OT: E-Bay Question

Instant Gratification

Jim Reed @Tallahassee

>Using PPal is just a business decision. It costs money, but it adds speed and convenience. I have customers who buy using PPal and receive their item within a few days. Some customers are pleased and expect the speed while others don't seem to care.

The system

Bob Hackett

>Todd,have you by any chance noticed the option the seller has of accepting another bid if things go bad with the winning bidder?That`s a recent change that greatly favors the seller and rightly so.

The sad fact is that not everyone who sells on E-bay is as knowledgable or as honest as yourself.

Call me foolish but after talking on the phone to one seller I even mailed cash,the sale went off without a hitch on either end.

If everyone were as honest as you and as trusting as I things would be far better in the world.Unfortunately greed,deception and stupidity have to interfere.

There are days when unfortunately it seems like folks are lined up waiting for throwbacks such as us.What matters most is that we can look at ourselves and feel good about what we see.

Despite the rough exterior(and choices in headgear)I think most of us here see someone we both like and trust when we see you.Don`t change,not even the hat.

Mainely,Bob

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Kudzu

>Sounds like the seller turned you in as a deadbeat/non paying seller. Ebay (as far as I know) doesn't look at your negative feedback numbers.

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>I am with you, Pam. I use Paypal regularly (for non-eBay stuff sometimes, too). Quicken Bill Pay for other stuff. Buy Now with One Click on Amazon. Envelopes? Postage? Post office visits for money orders? Not for me.

I had my American Express card cloned the other month (I think we discussed this). It was not from on-line usage; it was mostly likely done at a shop or restaurant, as I now understand after talking to a fraud cop.

Oh, well, too each his own.

PayPal for Todd?

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>I, of course, can not make a business decision for you, but I can state that I have skipped over sellers occasionally that required checks or money orders. If I can find the equivalent item from a PayPal guy, I will go for him.

I have bought stuff from you, and it was mostly sort of unusual, so that tendency did not apply. And, too, I kind of know who you are. ;-)

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>Hi Bob,

What is the eBay Item Number for the item in question?

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>You do have to be careful online, mainly in choosing vendors who have quality systems. I made the mistake of buying a pest repeller from a sleeze vendor (this wasn't my intent, it wasn't even cheap), had a couple or three thousand in phony charges. I have to say the solution was almost carefree and, so far as I know, 100% was refunded, didn't actually lose a penny.

As nearly as I can tell, it's the vendors who lose big time when fraudulent charges are made. My bank simply takes back the money from the vendor's bank, who in turn stiffs the vendor, who, I'm sure, tries to find the miscreant.

[deleted by Moderator]

Pam

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Dean Lapinel

>I am with you. I don't like the potential vulnerability of paypal. There is no way that I will provide them my checking account number, social security number, birthplace etc (if you want paypal credit).

I do understand why some sellers insist on paypal only. Less paperwork-less waiting.

Once my first unverified funds of $2000 run out I will bow out and simply not bid on any auction that has those payment limitations (unless I get prebidding permission to pay differently.

Here's another funny one though. Pay by Money order or cashiers check and the seller sends the item off the same day. Most sellers don't realize that times have changed and money orders as well as cashiers checks need to clear over a period of days as well. A buyer could (I have verified this) cancel their M.O. or cashiers check on the same day that a seller receives the check. The unknowing seller will then deposit this check, send the item then discover two days later that the M.o or cashiers check is no good.

I have sold items and find that it takes one to two additional days for these types of checks to clear. faster than personal checks and easier to check using toll free numbers.

Re: OT: E-Bay Question

Todd Hughes

>My bank has warned me about the danger of counterfit money orders apparently it is a very real danger and the fake ones look really good. I don't know if you would have to worry about these on ebay since you do have the guys address that gave you the MO....Have to admit with most personal checks I don't hold the item to wait for them to clear but just ship it like I would if i got a money order. When I used to sell stuff i made i would ship it first befor I even got any payment,[never took a down payment].Many times at shows i would let a person take somthing and have them send me the payment later when they had it. Never really had any problims with any of this....Todd

money orders

Ernie Miller Topeka

>I had a fool send me a stolen postal money order. They confinscated it from me at the post office and was escorted to the back room they wanted to know where I got it I told them it came from the person who was buying this plane in the package in my hand. I agreed to let them ship the package for free and they would return it to me at a later date. I said yes bet they shipped an empty box or somthing instead they left a slip for the person to picket it up at the post office and aressted them. They pleaded guilty so I would not have to go testify. I was hoping for a free trip but Noooo. Only bad check problem for me. I have had people say they never recieved somthing when they signed for it though.

Re: paypal

Ernie Miller Topeka

>There are some + & - of it but I do think it pays for it's self in higher prices realized for me. On the other hand I don't get the same price as you do when we list very simular items. but That is do to you highh feedback rating I think. one proble with pay pal if you withdraw more than $500 a month you will have to fill out a 1099 form. which might or might not help at tax time. but as not having filled out that info with them I allways have several hundred tied up untill my next withdraw period. The majority of my sales end on sunday half of my items get shipped on monday fallowing the sale some dosent go untill wednesday because they are slower hitting the pay now button and a few people send a check when they find time. maybe 10% send checks. If I am selling for a some one else I don't accept paypal and them items do sell for less off the top of my head 10-20% depending of the item and the final value. cheaper items the % is higher after it hits $150-$200 things seem to even out a little more. Somthing nice with a buy it now at the high end jumps fast. some things are gon in less than ten minutes.

Heck of a good Idea!

Ernie Miller Topeka

>You can pick them up at the mall in any denomation and recharge them at you convience. You can allways e-mail me and I will paypall the money for you. as long as we know each other as we do. I have done this for others befor with no problems. I'll have to add your address to my account or some sellers won't ship to you direct. The ones I hate are the Euro's tha only take cash from there country from Americans. I would do Paypal or a money order from there post office but cash no way.

Re: paypal

Todd Hughes

>Interesting, Ernie...Really sounds like much more work for me and very complicated and potentaly expensive for maybe just a bit more money.I am still not convinced that it would be much more.In the past I have had people email saying they are interested in somthing but they won't bid if they can't use Paypal. I emailed them back and told them if they win they can pay me using paypal though a girlfriend of mine who takes paypal. NEVER have one of these people won an auction of mine.I think with common cheap stuff yeah you might get more bidders but would it be worth it to me for the other stuff that would sell the same maybe if i don't take Paypal? Was interesting that I think you said about 90% of your buyers pay using Paypal with Paypal taking I believe 3% this would soon get pretty pricey for me.

Am curious why you would use "Buy it Now". I never do this because I am always surprised what stuff sell for.If I put somthing up and it sold in 10 min. with a buy it now it would bother me so much thinking I sold it to cheap I wouldn't be able to sleep for a week!....Todd

Buy it now

Ernie Miller Topeka

>If it is a common item #5 and you place it at the high end of the going value maybe a little higher and it goes right now I have a fast return on investment. if some one doesent buy it now and places a bid trying to get it on the cheap than it runs like a regular auction. I have recentaly sold 2 #5 bedrock lever caps at $35 buy it now I think that is a fair price for me. seems to be high average. It also make my sunday night go easier as there is less to pack for monday shipment. I use the buy it now less now they have raised the prices. at a 5� it wasn't bad but with it being more I have stopped. Do you know any thing about eBay stores? they keep calling me about opening one but up untill now I only listed 5-10 things a week recently I have had to start listing more to keep the inventory down. I have som much paper to list it is driving me nuts. but a $10 a sheet or more I will do it.