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Ebay buyer asked me to post item to workplace (instead of registered paypal address)

cathrincathrin Posts: 4,968
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I'm not a regular ebayer, I just sell the odd item every few weeks, but I do always try to do everything by the book. I just sold an item, and the buyer paid straight away with Paypal, so I was all set to send the item in the usual way using the address info from her Paypal account. But then I got a message from the buyer asking me to send the item to her office instead.

Now, I can totally understand that this might be more convenient, and I don't want to be unco-operative. But ebay and paypal are really strict about this; as I understand it, you forfeit all your rights to be covered if you stray outside the regulations, which state that items can only be posted to the registered Paypal address.

Also, I've heard more than one horror story of parcels being sent to workplaces or halls of residence, someone signs for them, then the intended recipient says they haven't received them and the seller ends up being clobbered by having to refund the money and losing the item too, because they didn't comply with the rules about sticking to the official address.

I'm worried that if I reply politely saying no to this request, the buyer will give me negative feedback even though I'm only abiding by the ebay rules. Has anyone got any experience of this situation? Any advice gratefully received.

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    goonernataliegoonernatalie Posts: 4,178
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    If I was in your shoes I would only send it to buyer's home address
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    MinnimoMinnimo Posts: 5,741
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    I work in an office and there are constant eBay items coming in. You're right, it's definitely easier. It's a risk some people take. Shame they can't change PayPal address to match work one. Only thing I can suggest is getting it in writing that they take responsibility if the item goes undelivered.
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    justatechjustatech Posts: 976
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    Ask them to change their registered address to the office address. If they are going to make a habit of having stuff delivered there then they may as well do it now.

    If they won't then you will need to decide how willing you are to take the risk of them claiming not to have received it.
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    RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    If you go into your PP account profile, (the Cog icon), click the '+' sign to add additional addresses etc.

    Maybe too late in this case.
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    uniqueunique Posts: 12,437
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    don't send to anything other than the registered address. tell the buyer they can change their registered address on ebay if they want it to go elsewhere, but if they have already paid i'd suggest flag it with ebay for advice

    i once had a buyer in guam who was arguing about it being part of america but the airsure service wouldn't deliver there so he changed his registered address to texas or something and i sent it there. guam is a big army station point or something. i also always send everything recorded delivery, even international, and charge for it
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    ratty123ratty123 Posts: 144
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    Unless you were planning on sending it 'signed for' or tracked with a courier it doesn't make any difference, as this is needed for seller protection.

    If the buyers feedback looks ok and your item isn't a high target for scammers (eg iPhone, jewellery) I'd send it anyway, seller protection only protects you against fraudulent item not received cases, which despite all the ebay horror stories are rare.

    How much is the parcel worth? Remember proof of postage for normal post covers you upto £20 (you can claim back from royal Mail if it doesn't arrive).
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    cathrincathrin Posts: 4,968
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    Thanks for the replies. I agree it's not worth the risk. The item is worth more than £50, so it's a case of better safe than sorry, I guess!
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    Jenny_AustinJenny_Austin Posts: 367
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    cathrin wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies. I agree it's not worth the risk. The item is worth more than £50, so it's a case of better safe than sorry, I guess!

    If you got the money what is the problem sending it to the office address?

    You will have to insure it anyway I guess.
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    RoushRoush Posts: 4,368
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    If you got the money what is the problem sending it to the office address?

    You will have to insure it anyway I guess.

    If you don't send to the buyer's registered address then they can claim the item never arrived and get their money back, even if you have proof of delivery.

    As suggested above, the best solution to a request like this is to get the buyer to add the office address to their PayPal account.
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    RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    Or suggest to the buyer that the OP will refund the eBay/Paypal transaction and the Buyer should send money to the OP's account again.

    The Trust Issue is then reversed.

    When the 2nd payment is received (which cannot be cancelled), the OP then sends to the Office Address.

    https://www.google.co.uk/search?pws=0&gl=uk&q=how+to+send+money+by+paypal&gws_rd=ssl


    That would work wouldn't it?
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    PunksNotDeadPunksNotDead Posts: 21,298
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    I would just email back saying its already been posted to her home address, post it and then leave it at that.
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    Blackjack DavyBlackjack Davy Posts: 1,166
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    If you got the money what is the problem sending it to the office address?

    You will have to insure it anyway I guess.

    PayPal can reverse payments at any time.

    If there is no money in your account and you refuse to cover the debt they'll send debt collectors after you.
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    rumpleteazerrumpleteazer Posts: 5,746
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    I get everything sent to my work address which isn't registered to my paypal account and I've never had a problem. I'm never at home at delivery time so it's the only way I'd get my parcels.
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    walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,925
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    If you are sending it without any tracking then doesn't really matter where you send it to. If you are sending it tracked then paypal will not cover you if the buyer claims not to have received it.
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    HypnodiscHypnodisc Posts: 22,728
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    I once had this issue with an iPhone I sold.

    He requested it be sent to his place of work and I told him he had to change the delivery address on Paypal, which he did. After all, a lot of people get stuff sent to a work address because there is nobody at home to sign for it during the day.

    Anyway, I sent it to him at work and there were no problems.

    Some people are perfectly genuine, but it's always good to be cautious.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,486
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    I get everything sent to my work address which isn't registered to my paypal account and I've never had a problem. I'm never at home at delivery time so it's the only way I'd get my parcels.

    Of course you havent. It's the sender that has the problem once the buyers claims they havent received the item, and the 2 address dont match up.
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    walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,925
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    Of course you havent. It's the sender that has the problem once the buyers claims they havent received the item, and the 2 address dont match up.

    Exactly. Think they missed the point slightly here.
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    QFourQFour Posts: 555
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    Know it's a bit late but just found this ..

    Telegraph Finance EBay Buyer Protection :o
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    MinnimoMinnimo Posts: 5,741
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    QFour wrote: »
    Know it's a bit late but just found this ..

    Telegraph Finance EBay Buyer Protection :o

    Wow. When the company doesn't do the very thing they say they'll do to protect customers, it's hard to put faith in it.
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    Bulletguy1Bulletguy1 Posts: 18,429
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    Minnimo wrote: »
    Wow. When the company doesn't do the very thing they say they'll do to protect customers, it's hard to put faith in it.
    Fraudsters on eBay are the absolute scum of the earth. This guy here had a really nasty experience and posted in GD about it.

    http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1936413&highlight=ebay+fraud

    The fraudster who had scammed him was operating on a large scale using a series of multiple ebay accounts making just one purchase, shutting the account down, then opening another. I tried to help the guy as much as possible and located the scammers address using Google Earth.

    He even registered on DS just so he could watch what was being said about him! This was the name he registered with on DS; http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/member.php?u=584216 As you can see.....zero posts!

    Last i heard the matter was in the hands of West Midlands Police for investigation so hopefully by now he's been sent down.

    I've used ebay for 14 years and only once came close to being 'done over'. Luckily for me another ebayer who had been 'done' by the buyer i was about to sell to had been watching him.....and banged off an email to me warning about the buyers scam. Luckily i hadn't posted the item so simply cancelled out the transaction.
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