eBay

bumbosmom · ‎06-09-2013

Is there any reason I shouldn't let this person pick up and save on shipping, I am concerned about the fee on the shipping charges and if she buys a lot it could cost me right?

Holly

inuk_the_polar_bear · ‎06-09-2013

So, you want to charge the customer extra for something they do not need or want?

I refund shipping and drop-off at the customer's residence.

owen6122 · ‎06-09-2013

I have done several local pick-ups. I send buyer an invoice and mark shipping $0 and in details give instructions of when and where to pick-up in the instruction box.

femmefan1946 · ‎06-10-2013

Do you have small children at home? Are you female? Those are the only two reasons that you might consider for not allowing free pickup.

If either of these are true, consider meeting your customer at the nearest Timmie's. However, that is a type of paranoia more often seen in our American neighbours.

Remember that your customer will be paying you cash on pickup, because you will not allow Paypal and won't have to pay their fees. Nor will you be paying eBay a percentage of selling fees. So cash on pickup is Good.

The downside of allowing a PP payment on pickup is that you have no proof of delivery and could lose a non-delivery dispute. Cash only on pickups. And yes eBay does allow this.

Are you overcharging on your shipping costs and making S&H a profit centre? This is a poor business plan. Low shipping is definitely the way to go, even if that means putting part or all of your shipping and packaging costs into the asking price.

Which is the best deal?

$10 asking with $5 shipping?

$5 asking with $10 shipping?

$15 asking with Free Shipping?

Accept the pickup, in a public location, for cash. Make an appointment with a short window, half an hour is plenty. If he doesn't show up, you have other stuff to do so do it.

femmefan1946 · ‎06-10-2013

Oh, and even in Canada, if you are the mother of small children, don't advertise the fact in your eBay ID.

zee-chan · ‎06-10-2013

Do you have small children at home? Are you female?

I'd add to that list...

Do you work awkward/long hours that makes arranging pick up nearly impossible?

Are you physically disabled? (in other words, would you lose a fight immediately?)

Do you live in an unsecured neighbourhood?

Would arranging a pickup at a public location (ie. Timmies) be too time consuming that it might not even be worthwhile?

What's the cost of the item? I wouldn't do a local pick up for something that's like $5 with $2 lettermail shipping. Or if the item is way too pricey, is there a risk of the item getting snatched right away (ex. smartphones) by the "buyer"?

inuk_the_polar_bear · ‎06-10-2013

Bunker mentality. I do not subscribe to it.

pjcdn2005 · ‎06-10-2013

Bunker mentality. I do not subscribe to it.

Perhaps if you were a female at home alone, had small children, were disabled...etc etc. you would feel differently.

owen6122 · ‎06-10-2013

Yeah I do not pick up from my house. I put the item behind the counter at a local business that serves the public. Possibly you have a relative or family member who has a business if you don't.

triber · ‎06-10-2013

I am disabled and don't have people coming to the house, but quite a few times my husband has met buyers in a Timmies parking lot, never a problem.

reallynicestamps · ‎06-10-2013

I agree that the chances of danger arising from pickups is small. But we should be aware of them (especially women).

The greater problem is that the buyer often does not take the seller's time seriously and shows up late or not at all. Which is why I persuaded DH to allow my customer's to pickup at his shop during store hours. Bonus, since the buyer has to pay for parking, he often will decide that the postal system is a good thing, solving the problem.

However, the cost of shipping, as a Best Practice, should be as low or appear to be as low as is practical.

Free Shipping, which is really "shipping included in the asking price", takes care of most of these pickup requests.

postit4me · ‎06-10-2013

Tell them that is why you list on eBay and not Kijiji.

1. You don't want people at your home.

2. Safety reasons remember the pick up for sale test drive?

3. Inconvenient of waiting and not showing or excuses

4. Arranged meeting and no show or late

I can't believe that anyone is that despair for a sale to go through any of the above. Bunker mentality my eye!

inuk_the_polar_bear · ‎06-10-2013

Bunker mentality it is. You do not trust anyone. Your house is a fortress. Never answer the door. Do not answer the phone. I refuse to live that way. You may choose to live in fear. That is not a part of my life.

pjcdn2005 · ‎06-10-2013

The greater problem is that the buyer often does not take the seller's time seriously and shows up late or not at all.

I agree and that is the main reason why I would rather ship than do a pickup. It's rather ironic that a buyer thinks it is ok to keep you waiting around so that they can save money.

pjcdn2005 · ‎06-11-2013

Bunker mentality it is. You do not trust anyone. Your house is a fortress. Never answer the door. Do not answer the phone. I refuse to live that way. You may choose to live in fear. That is not a part of my life.

Sorry but I don't believe that someone not wanting to deal with customers at their home means any of the above things. If a young mother is alone with her children it is only common sense for her not to invite strangers into her home. We all have different reasons for operating our business the way that we do. Your way is right for you but might not work for someone else. That doesn't make their way wrong.

valuestore · ‎06-11-2013

Add to the list:

Through listing, seller is advertising his/her inventory/stock list(aka whats in your house), for pickups seller is providing door to door directions to his/her private residence(where your stuff is), and may even be providing 'when your home and when your not' when arranging pickup times... so many reasons not to allow home pickups, but I guess to each his her own.

zee-chan · ‎06-11-2013

"The greater problem is that the buyer often does not take the seller's time seriously and shows up late or not at all."

That pretty much sums up how my first 3 pick up request went, and that's why I didn't bother anymore. My time/gas is much more worthwhile than $2-10 shipping...

There was one time that I offered to deliver to my buyer's place because her address happen to be close to my college (2 blocks away) so I can simply walk over during lunch break, and the buyer refused and asked me to mail it, lol. So, bunker mentality works both ways.

bumbosmom · ‎06-22-2013

My husband is home so that is not something I worry about. My problem was I get hit with all fees except paypal because cash on pickup is not an option for some reason

canuckchat · ‎06-23-2013

Many reasons to not allow pickup in person - and definitely not at your place of residence ... insurance at your residence does not cover for business transactions ... Kijiji/Bosma murder case is a unique one but still a one in a million risk that why would you even get into that realm... hysteria does not enter into it, smart DOES enter into it!