PayPal as a Gift

[jobathenut]

I just had to chime in to what you said about ebay,or greedbay as i call it.I also was a member back in the good old days when you could pay the way you wanted on there and i loved it.And then it went to hell when they bought paypal and then demand you pay only that way.I am still not sure how thats not a monopoly but whatever.I had to stop selling on there because of the paypal thing.As they dont understand not everyone can do it.I just had to say i have boycot ebay since and i just miss it cause it was so great back then.And now its all buisness and all stores.And back then it was normal everyday people,mom and pop kind of people selling thier items.Its like overstock . com now on there.

I've sold maybe a dozen bats and a few jerseys on the C-to-C board in the last year or so, and - at least recently - I have asked for a PayPal gift, in order to save on some fees. I guess I justify this by thinking about how I usually end up losing money on the shipping end...but I recognize that it is a justification, not an excuse.

It would not hurt my feelings in the slightest if somebody balked at doing it...and, in the case of eBay transactions, I would probably never even ask, unless it was somebody I knew from other sales or in real life, or someone with whom I'd had friendly conversation prior to the payment.

Here's something else to think about: When I discovered eBay, about 1998, there were virtually no restrictions on how the Buyer paid. Check, money order, "well-hidden cash"...whatever. Then eBay bought PayPal. (I think we can all see where this story is going to end.) Not having sold anything on eBay for a few years, I recently tried listing an item, and included that money orders could be used for payment...and the system would not let me list the item until I'd removed the words "money order" from the item description. In my view, eBay has gone just a bit overboard in trying to wring more and more money out of its users; mandating that all payments must be made through PayPal goes too far, in my opinion.

[freddiefreeman5]

The Paypal and Ebay monopoly does suck. Too many Paypal horror stories out there.
I wish someone would develope a viable alternate to Ebay.

As far as the Paypal gift thing I just chalk it up to the seller nickle and diming the buyer. I don't like it but I can choose to buy the item or not.
I do have to say that it makes the seller look a little greedy.

[commando]

I have been buying and selling on eBay since 1998. If you buy an item on eBay and use Paypal, of course you can't use the gift option. But the point I'm trying to make is I'm glad I had the buyer protection because of fraud. I have actually bought from sellers with feedback over 1,000 who decided to flake out after I sent them MY money. It's kinda like someone who had had a great credit score for many years, then just decides one day to "screw it."

[MarinersFan34]

I am one of the ones that will usually hit the back button if I see a demand to pay via gift and/or add 3%. Even if the item is a grail item, nothing screams "I'm greedy" more than the 3% fees tacked on.

You are using an online service to get your money instantly, why should that be free for you? I'm sure if you were PayPal you'd certainly not want everyone using your online service for free since you have your own bills to pay, no?

While I have paid via gift for items when it wasn't asked it was more because I didn't get that same greedy vibe so I figured I'd help out the seller on fees. I doubt I'll pay by gift anymore though simply because of lack of buyer protection.

As a seller I've never requested payment as gift nor ever added on the extra fee and never will. It's part of doing business and if I want my money instantly, there's a fee, I can live with that.

[yankees506]

Well since i only accept "'gifts" ill throw in my 2 cents. I look at it this way, if i have seen you sell on the forum before and are reputable i have no problem with the "gift" option. However if some random person emails me and has an item i want then there is no way im sending a gift. It all depends on who the seller is in my eyes.

As for adding fees on top of prices, everyone wants a deal and a few dollars do make a difference. Lets say im selling a bat for $157 so i can clear $150 on paypal, someone is going to email me and say "can you take $150" so why the hastle over $7? Thats why retail prices are always $199, $299 and not $200 and $300 etc....... a dollar makes all the difference.

[dabadestalbo69]

I see nothing wrong with sending payment as gift. I dont always ask for payment as gift but i do at times. Usually when dealing with me people have no problems, im a very legit person on forums and people have no worries when dealing with me.

If you ask questions, do you research and know who the seller has dealt with and protect yourself i see no problem sending a payment as gift. Ive seen payments as gift before.

Just use your head.

[G1X]

What I find interesting in this thread is that while many folks have mentioned that they do not want to use the "Gift" option because they lose the buyer protection, the most important point is being ignored. Simply stated, using the "Gift" option on a sale/purchase is DISHONEST, UNETHICAL, and FRAUDULENT.

As someone stated in an earlier thread, Pay Pal is an online service that handles money transactions and offers certain protections for its customers. Like it or not, it is a business that provides a most useful service. It is not a free service - nor should it be - or else they could not exist.

Like it or not, once you start selling your game-used items, you have to be prepared to pay the expenses involved. Among other things, there are shipping costs, income taxes to pay, and any other expenses that might come into play.

The simple solution is that if you do not like Pay Pal's rules and do not feel that the fees are fair, simply ask for payment through another instrument such as a Money Order, bank check, bank wire, personal check, etc. And don't use ebay if you are not willing to play by their payment rules (Pay Pal).

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for World Football League and Atlanta Falcons jerseys, and any Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game-used items.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Simply stated, using the "Gift" option on a sale/purchase is DISHONEST, UNETHICAL, and FRAUDULENT.

Yes, yes and yes.
The best thing about PayPal is buyer/seller protection. A "gift" isn't covered.
C'mon folks just fork over the 3 per cent.
Or, if it's not an eBay purchase, send a personal check and wait 2 weeks.

[legaleagle92481]

Many of us are taking losses on items when we sell so obviously not looking for another three percent hit is understandable. Lets face it mose items particularly those purchased from the JOs and Steiners of the world are not going to reap as much as we paid for them when sold. If you paid $1,000 for a Nick Mangold gamer from JO and JO has two currently in stock for that same price noone is going to pay you more than $1,000 or even $1,000 for yours. To sell it you have to take a hit. It is annoying having to then take the additional Paypal hit. Ive been there many times. i used to request gifts but then i started doing what I do now. If the charge is going to be minimal, like a few dollars I eat it. On bigger sales I request that the buyer pay by money order or cashiers check or pay my paypal fee. in most cases the buyer just wants the item and will gladly do this. I have had people pay 80 dollars extra before.

[Gocong57]

I have the exact same experience/viewpoint as legaleagle. If someone really wants an item from me, they pay $$ on the spot, minimal haggling. I'm upfront about all additional costs. I don't offer paypal-gift sales to buyers I've never transacted with on multiple occasions. I wouldn't buy an item from anyone who demanded only paypal-gift pmt as an option--too risky and sketchy.

Even if you fairly price to include postage/paypal, buyers still try hard to lower list $ and don't accept it as firm. At the end of the day it's the bottom line price both buyers and sellers are willing to accept regardless of how you get there.