How safe is paypal for sellers

[Count]

Question goes out to hardcore sellers on here.

 

I received an offer on a high value book from someone on the west cost (I'm on the east coast) that I have never dealt with or know. In the past most of my high dollar transactions were paid by either check or money order. The buyer normally is fine with this as I can offer them a larger discount.

 

This buyer is willing to pay slightly more through paypal but I will still incur $200+ in paypal fees.

 

If I sold the book it would be sent via Express Mail (next day) insured for maximum of $5000 which is the USPS limit (which bothers me as the books value is higher).

 

Anyway....after hearing all the horror stories of sellers getting ripped by buyers using paypal and making fraudlent claims that they never received the books or book wasn't as decribed kinda has me worried.

 

How easy is it to have paypal reverse a high dollar transaction? What can I do to protect myself as a seller? Have the postal worker watch me pack the item?

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

[the blob]

I'd be stressed for about 3 months until I was absolutely sure no funny business was going on. Heck, I'm stressed right now on a $600 E-check that just "cleared" where the buyer seems to have been going on a buying spree as of late.

[DougC]

You do not have alot of protection as a seller with paypal as there are many tricks a buyer can use to get their money back. One of the big ones over the past couple months has been claiming the item was counterfeit. I generally do not do any business on paypal over 500$ due to being burned way to many times. If you do go through with it make sure it has DC or signature confirmation, paypal does not recognize "insurance" as a tracking method! Even though the PO can confirm it was delivered paypal will not and you will lose your item and money, and the PO will not help as it was confirmed to be delivered and you are left filling out a mail fraud report that gets thrown in the trash (not really, but nothing comes of it) this is from experience.

[brendanb438]

I would tell him face to face at say a major midwest Comic Convention or have a major east coast seller who will be at a west coast con like ECCC do a face to face transaction for you with payment in some form that they can't charge back the payment later on.

 

Unless this person is a well established comic collector I would not take PayPal. Check with the big time sellers on here if they have ever dealt with this person. If he or she is an "unknown" I would be very concerned.

[october]

Question goes out to hardcore sellers on here.

 

I received an offer on a high value book from someone on the west cost (I'm on the east coast) that I have never dealt with or know. In the past most of my high dollar transactions were paid by either check or money order. The buyer normally is fine with this as I can offer them a larger discount.

 

This buyer is willing to pay slightly more through paypal but I will still incur $200+ in paypal fees.

 

If I sold the book it would be sent via Express Mail (next day) insured for maximum of $5000 which is the USPS limit (which bothers me as the books value is higher).

 

Anyway....after hearing all the horror stories of sellers getting ripped by buyers using paypal and making fraudlent claims that they never received the books or book wasn't as decribed kinda has me worried.

 

How easy is it to have paypal reverse a high dollar transaction? What can I do to protect myself as a seller? Have the postal worker watch me pack the item?

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

Not sure about the Paypal question, but if you are worried about the dollar value of the book vs the amount of insurance, you can always send it registered. It's slower, but safer, and the maximum insurance value is much higher at $25k.

[Junkdrawer]

Question goes out to hardcore sellers on here.

 

I received an offer on a high value book from someone on the west cost (I'm on the east coast) that I have never dealt with or know. In the past most of my high dollar transactions were paid by either check or money order. The buyer normally is fine with this as I can offer them a larger discount.

 

This buyer is willing to pay slightly more through paypal but I will still incur $200+ in paypal fees.

 

If I sold the book it would be sent via Express Mail (next day) insured for maximum of $5000 which is the USPS limit (which bothers me as the books value is higher).

 

Anyway....after hearing all the horror stories of sellers getting ripped by buyers using paypal and making fraudlent claims that they never received the books or book wasn't as decribed kinda has me worried.

 

How easy is it to have paypal reverse a high dollar transaction? What can I do to protect myself as a seller? Have the postal worker watch me pack the item?

 

Thoughts?

 

 

First off, a rookie mistake would be to put $5000 as a declared amount on that box. choose a figure like 4250. 5000 implies that whats in that box is worth more than 5000.

