jojos25
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posted on October 9, 2001 09:53:40 PM
I have a local potential buyer who wants to bid on a few of my auctions and pick up their items in person to save on shipping costs. They even mentioned a public place. Has anyone ever done this? Or would you recommend it?
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Romahawk
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posted on October 9, 2001 10:06:17 PM
I have had several locals who have bought auction items from me and picked them up to save on S&H. I didn't really have any concerns about it but if you do take them up on the offer of a neutral meeting place, a sale is a sale.
*
http://www.romahawk.com
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mslibby
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posted on October 9, 2001 10:11:17 PM
I've done this and it worked out fine.
Though in my case I brought it up when the winning bidder sent me their address and I realized that we lived in the same city. It just seemed like a nice thing to do. I selected a location that was public, easy to find and convenient for me. The buyer was thrilled to save the shipping $$ and I was glad that I didn't have to pack a fragile item. I figured driving to the post office was more trouble than meeting with the bidder.
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cantonpalace
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posted on October 9, 2001 10:39:41 PM
I would happily meet someone in a public place after the auction has ended... especially to encourage them to bid on my item.  If they need me to jump through hoops in order to meet them (very narrow time window or far away meeting spot) I would charge a small delivery fee... I would also request they pay with Cash instead of PayPal (why pay the fees if they're meeting me in person anyway?)
It's the annoying folks who email me AFTER the auction and *inform* me that they'll be "picking it up in person... can I just send them my home address"? LOL Those are the ones who drove me nuts (I no longer list my city in the auction listing to avoid this happening).
But, if someone took the time to ask me BEFORE they bid on my item... I would drive the item to their house personally I'd be so excited!! (OK, actually I wouldn't... but I'd still be excited that a bidder asked me something important before bidding, instead of bidding and asking later. 
Canton
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nanntique
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posted on October 9, 2001 10:40:39 PM
I have delivered numerous items to local buyers and never refused to do so, and have also picked up items from local sellers. For that type of transaction, cash is the only acceptable payment means. In several situations where the local seller has declined to do a person2person transaction, I have sadly found that the item and auction description were not equal.
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maymaylau
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posted on October 9, 2001 11:06:08 PM
I think you should only do it if it is convenient for you.
If it will take 30 minutes of YOUR time to save THEM shipping, then it might not be a good deal. But if it keeps you from having to stand in the post office for 30 minutes, it might be worth it.
Someone did buy a really heavy item from me and wanted to pick it up at my place. I usually say no, but it turns out she lived in the same neighborhood in a building down the street! And I found out when she came that I know her husband. Small world. The shipping would have been about $9.00 and I would have had to find a box and pack it. So it worked out wonderfully, and she increased the final bid price quite a bit since she could get it for $9 less than any other bidder.
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flap8
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posted on October 9, 2001 11:18:29 PM
I don't want anyone coming to my house to pick anything up.....but I have had someone come to where I work, which working out great. She even gave me extra for letting her do it! I would also meet in a public store, but not a private home.
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richierich
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posted on October 9, 2001 11:47:26 PM
Customers have picked it up at my house. Never a problem.
BUT my favorite place is at the Post Office, since I've got to wait in line there anyway. Although I do think people wonder exactly what I am selling. But I don't have to waste any time nor do I have to go out of my way. Works Great!
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soldat2
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posted on October 10, 2001 05:09:41 AM
If YOU are ok with it heck yes!
We have done it before and will continue to do it if need be. Everyone that has been here has been great and we have had some excellent conversations! (many purchased even more than they had originally planned on) In the same deal I have also gone to pick up things and spent hundreds more than I bid on. (twice anyway, just ask my other half)
However, since you asked a bunch of people in a forum where you probably don't know them any better than your bidder, I sense a bit of doubt in the air.
If YOU are not ok with it, don't do it.
(you may loose a sale or two because of it though)
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Eventer
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posted on October 10, 2001 05:15:18 AM
Never had anyone come to the house but I have met several of my customers. Delivered a few things, including one set of glassware to someone 2 states away (happened to be going there the next week on vacation anyway & saved her the shipping).
With the exception of a couple of grumps and one or two outright wackos, I'd be happy to meet most of my customers anywhere.
But if you don't feel comfy, don't do it regardless of public place or not.
