Ebay recently made pickup upon sale the default option. This is supposedly intended to stimulate local trade. However, with the latest change, the company contradicts itself.
Sellers who want to save payment fees on Ebay like to use the “cash on collection” option. The company is now putting an end to this: from now on, payment can only be processed via Ebay when picking up.
Ebay is removing cash as a means of payment
Sellers are currently receiving a message from Ebay with the subject “’Cash on collection’ will no longer be available from September 11, 2023”. In the message The company justifies the change by saying that it “makes the payment of eBay orders even more secure” by allowing the entire transaction to take place exclusively via its own website.
Effective immediately, the option is no longer available if sellers want to enable pickup at their location in addition to – or instead of – shipping. Even for offers that have already been created, Ebay automatically deletes the “cash payment upon collection” option. These offers, which sellers often explicitly title in the heading “cash only upon collection”, can then only be paid for using standard payment methods. These include: PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Sofortüberweisung and Google Pay.
This means sellers have to manually adjust their listings. If a buyer picks up the item in person and pays in cash, the seller no longer has the opportunity to mark the sale as completed. The buyer therefore risks being cited for non-payment – even though he paid in cash upon collection as required in the offer.
TECHBOOK has asked Ebay for a statement on this matter, but has not yet received a response. The company has not yet updated its help pages to reflect the change. “Cash on collection” is still mentioned as an option everywhere.
How does pickup via Ebay work without cash payment?
Since the transaction is now only possible using payment methods supported by Ebay, the company now collects a share when it is picked up. After all, processing via Ebay means that it is safer for both the buyer and the seller.
Buyers now have to prove when picking up that they have paid for the item. As Proof of pickup A QR code or a six-digit code is available, which the buyer receives by email. The seller scans the former with his smartphone. If that doesn’t work, he can enter the six-digit code manually. The item is then automatically marked as “delivered”.
But the buyer himself is also better protected by proof of pickup. Sellers must also accept returns upon pickup if stated in the listing. If the item is defective or significantly different from the description, buyers with proof of pickup can return it even if the seller does not accept returns.