Buyer collected, but I am still being asked to dispatch.

[mart2002dog]

Buyer collected the item, but made a mistake when buying. For whatever reason when he paid for it there was no collection offered, so he paid amount including postage. I refunded the postage and he collected. I now have this issue being asked to dispatch something that he has collected. We have both given positive feedback to each other as a kind of proof that the transaction is complete. How do I tell Ebay the item was collected? Or do I just leave it?

[4_bathrooms]

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@mart2002dog wrote:

How do I tell Ebay the item was collected? Or do I just leave it?

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If no collection was offered on the listing you need to select the "Mark as despatched" option.

[mart2002dog]

Thanks for your reply. Collection was offered at time of listing. He was aware of this, but says when he went to pay he was not given the collection option (maybe he just made a mistake). 

[4_bathrooms]

Oh, I see. You still need to select the "Mark as despatched" option as eBay currently thinks you haven't posted/shipped the item. Obviously you haven't but as the buyer chose a delivery option eBay is expecting you to ship the item - there won't be an option to enter a collection code nor to mark the item as collected.

The one potential issue is even with the positive feedback you have received the buyer could open an "item not received" case. These cases are largely automated and without any tracking you would lose the case by default if the buyer should open one. I'm not saying the buyer will open a case I'm just pointing out that if they did you would lose by default and therefore be held liable for the refund. 

I assume you agreed the buyer could collect after they had purchased. I would have told the buyer that as they chose a delivery method the item would either have to be delivered using the service chosen or their order would be cancelled and the item relisted - as collection only - so they could re-purchase and collect. I realise this sounds like being awkward but sellers have to protect themselves against potential Money Back Guarantee claims.

[mart2002dog]

Yes, what you say makes sense. We do have messages between each other after he collected, so I am covered from that point of view. He was trying to sort it out at his end, but with no luck.  I will mark as dispatched as you advise. 

Thanks for all your knowledge and what to do in the future.

[4_bathrooms]

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@mart2002dog wrote:

We do have messages between each other after he collected, so I am covered from that point of view.

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You're not covered. eBay's Money Back Guarantee policy states what is accepted as proof of delivery and proof of collection should a buyer open an "item not received" case. MBG cases are almost entirely automated - your buyer chose a delivery method when they placed their order so if your buyer was to open a case eBay would only accept an online confirmation of delivery or attempted delivery as "proof" the buyer had successfully received their item.

What has happened really isn't much different to agreeing to post to a different address to the one shown on the order. It wouldn't matter there was a message from the buyer asking for the item to be sent to a different address; as the online delivery confirmation would not show the delivery being made to the address shown on the "order details" page you would lose the case by default.  

[caselogicuk]

EBay could of course is simply make it possible for sellers to change the delivery method from postage to collection after a sale is made, and provide the buyer with the code to close out the transaction, but that would be convenient. 

[mart2002dog]

Definitely would be helpful. For my last two sales I have listed as collection only, but the buyer understandably misses this and expects postage. It would be helpful of ebay to be able to add postage after the sale, so I don't have to cancel the sale, relist it, and inform the buyer that I can now post it to them.

[ps4maximate]

My sentiments entirely