The buyers reputation should be scrutinized. You can get both good and bad vibes just scrolling through feedback. Sure at anytime can a seller ship someone an empty box and likewise a buyer can return to the seller a brick. An honest person would not want to jeopordize their ability to continue to buy or sell and a crook pretty much has just one good chance. Developing a pattern of complaints of empty boxes starts at 2 times in my book. The amount you're talking is an amount that would assure most crooks sleepless nights, knowing that someone they just robbed could be at their door at any point thereafter. Duping someone out of a few hundred isnt worth it and a pattern could not continue and nailing the big fish would be life threatening as well as a jail sentence.

[Dick Pontoon]

Does his last name end in Mehdy?

 

I would be reluctant to conduct such a transaction, and would prefer a face-to-face, or perhaps escrow with someone you both trust.

 

 

[mschmidt]

If you do go through with it make sure it has DC or signature confirmation, paypal does not recognize "insurance" as a tracking method! Even though the PO can confirm it was delivered paypal will not and you will lose your item and money, and the PO will not help as it was confirmed to be delivered and you are left filling out a mail fraud report that gets thrown in the trash (not really, but nothing comes of it) this is from experience.

 

That's just not true - DC isn't valid for anything over $250, and PP does, in fact, recognize insurance as proof of delivery for higher-value items (because the package needs to be signed for if it's insured and is also available for online tracking).

 

In the OP's case, sending it Registered is the only way to go as it allows for insurance for the full value.

[Dr. Balls]

Is there a general dislike for using FedEx or UPS for sending expensive items? I've had claims with all three, and it seems that FedEx and UPS are a little less stressful to deal with should a problem arise. Is there a reason comic sellers don't use them on big ticket items?

[Junkdrawer]

If you do go through with it make sure it has DC or signature confirmation, paypal does not recognize "insurance" as a tracking method! Even though the PO can confirm it was delivered paypal will not and you will lose your item and money, and the PO will not help as it was confirmed to be delivered and you are left filling out a mail fraud report that gets thrown in the trash (not really, but nothing comes of it) this is from experience.

 

That's just not true - DC isn't valid for anything over $250, and PP does, in fact, recognize insurance as proof of delivery for higher-value items (because the package needs to be signed for if it's insured and is also available for online tracking).

 

In the OP's case, sending it Registered is the only way to go as it allows for insurance for the full value.

+1 The blue label used by the USPS is for insured packages with a declared value of $200 and up. Actually if you purchase DC you are wasting your money as it is included in the insured blue label.

[VintageComics]

Ultimately, if the buyer pays with a credit card and can convince their company issuing the card that the purchase is not on the up and up (fraudulent, not delivered, not as promised, etc) , the company can reverse the charges regardless of what you do.

 

So if some supervisor somewhere who is investigating this on behalf of the credit card owner believes the buyer, the charges are reversed.

 

In that case, Paypal has no power.

 

That is the long and short of it as far as I understand it.

 

 

[gregreece]

Despite their claims to the contrary, if someone is out to screw you, Paypal is more than willing to bend you over. When I had the problem with the turd nugget down in FLA not only did they refund the $$ to him without doing any homework, (I ended up getting the book back but with no help what so ever from Paypal), they also charged me $25 for a "Chargeback" fee (which they never refunded despite the fact that this guy tried to defraud 6 sellers.) Paypal actually makes $$ by siding with the criminals. I would not do a $5,000+ deal to an unknown buyer through Paypal. Best of luck.

[Walls]

Is there a general dislike for using FedEx or UPS for sending expensive items? I've had claims with all three, and it seems that FedEx and UPS are a little less stressful to deal with should a problem arise. Is there a reason comic sellers don't use them on big ticket items?

 

When purchasing, I love Fed Ex. For signature confirmation deliveries you can go online reroute the package to your closest fedex shop, show up at your leisure and sign for it then.

 

I hate getting to my house and seeing that dreaded sorry we missed you slip in my mailbox or on my door. Plus, that's just one more trip back to the post office where the employees have the opportunity to destroy whatever is inside.

