Advice from experienced E-Bay users

I don't post until postage has been paid too. You often have to guess but I think it's standard practice to charge the minimum small parcel price (£2.85? while since I did it) and just include it in the total price.

Either that or say it's free p&p but make sure the price you charge covers it.

With bigger things, ring up the PO or whichever postal service you're using and tell them the dimensions and weight; they should be able to give you a postage cost. Then you add that to your price (via the P&p wotsit) and list your item on ebay.

As for the three names, haven't a clue what that was about. I hope it wasn't two or three different people wanting to buy the item.

Thaks, Bags I've found a price, from the weight and size. Hermes is the best for cost, but if I use Royal Mauil it is more than the value of the parcel. It is quite heavy for its value.

It is the three names that confuse - it looks like the same transaction, but he must be living in one place and wants it posted there, but is using someone else's name and address for the Paypal, and the Paypal address includes a name which is not the Paypal name. I am just scared that there is something odd about it. Think I shall contact Ebay.

Probably a good idea to contact Ebay. Two names isn't so bad (someone buying for someone else), bit three? Hmm.

but

Do you know, I am beginning to think that one was just an enquiry, and someone else bought it while we were corresponding over the postage. The timing was such that it seemed like the same transaction. I have contacted the buyer to ask whether he is aware that it was collection only. If is not the same bloke who enquired, he could have a red face for not realising. When he has replied I shall explain to the other one.

The buyer will have a user name, and that should correspond with the PayPal account. I would e mail the person who has bought the item, as per eBay info on your sold page, and ask them if they are wanting the item to go to the Welsh address.

I recently sold a heavy item, collection only and stuck to that regardless of request to deliver. I think it's safest to stick to your original info. on the listing.

You need to ensure you post only to the address on the confirmation email from Paypal, that is the only way you are covered if anything goes wrong, just tell him that per the rules of ebay and paypal your hand are tied to only use that registered address. If he wants so ething sending elsewhere he should change his paypal register address.

Sounds very odd, as already said, I would not post until you receive the postage (get proof of posting), but contact eBay for advice first. I would normally only post to the registered paypal address.

I am waiting for a reply from the buyer. The more I think about it, the more sure I am that the Welsh bloke was asking about me posting it before he committed himself, and the other one bought it while that exchange was still going on. It was sheer coincidence that I read the notification soon after I had told the Welsh one what the postage would be, that Shropshire is in the general direction of Wales (from here anyway) and that the buyer may not have noticed that it was pick-up only. I am glad I didn't fire it off to Wales too fast!

You should get payment email from paypal with the address on.

I have the payment, WB and the address. They paid up at once.

It is not going anywhere until I hear back from the buyer - they still have to discover that it will cost them another £5.95 to have it sent to them!

Another thing that made me wonder what was going on was that there hasn't been a whisper of interest until the listing only has a day or so to go (Buy it now) and then suddenly three different names appear. I felt it could have been a ploy to confuse me (well, it succeeded! but not to the point where I sent it to the wrong address)

Are you thinking that you might get the postage payment come from another buyer? Won't you just have to refund it and explain. And then despatch to the address on the eBay email, once postage arrives from that one?

It's all very confusing, and will probably get more so now I've joined in.

You just need the £5.95 to arrive from the Welsh address, and then post it.

I thought you had the money and a Welsh address, Elegran, so I am confused as well! I thought the Welsh person was the one you were waiting to receive the postage from...

We're all baffled, jingl - hope it's sorted soon

Don't forget that EBay will add the postage charge to YOUR commission fee, so if it's £5.95, they will add another 60 to your bill. Once you know the postage cost, add the 10% and send the buyer an eBay invoice. I am surprised that the buyer has paid for the item without knowing the postage cost.

Re people bidding at the last minute..that is quite common.I never bid early on I wait until the item is nearly finishing.
If the chappie paid straight away then I presume he will pick it up. Otherwise he would have withheld payment until you had added the necessary postage. The person who enquired about postage will be quite aware he didn't win the item as he will have had an email from Ebay telling him he had been outbid.
I'd message or email the winning bidder and ask when is he picking it up and go from there. If he pays the postage via paypal you will pay a fee on it.

The alternative, that will not cost you, is for the buyer to arrange the collection, this is an option most carriers offer.

It wasn't bidding at auction, though, it was "Buy it now" and I don't think the Welsh bloke was bidding, just enquiring about whether it could be posted to him instead of picking it up. In "Buy it now" the first person to come up with a positive click gets it. anyone waiting before clicking loses out. So it goes to the bloke in Shropshire.

I have both addresses, but unless the one in Shropshire decides that since he can't pick it up from that distance, he doesn't want to pay to have it posted, so doesn't want it after all, he will get it. Welsh bloke is probably going to be disappointed.

WB He may have a friend here who can pick it up for him.

As long as you post to the PayPal address you are covered by eBay.

Not if I specified in the listing that it was pick-up only. If I post it to him without getting back the cost, I will get less than half the magnificent £10 for the item, well less than half of £9, actually, by the time Ebay take their cut, and they will take a cut of the postage too. So I would get about £3.50 for listing it, packaging it and taking it to the post office.

Anyway, it seems that the (genuine) buyer has lost interest now - he hasn't answered my emails about picking it up, not even to say that it will be impossible and he will have to cancel.