Suspicious about buyer...

[sirtopper]

Hello Chaps,

I've been selling bits on ebay for years now, but this is the first time I've sold a high value item and seen red flags.

Just listed a bike (I'd put in the listing for the buyer to contact me before buying, as I would need to arrange for pickup/delivery).

Someone just bought the item without first messaging myself, only has 13 feedback and has noted on their PayPal purchase that they'd be 'happy to pay in cash' with Paypal noting 'This payment is in your on-hold balance'. So that's ominous... New one on me.

So in theory I guess they could take the bike without PayPal having passed over the funds to myself?

I'm probably just suspicious of an innocent new ebayer, but it just struck me as... odd

If I were to proceed via PayPal - What's the best way to prove that they took receipt of the goods?

...And if I cancelled the order, would I incur fees/bad feedback because of that?

Thanks for the help!

Tom

[john1297576]

"has noted on their PayPal purchase that they'd be 'happy to pay in cash' with Paypal noting 'This payment is in your on-hold balance'."    and that comment in itself is of concern.

Buyer would not know for sure that a paypal payments was on hold. 

However if it is you can still see it in paypal it is just not included in available balance. The idea being that you have been paid but cannot withdraw the money.

The only way really to protect yourself would ideally be by using tracked delivery, it is a shame that buyer refers to paying in cash as though paying by paypal is cash. It isn't and is very unsafe as without tracked delivery, buyer can start a not received case to get a full refund.

Only measures you can take with no guarantee of success, would be to have at least one other "witness" with you when collected. Take a photograph of buyer collecting, get buyer to sign for the cycle and take a note of Vehicle make and Registration Number.

An honest buyer might think this is OTT , a dishonest buyer might be detered from trying a fraud.

Cancelling - Unless done with the buyers approval you would not get the selling fee refunded and likely to get Negative Feedback and a Defect.

[sirtopper]

"Buyer can start a not received case to get a full refund" - That's what concerns me. Thanks for the reply John.

Having a quick look on here, it seems that if the (seller) isn't happy about proceeding - The best way might be to 'refund' the paypal payment and then cancel order as the buyer 'changed their mind' (which I can seemingly do myself, or ideally ask the buyer to do themselves when they call me) - Therefore stopping any fees or 'defects'?