subject: EBay Collections by Courier or Man and Van [print this page] EBay Collections by Courier or Man and Van
EBay Collections by Courier or Man and Van
Ok, so you stayed up late last night and won that eBay auction you've been watching for the past week, well done. However now you have to decide how to get that sofa/wardrobe/table from where it is to where you are. At this point, you'll no doubt check out an on-line route planner to discover that, despite it only being a few inches away on your map, it is, in fact A LONG WAY AWAY. You'll probably also at this point, look at your small car and realise that, in fact, the thing you have bought won't fit in. So, what are you going to do? The chances are you going to ring a courier.
There are various types of couriers who will collect eBay items and in this short article, I'm going to, hopefully, give you some advice on employing the services of such a company. By far the best way to find a reputable company to collect your eBay booty is by word of mouth. Do you know someone who also has a penchant for buying stuff on eBay? If you do, ask them if they have ever used a courier. Failing this, try an on-line search using keywords like courier, man and van, eBay collections etc.
By far the cheapest option would be to find a company travelling back to your area from the area your item is in or vice-versa, this is known as a backload. Removal Companies, such as us ( we carry out house removals in Cheshire ) may carry out a removal from Cheshire to London, for example, and then have to return to Cheshire. Utilising that empty van space on the return trip is vital so it is usually sold at a discounted rate, after all, that "bargain" sofa isn't going to be such a bargain if it costs a fortune to collect it.
Dos and don'ts for you, the buyer
1. You've found your courier and it would be advisable to maintain a good relationship with them, you won't do this by telling them the item you have bought is a small chair when, in fact, it's a three piece suite, so be honest. If you don't it will lead to problems later on and, undoubtedly more charges.
2. Make sure your seller is aware the collection is going to be undertaken by a courier. Ideally you should check this with the seller before bidding on the item as some sellers are un-easy about courier collections as some sellers prefer their buyer to inspect the item before taking it.
3. If you want a bargain delivery price don't expect an exact collection and delivery time, your courier may have many collections and deliveries to do on the same day and times can change right up to the last day to account for last minute bookings, road problems etc, so be flexible, just ask to be kept informed.
4. Make sure you've paid for the thing that you've bought. If your courier arrives to collect and discovers that the seller is expecting cash on collection he is not going to be best pleased, so make sure you're seller has been paid and is ready to dispatch the item.
Dos and Don'ts for eBay sellers.
1. If you selling a large item on eBay which is for collection only then make sure you are actually going to be available to allow collection to take place. It's no good selling that old bed that's been cluttering up your garage and then telling your buyer that you're only in between 2 and 3pm every other Sunday. If there are days or times when you can't be in, that's fine but PUT IT IN YOUR LISTING. That way your buyer can make an informed choice BEFORE they bid.
2. Before listing your great big heavy piano go and look out of your kitchen window and see how far away the ground is. If it's more than about five feet away you don't live on the ground floor and this needs to be mentioned in your listing. A courier will not appreciate arriving at a property with a 15 minute collection slot to find that the item has to be carried down several flights of stairs that you "forgot" to mention.
3. If you don't want a courier to collect your item, mention it in your eBay listing don't wait until the thing has sold and you discover your buyer lives zillions of miles away.
4. If you have sold a piece of furniture that you put together yourself when you bought it, such as a wardrobe, check that it will actually fit out of the room where you built it and down any stairs or along any passageways on the way to your front door. Looking at the wardrobe when the courier has arrived and shaking your head whilst saying "I'm sure we got it up the stairs in one piece" will not get that wardrobe into the van.
To summarise, the key to successful buying and selling of large, collection only, items on the internet is communication. If you are listing an item to sell then make sure your listing contains all relevant information regarding collection and an accurate description of the item including dimensions and, where possible, weight.
If you are buying an item on eBay which is listed as collection, make sure you have asked all relevant questions BEFORE bidding to avoid any problems when the auction has finished. If both parties communicate effectively throughout the process then eBay buying and selling should be a pleasurable experience.
Cheshire House Removals and Man and Van
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