eBay

cra2992 · ‎10-05-2024

Another member wants to view some collection only items I have listed. It seems to me that to provide my contact details so they can do so breaches the member to member contact policy, which says: "We don't allow our members to ... Exchange any personal information (except names), including email addresses, phone numbers ... or other contact information ... This applies to ... all types of content posted on eBay by users, including listings"

I asked an ebay agent about this through the help chat; they said for collection items I can include contact details in the listing description, and confirmed again when I queried it. I'm worried as it seems so obviously against stated policy and I don't want any issues or to take a hit on my seller rating, yet I am being told it's legitimate.

Can anyone confirm from experience? Note I'm a private seller - I understand it's different for business sellers. Thanks.

sml192 · ‎10-05-2024

You have been misinformed, you cannot include contact details in the listing even for collection items. Contact details can only be exchanged once the buyer has committed to buy the item. This is designed to help prevent off eBay deals.

4_bathrooms · ‎10-05-2024

@cra2992 wrote:

I asked an ebay agent about this through the help chat; they said for collection items I can include contact details in the listing description, and confirmed again when I queried it. I'm worried as it seems so obviously against stated policy and I don't want any issues or to take a hit on my seller rating, yet I am being told it's legitimate.

As has often been the case recently, the customer service agent's advice was completely wrong. You cannot share contact details with a potential buyer unless they have committed to purchase by clicking the "Buy it now" button or won an auction. Otherwise - as you correctly pointed out - you would be in breach of eBay's member to member contact policy.

The potential buyer needs to commit to purchase and you can then provide the collection address; the buyer can decide whether they want the item or not when they come to collect. If they're asking about multiple items you will need to ensure they purchase them through eBay. If they don't and you subsequently remove the items from sale for any reason eBay will likely charge you their fees anyway and put you on the naughty step for breaching their "offering to buy or sell outside of eBay policy".

Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

dancewithadingo · ‎10-05-2024

Good Evening Cra

Tell your prospective buyer that he will only be able to view once he has bought the item. You can no longer give out details before a sale.

Go on to advise him that should he buy then it is sensible in view of his slight concerns that he pays in cash on collection. This gives him the opportunity to examine the item before handing over any money. That way both parties are happy and safeguarded.

Good luck

cra2992 · ‎11-05-2024

Hello all, thanks for the replies, very helpful. You confirm what I suspected. I'd read here recently about agents giving incorrect advice, so questioned it and was told they had checked with their manager and confirmed; but I was still unsure, which is why I asked here.

The potential buyer is interested in multiple items, and I don't think they have concerns about condition; it's just that I have a number of similar-ish items available (think several different fridges, for example) and they want to come and look at them and decide which suits them, if any.

The only way I can think to manage that if they can't view would be to get them to ask as many questions as they need to to establish which they want to bid on, if any; it wouldn't be practical for them to buy several and choose one, and would be a lot of messing about for me not to mention re-listing the remainder.

If a buyer did want to back out having bought the item, for example if they decided it wasn't suitable, how would you manage that? Presumably cancel the sale citing cancelled at buyer's request? Again, given all the hassle of cancelling, re-listing, maybe getting a lower price because people wonder why it's re-listed, etc. I'm not sure I'd be happy about that.

How do people manage large high value and complex items like cars, for example? If I was buying a car I'd always want to view and test drive before buying, and I wouldn't want to buy unseen then rely on the seller being amenable to cancellation.

I guess this is only a concern for private sellers; the agent said business sellers can list contact details, and I have seen this on business seller listings, so assume it's correct? It was suggested I could also change registration to business seller, but that seems to me to be a minefield for other reasons.

This does seem to be a significant issue for selling large collection only items or other items where people would want to view, though I can see why ebay would be concerned about off-ebay sales cannibalising their business.

dancewithadingo · ‎11-05-2024

Good Morning Cra

I get the feeling that this sale is going to be more trouble than it's worth. Why not tell the seller that because of the difficulties involved it would be better for both of you to go your separate ways. That said you may find the same situation next time as well.

This is precisely way I told you to tell any buyer collecting an item to pay in cash,you can't insist on it,but it solves a lot of problems and as I have stated previously it means if your buyer is not happy having seen the item he simply walks away without handing over any money. In that scenario I would ask him to send you a message confirming that he doesn't want it and then you 'have something on file' and can cancel.

