Greater Manchester Police launched their ‘Internet Purchase Exchange Location’ scheme, a place where people who are trading goods online can meet potential buyers or sellers in a safe environment.
The concept is simple according to the Police. An Internet Purchase Exchange Location is a designated area outside a public building or police station where people can meet to exchange money and goods following purchases on internet sites such as eBay, Craigslist and Gumtree. They go on to say that it “reduces the risk to individuals by removing the need for people to divulge their home addresses”.
This isn’t a new idea however, just the first ‘safe’ location in the UK and as is often the case it’s an idea imported from the US.
We’re guessing that the local Manchester cops don’t want professional sellers turning up so the Internet Purchase Exchange Location must be designed for consumers. These would be the same consumers who 20 or 30 years ago were happily buying and selling with the classified ads in the local paper or the postcard sales boards in local supermarkets.
One does wonder how our near ancestors and older generation coped without a safe place to exchange their purchases, although in fairness the attraction of running off with your dads second hand petrol mower probably isn’t quite as great (or easy) as running off with your iPhone or Macbook.
2 Responses
yeah right
anything goes wrong and you shout for help and all the bizzies are bizzie we need more police not half arsed ideas
I like the idea. It is better than meeting someone at someones home. As an ebay trader without a local store you can use it as an option: Pick up from Manchaster Purchase Exchange between 2-4 p.m.