To 'PayPal' or not to 'PayPal'....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CraigN

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess

I refuse to pay with money orders, because it's virtually impossible to trace them if a seller claims "it never arrived" (yeah, right) and the fee to cancel them ($8 and up) and get your money back usually comes close to exceeding the cost of many MRR items I bid on.

But I've used PayPal for over four years and never had any sort of problem.

You could get delivery confirmation for the letter you mail the money order in for just a small charge if your that worried.

Oh, so then I get to pay a fee for buying a money order, plus another fee for DCing the letter - no thanks. As a buyer, PP costs me nothing extra.

I have had more than one person rip me off doing the MO thing - and ZERO ripoffs with PP.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JJUrich
[The only thing you have to watch is shipping some people go way over board with the rates.

That has nothing to do with PayPal, it has to do with the eBay seller overcharging.


Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

I try to bid only on Pay Pal items it is a lot easyer My wife takes care of it and she hates it when I hit a money order I have only been ripped off once with PP The only thing you have to watch is shipping some people go way over board with the rates.

[raynbecky]

I have over 500 transactions on E-Bay and have used PayPal for most of it. Love it, consider it a must have. When I first started I didn't want to go through the supposed hassle of using PayPal. After I started buying as well I definitely saw the value. I'm convinced I have made more money on items by offering very flexible buying options on E-Bay with PayPal than I have when I didn't have it as a purchasing option for buyers. My sell to buy rating is about 3 sells for every buy. Needless to say, I do a lot more selling on E-Bay than buying.

[ProtoWeathering]

Here is a copy of the letter that you will get from PayPal. It will be addressed
directly to you, not to a generic entity. (That's the first clue that the email is fradulent.)

Dear Jerry Jackson, NOTE: NOT Dear PayPal Member)

Thank you for contacting PayPal.

We appreciate you bringing this suspicious email to our attention. We can
confirm that the email you received was not sent to you by PayPal.

The website linked to this email is not a registered URL authorized or used
by PayPal. We are currently investigating this incident fully.

Please do not enter any personal or financial information into this website.
If you have surrendered any personal or financial information to this fraudulent
website, you should immediately log into your PayPal Account and change
your password and secret question and answer information. Any compromised financial information should be reported to the appropriate
parties.

If you notice any unauthorized activity associated with your PayPal transaction
history, please immediately report this to PayPal by following the instructions
below:

1. Log in to your account at https://www.paypal.com/ by entering your email
address and password into the Member Log In box
2. Click on Security Center at the bottom of the page
3. Click on the 'Unauthorized Transaction' link under the Report a Problem column
4. Please follow the instructions in order to access the appropriate form

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us again.

Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department
************************************************************************
This email is sent to you by the contracting entity to your User Agreement, either PayPal Inc or PayPal (Europe) Limited. PayPal(Europe) Limited is
authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK as an
electronic money institution.
*************************************************************************
PayPal and its representatives will NEVER ask you to reveal your password.
There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy. If anyone claiming to work for PayPal
asks for your password under any circumstances, by email or by phone,
please refuse and immediately contact us via webform at https://www.paypal.com/wf/f=sa_pass.
**************************************************************************

[davekelly]

CraigN,

Excellent idea of using a separate bank account strictly for pay pal activities. You can thus keep the balance in it low so that should something go wrong it won't be a big hit. You could also use that account for your purchases, transferring only enough into it to cover what you are buying. That way your credit card never gets into the loop.

Neutrino,

It is very interesting to read of some of the ways these identity theft folks operate. While many are very easy to detect (the bad grammer etc) some are quite sophisticated. Unfortunately, because of the shifting of federal law enforcement resources to the war on terrorism and homeland defense, I think that this is an area that is giong to get worse before it gets better. The recent theft of the hundreds of credit card records shows that as consumers you can do everything right and still run the risk of getting your identity stolen (I think it was USA Today had an interesting article concerning web sites where you can purchase credit card account numbers with enough information to make purchases). Of course maybe this incident will move identity theft a little higher on the priority list.

Dave

[ProtoWeathering]

QUOTE: If you don't play by their rules, which change without notice each day, they'll nail you.

Sorry, that's a false statement. Maybe you could back it up with some facts?

I have successfully used PayPal hundreds of times. When you purchase by credit card anywhere, the seller pays a fee to the card company. When I sell on eBay, PayPal takes a fee. Why are so many people reluctant to pay a fee for services rendered? For a small business their service is invaluable.

When you receive and email from someone purported to be either eBay or PayPal, just forward the email to:

[e-mail] or [e-mail]

You will receive a confirmation email from either of them stating the email was indeed a fraud and thanking you for helping them investigate this fraudulent action. A minute of your time to do this can help fight these jerks. Plus the return emails give you some great pointers on how to avoid identity theft. They're not as obvious as you think.