[CR]

Is there a general dislike for using FedEx or UPS for sending expensive items? I've had claims with all three, and it seems that FedEx and UPS are a little less stressful to deal with should a problem arise. Is there a reason comic sellers don't use them on big ticket items?

 

When purchasing, I love Fed Ex. For signature confirmation deliveries you can go online reroute the package to your closest fedex shop, show up at your leisure and sign for it then.

 

I hate getting to my house and seeing that dreaded sorry we missed you slip in my mailbox or on my door. Plus, that's just one more trip back to the post office where the employees have the opportunity to destroy whatever is inside.

 

UPS has the reroute feature too. It's a pretty nice convenience.

 

I generally prefer to send packages FedEx or UPS.

 

Granted, they can both search your packages without a warrant. But that's not too big of a concern for most of us.

 

Why does it seem some people prefer USPS? Are cost and location factors?

 

 

 

[crassus]

I'm a collector (rarely a seller) living in Canada. While FedEx is pretty much always faster I prefer stuff sent USPS. In my experience there is less complications. Here of course it is Canada Post that completes delivery of the parcel, but if I miss it first time its easier for me to get to the post office and I can do it at my convenience. Everything with FedEx is like waiting for the cable guy ("sometime between 9 and 5" etc). They don't deliver on weekends, I cannot sit home all day waiting, and at least my local postoffice now has Sunday hours too.

 

One other thing about FedEx. Those who ship to Canada will know that the cutoff declared value for tax purposes is $20 CND if not a gift and $60 CND if declared a gift. Thoughtful sellers will keep that well *under* 20 because if it is declared too close to 20 USD Fed Ex will deliver the package without charge in the first instance, but then go away and wait until the fluctuating exchange pushes the declared US value over 20 CND, and then come back with an invoice a month or so later wanting to collect the (now) outstanding tax PLUS a $10 fee charged for collecting the tax, which is in turn taxed again.

 

Never had this nonsense with USPS/Canada Post.

[Jeffreykli]

Where on the West Coast is the buyer? Seems to me the safest route for both buyer and seller is to engage in a trusted middleman (at least for you), and then do the swap in person for a certified check.

 

I'm not sure I'd trust paypal as a seller of a major book. If you have to use paypal, I'd suggest an eCheck, since the paypal fees are much smaller with that form of transaction.

[CR]

Even if you use signature confirmation, what keeps a buyer from claiming to Paypal he received an empty box? Or a box filled with rocks?

 

This always worries me with higher value items and low(er) feedback bidders.

 

Only solution I can think of is to film yourself packing and sealing the box, but I'm suspicious that Paypal still wouldn't be on your side.

[greenhoody]

On big purchases not on ebay I wouldnt want to just mail someone a check or MO, if they never mailed you your item it would take forever in small claims to get it back.

 

However I don't think id take the chance with Paypal if I were you. I know AMEX is amazing about refunding me money no questions asked. Someone used my card and AMEX took all charges off my card in one phone call.

 

On something that high $$ I'd say face to face it.

 

[Count]

Where on the West Coast is the buyer? Seems to me the safest route for both buyer and seller is to engage in a trusted middleman (at least for you), and then do the swap in person for a certified check.

 

I'm not sure I'd trust paypal as a seller of a major book. If you have to use paypal, I'd suggest an eCheck, since the paypal fees are much smaller with that form of transaction.

 

The buyer is in LA. A middleman sure would be the best route....

 

I was on the fence about selling the book in the first place. I might just end up keeping it locked away

 

 

 

[mschmidt]

Is there a general dislike for using FedEx or UPS for sending expensive items? I've had claims with all three, and it seems that FedEx and UPS are a little less stressful to deal with should a problem arise. Is there a reason comic sellers don't use them on big ticket items?

 

The big issue with Fedex is no matter what value you declare on the package (which is their equivalent of insurance), if it's a collectible it'll only be covered up to $1,000 (it used to be $100, but according to their Terms of Service it's now $1,000).

 

They will happily let you declare a higher value (and charge you a higher price), but if there's a claim, you're stuck with $1,000 unless you carry your own insurance.