Aargh! "No pick-up service"! Grr!

[Lady Jaye]

I just won a Montreal Expos magazine over Ebay. Ok, so s+h is $7 US but it is a mag, which can be a bit heavy. I receive the invoice and realize that the indicated address is not too far away from my house (this is the second time I unknowingly buy something from someone living in my neighbourhood). I did send them an email asking if I could pick up the magazine, even offering to meet up in a public place if they prefer. After sending the email, I realize, upon reading the invoice, the mention "no pick-up service". I have yet to receive an answer from them about this.

If they refuse the pick-up offer, I will of course proceed to pay like usual. One thing's for sure: if the shipping cost is way overblown, they'll get either a neutral or negative from me, depending on the rest of the transaction (whether their response to my email is rude or not, whether I receive the package by next Friday, etc.).

I may seem strict and vindicative about this one, but dealing with a seller in your neighbourhood is a different matter than dealing with someone living at the other end of the country!

BTW, the item I won can be seen at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2777531290&category=25143&rd=1 The seller has a good rep, but while his shipping fees may be reasonable to ship to the US, it's a different matter within Canada. After all, this is not a catalogue I bought, but a magazine.

[Flack]

I've been pretty lucky so far. I've won three different auctions from local sellers, and sold a car to another guy to make a fourth local transaction.

One was a lady selling Sega Genesis games. She listed about 40 for sale. I bid on about 35 or so (all but the sports ones) and won about 25 of them for a buck each. When I met her, she said that no one bid on the sports one and it seemed like I really liked Genesis games, so she threw them in. No shipping, and 30 Sega Genesis games (many complete in box) for $25. Can't beat that. Of the other two I won, one was a guy who was 45 minutes away and delivered them to my house for free. The other was a local business who allowed me to pick it up.

I would be pretty pissed if a local seller wouldn't allow you to pick something up. You're saving them the hassle of shipping it!

[suppafly]

I´d politely ask him to allow you to pick it up. If he says it isnt possible, then insist to pay only ACTUAL shipping prices (not the full 7 US).....if he refuses...then just pay him and leave him a neutral-sounding positive feedback :)

[Lady Jaye]

Oh, I was polite... :) Still no answer though, but it's only 9:30 AM.

Anyway, we'll see what happens, but I just have the feeling that this seller won't budge. And a buyer from Winnipeg, some time ago, did point out that the shipping was outrageous.

I didn't really think twice about this issue at first because Montreal Expos magazines aren't a dime a dozen on Ebay (especially those that concern the years I'm most interested in, that is the late 80s), and because Montreal is a vague description for a place (it could've meant the faraway suburb). Within my neighbourhood is where I draw the line, though.

[Darth Sensei]

I've had good and bad luck with picking things up. Many auctions I look at now (I scout local auctions all the time) state that no local pick up is possible.

I've also had people allow a local pickup and then charge me anyway. For example, if he wants $7 to ship, he'll demand a $5 handling fee. Greedy people really piss me off.

One time I flat out refused to pay an auction because I e-mailed before bidding that I wanted a local pick up. He responded positively. I showed up at his house and he demanded a handling fee (which was never mentioned before). I told him to go copulate with himself and left.

D

[Sylentwulf]

I won't let anyone do a pickup if they're local, it's too much trouble. I've done it 3 times in the past 5 years, and only once was it NOT a pain in my ass.

I don't want people coming over to my house that I don't know, and I don't want people to be 30 minutes late meeting me.

[Lady Jaye]

I still haven't received an answer, and I have the feeling that I won't receive one either. Even if the seller still sticks to the no-pick-up policy, the least they could do is write back with their answer. Anyway, if they won't give an answer by 9pm tonight, I will assume that they won't answer and will then pay.

[petewhitley]

Yeah, it's a damn rip-off. But I STRONGLY urge you not to leave a negative or even a neutral feedback for this transaction (maybe mention shipping in a positive). Nothing he's doing is really outside of eBay guidlines and $6.95 shipping is clearly indicated in the auction. I'm with Sylent, pickups are rarely worth the trouble for the seller, and as a buyers we can't ever assume a local seller will accept them unless clearly stated in the auction listing.

[Lady Jaye]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll just bite the bullet and pay.

Anyway, the whole reason why my ebay purchases suddenly seemed like it's too much (and I only have 2 auctions that ended in the past week), it's because I just lost my purse last Thursday and have to replace all my ID cards as well as my bus pass (not to mention my GBA SP and a couple of carts). I can afford the auctions alright, but had the loss happen a few days earlier I wouldn't have bid. Oh well. Learn and live, right?