PayPal

[Dudley]

Anyone have an opinion on PayPal? Plusses or minuses.

[Ethel]

I love PayPal for eBay - I don't think I'd use it anywhere else though.

As a buyer I will only buy on eBay using PayPal - it's quick, and if the PayPal protection shield is showing, I am protected against fraud and will get my money back. It is by far the safest way to buy on eBay.

As a seller, I don't have to wait for cheques to arrive and then clear. Provided I follow the rules I know I am protected.
Yes, there are fees. But I sell a lot of higher value items and it means my buyers can use their credit cards if they want to. I think the fees are reasonable, especially as I would have to pay petrol and parking fees to deposit cheques.

PayPal users must understand the rules, or they could lose out. But by being careful and complying it is very safe.

I know I would lose a lot of sales if I did not accept PayPal.

[kags]

I agree with Ethel - I won't buy on ebay unless the seller accepts Paypal, and when I sell I much prefer it - banking cheques is a pain as is waiting for them to arrive with parcels hanging around the house waiting to be posted. The fees can be high on smaller priced items but I still think it's worth the price. I have used it a few times other than on Ebay, to but things from overseas, and have never had any problems with it.

[kags]

I agree with Ethel - I won't buy on ebay unless the seller accepts Paypal, and when I sell I much prefer it - banking cheques is a pain as is waiting for them to arrive with parcels hanging around the house waiting to be posted. The fees can be high on smaller priced items but I still think it's worth the price. I have used it a few times other than on Ebay, to buy things from overseas, and have never had any problems with it.

[Pippa68]

The only problems I have had with paypal are these:

2 separate auctions didn't arrive (both low value, approx �5.00 each) so I applied for a refund. Unfortunately the sellers didn't have enough money in their paypal accounts and became unregistered so I didn't receive refunds. They may have been low amounts, but if this happened a lot you would lose a lot of money!

Another experience was as a seller early on in my ebay career. The buyer claimed that their item didn't arrive, and paypal refunded them immediately. I made the mistake of not sending the goods recorded, as per buyers request.

I now make sure everything is sent recorded (as per paypal rules) regardless of whether the buyer prefers to spend less on shipping.

[Ethel]

Pippa68 - you didn't take the precaution of looking for the PayPal protection shield on the listing. If you only buy from buyers that have this, you would have got all your money back.

Had you sent cash, cheque, postal order or any other payment, the outcome would have been the same - you would have lost your money.

Do you know the buyer did not receive the goods? Parcels do get lost in the post . A lot of parcels get lost. You don't know you were ripped off.
Understand the rules and follow them and your money will be safe, as buyer and seller.

[Pippa68]

I agree, Ethel!

I don't know if I was ripped off ~ however after looking at the feedback received and left by the buyer it did seem to be a regular occurance ;o) as I said, at the time I posted the goods out on instruction by the buyer. Since this episode I have followed paypal guidelines to the letter and sent my parcels recorded delivery ~ paypal insist on sending goods via tracking.

I am also only bidding on auctions with paypal protection nowadays. I have only stated my concerns regarding these transactions as a warning to others to do the same..

[Ethel]

Understood and fully agree, Pippa. :)