Hello eBay Sellers!  Please Vote "Yes"... If you find this guide at all helpful.

Many of you have probably already figured this out and simply refuse to offer "LOCAL PICKUP" however, it can be done properly and relatively safely offering MORE advantages to the SELLER than to the BUYER.  Of course if PERSONAL safety is a concern or if you are selling from your home then by all means DON'T OFFER IT; This guide is only referring to financial safety!

We here at PartsDiscounter choose to offer Local Pickup but it must be on OUR TERMS so that we can protect the financial integrity of the transaction.  If a buyer is located near your listed item location he or she may feel more comfortable giving you their hard earned money after having seen the item.  In today's society of thieves and immoral scoundrels we understand this concern and that is why PartsDiscounter allows Local pickup.

The precautionary measures that we would suggest follow.

The DO NOT LIST:

• DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO USE PAYPAL!!!
• PayPal does NOT look out for sellers no matter how much they claim to do so!
• PayPal will have NO Qualms with taking the money away from you and leaving you high and dry if you don't have a tracking number to PROVE THE ITEM WAS DELIVERED!!!
• If you have the signature, photocopy, thumbprint, and photos mentioned below you will stand a moderate chance of getting to keep the money but it is still risky so... just don't do it!
• DO NOT ACCEPT A CHECK!!!
• Personal checks can bounce easily
• Counterfeit Cashier's checks are abound everywhere!
• Cashier's Checks can be CANCELLED!
• DO NOT BREAK RULES OR GO AGAINST YOUR JUDGEMENT
• Because you know the person
• Because you have done business with them before
• Because he / she doesn't LOOK LIKE a crook
• For any other reason either!
  

The DO LIST:

• DO GET A SIGNATURE
• Have the buyer sign a receipt that says they received the item by local pickup
• DO PHOTOCOPY
• Get an image of their ID or Driver's License and make sure the signature's match!
  
• DO TAKE A THUMBPRINT
• If the buyer will let you this is pretty solid proof that the buyer was there
• If you can get a thumbprint on that day's newspaper now you have proof that they were there on the day of the transaction!
  
• DO TAKE PHOTOS... EVERYBODY selling on eBay has a digital camera or camera phone right?
• Photograph the item(s)
• Photograph the buyer with the item(s)
• Photograph the Seller and Buyer together with the item(s) if you can
• Photograph the buyer's car and the buyer putting the item(s) in the car
  
• DO TAKE CASH...  BUT:
• Only if you have a COUNTERFEIT DETECTION MARKER that you can pickup at a local office supply for a couple of bucks (save this and use it often!)
• DO TAKE A MONEY ORDER...  BUT:
• ONLY if you follow the buyer to the Store and witness them purchase it!
• DO ACCEPT A CREDIT CARD...  BUT:
• Only if you got the copies of the items mentioned above to protect yourself against a chargeback!
• Credit card companies WILL look at ALL of your evidence UNLIKE PayPal who will only concern themselves with thracking numbers!
  
• Credit Card Companies are usually very SELLER friendly IF THE DOCUMENTATION IS IN ORDER...
  
• If your documentation is not in order or if you are lazy and don't do the stuff mentioned here you have a very good chance of KISSING YOUR MONEY GOODBYE!
• IN OUR EXPERIENCE, even PayPal is a good option when using Virtual Terminal... IF YOU HAVE YOUR DOCUMENTATION IN ORDER because their credit card processing checks and records A LOT of the buyer's data that just swiping a card will not do which further backs up your EVIDENCE!!!
• DO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
• Keep copies of emails, dates and times of phone calls, EVERYTHING related to the transaction!
  

If you are not willing to do this stuff as your DUE DILIGENCE as a SELLER then just don't offer Local Pickup and keep tracking numbers for everything.  Problem solved but you may lose a small percentage of buyers!

Best of Luck,

PartsDiscounter

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