eBay sellers in Germany can no longer accept cash payments from customers when they pick up their orders. Click & collect is still available, but payments must be made through the “existing standard payment processing”.
eBay Germany informed affiliated retailers of this policy change via email last Friday, and it went into effect this Monday. Sellers are no longer able to select the “Barzahlung bei Abholung” (cash on pickup) option when listing products on eBay, and the cash payment option has been automatically removed from previous listings.
The cash payment option has been removed
eBay is directing sellers to its standard online payment methods, whether through its APIs or not, including various credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Klarna.
More secure
eBay justifies this change by stating that transactions need to be “even more secure” for both buyers and sellers. It is possible that eBay wants more control by processing orders online, making it more difficult for sellers to avoid its sales commissions.
Improved local visibility
German customers can still choose to pick up their orders instead of having them delivered, eBay Germany emphasizes in its message to sellers. Sellers offering the pickup option will continue to benefit from improved local visibility. The company also adds that new self-collection functionality will “improve the purchasing experience” in the coming weeks, without specifying further details.
‘New self-collection functionality will improve the purchasing experience’
Cash on collection
The American company has long held a strong position in the German ecommerce landscape, generating substantial revenue for many retailers. In the UK, where eBay’s position is even stronger, sellers can still offer customers the option of cash on collection.
Source: https://ecommercenews.eu/ebay-germany-discontinues-cash-on-pickup/
