Question:
but when I sell anything personally over eBay, I try to avoid personal checks.
That does go both ways, though. When I look for items on Ebay, I avoid sellers who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. If they accept personal checks, then I will _consider_ bidding. But if I win, I take extra time in getting it out to them…not on purpose, it’s just that analog transactions are so hard for me to sit down and deal with when I can take care of most everything else digitally. Fees and other problems with online payment services be damned, it takes a very hard-to-find item or one helluva deal for me to bid on anything by a seller who does not accept Paypal or other e-payment services. Just my $0.02 (debited from my checking account in real time, of course!) Brandon
Response:
but when I sell anything personally over eBay, I try to avoid personal checks. That does go both ways, though. When I look for items on Ebay, I avoid sellers who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. If they accept personal checks, then I will _consider_ bidding. But if I win, I take extra time in getting it out to them…not on purpose, it’s just that analog transactions are so hard for me to sit down and deal with when I can take care of most everything else digitally.
Does your gas company, electric company and water company take electronic payments or do you take extra time paying them too. How about the mortgage or rent, the car payment and your insurance company. Sure it would be nice if you could pay everything from the keyboard but thats years away. And never, unless somebody comes up with a better scheme than PayPal. Fees and other problems with online payment services be damned, it takes a very hard-to-find item or one helluva deal for me to bid on anything by a seller who does not accept Paypal or other e-payment services.
You may just miss out on some good stuff then. Not all buyers are anxious to subsidise your purchasing habits; those PP fees are what prompt sellers to add "handling" charges. Some of the "no PP" sellers might just have the best price too…but maybe the cost is secondary to you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Just my $0.02 (debited from my checking account in real time, of course!) Brandon
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In that case, I should think allowing a personal check would suffice. It costs the buyer little, if anything, and the seller can always hold the item until it clears, if they desire. If the seller has a real business account, there’s probably a deposit fee. Then there’s the bounce exposure. Not worth it to many. It’s a personal decision but I can guarantee that sellers, one who post a lot of auctions, lose bids because of a no-personal-check policy.
Oh, I agree. IMO, it behooves sellers to accept as many payment methods as possible, within reason. Even if the fees wipe out your profit on lower-cost items, it’s often worth it — for the experience and reputation building. – Dan. — – South Jersey, USA, Earth <http://cronus.spaceports.com/~darmok – Life is a banquet – and most poor suckers are starving to death.
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Don’t really agree with you, Dan. I sell pretty low end items although rather collectible. I would wipe out my profit completely with PP fees on some of them. Cash, money orders or checks seem reasonable to me. I am not a corporation or interested in making things complicated for myself. Just looking to pick up some spare change and unload some clutter. I can’t complain about profits because I keep it simple. Years ago I learned the one truth of existence. Less Is More.
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I sell pretty low end items although rather collectible. I would wipe out my profit completely with PP fees on some of them.
Really? So, let’s say it’s an item that costs you $8. You sell it for less than $8.54? (that 54c is about what it would cost to use PP to process). Even if that is the case, are you really in this to make 54c per transaction? If so, more power to you.
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Let’s say I pay two dollars for an item. I am charged 30 cents by e bay and whatever by PP. I sell the item for 3.50. It won’t wipe out my entire profit (I misspoke) but it would take a larger percentage. I have nothing against EFTs but they just don’t suit my purpose or lifestyle. I want things really simple. When payment comes in (I am not always available but have helpers) the pre addressed packages are simply put in the mailbox with priority postage and envelopes. Can’t be easier.
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Does your gas company, electric company and water company take electronic payments or do you take extra time paying them too. How about the mortgage or rent, the car payment and your insurance company. Sure it would be nice if you could pay everything from the keyboard but thats years away. And never, unless somebody comes up with a better scheme than PayPal.
Although that wasn’t addressed to me, actually yes. All of above companies automatically debit my checking account each month, I have very few bills that I write a check for. Lynn
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does your gas company, electric company and water company take electronic payments or do you take extra time paying them too. How about the mortgage or rent, the car payment and your insurance company. Sure it would be nice if you could pay everything from the keyboard but thats years away. And never, unless somebody comes up with a better scheme than PayPal. Although that wasn’t addressed to me, actually yes. All of above companies automatically debit my checking account each month, I have very few bills that I write a check for. Lynn
If I wanted to I can pay most of my accounts on line electronically as well. What I usually do if I don’t write a check, is pay things all on my AX. Maybe it’s because I’m *old* but the thought of someone having access to my checking or savings accounts….well… I like to get my statements at the end of each month and *see* what bills I paid,or antiques I bought. I do check my accounts on line however, so I am not that much of a dinosaur. I also got PayPal and gave a credit card with a small amount of credit on it. That way if there is a problemo it’s not that big of a deal. P~
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True, however, for our family business which has a business account with a bank I won’t mention, we get charged $10 or $20 if a customer’s check bounces. We don’t sell over eBay or the Internet – but when I sell anything personally over eBay, I try to avoid personal checks.
I’ve taken hundreds of checks with only one bouncer. The amount of fees that I’ve incurred from Billpoint & Paypal far outshadows what the bank charged me for that one bounced check. Of course, it depends on your market. If I were selling mostly to the younger, less responsible demographic, I’d probably eliminate checks too.
