collection only item

[emtdickson]

I didn't realise that the microwave was for collection only.  I have never bought electrical things that have not been sent.

I paid on 22/11/24.  When I didn't come I went into the purchase details and saw then that it was collection only from London.  I asked on 30/11/24 to cancel the order please.  I received no reply until now, when eBay tell me they are unable to cancel the order.

I have NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY THE SELLER.  He has made NO EFFORT to tell me where to collect it from. Now, on 4/12 I have been refused cancellation.

I have written to him explaining that at 84 years we sometimes miss things which are in small writing.  I will never buy anything electrical on eBay again, because it isn't clear that the thing is collection only.

Perhaps if the seller had written when I paid on 22/11 telling me where to collect it, I would have realised it was for collection, but this seller has never contacted me.  Even now, I have no idea where in London he is.

[61stephenuk]

All you need to do is open an Item not received claim to get your refund

[emtdickson]

Nothing is resolved.  I cannot see that eBay has done anything to find the microwave.  They say that the seller refuses to cancel, but if that is so, why has eBay been able to contact the seller when he has NEVER responded to any of my messages.

I just sent a message to the seller telling him he is committing fraud and I shall contact the MET.  I wish I had paid through  Paypal.  Paypal would have refunded me by now.  Now I have either to trust ebay to refund - and I cannot see anything from eBay which is comforting on that score, so I shall have to contact my credit card.

They will contact the fraud people anyway, so whether I do or not, it is fraud.

[zoomingmouse]

As advised by @61stephenuk  you need to open an item not arrived case as this will be easier & quicker than opening a case with your credit card. 

NB. Under no circumstances should you give a collection code to your seller.

There is an easy link within the help page linked below - blue tab stating 'report an item you didn't receive':

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/buying/returns-items-not-received-refunds-buyers/get-help-item-hasnt-arr... 

[emtdickson]

I have done that.  eBay acknowledges it but says nothing more.

[papso22]

You need to wait until 4 days after you opened it and then ask ebay to step in.

[zoomingmouse]

You may have to escalate it to Ebay. 

The link for this should appear after 3 days  of opening the case.

If this doesnt happen then come back & someone will help you further

[sml192]

If it was a private seller then they can refuse a cancellation request.  However, they cannot refuse an 'Item not received' request, even for a collection item.

Use the link provided by @zoomingmouse and either click on the item in question or on the 'Report an item you didn't receive' button.  The seller will then have 3 full business days in which to issue a refund.  If they fail to do so you will then be given the option to 'Ask eBay to step in and help' and eBay will then force the refund.

Reporting to the police is pointless as the seller has done nothing wrong at this stage.  No crime has taken place. 

[m25jet]

As has already been advised, open an Item Not Received case against the seller.  Even if the seller has been determined to ignore you so far, if you open an Item Not Received case then he or she will have to respond to the case and refund your money in order to avoid picking up an account-damaging selling defect, which is what the seller would end up with if you had to escalate the case to eBay after three working days and get them to force the refund for you.

Finally, if you decide to leave negative feedback for the seller, don't mention that you had to open an eBay case in order to get your money back, as that is a clear breach of eBay's feedback policy.  If you left a comment along those lines and the seller saw it then if he or she asked eBay to remove your feedback they would more than likely comply with the seller's request, which would defeat the whole purpose of leaving it in the first place.

[roger_roger_over_and_nowt]

"They will contact the fraud people anyway, so whether I do or not, it is fraud."

"just sent a message to the seller telling him he is committing fraud and I shall contact the MET" ???

"I didn't realise that the microwave was for collection only" ???

So,you didn't realise so it was not the sellers fault.???

The MET don't have a "missing microwave division".

The fraud squad won't be sending out any emergency vehicles lol 🤣

[sml192]

---

@m25jet wrote:

Finally, if you decide to leave negative feedback for the seller, don't mention that you had to open an eBay case in order to get your money back, as that is a clear breach of eBay's feedback policy. 

---

That isn't actually a breach of eBay's 'Feedback Policy' any more.  That said, it would still be best not to mention any case/refund in case anyone reviewing the feedback is not aware of the change. 

