Local Pickup & Payment on eBay
How do you accept payment when a buyer wants to do a local pickup? Do you take their money through Paypal and arrange a meeting place? Do you insist on cash? Do you get a signed affidavit saying they received the item? Take a picture of them with the item? Cash is the leading choice here. When you take money through Paypal and then they pick it up locally, you are not protected by Paypal. Paypal does not cover hand delivered items. So, if the buyer says he didn't get the item, Paypal is going to give them a refund. A photo of them receiving the item does not prove they took possession. Paypal has now way of knowing if the person in the picture is the actual buyer. Plus, if I were a buyer, I do not want a stranger taking a photo of me anyway.
Your payment method would be payment upon pick up. Your payment instructions should say "Contact me for payment methods to pay on pickup." You cannot mention the word cash in the listing. eBay's bots will flag it.
One option for accepting Paypal and proving delivery is to let them know ahead of time they will have to leave feedback for you (on their phone or iPad) before you hand over the item. Not saying this is a guarantee but maybe a possibility. Have you had a bad experience with accepting Pay Pal for local pick-up or delivery sales on eBay? Do you have any suggestions on how a seller can protect him or herself? If so we’d love to hear from you.