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mrspock
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posted on October 10, 2001 05:57:52 AM
I have had a couple of peaple do it had no problem
IT really comes down to if you feel comfortable with it
I like to keep it business like , have the itm ready by the door do the transaction there ...no come in sit down and chat..but again thats me.
There have been similar posts like this in the past and it seems to go both ways ....some comfortable some say no way...
I wouldn't worry about a check as they are local and it would be easy to persue bad check..
spock here......
Live long and Prosper
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wowwow85
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posted on October 10, 2001 06:47:33 AM
use your judgment,it is better to meet at a neutral place than your home.
you never know what comes afterwards,if your house is ever burglarised in the future??
there are buyers out there who have a motive -i have real estate developer wife who wants to build me a house,a greyhound rescue director who wants me to adopt a greyhound,a middle eastern man who insists coming to my home to pick up a book on military badges ,when i declined,he never send payment,a man who is looking for top antiques and hope to buy at a very low price and see if you know where they can be found,someone who said he wants to meet and see the item in person and probably want to pay a hundred dollar less etc etc.
meeting at public place takes up your time,it depends on how much time you have
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wbbell
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posted on October 10, 2001 07:39:36 AM
My usual items ship for $3.00 and I make a decent but fairly low dollar profit. I regularly get people who live 40 or more miles away wanting to save the shipping and meet me halfway. It is not worth my time or effort to try to engineer an elaborate plan to meet someone just so they can try to save 3 bucks.
If I was selling some huge piece of furniture or making $500 profit on the item, I could see providing some better service.
My standard response to this question is that I will meet them at either 7:15 am or 5:30 pm at a police station which is on my way to my RL job. One person actually took me up on the offer and it worked out fine for everyone. They "saved money" (at least in their mind) and I didn't have to waste undue time or effort to meet them.
I personally would never have any of my buyers come to my house, but I think this really depends on the item you are selling.
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camachinist
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:02:48 AM
Given the vagaries of the Postal service lately...
We've had a couple local sellers who work not far from my wife's salon drop off items we've purchased during their errands around town....she usually just pays them with a personal check...no problem.
Conversely, if someone local wanted to stop by the salon to pick up their item, no biggie....my shop is way out in the country so no one is really close by...on purpose...
Pat
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holdenrex
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:03:31 AM
I've had no problem doing this. It's always best for both parties to meet in a public place. So far, I've made transactions at the Post Office, a mall, and a museum. I even got a free tour of the museum!
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gravid
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:29:48 AM
Good advice here. Even if the person is nice you never know who is associated with them. All they have to do is say the wrong thing about "Oh these folks have some nice things." My aunt had a cleaning lady who did 5 different homes each week and her cousin stole her keys and invaded my aunt's home late at night. They went in the living room and threw a bunch of cheap flashy nick knacks in a pillowcase all together chipping and ruining them and left the really valuable things because they did not know what to steal. She was bedridden but she kept a 12 gage shotgun leaning on the wall next to the bed and when the guy tried to come in her bedroom she had it across the foot of the bed. When he came to the door she fired but he had jumped back and ran so quick she just blew a hole in the hallway wall.
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ahc3
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:55:30 AM
I am pretty private with my home address, but a few months back, I had a customer who won who lived literally just several houses over from where I lived. It really was amazing! I had him come over and pick up the stuff, which worked out fine.
Just this week, I sold to someone who lives 4 miles from me. I dropped the stuff off at his house last night, and that worked out fine too.
Basically, go with what you are comfortable with. I once won a very large lot from someone in the area, and met at a public place to pick the stuff up.
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mrsquezada
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posted on October 10, 2001 09:40:43 AM
I have stopped by to pick up several items from sellers. I don't consider myself a wacko, but my husband might..
One time I purchased an antique chair from a woman in my city. When I went to pick it up, her house stunk, I mean stunk like dog urine. I felt like I had to buy the chair, but I let it air out for a few weeks and to this day I won't sit in it. My husband uses it as his "Playstation chair".
I also purchased a couch and it is really nice. No problems with that purchase.
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bobarrett
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posted on October 10, 2001 10:27:58 AM
Saturday had a guy stop by to pick up a bobblehead doll,Tuesday was an old tin can,and today-the buyer is leaving the payment in a hiding spot in my garage and picking up a sign (yes,I've had 3-4 previous transactions,and because of it,have a new source/friend/trading partner)
I have sold more items right out of my garage to buyers too.