Jerry

[davekelly]

My wife just reminded me of this.

About a year ago I bought an item from a seller that I had dealt with several times previously with super results. I paid by paypal and waited for my item. Well, two weeks went by and no package in the mail. I wrote a short email asking if there was a problem. He said he never received payment. I went to the paypal site, cut and pasted the transaction info and emailed it to him. Within an hour I got a very apologetic email from him and he expressed mailed my item to me at his expense. Was he a fraudfeasor? Nope, just a guy that made a mistake (he has over 400 seller transactions with 100 percent positive feedback). It took me about 2 minutes to get the paypal info to him and i'm sure it took him about the same amount of time to check his paypal account to see that I had paid (the transaction detail also shows what ebay item the payment is attached to). Had I paid by check I doubt I would have gone through the hassle of getting a copy of the cancelled check from the bank (it was only a $10.00 item) and I would have hated to see what hassle I would have to go through to show that a money order had been cashed. Had I gone that route I probably would have just written off the transaction - but by using paypal we were able to resolve the problem in no time at all. Of course as a seller he would have wrecked his perfect feedback because of a simple oversight. Kinda win win.

[CraigN]

Dave,
From reading some of the responses here, I do plan on starting an account someday. I am leary about passing my current account number out. But i will open a new account at a Credit union (no service charges) to do it. And use that account for only that purpose and maybe a credit card for my purchases..

The use of Pay Pal does have it's merits and I now can see why people prefer it.

Craig

[davekelly]

Craig,

Excellent point. No I probably wouldn't not pass it by just because you didn't accept pay pal, but of course it's because I feel like I know you through these forums. I don't say this lightly. I have passed on items where what the seller would accept was very restrictive - ie: Postal Money orders only. Unlike your situation, getting the post office is a royal pain for me and I'd rather advoid it - to the point that I would consider paying perhaps, to use your example, $45.00 if I could use paypal. I figure the buck or so that a postal money order costs, plus the hassle of making a special trip to the post office to purchase the MO (using for example my old job, if I were to stay and work the same amount of time that it would take me to get the post office, I would earn about $10.00) and then mailing it to you is not worth the five spot- but then that's just me.

Your question about the Kato is an interesting one that perhaps could be worded the other way. You sell it for $40 accepting only a postal money order. Would you turn down someone that is willing to give you $50, but wants you to accept pay pal? If you refuse to do this are you foolish for letting an anti paypal stance get in the way of a great deal?

Of course you aren't foolish. For you, the postal money order is more convenient. It's the way you choose to do business. Just like this hobby - if it meets your needs and makes you happy - then it is the correct way to do business.

There is no right or wrong way to sell or buy things. Just as some folks prefer to use cash, others debit cards, others checks and others credit cards. Just as some merchants only accept cash, others accept local checks, some accept all checks, some Visa, some American Express. The key is for each person to look at the various options - balance convenience, cost, risk, etc etc. and then make the decision that is right for them.

Many of the folks here (and I include you CraigN) make some excellent pro and con points concerning paypal. There never is a simple answer!

Just my opinion.

Dave

[CraigN]

I don't have a pay pal account yet.

I have always used Post Office Money orders, The Post Office is less than 1/2 a mile away and I have to pick up my mail there anyways. So for me, it is very easy, that's why I prefer it that way. I receive a Post Office money order and I can cash it right there. And I send out the item I sell the same day usually. Unless I pick up my mail near closing time.




For those of you that will only buy using Pay Pal, I ask you this:


If I was to sell a brand new in the box Kato engine for say 40 bucks, and it was one that is no longer made. And you have been searching for one for months, would you refuse to buy it just because I wanted a Post Office money order ?




In my opinion,I personally would find that foolish! Not everyone has a Pay Pal account and I wouldn't let that stand in the way of a great deal!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CraigN

QUOTE: Originally posted by nwcrazy

If you choose not to use PayPal to sell an item because of the fee, think about this: If you list something in the classifieds of your newspaper, you have to pay for the ad. .

The seller is already paying the advertising fee to Ebay.

Sorry, I already knew that but didn't elaborate in my earlier post. Even with both fees, is that really enough to lose sleep over? The convenience factor is the driving force for me.

Robert

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CraigN

QUOTE: Originally posted by nwcrazy

If you choose not to use PayPal to sell an item because of the fee, think about this: If you list something in the classifieds of your newspaper, you have to pay for the ad. .

The seller is already paying the advertising fee to Ebay.

