Suspicious seller?

surfsmelt
surfsmelt Posts: 16
edited April 2024 in Clubhouse Archives
Im curious, but I won an auction on Ebay. I live in San Jose, the seller lives in Benicia which is less than 45 mins away. He agreed prior to me bidding that he would allow pickup. After the auction he sends me an invoice that charges $19 for shipping and handling. He wants payment via paypal but the checkout still has the $19 shipping and handling charge. I ask him if I could pay cash, cashiers check when I pick up the item. He refuses and says he wants payment via paypal first. After I make payment then he will set up a date and time for pick up. Is it me or does this sound fishy?:confused:
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,907
    edited February 2006
    Not really fishy. He wants to make sure he gets paid and there's no guarantee you'd even show up. And he's definitely not going to take a cashiers check and hand over the item without making sure it cashes first. I can't see him wanting shipping paid though if you're going to arrange a pickup. It all depends on his feedback rating. If he's got the feedback I don't se it being a rip. Tell him you'll pay upfront through PayPal but not the shipping. If someone asks me if pickup is OK I always ask how they intend to pay. I'd prefer PayPal up front. That way I know he's going to show. Besides he could be afraid of you ripping him otherwise.
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  • michael_w
    michael_w Posts: 2,813
    edited February 2006
    Possibly one of those power seller guys who deals with many items per day and got caught up with the usual routine of charging shipping? Just mail him about the shipping and get something worked out BEFORE you send him any cash.
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited February 2006
    What mw said. F' Paypal and their anti-Constitutional policies, among other STUPID things they do.

    Wes
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2006
    Anti-Constitutional???? :confused:


    surfsmelt,
    Nothing sinister... PayPal is just his preferred means of being paid.

    If fixed shipping was listed in the auction, the invoice autoamtically includes it. I'd just back the shipping out of the PayPal payment, put a note in the communication box and hit send. Then send the earlier e-mail reply he sent you.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
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  • surfsmelt
    surfsmelt Posts: 16
    edited February 2006
    Thanks everyone, I'll email him again and try and work it out.:)
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  • surfsmelt
    surfsmelt Posts: 16
    edited February 2006
    Ok, I asked him to remove the shipping charges. His reply is that I pay the full invoice shipping and handling charges first via paypal and THEN he will refund me the SHIPPING charges AFTER I PICK UP the item????(:confused: Shipping and handling charges but Im going to pick up the item:confused: )
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  • cmy330go
    cmy330go Posts: 2,341
    edited February 2006
    What kind of feedback does this guy have?
    HT
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  • dragon1952
    dragon1952 Posts: 4,907
    edited February 2006
    What he's asking is weird but not necessarily something to be leery of. Does that mean he charges you shipping and handling and refunds the shipping but not the handling? Some people do charge a small fee for pickup. The thing is if you pay him shipping via PayPal and then he refunds the entire shipping he loses money because PayPal takes their 3% cut. That's kind of weird.
    2 channel - Willsenton R8 tube integrated, Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC, audio optimized NUC7i5, Windows 10 Pro/JRiver MC29/Fidelizer Plus 8.7 w/LPS and external SSD drive, PS Audio PerfectWave P3 regenerator, KEF R3 speakers, Rythmik F12SE subwoofer, Audioquest Diamond USB cable, Gabriel Gold IC's, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables. Computer - Windows 10/JRiver, Schiit Magni 3+/Modi 3+, Fostex PMO.4n monitors, Sennheiser HD600 headphones
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