eBay sellers can offer local pickup when selling large and bulky items to avoid expensive packaging and shipping costs. But since eBay normally relies on tracking to determine whether a seller shipped an item (and whether the item arrived), it devised a system where it sends a QR code to buyers to provide sellers upon pickup so sellers can scan the code and prove they placed the item in the buyers' hands.
But it turns out that while complying with eBay's rules for Local Pickup protects sellers from Item Not Received claims, it does not protect sellers from Item Not As Described claims - which is a major factor in a offering items for local pickup in the first place: the buyer can inspect the item before providing the seller with the code showing they picked up the item.
In a
June 16 post on the eBay discussion boards, a seller said they followed eBay's Local Pickup rules. But when the buyer filed an Item Not as Described claim, eBay refunded the buyer and told the seller they would have to provide the buyer with a return shipping label in order to receive the item back:
"I sold an item listed as LOCAL PICKUP ONLY. Buyer sent a 3rd party to collect it, then claimed it was "not as described." I offered a return - buyer refused to return the item. eBay stepped in and said I needed to issue the buyer paid postage. How am I supposed to mail a 5ft over 150 lb wooden bench in the mail ??? I'm a little unhinged as my appeals are going nowhere as no one can understand this.
"eBay refunded them anyway. Now they have my item AND my money.
"How is this not theft? If I have to I'm taking the buyer to small claims court. It's $700+."
The buyer used a third-party service called uShip to pick up the 150-pound bench, and the seller confirmed that they had scanned the QR code the buyer had received to prove the buyer picked up the item (in this case, the buyer's agent, uShip).
Participants in the thread put the seller through their paces to make sure the seller had followed the rules, and then summoned an eBay moderator to look into why the seller lost the claim and subsequent appeals.
A moderator arrived, and that's when it became clear that there was a gaping loophole in eBay Local Pickup. She wrote:
"For local pickup, returns should be handled the same way as other delivery options. More on this can be discovered
here. Only one appeal is allowed per case, which seems to have already taken place."
The page the moderator linked to on eBay Local Pickup shows eBay protects against INR cases with proof of pickup, but does not protect sellers against SNAD claims:
Managing returns and item not received requests
Returns for local pickup listings should be treated the same as other delivery options. If the buyer returns an item because it's faulty or it isn't as described in the listing, they can return it to you even if your return policy states you don't accept returns.
If the buyer simply changed their mind and you stated in your listing that you don't accept returns, you're not obliged to accept their return request. See our article on how to handle a return request as a seller for more information.
To protect yourself against item-not-received cases, proof of pickup is required.
What makes this particular case so egregious is that the seller said they had offered to accept a return, but the buyer refused. It was eBay that stepped in and forced the seller to provide a shipping label.
One participant in the thread wrote, "What they've done to OP will have a chilling effect on local pickup listings, so I sure hope this is sorted out."
Beware Gaping Loophole in eBay Local Pickup