Paypal's 2.9% seller fee for collecting the funds from the buyer is quite reasonable -- less than many banks charge for a merchant account. And if you check online for payment processing fees charged by other mechant organizations, you'll quickly realize Paypal is a bargain.

You get your money instantly ... that ought to be worth *something*. Banks certainly think so ... and you pay for it, too ... more than Paypal charges, you can "bank" on that. [;)]

[CraigN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess

I refuse to pay with money orders, because it's virtually impossible to trace them if a seller claims "it never arrived" (yeah, right) and the fee to cancel them ($8 and up) and get your money back usually comes close to exceeding the cost of many MRR items I bid on.

But I've used PayPal for over four years and never had any sort of problem.

You could get delivery confirmation for the letter you mail the money order in for just a small charge if your that worried.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

I guess I'm going with PayPal.

What type of account should I have if its just to sell little things on eBay? Personal or Premium?

At once if you sold over $100.00 on eBay through PayPal in 30 days you had to go Premium. It may have changed now.

Bob Boudreau

[CraigN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nwcrazy

If you choose not to use PayPal to sell an item because of the fee, think about this: If you list something in the classifieds of your newspaper, you have to pay for the ad. .

The seller is already paying the advertising fee to Ebay.

[AggroJones]

I guess I'm going with PayPal.

What type of account should I have if its just to sell little things on eBay? Personal or Premium?

[Anonymous]

If you choose not to use PayPal to sell an item because of the fee, think about this: If you list something in the classifieds of your newspaper, you have to pay for the ad. If you trade your car into a dealership, you are basically throwing away the difference you got from the dealership versus what you would get by selling your vehicle outright. In either case, the money spent or lost can potentially be quite a bit.

[1shado1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Virginian

I pay with PayPal when the seller accepts it, but I do not accept it because I sell very little, and then I only accept U. S. Postal Money orders, or a certified cashiers check from a bank.

What does the amount you sell have to do with accepting Paypal or not???[%-)]

"I don't eat chocolate pudding because brussels sprouts are green"

You only accept U.S. Postal Money Orders or certified cashiers checks? No wonder you sell very little...(just my opinion)

[Virginian]

If you want to charge extra for accepting PayPal then just say so in the description.
I pay with PayPal when the seller accepts it, but I do not accept it because I sell very little, and then I only accept U. S. Postal Money orders, or a certified cashiers check from a bank. If someone does not want to go to the time and trouble of getting one of those then they can just sit and watch someone else get the item. I have had no issues with PP, and don't see how you can possibly blame them for someone else's phishing emails.
Read you credit card terms. I always use those because I am protected even if someone does get the account number or doesn't send me the item. I expect people to trust me but I do not trust them. (so, I'm a hypocrite, I know it and accept it)
Everything has fees except the government, and they have taxes which are worse. Ya' gotta pay if ya' wants to play.

[Anonymous]

I refuse to pay with money orders, because it's virtually impossible to trace them if a seller claims "it never arrived" (yeah, right) and the fee to cancel them ($8 and up) and get your money back usually comes close to exceeding the cost of many MRR items I bid on.

But I've used PayPal for over four years and never had any sort of problem.

[davekelly]

Although I doubt anyone would ever do it for the relatively small amounts that are related to MRR, you can, in effect "cancel" a money order. The post office and some other issuers will replace a money order if you report it as lost or stolen. How can you do this if, as you point out, you've sent the original away? When you purchase a money order (both from the Post Office or from some other source) it comes in a two piece package. One you send and one you keep. The part you keep is your receipt and would be used to process a replacement. The seller, gets the original money order, deposits it and sends the goods. By the time the original money order gets processed and tagged as lost or stolen the seller is long gone. What are the chances of it happening? Probably not high - but it is a possibility. Some ebay sellers I've noticed hold off on sending items paid for by money orders same as a check - so I can only assume that there have been some folks burned by receiving money orders.

What happens if you deposit a money order that has been reported lost or stolen? I don't know the answer to this, but it would seem that one of two outcomes would happen. The first is that you don't get the money (which is why people shy away from reporting conterfeit bills). Or you would have to deal with whatever investigation the issuing entity initiates.

[alzcmf]

Dave Kelly wrote:

edit..." accepting a check or money order, getting to the bank to deposit it, and running the risk of having it bounce ( yeah money orders can bounce too if the purchaser of it cancels it before you cash it)."

For the life of me, I cannot recall anyone being able to cancel a U.S. Postal Service money order, AFTER purchasing same. If the money order was sent to you, how could someone cancel, or stop payment on it ??? I doubt if you could cancel any money order, if you can't return the original ( the one you would send to a seller), for a refund!

ATZ

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