bevhead
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:03:55 PM
Just curious, what is the closest buyer to whom you have sold an item on eBay, down the street, next door?
I live in a city of about 150,000 and have never had anyone from here, the nearest was a city about 10 miles away.
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sonsie
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:07:09 PM
I've also sold to someone in a town about ten miles away. Frankly, I would rather not sell to someone who is actually a close neighbor or friend. There are too many possibilities for problems, and I'd rather keep my business life and personal life separate.
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holdenrex
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:17:23 PM
I've had two sales to people within the same city (population of about 40,000). That's out of a total of over 700 sales. Both times I agreed to meet them in a public place for the transaction - everything went fine.
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keziak
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:19:24 PM
Only recently, after over a year of selling.
I had one Amazon customer who was a former co-worker and lives about 20 minutes away. An ebay buyer lives nearby and met me at my workplace to pick up the item. The third lives a few blocks from my house and I let her drop by one morning after she took her child to a summer rec program at the school across the street from me. I doubt I'll beat that!
keziak
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buggery
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:32:14 PM
I sell to locals quite often. my city is approx 400,000 with a major university here. the items they usually get are items related to the athletics of that school. funny thing is that all of the items can be obtained free of charge form the schools athletic dept or otherr locations around town. but i guess they like giving me their money better than getting them free......i have been doing this for over 4 years so its just not a freak thing, just freaky
[ edited by buggery on Aug 30, 2001 02:34 PM ]
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honaker5
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:36:21 PM
I live in a small town ( under 6000 ) in southwestern VA, so the possibilities are not much on selling real close, I guess. I had one buyer from about 30 miles south of me once.
I did make a purchase of some Confederate Army items one time. I noticed the guys e-mail addy had the same ISP as me. It's a local one, not a national. When I received the EOA, and sent my address, he was only 40 miles north of me. He was coming to my area shopping the next day anyway, so we met at the local Sam's club.
Overall a very pleasing transaction. Very nice fellow. 
Tim
honaker5 on ebay and elsewhere
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marblehed
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:49:29 PM
I've sold items to two people in my city (about 200,000) and I've bought an item from someone in my city. In all cases, we met in person to complete the transaction.
There was a thread several months back discussing the "horrors" of letting a buyer pick up something at your home. While I don't see the big deal in this (if the buyer has good feedback and writes friendly emails), I got scolded by others. I guess they sell to more whackos than I do.
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buggery
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posted on August 30, 2001 02:57:46 PM
no pickups allowed, about half request it....no way jose, this is an internet business
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sadie999
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posted on August 30, 2001 03:13:42 PM
Amazingly, in a town of about 1000 people, I've had a sale where I delivered the item. I go to the store for the paper anyway. They were delighted to save on shipping.
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eleanordew
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posted on August 30, 2001 04:11:44 PM
I sold to someone who lives 3 blocks away. I delivered the item.
However, I also sold to someone who works in another dept. of the place where I work, and, although I tried to deliver it twice, we never met up -- so I mailed it to her.
El
"The customer may not always be right, but she is always the customer."
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rarriffle
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posted on August 30, 2001 04:18:02 PM
I sold an item to a co-worker and after I delivered it the next day we left each other great feedback on the speed of the transaction.
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saabsister
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posted on August 30, 2001 04:24:14 PM
I live in the metropolitan DC area and once sold an item to someone who lives 4 miles away. We delivered it to her house on the way to the grocery store.
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victoria
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posted on August 30, 2001 04:57:36 PM
I sold an item to an invalid a few miles down the road (stranger to me). Her husband picked it up on his way home from work.
I just had him swing by when my husband was there too.
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gina50
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posted on August 30, 2001 05:43:34 PM
I sold a book to someone about 2 miles away, she came to my house to pick up & pay me !
I sold a shawl to someone about 5 miles away but closer to my husbands office, he took item to work, she picked up & paid him !!
I sold a lot of dishes to someone about 8 miles away ~ get this ~ we meet in a department store parking lot ~ me with my dishes and at the same time another ebay seller with her dishes ~ collected our $$$ helped load into her car ~ all went great !!
I sold a huge vintage department store catalogue that would have costs lots of $$ to ship ~ to someone about 5 miles away.. we met at a garden center to do transaction !!
HOWEVER ~ BE CAREFULL SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY NUTS OUT THERE ~ YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU COULD END UP MEETING ~
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packer
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posted on August 30, 2001 06:21:54 PM
I sold a couple of times to a gal that lives about 2 miles from me. She came to pick it up and it turned out that my daughter new her because she went to school and was friends with her daughter.
I sold to a guy in town and he came by where I worked and picked it up.
packer
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kiawok
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posted on August 30, 2001 06:38:43 PM
One of my first antique sales was when I was 8 years old, to a rich old lady across the street.
I've also sold an eBay item to a gal a few blocks from me, and I delivered it to her.
The last local eBay transaction ended up taking place at a local coffee shop. The she turned out to be a he/she, and I swore I'd never do that again.
P.S. No offense meant against transvestites, but this one was SCARY looking.
