Charging for Local Pick-Up

[bb_cool_stuff]

Put a couple of items from a Winnipeg Seller on my Watch List & they charge a dollar an item for local pick-up.

I really don't really mind paying the dollar if i really want the item but c'mon.

I've never seen this previously.

Doing a local pick up in a couple of hours on an item i bought last week with no charge.

I would never charge for a local pick-up. I want that buyer to come back & buy again.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

That is ridiculous. It costs them money to open the door? I deliver parts, locally, and refund the whole shipping charge.

[bb_cool_stuff]

I do the same Inuk.

Oh well, i guess that is their way.

I"m doing a pick-up just off Kingston Row in a few minutes.

Hop in the car with Phoebe, what dog doesn't love car rides, get the item, one minute drive to Churchill Drive Park & give her a run.

Life is good.

[rcrawford34]

I don't get alot of pickups but when I do I never charge extra and always wave the S+H

When I had a store myself and my partners would get calls from customers asking if we had something or enquiring if we still had an item they had seen. Usually if they called they purchased the item  Many times we would deliver it to them after the store closed for the day We never considered charging them for delivery 

For multiple purchases and at times individual items such as Furniture and larger items we would deliver to Toronto Barrie Kingston etc  without any charge

People would at times ask if there was an extra charge and we would say No.  At times some of these people become  repeat customers  They appreciated it

That was worth the extra time etc we put in

weavers

[rafael.xavier]

Business location with public store hours is no problem with pickup.

Private people with lives outside their couch and Ebay run into problems. You wait, no-show or show at different time. Ping-pong of calls or emails. Some want to chat as this is rare social opportunity for them, some want to bargain after the sale, some demand to see what else you have, you cannot easily send them on their way. Also there is a risk of not-received dispute. 

If I were a seller, I would charge at least $5. Never invite anyone from Ebay or Kijiji or Craig's-list in, they will check what kind of security you have and next thing for you is a break-in.

It's way much easier to print postage and drop mail in red postal box on the way to the bowling.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Bunker mentality eh Rafael! My current ex had that. Had to have an alarm put in. I worried, MORE, with the darn alarm than without. Got rid of it and I feel more secure.

Security does not prevent break-ins. Police are not "dispatched".

You live in fear, I will not.

[Anonymous]

I had one buyer who lives 2 hours from my home and wanted to come to my place and look at my items and I told her that it is not acceptable and wise due to security reasons.  She kept insisting and insisting for so long and finally I told her that I cannot allow anyone to come to my place at any time due that I am mobility limited with serious health conditions that is so sensitive and can get more sick from people coming into my home and that stopped her!

Why can't she respect it at first when I said "no" in the first place, never mind for what reasons?  I would say it is not ideal and safe to have pick up.

[pierrelebel]

"... My current ex had that..."

???

Not sure you meant to write that comment the way you did. 😉

What is a "current ex"?

Does it suggest there is or was a "previous ex" ? 😉

[kam1812]

"... My current ex had that..."

???

Not sure you meant to write that comment the way you did. 😉

What is a "current ex"?

Does it suggest there is or was a "previous ex" ? 😉

That is entirely possible Pierre.  I'm my Wife's 3rd husband.  I tease her that I was able to get it right the first time while she, on the other hand...;-)

[cumos55]

People pick it up... and sometimes they do come back... and buy more

Charge them.... Why ... definitely no....

With a local pickup there are no Paypal fees....  and sometimes that local pickup was a very expensive book.

Yet I have also had people who live just "around the corner" have me ship the purchased items...

My view... Customer buys...  Customer pays... Canadian dollars with a local pickup...  or even a visit to a local shopping centre....

Many sellers are afraid to meet a buyer "face-to-face"

Some people just want to pick it up....and sometimes it is less expensive to have me use letter mail  (only works with lettermail) across the city... which I have done....

[bb_cool_stuff]

I still think its kind of nutty, but i will pay his loonie an item, for local pick-up, should i win the auctions.

[pjcdn2005]

I can see why someone would want to charge for a pickup as it can be an inconvenience and can be a time waster, especially if the person does not show up when they say that they will.

Earlier today though I noticed a seller who charges $9.95 for local pickup....that does seem excessive especially since that seller could probably ship that item within the same province for around the same cost....assuming they use expedited and paypal shipping.

[cumos55]

Buyers want to save money with a local pick up...

Charging the equivalent of postage makes a local pickup a costly option..... and no different than the cost of postage....

and ... how about the cost of gas and time.............with a local pickup..  with a high fee for local pickup

[pjcdn2005]

Buyers want to save money with a local pick up...

Charging the equivalent of postage makes a local pickup a costly option..... and no different than the cost of postage....

and ... how about the cost of gas and time.............with a local pickup..  with a high fee for local pickup

The OP was about someone charging $1 per item for pickup. I don't think that is unreasonable although I would probably charge more than that or not at all. $1 does seem sort of....silly.

[lovbugshop]

I have never herd of that:-)

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

I don't offer local pick-up since 90% of my buyers are outside Canada anyway, and when they are Canadian, they are usually in Ontario...

Two years ago I did have two people who asked to do local pick-up (one was for ~$30 and the other for ~$50 total), we agreed to meet at the sky train station, and they never showed up, I phoned them and they didn't pick up, I ended up needing to open the unpaid item dispute to get my fees back, so I never bothered offering local pick-up any more... 

[cumos55]

In ten years, I have never had a buyer that asked for a local pickup... not pick up their purchase...

[femmefan1946]

I get the occasional person wanting to pickup. The last time I agreed, it took three attempts before the guy actually turned up and then he was late enough that we were at the dinner table. He lived four blocks away,so travel time must have been a significant problem.

Now I am lucky enough to be allowed to have my customers pick up at the store. In spite of excellent transit, lots of parking (free on Saturdays) and set business hours, this still can take four or five working days before the pickup is accomplished.

Still, it is cash on pickup and I have always gone with the dollar/loonie at par, no matter what the exchange rate.

But for local people, for the books, postcards and stamps I sell, I have to think that the cost of postage is less than the cost of time, gas/bus fare, and parking. Penny wise...

[bilge21]

I never, ever charge for local pickups. When a customer asks about a local pickup, I offer to deliver it to them free within a few hours as long as they are local to me. It's not an inconvenience for me to do that since I always do all my deliveries of my off-eBay and business sales every afternoon anyway.

If they still insist on picking up, I arrange an appointment for them to come within a 45 minute time frame and from my shop upstairs, I can see anyone that pulls in so I could bring their order down for them.

The majority of them become repeat customers. 🙂