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LQQK!! New and improved wobulator!!! RARE Sooo cute!!! Must have!!! Used only a few times!!! Mint in box!!! Dial scratched and handle missing!!! Must see!!! No pics, can’t figure out how to post them!!! I do not accept checks, money orders, credit cards, cash, PayPal, BillPoint, or any other online payment. No foreign or domestic sales. No bids accepted from any one with any negative feedback, or feedback less than 500.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot! Catch-22. The fees really eat up any profit on lower priced items, so the tendancy is to only permit fee-less payment methods. 2. No shipping prices at all. Stupid Seller Trick. 3. No picture especially when it is an item that must be seen such as clothing. Caveat Emptor. 4. Use of the word rare for a commonplace item. Guess you don’t like NEW AND IMPROVED either? Or 8.4 oz of coffee in a 1 lb can? 5. Five word description for a complex item. Drives me nuts. I buy lots of records and really need the album number. Oops, that would be six words. Wobulator. Works well. S&H $29.99 
– Dan. //All I ask is a tall ship and a load of contraband to fill it.// — – South Jersey, USA, Earth <http://cronus.spaceports.com/~darmok – Life is a banquet – and most poor suckers are starving to death.
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It’s a personal decision but I can guarantee that sellers, one who post a lot of auctions, lose bids because of a no-personal-check policy. John
Exceed in our case only by the lost hassles we also thankfully miss out on It is a question of cost to benefit. We feel that some time and effort should be rightly spent making sure that undesirable noncustomers stay that way.. — Many thanks, Don Lancaster Synergetics 3860 West First Street Box 809 Thatcher, AZ 85552 Please visit my GURU’s LAIR web site at http://www.tinaja.com
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In that case, I should think allowing a personal check would suffice. It costs the buyer little, if anything, and the seller can always hold the item until it clears, if they desire.
.. If the seller has a real business account, there’s probably a deposit fee. Then there’s the bounce exposure. Not worth it to many. – Dan.
It’s a personal decision but I can guarantee that sellers, one who post a lot of auctions, lose bids because of a no-personal-check policy. John
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In article – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot! Catch-22. The fees really eat up any profit on lower priced items, so the tendancy is to only permit fee-less payment methods. In that case, I should think allowing a personal check would suffice. It costs the buyer little, if anything, and the seller can always hold the item until it clears, if they desire…
If the seller has a real business account, there’s probably a deposit fee. Then there’s the bounce exposure. Not worth it to many. – Dan. — – South Jersey, USA, Earth <http://cronus.spaceports.com/~darmok – Life is a banquet – and most poor suckers are starving to death.
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True, however, for our family business which has a business account with a bank I won’t mention, we get charged $10 or $20 if a customer’s check bounces. We don’t sell over eBay or the Internet – but when I sell anything personally over eBay, I try to avoid personal checks.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot! Catch-22. The fees really eat up any profit on lower priced items, so the tendancy is to only permit fee-less payment methods. In that case, I should think allowing a personal check would suffice. It costs the buyer little, if anything, and the seller can always hold the item until it clears, if they desire… — J.J. Pearce * If you’re interested in the creation of a new online auction newsgroup, please subscribe to our mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auction-ng/join ** Thanks!
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My pleasure. You have to understand that many records were issued and reissued many times. Collectors want the first issue usually and also look at label carefully (producer and number). I am more than pleased that people continue to give away and throw away records. There is something quite special (if you are of a certain age) listening to a scratchy old 78. Also you should be careful that you list the record correctly as to size. A 78 is not a 33 1/3 nor is it a 45. I would love to have a dollar for every mislisted record.
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Interesting you should mention the seller ( I buy and sell by the way) requesting contact if you have a question. I asked the question two days ago, the auction ended yesterday and I still have no response. Of course the add also contained the line "Buyer pays exact shipping and handling". That’s why I asked the question. Still no response though. I don’t buy from people who lack courtesy. I also never buy from people who don’t take checks. I trust them, they have my check deposited and wait for it to clear, so what’s the problem? But you are correct, I don’t buy from them. Way I look at it, lots of sellers lose lots of customers when then are hard nosed. They also lose the boost in price when someone refuses to bid at all.
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My comments on your peeves: 1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot!
* I have no problem with this. I just recently began to offer billpoint as a payment option, but I still prefer the money order/cashier’s check. If you don’t agree with the payment options, then don’t bid on the item. 2. No shipping prices at all.
* I agree 100%. I want to have some idea of the shipping charge before I bid. 3. No picture especially when it is an item that must be seen such as clothing.
* I also agree the lack of photo makes it very difficult for me to bid on an item. Add to that a zero or low feedback rating and I just pass on by. 4. Use of the word rare for a commonplace item.
* Also the work MINT! 5. Five word description for a complex item. Drives me nuts. I buy lots of records and really need the album number. Oops, that would be six words.
* I hope that any seller would be glad to give you more information on any particular item. I am certainly glad for folks to send e-mail with questions. In fact I post in my description for folks to ask questions before bidding.
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1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot! 2. No shipping prices at all. 3. No picture especially when it is an item that must be seen such as clothing. 4. Use of the word rare for a commonplace item. 5. Five word description for a complex item. Drives me nuts. I buy lots of records and really need the album number. Oops, that would be six words.
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1. People who only accept money orders or cashier’s checks. Perhaps for an expensive item I can see the point but for a 5 dollar item? I have better things to do with my life than run to bank or store for a money order and pay for it to boot!
Catch-22. The fees really eat up any profit on lower priced items, so the tendancy is to only permit fee-less payment methods. 2. No shipping prices at all.
Stupid Seller Trick. 3. No picture especially when it is an item that must be seen such as clothing.
Caveat Emptor. 4. Use of the word rare for a commonplace item.
Guess you don’t like NEW AND IMPROVED either? Or 8.4 oz of coffee in a 1 lb can? 5. Five word description for a complex item. Drives me nuts. I buy lots of records and really need the album number. Oops, that would be six words.
Wobulator. Works well. S&H $29.99 – Dan. //All I ask is a tall ship and a load of contraband to fill it.// — – South Jersey, USA, Earth <http://cronus.spaceports.com/~darmok – Life is a banquet – and most poor suckers are starving to death.
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