2 Buyers ignored Collection Only & paid via P/pal immediately & I refunded immediately via P/pal

[ermintrude41]

I had one item for sale clearly stating Collection Only, but a Buyer bought/paid & I refunded via P/pal & relisted the item. 

2nd Buyer did exactly the same & I refunded via P/pal the next day. 

The 3rd Buyer paid & Collected. 

Ebay has charged me a fee for 3 sales & on trying to sort it out, I've compounded the problem by inadvertently refunding the genuine Buyer & they don't know how to proceed. 

I now think I should have refunded via ebay?

This is the first time this has happend to me & I don't know how to get out of this muddle, so any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[john1297576 · Accepted solution]

Your next problem is going to be Defects and bad feedback. You can hardly complain about buyers paying by ebay when you specifically requested it.

Ebay expect no more than 2 defects per 100 sales, 2%. You are likely to be at 20%, which will make you below standard and you could find yourself prevented from from selling.

The buyer you refunded in error, he can send you a paypal payment or you can send a Paypal request for payment. Once paid again you will have to mark as paid using more actions.

This is all going to be very expensive with Paypal Fees not being refundable and ebay still charging selling fees.

You have relisted STILL saying - Payment by Paypal prior to Collection in Person by Buyer after cleared payment  What do you expect buyers to do?????

[ermintrude41 · Accepted solution]

Hi - Thanks for replying & pointing out future hazards.
I thought Paypal was the best route, especially on higher price items, but
perhaps it isn't.
I didn't expect Buyers to make instant payment via Paypal without reading
Collection Only & things like No Posting No Courier, before paying.
One Buyer had common sense to ask if he paid could he collect on the
Saturday.

Perhaps I should ask Buyers to say when they can collect when paying or
prior to paying?
But what if they don't & go ahead & pay before realising they can't collect
from Kent when they live in Lancs or Clacton?

Maybe Bankers Draft is the way to go, but then how to prove Collection has
taken place when I don't use Apps?
Regards, ermintrude41

[fargvs]

As advised and for information ... 

Avoid PayPal if possible for collection items as no payment protection is offered and payment is liable to be held for 21 days ... the QR scan on collection code is useful for app users, but without it, go to More actions to mark as paid and despatched >

Cash payment (or cleared Bank Transfer before releasing items) is safest and best for buyer collection or seller delivered items = Immediate payment   >> so, with cash in hand = No 21 day payment holds, PayPal fees, need for scans/codes or risk of later PP Chargebacks/not received/damaged disputes/refund requests etc. ... see >

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/getting-paid/getting-paid-items-youve-sold/pending-payments?id=4...

Set your 'Cash on collection preferred' payment terms and 'pickup in person only 'requirements here >

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/posting-items/setting-postage-options/local-pickup?id=4181

[ermintrude41]

Thank you fargvs for your sensible advice - much appreciated.
I don't use Apps, so this could be a problem when a Buyer wishes to collect in person.

Because 2 'buyers' paid without seeing they had to collect & I refunded them via Paypal, ebay assumes I sold 3 items & invoiced me as such.
I was just trying to tidy up things on ebay & inadvertently refunded the actual Buyer who collected.
They don;t know how to send the money back - I might suggest Bank Transfer?
With hindsight, I should have left well alone & pay the 3 fees..
Regards, ermintrude41

[pixiesen2012]

every single time you listed the item it stated payment by paypal first!

CHRISTMAS SWINGING BELL

Red Bow lights are static & White Bell lights alternate, giving Swinging Bell impression - very effective & colourful

Outdoor or Indoor use. Overall Size 26” x 17”.(0.67 x 0.45m)

Heavy-duty rubber cable. Plug to first bulb – 9ft (3m) & plug must be located indoors

Item was switched on to make sure it was working prior to Listing - Works Well

All items from a Covid/Pet & Smoke Free Home

Payment via Paypal Prior to Buyer Collecting

Collection Day/Time to be Arranged

Sorry No Courier

[rusticrye]

PayPal is not safe for sellers of collection items - no proof of posting receipt, which is the only thing a payment processor will accept for an Unauthorised Account Use claim.  The only safe payment methods are cash or bank transfer, once the buyer has fully examined the item and is happy with it.

Unfortunately, it's not possible to prevent buyers from paying by PayPal. And as PayPal no longer refund any part of the payment processing fee when a refund is actioned (something you may not be aware of...?), it's really no longer worthwhile listing collection items on Ebay in my view.  I personally list my collection items on Gumtree, Ebay's sister site, where I'm in total charge of how I'm paid. Plus, I can leave the ad running till someone has actually turned up, paid, and taken the item away.

@ermintrude41 

[ermintrude41]

Hi - Thank you for that information & I'll look into it.
On this occasion I'll have to treat it as a not too expensive lesson.
Regards, ermintrude41

[*guinevere*]

I would expect to see a couple of negative feedbacks thrown in as well any time.

ETA: Did you know you have asked for payment by Paypal in your latest listing?

Payment by Paypal prior to Collection in Person by Buyer after cleared payment 

[ermintrude41]

Thank you 'guinevere' for sound advice.
I suppose Bank Transfer will be best for higher price items - will have to look into it?
I'd forgotten my Listing was still current - now removed - Thank You..
I still haven't had an answer as to solve the problem, especially that I've refunded the the true Buyer who collected!
It would have been cheaper to have accepted ebay taking 3 fees.

