topic Re: Collection Code in Member To Member Support

Collection Code

jef-6623 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:55:59 GMT

Person buying my goods is sending courier to collect this morning. I have suggested he give the courier the collection code to give to me. He has replied: "I won't be able to get the code in time. As soon as I get a collection notification I'll mark it as collected and send the code". What should I do?

Re: Collection Code

**peaseblossom** — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:04:26 GMT

If its a "buyer collects" item the buyer will receive the collection code as soon as they pay via ebay. I wouldn't let the item go without it. Buyers cannot mark as collected.

Re: Collection Code

jef-6623 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:44:45 GMT

The buyer has now sent me 6 numbers on eBay message. Should I accept this as the collection code. I guess it could be just any 6 random numbers!

Re: Collection Code

jckl1957 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:47:57 GMT

Personally, I would check before the courier arrives.

If the courier turns up and the code fails, it might be hard to send them away empty handed.

Re: Collection Code

red_magpie — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:59:48 GMT

The collection code is your proof that the item was collected. As far as eBay is concerned, without the code you can't prove it was collected.

As the buyer is arranging their own courier you wouldn't normally even be held liable if it was lost or damaged in delivery. But if you don't obtain the collection code all the buyer has to do is to claim they never received it and eBay will require you to refund them in full.

It's up to you whether to take that risk. I wouldn't.

Re: Collection Code

papso22 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:46:06 GMT

@jef-6623 wrote:

The buyer has now sent me 6 numbers on eBay message. Should I accept this as the collection code. I guess it could be just any 6 random numbers!

Put it in and see if it works!

Re: Collection Code

papso22 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:46:45 GMT

@**peaseblossom** wrote:

If its a "buyer collects" item the buyer will receive the collection code as soon as they pay via ebay. I wouldn't let the item go without it. Buyers cannot mark as collected.

They can now. I did it the other day.

Re: Collection Code

jef-6623 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:55:03 GMT

Thanks. The code was fine. The problem I now have is that having entered the code to check it, the item is now down as 'collected'. Unfortunately, it isn't collected, because the couriers the buyer sent were two scrawny guys who couldn't lift it! The courier has contacted the buyer (his customer) and the buyer is now contacting a different firm to arrange collection. The situation is now messy because it's down on the system as 'collected', but it isn't. Do I just let things take their course, ie let the buyer arrange for collection and just let the new guys take it (as it's already down as 'collected'). Or do I contact eBay to unpick the arrangement, say it's not been delivered and start afresh with a new collection code etc?

Re: Collection Code

jckl1957 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:22:15 GMT

Don't do anything.

If the buyer queries what you have done, just say you wanted to check the code.