Keeping yourself 100% safe when selling on Ebay?

[hyperseven]

When I sold my Rift:
did collection only
had webcam set-up in lounge and filmed buyer inspecting sealed unit.
had buyer sign a collection receipt
mobile phone recorded all conversations with buyer

 

[kitfit1]

It's against their terms to not offer paypal, not sure what their view is on cash on collection but you can certainly get away with it. My house mates have sold plenty of stuff with people paying when they collect.

It isn't against their terms not to offer PayPal. It just depends how you set up and word your auction. I have never sold any high value item using PayPal, because i have never offered to post or courier that item. If you insist that the winning bidder collects the item in your description for the auction and then also insist the winning bidder pays cash on collection, the option for them to pay for the item via Paypal just simply is not there when the auction ends. I have never had any issue doing this and will continue to do the same again in the future.

 

[Boge]

Buy it Now with a Best Offer available.

Set your minimum you'd accept and reject offers below it.

When someone makes you an offer, then you can judge for yourself wether they're a trustworthy sort and can check their feedback before accepting. etc.

 

[bobbyspangles]

If you're talking about the Surface Pro you have on MM, then I wouldn't do it. Or at least, I wouldn't consider posting it.

Try sticking it on as a buy it now, collection and cash only. You might not get as much for it, but you will avoid extortionate postage costs plus you can often avoid fees too if you agree with the buyer to cancel once they're happy with the item.

Edit: You will be surprised how far people are willing to travel to collect an item. I sold a greenhouse a few months ago for £100, collection only from Oxford and the buyer drove a 220 mile round trip to pick it up.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

I am indeed referring to the Surface.

I think I'll try popping it on EBay with only a BuyItNow price, do cash on collection and see what happens. I'm guessing I only stand to lose any insertion fee with EBay if it doesn't sell and I have a bit more security of knowing that whoever does purchase it will be bringing cash (not 100% secure granted but a damn sight better than relying on PayPal!).

 

[MINUS12]

When I sold my Rift:
did collection only
had webcam set-up in lounge and filmed buyer inspecting sealed unit.
had buyer sign a collection receipt
mobile phone recorded all conversations with buyer

You sound like a secret agent

 

[Angilion]

Put a condom on your mouse?
[..]

Why on earth is there a stock photo of a mouse in a condom?

Stock photos are often odd, but for some reason that photo seems odd even by stock photo standards.

If I searched for a stock photo of an armadillo wearing a blue bowler hat and riding a skateboard and I found one, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[s452]

for the surface, I would at least include videos of
it working showing product ID etc
video of you packing the unit, showing and serials
(videos can simply be a link you email to the winning bidder if you wish or kept for personal reference, but please include reference to something like the date to help verify when the video was made in the video itself)
shipped only via tracked and insured
along with other suggestions above

 

[Luke]

for the surface, I would at least include videos of
it working showing product ID etc
video of you packing the unit, showing and serials

Not sure how he will do this if the product is sealed as he stated.

 

[slade]

I've stopped selling ebay, long time ago. Try Gumtree for local sales... its way easier!

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Ive found Gumtree a waste of time most of the time. Always get people offering you stupidly low ball offers for things.

 

[Felon]

One of the problems I also found with Gumtree, is that where more expensive items are involved - it all looked a bit dodgy, I imagine it's a haven for selling stolen/dodgy/fake stuff, which you'd normally be protected by under ebay rules as a buyer.

 

[bloodiedathame]

I had a really good experience with Gumtree recently. The good thing is you can choose who you want to do business with. Alarm bells started ringing with one buyer who wanted to use his girlfriends paypal account because his credit card was registered there etc etc. Ended up selling to a guy who was as keen to make sure I was who I said I was, as I was of getting his details.

 

[vickister]

Gumtree is ok if you can sell local and meet the person and pick the items up.

Ebay is fine too until you see how much fees they take off you along with paypal too

then you have to worry about any item going a stay and missing and claims ect

 

[a1ex2001]

When I sold my Rift:
did collection only
had webcam set-up in lounge and filmed buyer inspecting sealed unit.
had buyer sign a collection receipt
mobile phone recorded all conversations with buyer

Did you inform the buyer of this? Otherwise I suspect you are/were in breach of several laws.

 

[ShortWarning]

You don't write it in the description lol.... it's an option when setting up your eBay advert.

You have the option to disallow people with negative feedback but not someone with 0 feedback.

 

[hyperseven]

Did you inform the buyer of this? Otherwise I suspect you are/were in breach of several laws.

Rather than 'suspect' what laws have I broken?

 

[gothic_hobbit]

One of the problems I also found with Gumtree, is that where more expensive items are involved - it all looked a bit dodgy, I imagine it's a haven for selling stolen/dodgy/fake stuff, which you'd normally be protected by under ebay rules as a buyer.

That sounds just like Cash Converters.

 

[R.O.S.S.I]

Unless i'm doing something massively wrong. When setting up my item on Ebay and setting it as fixed price for collection only it won't let me uncheck the Paypal option.

Anyone any ideas? I don't want to use Paypal at all.

 

[tom_e]

Did you inform the buyer of this? Otherwise I suspect you are/were in breach of several laws.

Inadmissible as evidence in court unless the buyer was informed but not illegal AFAIK.