Collect in person

[pest-5286]

My latest item is quite large but postable, but does carry quite a heavy postage cost which obviously has been added to the overall cost. Is it possible to inform any potential buyer I would accept a collection in person if it's cheaper for them. Or is it either or. Thanks.

[westmoreland_steam]

I really think it's a question of 'either or'. I have had something similar in the past. Offer postage at the correct cost and also offer collection. I then put a note in the listing stating that due to heavy weight and large size, it may be cheaper to collect, which the gentlemen did in my case. Even though it was a 200 mile round trip, it was cheaper than shipping it (and, of course, more secure).  I hope this helps

[sagr2519]

Many listings offer both. Here's one example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/135521291357

The best way to do if you're planning to sell more such items is to make a postage policy with the postage price and add collection in person within the policy https://www.ebay.co.uk/bp/ship/create 

[pest-5286]

How do I offer collection as well as postage in the listing, if they prefer collection rather than paying the postage.

[sagr2519]

Once you've made the policy, select it in the listing tool 

[4_bathrooms]

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@pest-5286 wrote:

My latest item is quite large but postable, but does carry quite a heavy postage cost which obviously has been added to the overall cost. 

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You would be better off charging the postage separately and having collection in person as an option. If you incorporate the postage/shipping cost into the item cost the buyer protection fee will be levied against it. 

[andha-21]

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@pest-5286 wrote:

My latest item is quite large but postable, but does carry quite a heavy postage cost which obviously has been added to the overall cost. Is it possible to inform any potential buyer I would accept a collection in person if it's cheaper for them. Or is it either or. Thanks.

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Be aware that free collection is incredibly risky since they stopped cash payments. Worst (and very easy to make happen) case is that the buyer opens a not as described claim and you lose item and money.

Plenty of other posts/threads here where that's happened recently.

[4_bathrooms]

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@andha-21 wrote:

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Be aware that free collection is incredibly risky since they stopped cash payments. Worst (and very easy to make happen) case is that the buyer opens a not as described claim and you lose item and money.

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I don't see how offering collection in person is any riskier than offering postage? In both cases the buyer has the ability to use eBay's Money Back Guarantee and the "buyer protection" they have paid for.

[andha-21]

The difference can be as simple as size of the items.

If you have already sent something then it was probably at a post price point that was acceptable.

But big, heavy collect only items would cost far more to post.

That's how it's worse.

[4_bathrooms]

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@andha-21 wrote:

But big, heavy collect only items would cost far more to post.

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The OP stated their item is "quite large but postable"; they are willing to offer postage in addition to collection in person. There is therefore no increased risk if the OP chooses to offer collection in person in addition to a postage/shipping option. In fact their risk would be lower if the buyer collected because if the buyer opened an INAD case the OP would only be responsible for paying the return postage/shipping cost i.e. there would be no outgoing postage/shipping cost for them to risk losing.

[pest-5286]

My postage is always visibly separate from the asking price. Obviously I ask the buyer to pay the postage as well. But I'd like to know how I can update my current listing to include 'collect in person' as an alternative to the postage for anyone close enough to collect the item rather than pay the postage. 

[4_bathrooms]

According to this page - which may be out of date - "postage and collection in person" is the default option in the listing template. Have you changed the "Simple Delivery" option to custom postage?

[m25jet]

If you do decide to list an item with both postage and collection in person options included, then in the event that the item sells and the buyer chooses to collect the item in person make sure that you remind the buyer that he or she will need to produce the QR code upon collection.   This will be sent to the buyer's e-mail address by eBay once he or she has paid for the item via Checkout - it is no longer possible for buyers to pay in hard cash when the arrive to collect the item, as eBay did away with this option in October 2024.

If the buyer fails to provide the QR code (or the associated collection code) when he or she arrives to collect the item then don't release it.  The reason for this is that unless you scan the QR code eBay will not release the money that the buyer has paid for the item.  If you just allowed the buyer to take the item away, despite not producing the QR code, then unless your buyer had made a genuine mistake and was honest enough to e-mail you the collection code that corresponds to the purchase so that you could enter it manually in order to confirm collection, eBay would more than likely refuse to release the money to you, as there would be nothing to confirm that the item was ever collected by the buyer, and in eBay's eyes that would make the transaction incomplete.