Kriton Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Hey, I have an opportunity to pick up a good center channel speaker for decent price. The seller wants to sell me the thing by FEDEX COD, in other words I pay when the item is received. Anyone ever bought this way before? What are the pros and cons of doing a transaction like this? Can I open up the received box before payment to inspect that it is what the seller says it is, and in the correct condition before forking over the cash to the deliveryman? What is the recourse if granny's petrified undies are in the box instead of the speaker? Just curious, K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfogg Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Usually you can't open the package and inspect it when receiving a COD package. You are assured of getting something this way but not really assured of it being what it is claimed. I have heard the package can be marked 'inspection allowed' or something like that but I don't know if that is true. I have used COD a few times to purchase items and haven't had a problem. Like every other thing it all depends upon if the seller is honest or not. I did have something of a scare selling Fedex or Airborne COD once though. I sent a $1800ish COD to Puerto Rico. Because it was outside of the continental US it got held up at the local shipping location as I hadn't included an invoice for customs. After faxing that to them they got the paper work all squared away and got the package on the way. However... they screwed up the paper work and *forgot* to keep it a COD delivery. I got an e-mail from the guy that the package arrived but that they didn't collect any money for it. Luckily he was an honest guy and mailed me a check that day which cleared and every thing was fine but I had a worried week or two till the check arrived. I think he worked for the FBI as he had me send to the COD to the FBIs office there. Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kriton Posted October 26, 2005 Author Share Posted October 26, 2005 Well, I guess there are no guarantees with any private purchase, through paypal or otherwise. Being a private sale, I just don't know what to think. BUT, it isn't anywhere near $1800.00! Thanks for the reply! Anyone else have any experience with this? K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 hi K I do a lot of work with FedEx (see http://www.periship.com ) here's the scoop: The courier is not supposed to give you the package until the courier has the payment in his/her hand. You do not have the right to ask the courier to wait while you open the package and inspect the contents. If there is a problem with the contents, you must take that up with the shipper - FedEx is not involved. Even if you had a friendly courier who hung around for a few minutes while you opened the package (not likely given their workloads and aggresive schedules), if you found a problem inside the box the courier is not going to take the package back to the shipper. If you refuse to accept the box - it's busted up, or for whatever reason you just don't want to accept it - FedEx will return the package to the shipper, *BUT* you make this decision *BEFORE* you hand over payment. Personally I wouldn't do COD with an EBay shipper unless I had a prior relationship with the shipper or the shipper had a goodly large amount of positive feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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