Collection only.

[antek1979]

Why do so many sellers on here refuse to post items, when they can be collected easily from your door and the buyer will cover all costs? The amount of items I wanted to buy on here from people who refuse to post them is ridiculous. On occasion I have even offered to pay above and beyond their asking price, but they refuse. Some will accept if I arrange a courier, but for smaller items it then makes it not worth my while. I genuinely can't fathom why. I sell items on here, and also run a record label and arrange collections from my home address every week, and have never had any issues. Yet sellers on here seem to be incapable of getting an item picked up from their own front door. I would genuinely like to know if there are any valid reasons that sellers don't wan't to do this. Please no pithy or sarcastic replies. This is a valid query.

[sagr2519 · Accepted solution]

- Some items are classed as dangerous and can't be delivered with regular services

- Some items are fragile and the seller is worried about it breaking on the way

- If the postage charge is disproportionate to the value of the item, selling as collection only allows it to show up earlier when listing price+p&p

- Not all sellers have experience with courier collection, especially private sellers

[antek1979]

I was unaware of this...
- If the postage charge is disproportionate to the value of the item, selling as collection only allows it to show up earlier when listing price+p&p

The rest of it is sheer laziness in my experience. Especially if the item is not fragile, large, and can easily be collected by a postage service, even Royal Mail. Looking at other threads and the replies and comments from collection in person only sellers, they seem to be a pretty lazy bunch that seem annoyed at having to do anything, even listing their own items. I may as well go to second hand and antique shops if sellers are unprepared to post.

[twfan11]

If an item is fragile and is posted it won't be covered for compensation if it gets broken in transit.  Some sellers don't want to take that risk when they can be patient and sell it as collection only instead. 

[four_mid_able]

It's the seller's choice how they do things i guess.

I also see many things that i would like to buy but they are too far away.

Although i could arrange a collection it still means the seller has to spend time/money on packing it and then be available for it's collection which causes more problems as most couriers cannot give a small window/time slot which can then tie the seller down when they have a life outside of Ebay.Not all couriers are reliable ,they sometimes don't turn up on the day they are supposed to.

In other words it's just not worth the hassle for some sellers.

[*knight-rider*]

With respect to any buyer, not just yourself, it's ok you saying if they post it you'll cover costs, but if the item gets damaged or anything during transit, it's the seller who ends up losing out, not the buyer. Your ok because you can just claim your money back and move on, but the seller is thd one who loses out!

There's lots of reasons why people won't post stuff, as pointed out already, size of the item, it might be fragile, old electronics don't travel well, or it could simply be the seller can't get to a post office or may not be aware that items can be collected, either way, it's their item and sale and upto them how they do it.

I think though, it does depend on the seller, i've seen items for sale myself that are collection only, but i've often messaged them and asked if they would post and some will and have and some won't, which is fine and i respect their choice, all you can do is ask 😉

[1956glyn]

and to add

Some of us (unless absolutely necessary) do not particularly like people coming to their house

In our case we currently may have to just take off at any time 😞

[tranceenthusiast]

I don't understand why smaller less valuable items would be collection only. But as an inexperienced seller here are my reasons for listing one of mine as collection only. 

I arranged a collection via RM site and they didn't bother turning up. RM are the only service I know of that use QR code pick up ( no printer required ) correct if wrong..

 Most people do not have access to a printer ( yes yes you all have a printer.. But you're dedicated eBay sellers, every day joe simply does not have access ) So until the likes of DPD enter the 21st century you can expect to keep seeing collection only. 

Other reasons for not posting larger / expensive items include not having a large enough shipping box, not wanting to risk having unscrupulous buyers doing their thing and eBay putting funds on hold.. So cash on collection only is preferred. 

[sagr2519]

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@tranceenthusiast wrote:

I don't understand why smaller less valuable items would be collection only. But as an inexperienced seller here are my reasons for listing one of mine as collection only. 

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Let's say I'm selling an item with the aim to receive £1. The item is small but too thick for "large letter". Say the post service I would use charges £3. The price+postage would be £4.96.

Without offering postage, it's £1.50. For these calculations I assumed 12.8% variable fee and no donation.

If it's not the sort of item that people would pay £4.96 for, it makes more sense to list it for £1.50 and hope that someone local buys it.

It's also possible to include both options, but then when listing by price+p&p it would be much further down and the buyer might not even click on it to see if it's local.

When posting items, there's the risk that the buyer will claim you sent an empty box. It's very hard to prove anything after the fact, whether the buyer is lying or the seller.