13/06/2013 17:05

I think that sellers have to offer paypal on their listings but are not obliged to accept it - that's the latest thing I heard. It could be wrong.

He is right not to accept paypal for collected items. You could find an issue with the item, and not know whether he had misdescribed it or the courier had damaged it. You could also claim non receipt for the hell of it and get your money back, because he would not be able to provide paypal with online tracking to prove delivery.

But I still don't think you should deal with him because he sounds like a knob.

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RoooneyMara · 13/06/2013 17:07

With ebay the seller's responsibility to make sure you get the item as described and intact is basically to the point at which you take delivery of it. Not your agent. (courier etc)

So if anyone arranges delivery it has to be the seller, because then if there is a problem, their contract is with the delivery agent (man and van, courier, PO) and they can claim against them for any damage.

And you can claim against the seller, rightfully.

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RoooneyMara · 13/06/2013 17:13

Additional information (this is copied from an ebay page about accepted payments)

Sellers who state in their listing that they accept certain payment methods must not selectively offer those payment methods to buyers or discourage buyers from using those payment methods.

This means that sellers must always accept payment from buyers through the payment methods they have selected in their Payment Details section of their listing, including PayPal, and must not act in any way to discourage buyers from paying by these methods. For example, you may not insist that a buyer pay a surcharge, if paying through a certain payment method.

Sellers aren't allowed to make statements like:


'Contact us for payment information.'



'Contact us for other payment methods.'



'Contact us for your preferred payment method.'



'I accept PayPal but do not accept credit card payments through PayPal'



'I only accept PayPal if the bid amount is greater than £15'



'I don't accept electronic cheques or e-cheques through PayPal'


There's only one exception: Sellers who offer payment on collection may include the following statement in their listings: 'Contact me for payment methods for paying on collection.'

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plainjaney · 13/06/2013 19:03

From current eBay T&C's:

Examples of actions that are not allowed on eBay:
Refusing to accept a buyer?s PayPal payment using a credit card when the seller included the PayPal logo in the listing. For policy and examples, see PayPal Payments Policy.

So OP, as long as the auction you won showed the seller accepting Paypal then they have no choice.

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CalamityGin · 13/06/2013 19:23

I am confused! novice seller here - just sold a couple of items that require collecting in person but I was expecting them to be paid for by paypal?? I previously sold a sofa and that's how I was paid. What's the deal with paying cash on collection ... why is this preferable especially when someone can bid and then arrange to come and collect and then not bother turning up and then you have to put it up for auction all over again. How is turning up for an item and finding it not what you thought any different to having an item delivered by royal mail (for example) and it not being what you thought. Do you have to accept cash on collection? I don't want cash! I want them to pay via paypal before I start giving telephone numbers and addresses out willy nilly. Please explain!

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 19:29

you must never ever accept paypal for a collected item - cash only, no exceptions whatsoever. They can pay by paypal, collect then claim not received and paypal will give them back all their money and you have lost your item and the money.

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 19:30

and ebay will never tell you this as they own paypal too - they tell you paypal is safe, but it is not safe if you have no online proof of delivery, but then ebay own paypal and they want the fees, and they will never admit their system is flawed.

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plainjaney · 13/06/2013 19:48

Calamity, the problem is as a seller you have to accept it. You have to weigh up the chance of the buyer leaving you negative feedback and filing a non performing seller strike against you with accepting Paypal.

I've sold a few cash on collection items, so far I've been lucky and not met anyone who is determined to pay by Paypal but should the day come when that happens I need to decided whether its worth the risk (i.e how much the item sold for, a few pounds is worth risking, more than that isn't) or whether to risk negative feedback by backing out of the sale.

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fergoose · 13/06/2013 19:58

I would rather a neg than lose my money really!

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plainjaney · 13/06/2013 20:49

As I said fergoose it depends on a lot of things, it could be the neg that loses you your account, especially if you do it on a regular basis. A few NPS Strikes could finish you as a seller.

If its a tenner it's probably worth the risk, if its a hundred it certainly isnt.

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sarahtigh · 13/06/2013 21:59

as fergoose says NEVER EVER accept anything other than cash for collection items you have no seller protection unless you send trackable no collection is trackable so paypal will be worse than useless if a problem

they will accept nothing as proof except tracking , they will not accept signed receipt them being photographed with goods so if they claim not received they will have your item and you will be forced to refund so they will have money too

they want you to pay with paypal as it is profit they do not care that their policies mean you would have no seller protection

collection items even big ticket items like cars ( in fact especially cars ) must be cash or BACS;in this case I would arrange for cash to be handed over in a bank so it can be counted and verified and deposited safely

you do not have to offer collection, you can say " this large item( ie sofa) will be sent via courier at £40-200 depending on distance
if however you prefer to collect it is strictly cash on collection!"

that way they can pay paypal but they just have to get it couriered to their house

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lljkk · 13/06/2013 22:03

Normally a Man With a Van requires you to go along, so you arriving with the Man is to be expected, makes cash on collection easy.

Even £40 for 16 miles is pretty steep, though, is it quite huge or what?

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Ponders · 13/06/2013 22:09

I had something collected from Wimbledon & delivered to Lancs recently (c 240 miles) & that was only £40

so £60 for an 8-mile delivery is very steep Hmm

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Ponders · 13/06/2013 22:12

(I paid seller for item by BACS before collection, & paid van-man cash on delivery. we were all being very trusting though Confused)

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lljkk · 13/06/2013 22:21

So I am a complete anorak about what it costs to run my big car. It's particularly bad at 43p/mile (all variable costs except depreciation). My friend's motorhome costs less to run.
Allow 1/2 each way, means an hour of the man's time.
Pay him £10 an hour, plus costs (£6.45). Allow a little extra for fixed costs...
I really can't understand why can't fetch it for ~ £20, unless your Man needs to help a lot with lifting, or has proper insurance, perhaps?

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