[ edited by kiawok on Aug 30, 2001 06:39 PM ]
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cin131
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posted on August 30, 2001 06:38:47 PM
I sold something to someone who lived about 10 miles from where I currently live, and less than a block away from the YMCA I spent my summers at as a kid, and, as it turns out, 3 houses down from where one of my husband's childhood friends lived. That was the week my email was wacky, (recieving but not sending), so, I just dropped it on her doorstep with a note of apology.
cin
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jrb3
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posted on August 30, 2001 07:15:43 PM
I have sold several items to people who live in The French Quarter In New Orleans. You'd be suprised how many strippers and Drag Queens buy costume jewelry on the internet.
And boy do we have more then enough of both in new Orleans. I have even started putting aside certain pieces I know the girls & "the girls" will like. This way I sell direct with all the money going straight to me.
Since I live on Bourbon St, it is pretty easy to find me. I sell to at least 3 or 4 people a month who pick up their purchases. I guesse that is one of the advantages of living in a city.
Joe B
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pab53
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posted on August 30, 2001 08:00:00 PM
My neighbour has bid on my auctions a couple of times. One time it was quite funny....I had forgotten that I had some sales ending and she came stomping over telling me that she was trying to snipe my widget and was outsniped!!
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on August 30, 2001 08:13:37 PM
I bid on a Flood item - the man delivered it. He was very sweet. I talked to him awhile and by the time he left I was determined to finally take the plunge: sell my store and sell on eBay.
The rest, my dear friends, is history 
BECKY
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Eventer
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posted on August 30, 2001 08:41:27 PM
Guess I've been pretty fortunate. I've sold to people in the same city, in the same county & same state.
Personally delivered items to several people, including one to a lady 3 states away (we were heading in that direction & it was a tricky glassware item) & another to a state in another direction (again, just happened to be heading in that direction when the sale came through..was a repeat customer I've come to know on a personal basis).
I've met several of my customers and had invitations from many of them to drop in anytime I'm in their area. Several who started out as customers have become personal friends who correspond on a regular basis.
I've helped 3 former customers get started w/their own ebay business & taken great pride watching them grow.
My biggest surprise was attending a memorabilia show quite a distance from home. A friend & I were talking & he turned to introduce me to someone else. Suddenly a gentleman came up to hug me (never seen this guy before in my life!). Turns out he overheard the introduction & recognized my name from his purchases from me on ebay and was thrilled to meet me in person. We had a great laugh & a good time at the show.
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canistota
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posted on August 30, 2001 08:58:27 PM
I live in a DC suburb and have sold to several people within probably 15 to 20 miles of me.
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crankyoldhag
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posted on August 30, 2001 09:40:13 PM
We sold something to a person just up the street a few blocks, that's the closest. My hubby delivered it to her.
We sold something to someone where I was working at the time. She sent me the check interoffice mail, then I sent the items interoffice mail. Saved her some shipping that way.
We have also sold to several people in the area, a few of whom we have agreed to meet in person to deliver. Always in a public place and the two of us together.
This is a fun thread, something positive!
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thedewey
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posted on August 30, 2001 10:21:19 PM
True story:
I sold an item to a gentleman once who wanted to come pick it up. He seemed nice enough, but I've never been too comfortable with the idea of having strangers come by my home. So I dropped the item off at my dad's place of business, and told the man he could pick it up there.
The next day, the man's wife came to pick it up for him. It turned out that she works for the local newspaper, and my dad advertises his business with that newspaper on a regular basis. She already knew my dad, and while she was there, he got her to make a change to his ad. It saved her some shipping money, and it ended up saving him a phone call to the newspaper.
I've had a number of local customers, but that's by far the most interesting thing that's happened!
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flynlizards
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posted on September 1, 2001 08:05:08 AM
I'm always tickled when I meet someone in my area! Feel like getting a bumper sticker, "Do you Ebay?"
Bought from 1 local & sold to 2, plus sold to one about 15 miles away. Keep hopeing one of these days to find someone who already Ebays to "partner" up with, hit the sales & such. Could have alot of fun & cut down on time & costs.
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jdubonline
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posted on September 1, 2001 03:27:59 PM
I live in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, and sold a book on Half.com to a person who lived ONE BLOCK from my place! I prompty confirmed the sale, grabbed the book, and ran down the street to deliver it by hand.
Needless to say, my customer was extremely surprised and quite pleased.
It may go down in The Guiness Book as the fastest mail-order delivery of all time, but I haven't bothered to check.
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janusaries
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posted on September 1, 2001 03:42:04 PM
Sold to my neighbor directly across the street. They knew they were buying from us,
but we didn't recognize their eBay ID until
they emailed ans asked if they could walk across the street and pick up the item.
LOL!
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outoftheblue
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posted on September 1, 2001 06:38:14 PM
We have delivered several items. Makes you feel like dominos pizza. I've even thought about putting "We deliver" in our auctions.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Sep 1, 2001 06:41 PM ]
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jerry12
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posted on September 1, 2001 07:09:55 PM
One time, while I had several auctions running, I had changed my user I.D.
It wasn't until I sent out winner notices that I realized I had won one of my own items.
The completion of the transaction was instantaneous and feedback was left promptly. The shipping charge, however, was excessive.
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AuctionIdeasDotCom
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posted on September 1, 2001 07:16:40 PM
I don't recommend selling to nieghbors. If they want their money back or break the item, etc. they know where you live. Who wants wierdos at their door? Not me.
"Anything the mind of man can believe and conceive, it CAN ACHIEVE!"
http://www.auctionideas.com
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