Selling on Paypal in lieu of Ebay?? Recommendations??

[GalaxySupreme]

Hi everyone. This isn't a story of where I got scammed, I was just wondering what are your recommendations since many of you have experience selling on ebay/paypal.

I have an collectible posted on ebay which is valued from $500 to $600+ depending on the condition of the item. Mine is in good condition, so it is definitely closer to $600.

A ebay buyer offers me $550 best offer, and he can also pay through paypal. It is a fair offer I believe. With Paypal I save $55 in ebay fees. However I have heard multiple Paypal horror stories. Motuxmen's xmen comic book adventure comes to mind. I just checked Paypal's seller protection policy. The only protection they offer is when buyer claims item is not received, and the seller can show shipping proof. If it is an "item not described claim" the seller is screwed. I have even heard cases where a buyer files an item not received, and then changes to item not as described when the seller shows shipping proof.

My general impression is that the ebay seller protection, though flawed, is better protection over paypal. Is it worth the 10% value on the item? Never sold on paypal before, only on ebay. The few times i got a breathlessly romantic paypal proposal on ebay I still chose to stick w/ ebay.

Any experience you guys can share? Thank you

 

[Pro Design]

Paypal and Ebay used to be the same company but have since split. I'm not sure what the real reason is, but would assume part of it has to do with the amount of fraud that goes on... which is astronomical. Ebay eats the cost of items buyers get scammed on fairly often. Also when the buyer is pulling a scam... Even in the case when a buyer is CLEARLY scamming them. Case in point, some of my parts I sell on Ebay. I sell some of my covers for MP transformers. They are mostly around $9 shipped. I occasionally get the scammer filing an "item not as described" case claiming they were expecting to get an MP figure (which is absurd to get a $60-$70 figure for $9) but they'll file the claim stating its not as described. It clearly states in my auctions that the item for sale is a set of covers and "NO FIGURE IS INCLUDED". So it goes back and forth for a bit with me showing 100% the item is as described. The buyer says they didn't read the auction (which according to Ebay is a violation of buyer agreements)... in the end... Ebay pays them and they get to keep the item. 100% scam... 100% proven but Ebay is always on the side of the buyer....

SO....Your example also holds the same danger through Ebay.

If you sell an item to a scumbag on Ebay... he gets it then breaks it and files a broken claim, you'll eat it because Ebay pretty much sides w/ it's buyers.

 

[GalaxySupreme]

Paypal and Ebay used to be the same company but have since split. I'm not sure what the real reason is, but would assume part of it has to do with the amount of fraud that goes on... which is astronomical. Ebay eats the cost of items buyers get scammed on fairly often. Also when the buyer is pulling a scam... Even in the case when a buyer is CLEARLY scamming them. Case in point, some of my parts I sell on Ebay. I sell some of my covers for MP transformers. They are mostly around $9 shipped. I occasionally get the scammer filing an "item not as described" case claiming they were expecting to get an MP figure (which is absurd to get a $60-$70 figure for $9) but they'll file the claim stating its not as described. It clearly states in my auctions that the item for sale is a set of covers and "NO FIGURE IS INCLUDED". So it goes back and forth for a bit with me showing 100% the item is as described. The buyer says they didn't read the auction (which according to Ebay is a violation of buyer agreements)... in the end... Ebay pays them and they get to keep the item. 100% scam... 100% proven but Ebay is always on the side of the buyer....

SO....Your example also holds the same danger through Ebay.

If you sell an item to a scumbag on Ebay... he gets it then breaks it and files a broken claim, you'll eat it because Ebay pretty much sides w/ it's buyers.

Yea, I get what you mean about the buyer breaking the item. There is virtually no chance ebay will side with the seller if the buyer breaks the item in the 45 day period.

But those are my only two options, Paypal directly or ebay. I'm guessing ebay is the lesser of two evils? At least Ebay PRETENDS to allow sellers to argue in an item not as described case. Paypal straight up just sides with the buyers. That is literally what they say in their seller protection policy. No seller protection for item not as described claims.

