PayPal as a Gift

[ferro39]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

i ask for gifts, but im always upfront with potential buyers. i never bring it up after a deal has been shaken on

my list prices are usually by way of a money order or a gift. if they want the protection, im happy to accommodate if they add the 3.5%

i always give numerous options and tell them that i want them to be comfortable with the transaction. recently, a buyer sent me a bank check. that was fine. i just waited a set amount of time to make sure it cleared before i sent the item out

generally, im happy to work with buyers any way that i can and make them feel comfortable in doing a deal with me, but seeing as how sellers arent offered anything in the way of protection from paypal, i refuse to take the hit for the fee.

[Shipp_96]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

Well, after reading thru all of these I decided to post, since I am a person who currently has listed items for sale, and yes, I asked for Paypal as a gift.

First, I honestly had no idea you did not get buyer protection, or I would have never asked. As you all know, we cannot edit our posts, but I will add an addendum saying you do not have to choose the gift option.

That being said, the reason I did this, was because for the last year every time I buy anything, I am asked to pay as a gift. Even when I sell to Canada or Japan, I am asked to send it as a gift to avoid custom charges for the buyer. So, I figured I must be missing out on something here, and decided to ask for this.

Ironically, items I have bought on GUU, from even people who posted to this particular thread, made this request of me when I paid them.

So, I will chalk it up as a lesson learned, because I know I would have been p!ssed had I found out I was not protected when I paid for the numerous items I purchased via the gift option.

[shaunharr]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

Didn't read thru everyone's posts, so not sure if this has been said, but...

PAYPAL WILL SHUT YOUR ACCOUNT DOWN IF YOU GET OR GIVE AS A GIFT TOO MANY TIMES!!!!!!!!

[indyred]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

Unless you know the person well and live near them I would never ever gift a payment. As a buyer you lose any and all protection in the deal. No charge back or any recourse if you get screwed in the deal. No way to pressure seller if they are slow shipping ect... Seller doesn't even have to use insurance or prove it was delivered. You can't get back a gift payment no matter what.

As a Seller getting gift payments is the best. No worry of charge backs or having to worry about losing the money if deal goes bad.

[5toolplayer]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I agree with every single post on this thread. I've done numerous deals on this board the last few months and 99.99% of the time after a price is agreed upon I tell the seller to send me a paypal invoice and then the "gift" option is brought right up. Why can't the seller just add all the charges into their asking price?? If you want 150 for a bat and want to clear 150, ask for 157 via paypal. Make this easy. Oh and yeah, if you send the payment as a gift and never receive your item, paypal doesn't cover anything!! Lesson learned, trust me!

[Tedw9]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I agree with those who pay the fees themselves, I won't send via gift, I pay the fees myself. The only time I gift the money is if I am donating to a cause. Or in a few months, I will be gifting my daughter money while she is away in college. I don't need my account banned because someone wants to save a few bucks, I'll pay it myself.

To help those who are paying the fees themselves, here is a nifty little site to help you figure out exactly how much to spend.

http://www.rolbe.com/paypal4.htm

[R.Mansfield]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I have been asked about this gift option for almost every transaction I have been in for quite some time, and frankly it is getting old. It seems like on every deal we settle in on a price and then this gift crap comes up, one last gotcha…

I agree that the seller should account for these pay pal fees, shipping, handling, insurance…when coming up with an asking price.

I always end up chipping in some extra money to cover the fees, I am not willing to give up the protection that pay-pal provides, trying to do someone else a favor, saving a few bucks.

To me it is business not personal. I don’t care if it is a stranger or my brother who lives next door, I am weary about every transaction, it seems like everyone is constantly trying to pull something.

Russell Mansfield
batdna@sbcglobal.net

[gnishiyama]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I have unfortunately had small deals fall apart because of a squabble
over paypal gift. Even if this hobby isn't a business for the seller,
paypal fees should be considered a cost of doing business and should
be incurred by the seller. The seller is paying for convenience and the
buyer is receiving protection. Its a win-win situation.

Sometimes if I really want an item I would offer to pay the fees but
its never a good feeling and most of the time I'll just refuse on
principle. I will go as far as saying its unprofessional. If you went to the
supermarket or a restaurant and they included a 4% fee for using a credit
card you would balk too. I am not talking here about a couple long
time trading buddies sending each other payment to cover a trade
but a general transaction with someone who you don't know.

As someone mentioned if you care so much about the 4% price it in to your
asking price.

Just my 2 cents.

Goh Nishiyama

[lakeerie92]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

Paypal now charges the fees normally charged to the receiver to they buyer now with the gift option, UNLESS, you have the money in your paypal account already then no fees are charged. There used to be no charges at all but it looks as if paypal has already caught on. I will gladly send it as a gift to someone I trust, but other than that I won't do it.

[BULBUS]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I just sent my last Paypal gift. Unless I have dealt with the person priviously and the transaction was smooth, I'll never use the gift option. I also think Paypal will crack down on this in the near future. They are losing money on these transactions.

[otismalibu]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

What it comes down to is that sellers think their gross should also be their net. If you want to work it into your price, then fine...just don't mention in the TOS. When I see someone asking for an additional 4% for Paypal fees, i just hit the back button. When I take a cab, I don't chip in for gas money on top of the fare.

[ncbadges]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I don't really Like to send as a gift but TS no different than sending a money order...as most sellers used to prefer.
Ncb

[mariner_gamers]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

Good timing with this thread. I just sent my last "gift" to a seller this morning. This practice has just exploded the past few months. Suddenly everyone wants the buyer to send money as gift. Look as a seller just figure out the darn fees, tack it on the price and lets get on with it.

[godwulf]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I've had an increasing number of people lately asking that I pay them for goods or services as a "gift" through Paypal in order to avoid the fees. I don't know if Paypal monitors this sort of thing or not but it's not worth the risk to me so I just throw in an extra few bucks (per hundred sent) to cover the fee. My thought is that if you are receiving multiple payments from people all over the country as "gifts" paypal is eventually gonna catch on that you are selling stuff and hold someone accountable. All I know is that I'm not gonna get caught up in the inevitable crackdown that's coming once Paypal puts a stop to this practice, and they will eventually.

A guy from whom I've bought a number of bats, both on and off eBay, recently told me that he'd been informed by PayPal that if he received two hundred or more payments in a year, even if they were processed as "gifts", the information would be provided to the IRS.

[34swtns]

Re: PayPal as a Gift

I've had an increasing number of people lately asking that I pay them for goods or services as a "gift" through Paypal in order to avoid the fees. I don't know if Paypal monitors this sort of thing or not but it's not worth the risk to me so I just throw in an extra few bucks (per hundred sent) to cover the fee. My thought is that if you are receiving multiple payments from people all over the country as "gifts" paypal is eventually gonna catch on that you are selling stuff and hold someone accountable. All I know is that I'm not gonna get caught up in the inevitable crackdown that's coming once Paypal puts a stop to this practice, and they will eventually.