Cars are another matter,concentrate on your problem. One final suggestion is to put a video up on the listing alongside the photos.

Good luck

vinylscot · ‎11-05-2024

I haven't had this situation myself, but an acquaintance has. Having been told by eBay that he could not give his details, his buyer suggested that he list something small (say a tin-opener) at 99p. The buyer then "bought" it, and could then be given contact details. If your buyer accepts that eBay is the obstacle, he may well go ahead on that basis - you could even give him his money back when he called.

It would probably still be best to complete transactions on eBay, as they may have flagged your listings as being possible off-site sales. There have been posts here from people being charged FVFs after cancelling listings which had recent questions.

game_raid · ‎11-05-2024

Another issue you may have is if you have multiple items they will lowball offer you a price for the lot and use the old you will save on fees if you do it this way and take the deal away from eBay.

I have experience of this with local collection items

*vyolla* · ‎11-05-2024

I reckon your eBay CS rep was getting mixed up with a standard listing and a Classified Ad (in which you do put contact information), which obviously still isn't helpful and could've landed you in a heap of trouble.

I'd always believe eBay policy over what you're told by a CS rep.

arkwebus · ‎11-05-2024

You cannot - as you say - give contact details. The best way forward is to make sure that your listing has an amazing amount of detail. I'm guessing these will be "Buy it now"

What you could do - I suppose - is to sell one of these large "fridges" with the hope [re above] that it will suit. If he turns up and does not like it simply cancel. If he likes another presumably he can simply BIN using a mobile phone or his own computer.

Payment in cash is delightful! @cra2992

cra2992 · ‎11-05-2024

@game_raid wrote:
Another issue you may have is if you have multiple items they will lowball offer you a price for the lot and use the old you will save on fees if you do it this way and take the deal away from eBay.

Yes, I could see that - the other thing I thought of was that they might be wanting to offer on one, but hoping to snatch it in an off-ebay sale if they felt there was going to be competition for it.

@dancewithadingo wrote:
Good Morning Cra

I get the feeling that this sale is going to be more trouble than it's worth. Why not tell the seller that because of the difficulties involved it would be better for both of you to go your separate ways. That said you may find the same situation next time as well.

This is precisely way I told you to tell any buyer collecting an item to pay in cash,you can't insist on it,but it solves a lot of problems and as I have stated previously it means if your buyer is not happy having seen the item he simply walks away without handing over any money. In that scenario I would ask him to send you a message confirming that he doesn't want it and then you 'have something on file' and can cancel.

Cars are another matter,concentrate on your problem.

Thanks. I messaged the prospective buyer lastnight along the lines you suggested and they've put a bid in today. We'll see how it goes. I find I get about a 50 / 50 response when asking people to pay cash.

I mentioned cars - and some of the other questions - as I wanted to understand the general case as well as this specific instance, and explore the issues for my and others' learning.

Thanks to everyone for your further comments.

m25jet · ‎11-05-2024

One last thing that you may wish to bear in mind when selling Collection In Person Only items on eBay, especially if you'd prefer cash on collection.

When looking for items on eBay some people who may actually prefer to pay via cash on collection may be put off if there does not appear to be an option for this on the listing. If you do decide to include cash on collection as an option then it may well be worth your while to put something in the item description saying something along the lines of "Should you wish to pay via cash please select the 'I will pay the seller when I collect the item' option whilst proceeding through Checkout." This then makes potential buyers that you are happy to accept payment in cash if that is how they prefer to pay and that you have actually set your listing up in such a way so as to enable them to choose this option. That way you may end up selling an item that may otherwise have remained unsold if it is the kind of item that a potential buyer would prefer to see up close before deciding whether to pay for it or back out of the sale.

Finally, if you do decide to take this advice, accepting a cash payment via this means would not count as an off-eBay transaction, as the buyer has already committed to purchasing the item and, whilst proceeding through Checkout, had already selected the option to pay with cash when he/she collects the item from the seller.

cra2992 · ‎12-05-2024

@m25jet wrote:

When looking for items on eBay some people who may actually prefer to pay via cash on collection may be put off if there does not appear to be an option for this on the listing ... it may well be worth your while to put something in the item description saying something along the lines of "Should you wish to pay via cash please select the 'I will pay the seller when I collect the item' option whilst proceeding through Checkout."

Thanks, that's a good suggestion and comes across as helpful to the buyer - I had just been putting something like 'cash on collection please'