Selling off some of my workshop equipment – a buyer has won, but they’re on the continent. They’ve contacted me saying they’ll arrange their own courier to collect. Thats fine on the face of it and in fact as a buyer I’ve done that myself when people have offered collection only (but I’ve clarified that before bidding)

Now if I was arranging the courier – and the item failed to turn up as the sender I can claim from the courier. But if the buyer pays for the service am I going to get stung if it fails to appear?

When I looked into this a couple of years back, if item was listed as collection and buyer was happy to arrange courier; as soon as courier collected, that was the end of seller responsibility.

Don’t know if it’s changed since.

Not entirely the same situation, but when I sold one of my (motor)bikes earlier this year the buyer arranged a courier.

Made sure that I had plenty of pictures of the bike being loaded and strapped down together with lots of date stamped pictures of how it looked on the day. Also got the van registration etc.

The couriers were pretty amateurish TBH so I was glad I was around to see them load it up. Wanted the buyer to know it had left me in good condition etc.

Still no guarantee it would have turned up but by then I already had the cash and he had the V5 so technically it was already his. I just wanted to provide a bit of after sales so he knew the bike was ok when it left.

When I looked into this a couple of years back, if item was listed as collection and buyer was happy to arrange courier; as soon as courier collected, that was the end of seller responsibility.

Don’t know if it’s changed since.

In this case it was listed with postage – its because the buyer is abroad that they want (on the face of it to simplify things for me) to arrange their own courier. My concerns one of not having recourse if the buyer tries to claw back payment through paypal /ebay if it either genuinely vanishes or they want to pretend not to have received it.

This has the makings of a scam.

just google this “ebay paypal collect in person scam”

and see how scared you get…

thats what my spider senses are telling me – buyer has decent feedback though so I’m as interested in being protected against a genuine error as any deliberate wrong doing. Tempted instead to suggest I charge for my own courier rather than have them book it

When I’ve done it the other way around, I’ve offered to pay by bank transfer – which is more secure for the buyer. Bought a lathe recently that way – seller didn’t want to ship and didn’t trust PP, but was happy with a bank transfer and for me to arrange the courier.

Ah, gotcha. I’d say you’re at risk then, as you suspect. Phone call to ebay to confirm?

I’ve contacted the seller suggesting that I arrange the shipping myself so that at least the insurance is in my hands – and will take it from there. There were plenty of bidders so happy to either go to second chance offers with them or re-list rather than dick about.

sold some furniture as collection only, buyer turned up in person carted the stuff off, only realised later I had no proof they had collected, what happens then?

I’d be suspicious in your case maccruiskeen, can you not ask the buyer what courier they want to use, check how much then instruct the same courier yourself at buyers cost?
<edit>you posted that as I was typing 🙂

buyer turned up in person carted the stuff off, only realised later I had no proof they had collected

Yes – I make sure ‘collect in persons’ are cash rather than paypal for that reason