A question about ebay

[classic33]

It's also all the waiting about for the courier, are they or arent they going to turn up? Presumably OP has other things to do rather than be sat in all day waiting for non existant couriers to turn up?
I'd just refund him and sell the bike locally.
Also a big company are not going to want to be messing about with Ebay codes etc. They simply will not have the time.

That's the drivers problem. How else are they going to prove that they have picked a parcel up?

 

[biggs682]

What's the odds on 2 or 3 'eastern european' gentlemen turning up without any viable codes. When I refuse to hand over the bike someone produces a sawn off shotgun ? 🤪

Just tell them you know @Drago

But on a serious note I hope it goes smoothly

 

[MontyVeda]

...
Also a big company are not going to want to be messing about with Ebay codes etc. They simply will not have the time.

as others have said, a big company is far more likely to want to accurately keep track of pick ups and drops offs... and it's not like one needs anything more sophisticated than an average smartphone so spend a couple of seconds scanning a QR code.

 

[Scaleyback]

Just tell them you know @Drago

But on a serious note I hope it goes smoothly

Well . . . . when I asked the guy who phoned me what company they were he seemed to have trouble understanding the question. I repeated myself and again got nowhere. My jibe above about "eastern european gentlemen" may prove prophetic. If I don't make it out alive ? it's been good knowing you. 🫣

 

[vickster]

Well . . . . when I asked the guy who phoned me what company they were he seemed to have trouble understanding the question. I repeated myself and again got nowhere. My jibe above about "eastern european gentlemen" may prove prophetic. If I don't make it out alive ? it's been good knowing you. 🫣

Why not just cancel and refund now, seems a lot of stress for nothing.

I've sold several bikes on eBay and Gumtree, I've met people at the local station, my house, in a carpark near my old office. a few stops up the local train line as it worked for the buyer, I even delivered a bike to someone. I've had payment mostly via cash, but also PayPal with fees and PayPal gift. Never had an issue.
However, I would never send a bike or allow for a courier to collect. Not least, I am not boxing up a bike for shipping.

 

[Kingfisher101]

Well . . . . when I asked the guy who phoned me what company they were he seemed to have trouble understanding the question. I repeated myself and again got nowhere. My jibe above about "eastern european gentlemen" may prove prophetic. If I don't make it out alive ? it's been good knowing you. 🫣

This sounds well dodgy, I'd refund it now and tell the seller its off.

 

[Scaleyback]

This sounds well dodgy, I'd refund it now and tell the seller its off.

You do know I was joking don't you ? Why exactly do you think it's dodgy. It is because they do not appear to be ethnic englishmen ? Most of my Amazon delivery drivers are not. If you had to transport a bike from just down the road from Newcastle to Hertfordshire would you be employing UPS, Royal Mail or would you be shopping at the cheaper end of the market ? If they don't have the necessary correct pick up codes then they will not get the bike. My wife will be secretly recording this pick up. The bike ceases to be my responsibility once collected. As I explained ebay tell me as he is using a 3rd party pickup it is not covered by the ebay money back guarantee. So why would you refund and tell the seller it's off ?

 

[classic33]

Cheapest doesn't always equal best.

As for what was said in a phonecall, it's not worth the paper it's printed on. Very easy deny the call, or online chat as only the view of the person you spoke with.

Filming it secretly can lead to it being ignored. If you intend to film the courier picking the bike up, do it openly. Explaining, if needs be, why you are doing so.

 

[Scaleyback]

Cheapest doesn't always equal best.

As for what was said in a phonecall, it's not worth the paper it's printed on. Very easy deny the call, or online chat as only the view of the person you spoke with.

[/QUOTE

" Cheapest doesn't always equal best." Of course it isn't. I think you are missing my point. Sometimes it is necessary to keep costs down.

" Very easy deny the call, or online chat as only the view of the person you spoke with. "
Blimey ! and I thought I was a little paranoid. 😀

 

[classic33]

"Cheapest doesn't always equal best." Of course it isn't. I think you are missing my point. Sometimes it is necessary to keep costs down.

" Very easy deny the call, or online chat as only the view of the person you spoke with. "
Blimey ! and I thought I was a little paranoid. 😀

Keeping costs down works to upto a point.

As for being paranoid, you might be surprised at the ways people use to avoid their obligations.

 

[Scaleyback]

The End Game !
At 13:00 today a nice young man turned up in his white transit van. 'Breaking the ice' I asked him where he had come from ( expecting to hear Newcastle or similar) Hungary he said 🙄 No I said today . ." hmm I cannot remember he said" He gave me the pick up code and I entered it into the ebay app. Not a valid code ricocheted back. 😤 Tried again, same again. I explained to the young man. Let me ring he said. Came back to me with a different code. Eureka it worked instantly. Ebay reports 'Delivered' on the Selling Page.
I brought the bike out, the van was full to busting with cardboard cartons of all sizes. I turned the handlebars and the bike went in snugly and was secured with straps. " Where are you taking it " I asked, "Hungary " he replied. " Everything in the van " I asked. " Yes " was the reply. " When " I asked. " Tomorrow " was the reply.
So, I surmise this is an importer buying items on ebay at request or speculating and selling on in Hungary.
As I explained I was uncomfortable from day1 due to many factors and that led me to possible scam. All sort of makes sense now.
Thank you for your advice ( although I didn't agree with some of it)
I'm going off to lay down for a while now in a dark room.

 

[lazybloke]

Qureka it worked instantly. Ebay reports 'Delivered' on the Selling Page.

THought I'd need a lie down too, until I read that bit.
Fantastic result!

 

[annedonnelly]

Thank goodness it's been collected safely. I suppose the issue with the courier letting the buyer down previously is that the poor young chap is driving all over the country to random places to collect stuff and naturally finding it difficult to keep to a schedule.

 

[biggs682]

@Scaleyback that is good news for all involved
There is a guy based locally who buys cyclo-cross bikes only and they go to eastern Europe as the supply out there is non existent

 

[DCLane]

@Scaleyback - son no. 2's old Felt F95 Jr 650c-wheeled road bike was bought by a Hungarian buyer and collected in the same way.

I wonder if there's a shortage out there?