I'm surprised we haven't had the complete paranoiac response yet "no way on earth I would ever disclose the STATE I live in-let alone my ADDRESS-they could be an anthrax spreading,home burglarizing,pyscho!"
Maybe its just me-but I have had nothing but positive experiences...
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bettylou
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posted on October 10, 2001 11:13:04 AM
Nope. We don't allow any local pickups, period.
We don't sell out of our house--we have an office--but our liability insurance explicitly states that no one but employees and contractors are allowed on the premises. In fact, we keep the front door locked.
Consider carefully not only the security aspect of allowing someone to come to your home, but the liability aspect. What if s/he gets hurt on your property?
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kkbclear
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posted on October 10, 2001 11:39:03 AM
Have done this several times with no problems. Usually I arrange to meet them in the parking lot at the downtown post office, which is very conveniently located across the street from the law enforcement center!
Of course, the meeting times are always set up at shift change time for the police officers and sheriffs' deputies! Since they stagger their shift changes, it gives the us a two hour window in which to work out the meeting time. Nice seeing all those cops crossing the street while I'm meeting with someone I don't know!
I also sold something to an old babysitter of mine once! She got to come to my house to pick up her item!
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camachinist
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posted on October 10, 2001 12:36:30 PM
Consider carefully not only the security aspect of allowing someone to come to your home, but the liability aspect. What if s/he gets hurt on your property?
An important consideration....if eBaying is a way of disposing of household goods like it is for us, the liability would be similar to that of a garage sale or having friends over; most insurers, if liability H/O insurance is purchased, will cover such incidents. Contact one's carrier for specific limitations. Also, the amount of insurance coverage is a consideration, dependent on risk...
If online auctions are a business, a seperate business liability policy would have to be purchased, as is the case for most home-based businesses where the principals choose not to self-insure. Some insurers offer homeowners an umbrella policy that covers certain business activities on the premises....
Obviously, a business in a commercial location with walk-in traffic, such as my wife's salon, should have liability insurance (among other types)....many landlords require proof of it as a condition of leasing.
My, how society has progressed....I could've bought a couple of nice homes for what I've spent on insurance in my business career....
And so it goes...
Pat
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december3
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posted on October 10, 2001 12:58:37 PM
I bought an item which the TOS stated had to be picked up because of weight and size. The seller was really nice, we had a very pleasant visit. She sells quite a few larger items and does it often.
[ edited by december3 on Oct 10, 2001 12:59 PM ]
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bettylou
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posted on October 10, 2001 01:54:36 PM
camachinist: As you say re: liability insurance...we had to have it to meet our landlord's requirements. And it wasn't easy to find an insurer. I went through three agencies before an insurer was lined up. Even then I had to agree to have a central alarm system installed, and to not permit visitors due to the nature of our business.
When the business was run out of my house I didn't even realize I needed liability insurance.
I'm just as happy not to let people in through the front door here at the office. No use letting them see all the inventory we've got stacked here; nearly all of it is items made of precious metals.
As a side benefit it keeps out panhandlers, door-to-door salesmen, and stupid interruptions.
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thedewey
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posted on October 10, 2001 03:10:21 PM
I won't let people come by my home, partly because of insurance reasons (I can just see someone falling down my front porch steps!), partly because there's just not a time that's convenient for me (I'm up all night and sleep during the day), and partly because of safety concerns.
But I have, on occasion, taken items to my father's place of business so people could pick them up there. One lady picked up her package, and it turned out that she works for a local newspaper that my dad advertises in. He had her make a change to his ad while she was there. It worked out great, and saved my dad a phone call.
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jeffj318
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posted on October 10, 2001 03:59:30 PM
Hi
Always be careful!
Most buyers are nice people, however, all it takes is that one wacko to ruin your whole life.
God bless,
JJ
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mballai
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:01:00 PM
I've dealt with a lot of folks who were but a rock's throw from where I am but I've always dealt by mail. It just isn't worth the cost to schedule a pickup for small stuff shipping.
A large item that is costly to ship is a different story. My advice on pickup is that they have to pickup when scheduled just like the appointments you make with other professionals. Any item not picked up in two weeks means the sale is canceled and relisted. You aren't a warehouse either.
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merrie
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posted on October 10, 2001 08:28:49 PM
I have met numerous people for an in person transaction. It saves them postage and me from packaging. Always cash and always a public place and convenient for me.
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