Collection code - warning.

[redosborne1]

Just a warning based on my personal experience.

Buyer arranged to collect some  insulation from my house. He cuts the item into pieces and loads them into his car. Unfortunately I forgot to take a note of his collection code. Realising this I messaged him half an hour later to ask for him to send me with the code to which he didn't respond. Three weeks later I receive a message saying he isn't happy with his builder wasn't happy with the purchase. He opened  a case against me and ebay have refunded him  despite the fact that he admitted in his messages that he had collected the product. Ebay say:

"We didn’t receive valid proof of delivery from you. Sellers must provide tracking information showing the item was delivered to the address provided in the order details. Some orders also require signature confirmation."

Be Warned.

[*vyolla*]

The code would prevent him from opening an eBay item not received claim, but your buyer would still be able to open an item not as described claim (it seems that this might be the claim he opened). 

It's unfortunate that eBay found in his favour, but as eBay can't see the item in question they require the seller to arrange and pay for collection if they want their item back and the buyer gets a full refund. 

Building materials are always better sold on a local site for cash on collection.

[4_bathrooms]

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@redosborne1 wrote:

Buyer arranged to collect some  insulation from my house...

...Ebay say:

"We didn’t receive valid proof of delivery from you. Sellers must provide tracking information showing the item was delivered to the address provided in the order details. Some orders also require signature confirmation."

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Did you offer collection in person, delivery and collection or just delivery in the listing?

It sounds to me like the buyer opened an INR case and automatically won because you had no proof of delivery. If the buyer had chosen "Free collection in person" eBay should have stated you didn't provide suitable proof the item was collected.

EDIT - never mind; I can see you only offered collection in person.

[redosborne1]

Thank you for the reply. The purpose of my message is to  highlight to sellers that if you forget to take the collection code it may well be used  by a buyer to obtain a refund for goods collected whatever the circumstances.

[*vyolla*]

Did your buyer open an eBay item not received claim or a not as described return claim?

[johnwash1]

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@*vyolla* wrote:

Did your buyer open an eBay item not received claim or a not as described return claim?

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Isn't that clear, from the message ebay sent:

...Ebay say:

"We didn’t receive valid proof of delivery from you. Sellers must provide tracking information showing the item was delivered to the address provided in the order details. Some orders also require signature confirmation."

[redosborne1]

He opened a not received claim. Then started messaging me about his builder querying the spec of the insulation. I would normally offer a refund despite stating "no returns" but the seller had already cut the 8x4 sheets into smaller pieces to fit in them in his car destroying their value in the process. I would have thought his messages would have been evidence in themselves of collection in but I was wrong and this held no weight in the eyes of ebay.

[*vyolla*]

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@redosborne1 wrote:

 I would have thought his messages would have been evidence in themselves of collection in but I was wrong and this held no weight in the eyes of ebay.

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If they were sent via eBay's messaging system then so would I, it would make no logical sense for him to be able to claim item not received for an item he's been messaging you about.

Did you ask eBay to look at the messages when he opened that item not received claim?

If you haven't already done so, report him for misusing the returns system:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&que...

[redosborne1]

Thank you for that suggestion. I reported the buyer as soon as the "item not received" case was opened but no one from ebay has come back to me in response. However, it appears that there is an appeals process and  I will try this when the ebay desk opens tomorrow.

[studiomaster_uk]

As demonstrated by this case:

General safety rule for sellers: Collection code FIRST (and entered on ebay to verify) then, and only then, item(s) handed over SECOND.

Better still, if a private seller, use another platform to fulfil the 'collection in person' transaction - you know why!!

[papso22]

It would be manifestly wrong for ebay to take the collection code (or lack of it) as the only acceptable evidence of collection and ignore everything else.

However I see that they have now updated the collection guidance to make the code the only protection against item not received claims, so that may well be the way it works now.

[redosborne1]

Whilst ebay may have updated their guidance, I was not made aware of this beforehand and I am sure many others will be in the same position. Hence my trying to highlight the issue to anyone selling on collection only terms especially where like myself, they have sold on this basis for many years without issue.