Ebay Dilemma

ebay sells cars, washing machine, refrigerators and various other things that cannot be shipped and the buyer is often required to pick it up.

This just requires the same kind of mentality. Ask for a Post Office Money Order (They are good up to $700).

I would be weary of the buyer if they want to buy a coin for $700 and don't want to meet at a local coin shop. They should know the local coin shops in their area.

I am really unsure what the problem is other than the feedback, whether the coin could get stolen from the mail a so many seem to have been. The postal Money order means you get your money. they cannot cancel payment or chargeback it or whatever. when you get the money, you just send the coin.

ebay has really gotten weird in the years since I stopped using it and frankly I trust neither buyer nor seller on it, thus why I stopped using it, but it is because ebay itself that I don't trust it, not any buyer or seller. They might have cleaned up their act long ago but "once bitten, twice shy".

Just explain your concerns and that they aren't personal, just that you are a nervous buyer trying to make both you and your seller safe and happy about the purchase.

I'm with the buyer on this one. If I won a coin, regardless of the value, and all of a sudden terms of the agreement have been changed, I'd walk away from it. Sell it to him. As long as he pays and you ship as per eBay/paypal policies you will be covered. Feedback doesn't matter. When I started, my feedback was zero. I was at 18 feedback at one point. Now I'm almost 800. Everyone starts at the bottom. Oddly enough, the buyers that have tried to scam me in the past had high feedbacks. They have the experience to know how to abuse the system, they've had time to work at it and perfect it. For a $700 coin I would expect you will be shipping it registered and requiring a signature for your own protection as much as the buyers, so you have nothing to worry about. If you are paranoid about it do like I have done in the past and still do when I buy high value items. Film the packaging and labelling. It's saved my butt in the past. Video evidence doesn't lie :)

I think the OP is overly paranoid. I would not be surprised if the potential buyer has been scared off. Unless the OP personally asked the buyer, there is no way of knowing whether or not the buyer has purchased coins on ebay before since many sellers do not bother to leave feedback.

If it ain't a coin show where I'm selling..sorry, mail only.
I'm not meeting anyone in person.

If I wanted to go out and buy coins from/at a coin shop I will...
If I want to sit in my living room and buy coins online and have them delivered to my door I will...

what I wouldn't do is buy coins online, expecting them to be delivered to my door, and then go to a coin shop to pick them up...


I've sold half a million dollars on ebay since 2001, been burned ONCE (knock on wood) for $100. follow the shipping rules and you are golden.

Thanks for the feed back
Both good and bad
I have bought a ton of stuff on ebay and I've never had a problem.
As a seller I'm just starting ( I'm just getting ride of the stuff I no longer want )
The only reason in was worried is because it seems weird that someone would have an ebay account that is over 6 years old and they have only bought 18 items and none were coins , only small jars of cream and cheap China electronics.
I did not want him to bring cash, I still wanted to let him use PayPal.

I suggested the coin store meet because its in west ed mall.
I figured it was a nice safe place for him to get the coin.
I know we all started somewhere but..... $700 is big first step.
I didn't want to offend him and I tried to explain my hesitation but I don't think the deal will happen.


I forgot to add

Of his 18 buys he left 2 neutral feedback for slow shipping
1 negative saying item didn't arrive
1 false positive saying its been a month and item has not arrived.

Thanks for the comments .

I have many repeat bidders/buyers that when they first started to buy from me had little or NO feedback.
NO big deal if they bid and don't pay I simply don't send the coin, No big deal.

If I won an auction and the seller insisted on a face to face to conclude the deal then the deal wouldn't happen.
I would report the seller to ebay and cancel the transaction immediately .

I can see the one reason for the meet up: using Paypal the buyer has 6 months to file a claim wanting a refund. It's one reason I won't sell coins over $100 on ebay until this new rule has been tested awhile.
Recently, I shipped a set worth $1150, I used signature confirmation and all went well. This was prior to Nov.18.

I would think a buyer would want the opportunity to get the coin faster and safer. Unless like pointed out they have problem getting about. Then it's really another story. Plus why would you need protection when paying once you pick up item. At that point you decide whether it meets your criteria or not. No need to mail back.
How is it outside ebay since they get a cut of the sale, as soon as it happens. It's different if seller cancels the sale and then proceeds with transaction. Do people forget how many scams can be played by the buyer: empty box/ not as described / never received. The above mentioned things are cause for concern.
Yet most ebay sales go without a hitch.