[emtdickson]

If, as I expect, because I have received no replies to my messages, the seller is fraudulent, and may not even have had the item for sale in the first place, and how eBay could tell me he refuses to cancel the item, there is some funny business going on here that requires more than feedback on ebay.
The seller joined in September.  He has no other items for sale.  At first, I didn't realise it was collection only.  I was waiting for the item to arrive.  When it didn't, at the end of a week, I wrote to him saying I didn't realise I had to collect it and could I cancel.
He never acknowledged the sale.  Had he done so, and given the address for the item to be collected, I would have realised that it was for collection.  As he did not, I assumed he was sending it.  Most new electrical kitchen goods are sent.  This was a bit cheaper because it was 'new other' and the packing might be scruffy or their might be a scratch on it or  factory seconds.  That isn't unusual for eBay.
When I went back into the item I realised it was for collection only, but then how could I collect it when I didn't know where in London to go?  When I wrote asking him, HE DID NOT RESPOND.
I opened the case of item not received, because it ceased to be an item for collection if the seller won't say where it is.  It has led me to believe a fraud has been committed, and that perhaps he never had the item at all, just listed it and waited for someone to pay for it, then scarper with the money.
If I contact my credit card service, they will  probably notify the Met. Fraud to recover the money since I have had no help from ebay.  I got in first.  I have written to the Met to see what they think.  At least then they will be able to get an address for the microwave.
It has never happened to me before.  Has it happened on eBay before?  Is that why they don't want to get involved?

[emtdickson]

I did that, last week.  Nothing happened.  When I click on it, I am told nothing more.

[emtdickson]

Are you serious?   You think it is MY FAULT?  Why would you think that?

The seller has NEVER responded to any of my messages.  He never thanked me for buying the microwave and telling me where it was.   If that isn't fraud, what is?  Where is my £79?

Not once has the seller replied to my questions.  I asked him one before I bought it.  Then I read the description and got the answer there.  When I paid for it he didn't respond.  I waited for him to send it.  When he didn't I wrote to him.  Still no reply.  Then I wrote asking where to collect it from.  He didn't reply.

Whether or not I realised it was for collection only is irrelevant.   I paid for the microwave on 22/11/24.  It is now 09/12/24.  Shouldn't I be told where it is by now?

If he really had the microwave in the first place, why would he not want me to collect it?  I paid for it.  I asked where it was and got no reply.  Now I wonder whether he ever had the item.  He joined in September and has nothing else to sell.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  I was knew once.  

What has happened makes me wonder if he(or she) ever had the microwave.  If he didn't, then that is taking money by deception, fraud, which is a very serious crime.  It has to be investigated.  Is that why ebay have not said more?  Do they have his(her) address?

Whether they do or not, I should be refunded under the guarantee.

What would you do if it were you?  I am a pensioner.  I cannot afford to lose £79, could you?

[papso22]

What we would all do is use the money back guarantee and claim for item not received.  Then we would make sure we followed it through.

We would not waste police time claiming fraud.

[emtdickson]

I have just received notice that a refund has been given to me of the money.

What bothers me a bit is that it isn't just about the money though, is it?   I contacted the Met.  They told me to have another try with eBay and gave me the link to the fraud people.  What now?  Is it a first, or have other people listed things for sale then not said where to collect it, and keep the money?

[sml192]

Good to hear that you have managed to get it sorted now.  I assume that the refund notification has come from eBay?

Note, refunds go back to source and as you paid by credit card it can take a while to appear on your credit card account (up to 30 days).

There could be any number of reasons why the seller hasn't responded to you.  It doesn't necessarily have to be fraud related, it could be a perfectly innocent explanation such as something has happened to the seller.

You certainly aren't the first to experience something like this and as frustrating as it maybe there is really nothing further that you can do other than to leave appropriate feedback (neutral or negative) to warn others but make sure you keep it polite, factual, and to the point (something like 'seller failed to honour the sale' is sufficient). 

[emtdickson]

I would be prepared to accept an explanation, but that seller did not reply to a question I asked him before I bought it.   It should have warned me I suppose, but I looked at the description again and found the measurement I wanted.  The whole listing was as you would see in a business listing, so assumed it was genuine.

The thing is:  has eBay just given me the refund, or have they done any type of investigation to see if he is perhaps someone who lists and item then scarpers.

From now on, I will NEVER, EVER buy something from a seller who just has a jumble of letters and numbers for an account name.  This person and his relatives could be listing under different names and keeping the cash.   

[tressygirl]

Just a thought,  from your last line above saying their username was a jumble of letters / numbers,  this indicates a new seller, or one who has not listed many items for sale, hence the lack of communication, too, with the bonus of issues with messaging some currently experiencing.

I bring no excuses to the table, just an explanation how some members come on here without looking up the basics,  how to list items, respond to buyers, etc.

Opening a new account eBay provide that jumble but then you can,  at anytime,  select the username you wish to use.

@emtdickson 

[emtdickson]

Every seller has to start some time.  How long did you wait before someone bought something from you?