Sellers Beware - Collection only listings danger. Any advice?

[oneofffinds]

I had 2 buyers for the same item in September when I reduced the price.  I sold to the first bidder to be fair.  The item was collection only stated clearly on the listing because it is antique and fragile glass.  I told him he could collect anytime.  He knew it was collection only.

After 44 days, he asked for a refund.  Because I had lost the other buyer and did not want to have to make a new listing, I told him he could still collect but I would not cancel the sale.  

Because he asked for a refund after 44 days, eBay automatically closed the case and that was that.  I never closed the case, I just said he could come get it.

Next thing I know he left me horrible feedback even though this is all because he couldn't be bothered to collect and changed his mind more than one month later. 

This brought my Seller Rating down from 100% positive to 66.67% positive ruining many years of a 100% track record.  eBay agreed to remove his negative feedback because if was unfair but will not restore my rating even though I did nothing wrong. The Customer Service person said he cannot change Ratings and also that I cannot escalate this problem. With a 66.67% rating, obviously I can never sell anything again. 

On top of that, he asked Paypal for a refund.  Because the item was Collection Only, I do not have a Tracking Number.  All the proof I have is on eBay in my Messages where I gave him collection details and how to contact me and the dates he bought and cancelled, and his messages saying he would come soon, but these are not files I can attach as evidence on Paypal's system. 

So a lousy Buyer who decided he can't be bothered to collect has wrecked my Seller profile and there is nothing I can do after hours of trying to get eBay to correct the problem.  

If anyone else has had a similar experience and was able to sort this out with eBay so their ratings were not affected, please will you advise. 

And for any sellers out there, be careful about Collection Only items as there is no protection for you if a Seller just changes their mind. 

There ought to be a policy that a Buyer has to collect within 30 days or something to protect Buyers and stop this kind of time-wasting person who then also can wreck your Profile even when you have done nothing wrong. 

[*guinevere*]

Why has your buyer asked for a refund? Paypal's buyer protection does not cover collection items. This, from their MBG

Exemptions from the program

Our Seller Protection program does not cover:

• items not authorized by our Acceptable Use Policy or prohibited by law
• licenses for digital content and digital goods,
• Claims, Chargebacks and Reversals for Significantly Not as Described.
• Items that you deliver (or are picked up) in person
• Transactions made through Zong, PayPal Integral Evolution (where the items purchased are Intangible items, licenses for digital content, and/or services), or Virtual Terminal (if available)
• items equivalent to cash (including, without limitation, stored value items such as gift cards and pre-paid cards ).
• payments made in respect of financial products and investments.
• Donations,
• items bought via classified listings,
• payments made in respect of gold (whether in physical form or in exchange-traded form),
• PayPal Mass Payment transactions,
• Disputes filed directly with PayPal in the Resolution Centre.

In future if you sell anything collection in person give the buyer a deadline when they have to collect, and after that date cancel the transaction. Ideally you should ask for cash on collection, this will nullify any access the buyer has to the ebay MBG. 

Buyers have 30 days to open a case with ebay, but if buyer pays cash they have no protection.

[*guinevere*]

OP, I have just read your post again. Having read it a second time I'm not sure whether your buyer actually collected the item. Can you clarify whether they did or not?

[oneofffinds]

Hi Guinevere
Thanks for this. He never picked up the item. After 44 days he said he couldn't come because of Covid travel restrictions, even though they had been announced, they weren't in effect for another 4 days and were not in effect the previous 44 days. He basically couldn't be bothered to come collect or just changed his mind.

The problem is now my Seller Rating is ruined even though eBay took down his nasty Feedback, or will do within 72 hours. Surely if I am not at fault and they agreed this when they removed his Feedback, his rating shouldn't be left there? I've never had a bad review or transaction before and can't believe they won't fix this.

I thought it was safer to take payments on Paypal so are you saying it is better to ask for cash on collection?

Thanks again.