[ermintrude41]

Hi again guinevere,
I would add that the 1st 'buyer' was in Lancs & I did email to point out Collection Only prior to refunding his payment via P/pal.
With the 2nd 'buyer' I asked if they intended collecting from Kent, because they lived in Clacton & you never know how far people will collect.
The reply was 'Sorry hun, didn't see'.
I just wished my Listing had been read, but perhaps not an overly expensive lesson learned (learnt?).
Regards ermintrude41

[*guinevere*]

@ermintrude41 You should have completed a cancellation using 'Problem with buyer's address'. This would have refunded your ebay fees and no defect.

[ermintrude41]

Thank You,
Unfortunately it was getting late & I just thought to refund quickly by Paypal to get the item listed for the 3rd person.
After all these years & my first time this has happened, I rushed before engaging brain., I'm still learning. Regards, ermintrude41

[pixiesen2012]

you can't refuse paypal if the buyer wants to pay that way, you can only ask for cash on collection you can't insist on it

ebay found you paying buyers, you chose to cancel those sales, so ebay expect to be paid

[ermintrude41]

Hi pixiesen2012 & good of you to reply.
I'm not opposed to paying ebay selling fees, but not 3 times when I only have one item to sell.
I prefer Buyers to pay via Paypal prior to collection & didn't ask for Cash on Collection..
I'm unhappy that two people didn't read my Listing, which clearly stated Collection Only from Kent.
I contacted the first 'Buyer' from Lancs & refunded via P/pal & then relisted my item.
I must admit I was cross with a 2nd Buyer in Clacton for ignoring my Collection Only, but to make sure I asked her if he was collecting? I refunded her the following day even tho' she expected immediate refund on her mistake.
A 3rd Buyer actually asked prior to buying if he could collect on the Sat & felt I had to wait for the 2nd 'Buyer' to reply, before relisting.
As I wrote to Community, I think I should have refunded via ebay & today I've wrongly refunded the actual Buyer via ebay & the payment has gone thro'.
I'd like to be able to contact ebay with this, but I don't know how? Regards, ermintrude41

[pixiesen2012]

the listing clearly stated payment by paypal before collecting!

your buyers followed your instructions and you cancelled the sales,


ebay won't refund you the fees

[ermintrude41]

*Payment via Paypal Prior to Buyer Collecting*
Collection Day/Time to be Arranged
*Sorry No Courier*
I haven't asked for payment via Paypal before *posting*.
I prefer to have all transactions via Paypal whether posting or
collecting.
One hopes a prospective Buyer will read the Listing.
The 3rd ebayer actually understood he was to collect.

[pixiesen2012]

your opening post stated you cancelled because they paid with paypal


are you now saying you cancelled for a different reason?

if the buyer was expecting you to post you should have chosen problem with the buyers address as the reason for the cancellation, if you had done that you would have had the final value fees refunded,

what reason did you choose?

[*guinevere*]

It sounds as though this query has changed somewhat.
OP advertised item as collection only payable by Paypal prior to collection.
The first 2 buyers paid, but OP decided they lived too far away to collect so without contacting them first to check that they were not intending to collect, he refunded through the Paypal payment.

OP will have lost 2 lots of ebay and Paypal fees which he cannot claim back, and has 2 disgruntled buyers who could have been intending to collect the item anyway. Maybe he had family/friends in OP's area who could have collected on his behalf. I suppose we will never know.
Sorry, OP, there is no way of claiming back the fees, you will have gained a couple of defects and possibly negative feedback.

[ermintrude41]

A first person paid via Paypal not realising they had to collect from Kent
- they didn't see Collection Only etc.
I thought I should make the refund via immediately & because their money
went into my Paypal, I refunded via Paypal & relisted the item.

Within a couple of minutes a 2nd person did the same.
As they lived in Clacton I thought perhaps they were willing to collect
from Kent, so asked them.
She realised her mistake in not reading Collection Only etc. with 'Sorry
hun, didn't see'.
So I relisted again. But didn't refund until the following day again from
my Paypal a/c.

While this was going on, a 3rd person asked before paying by Paypal, if he
bought, could he collect on the Sat - he lived in Kent.
I said he could, he paid & collected as arranged.

So, I twice refunded directly from my Paypal a/c & this doesn't seem to
have been picked up by ebay.
My invoice shows they assume I had 3 identical items & therefore 3 fees.
With hindsight, I should have done the refunds via ebay.

Today, in trying to find how to contact ebay, I made a further mistake &
refunded the actual Buyer via ebay.
Wrong move, but this is what I should have done with the other 2 'buyers'.
My problem is how to contact ebay & let them know? I hoped the Community
would have this answer?
Regards, ermintrude41

[tobiasd4]

Ebay won't help as you voluntarily refunded buyer.
All you can do is message buyer & ask them to repay or send paypal invoice to them.

[ermintrude41]

Yes, I think you're right & hope the actual Buyer accepts my mistake &
pays.
Fortunately, it was only £10 + fees, so perhaps in the scheme of things,
not an expensive lesson.
Regards, ermintrude41

[ermintrude41]

The 2 'buyers' weren't disgruntled as I pointed out the item was Collection
Only & both said they didn't see.
They were probably happy they were refunded without any fuss.
Regards, ermintrude41

[pixiesen2012]

so you didn't cancel the sales through ebay at all, that is why you have been charged the fees, see if the option is still available to cancel using the drop down menu next to the items on your sold page