topic Re: Contact prospective buyer in Member To Member Support

Contact prospective buyer

wilson_two_sheds — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:51:08 GMT

Can a prospective buyer try an article before they buy?

How?

Re: Contact prospective buyer

john1297576 — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:14:16 GMT

No. Has to be bought and paid for before you can exchange addresses.

Bit of a pain but then can try and if not suitable, you cancel sale which generates a refund.

All designed by ebay to stop off ebay sales.

If however it is a vehicle then use a classified ad. but listing fee is paid up front and not refundable, but no selling fee.

Re: Contact prospective buyer

red_magpie — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:20:28 GMT

Buyers used to be able to try articles before buying, but so many buyers and sellers then completed the sale privately to evade paying eBay's fees that this practice was outlawed. Members are no longer even allowed to give any contact details until after the item has been sold and paid for.

The only alternative today is for the buyer to buy the item, then ask the seller to cancel the sale and refund them if it's not what they wanted. As the saying goes, what could possibly go wrong with this?

Re: Contact prospective buyer

wilson_two_sheds — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:27:23 GMT

Thanks
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