 

[GalaxySupreme]

It never occurred to me, but pulling a fast one on ebay would be pretty easy. Set up a buyer and paypal account on two different addresses. Open up an item post for a $10,000 item. Pretend to open a dispute resolution case, and refuse to refund the buyer as the seller. Ebay steps in and refunds the buyer. Final step: Profit. Lower item price as needed to avoid suspicion.

Ebay and Paypal deserve the fraud they are getting for their idiotic system.

Oh wait you would need $10,000 to purchase the item first. Nvm. But I guess you can always just take a sellers item and send them back a box of rocks.

 

[Pro Design]

honestly its a risk for either... and both are the same in my opinion.

the best way to sell any larger item is to take several pics of the item, boxing it, and dropping off at the post office. it's what i do w/ any more expensive items. takes away any doubt to prove what you sent in the event someone wants to play around. i also email the buyer the whole set of pix (usually take no less than 5 pix showing all that) copy of the shipping receipt which shows the weight and tracking info so that they know up front there is 100% photo proof of what is coming their way.

 

[Solidus]

honestly its a risk for either... and both are the same in my opinion.

the best way to sell any larger item is to take several pics of the item, boxing it, and dropping off at the post office. it's what i do w/ any more expensive items. takes away any doubt to prove what you sent in the event someone wants to play around. i also email the buyer the whole set of pix (usually take no less than 5 pix showing all that) copy of the shipping receipt which shows the weight and tracking info so that they know up front there is 100% photo proof of what is coming their way.

Yeah, the risks are the same for both. It's true even on Ebay, if the buyer claims a figure isn't accurate, you'll have to provide photographic evidence of the contents for the shipment.

As for PayPal, if you're doing the transaction outside of Ebay, you can request the buyer pay you as "gift" and not goods and services. It's security for you, and he'll have to trust you to deliver his figure.

I've sold numerous things through Paypal transactions and never had any issues. The only real down-side is that you won't be able to receive any feedback for the sale.

 

[GalaxySupreme]

Yeah, the risks are the same for both. It's true even on Ebay, if the buyer claims a figure isn't accurate, you'll have to provide photographic evidence of the contents for the shipment.

As for PayPal, if you're doing the transaction outside of Ebay, you can request the buyer pay you as "gift" and not goods and services. It's security for you, and he'll have to trust you to deliver his figure.

I've sold numerous things through Paypal transactions and never had any issues. The only real down-side is that you won't be able to receive any feedback for the sale.

Oh I didn't even think using the gift option that way. But most of the time doesn't that scare your buyer off?

What I have in my mind is that when a buyer asks ebay seller for a paypal direct transaction, it is basically asking the seller to take a leap of faith, because the paypal seller protection is that atrocious. Just claim that the item you received was not as described, and boom, free item. Any dispute resolution process is just red tape a buyer has to go through to get a free item.

I took clear photos for my ebay post, and I am hoping that is worth something in protecting me.

 

[Solidus]

I usually just tell them something like, "please make sure to send the money as a "gift payment", and as soon as I receive it, I'll ship your package" . It hasn't scared anyone off... yet.

I never had to use Buyer Protection before, on either Ebay or Paypal, but that truly sounds awful. It's good you took some pictures, though, hopefully that'll be enough if worse comes to worst.

 

[The Ween]

When I first used eBay, I never used PayPal. I always paid with money orders or bank checks. Can you do that again now?

 

[Solidus]

I think Paypal is mandatory now. I sent money orders a few times in 2006, but it was always a bit dicey. I never knew if the sellers were going to ship or not.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

When I first used eBay, I never used PayPal. I always paid with money orders or bank checks. Can you do that again now?

There's no money order option anymore

 

[The Ween]

There's no money order option anymore

Okay, I thought maybe they'd bring that back since they're not together with Paypal anymore.

 

[The Ween]

We really need an eBay questions & answers thread. I thought there used to be one. But I can't find it. One that isn't all about specific people who have ripped you off. That one I can find.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Okay, I thought maybe they'd bring that back since they're not together with Paypal anymore.

eBay might, we'll see what happens