Paypal advice tips?

[Rock_Hudstone]

I have some nice items, mostly automotive, I'd like to list on Ebay. Not really interested in Craigslist, people coming to my house or not showing at all, etc.

I've used Ebay for years without a Paypal account, but now its become a major hassle, usually buyers freak out and won't go through with the deal when you tell them you don't use Paypal, even if they're getting a fantastic bargain.
Most cannot seem to imagine that things worked just fine before Ebay decided they wanted a much bigger cut of the transaction and ruined it for small private sellers.

Anyway, any advice in setting up and using a Paypal account without giving away lots of personal info and/or risk getting ripped off?

 

[matrass]

have to tried posting some of your automotive items for sale on here, that might be a good idea. for Paypal I have a bank account that is set up just for my Paypal account and and do not keep much money in it. word of advice is to make sure you figure out the Paypal, Ebay fees and your shipping costs and figure that into the price you need to get. below is a link that can give you an idea of the fees involved. it was updated last year but will give you a rough idea . almost forgot to add that you include something in your auctions like , I only ship to verified Paypal shipping address so in case there is an issue Paypal will back you up. I always spend the extra $1 and get delivery confirmation for my own peace of mind.

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

 

[dishdude]

I do like Matrass said, I have a seperate checking account linked to Paypal, and it works out well. I have been selling random stuff on eBay since the 90's. (All extra stuff around the house). I try not to let anything sit around, if I replace something I immediately sell the old one.

Factor in eBay/Paypal sucking up 25% of what you sell it for.

 

[TxHeat]

Been using PayPal with eBay since 2001 and never had a problem. In fact, in at least 2 cases, Paypal was instrumental in getting my money back when I was ripped off.

Having said that, I don't think either Paypal OR eBay are what they used to be. The wild west days are over and the game is definitely rigged in favor of the buyer. Except that, as a buyer, bargains are harder to find.

I would say that if you're concerned about giving them too much info, consider opening a "PayPal" account at your bank, a small checking account with a minimum amount for your PayPal transactions allowing you to keep your real checking account info private.

Anyway, I've never been ripped off by or through PayPal. Hope you're treated the same way.

 

[OilNerd]

Definitely use a separate bank account, just for PayPal, without a lot of money in it, as others have mentioned. Also get the PayPal security token to make login harder for thieves.

Also, be prepared for random frustration, as they change their policies, or as you bump up against their policies.

First my account got frozen (without warning) after sending $10,000 via PayPal over the years I had my account. To unfreeze it, I was forced to link a bank account with my PayPal account. I was unable to settle up my eBay tab, until the account link was complete.

Then they slapped payment holds on my account (with fair notice, at least): Topic: More PayPal Fun

 

[dparm]

Don't give PayPal your bank info, easy as that. Credit card stuff can be disputed very easily.

 

[Artem]

What is the big deal with linking your bank account info with Paypal? It's not like they're going to go in and take out your cash when you're sleeping at night (steal it)

I've been an eBay member since 2001 and have sold over half a million bucks worth of stuff over the years. Everything went through Paypal since it became the #1 way to pay and get paid (whenever that crossover happened)

I haven't had a single issue with them. Every transaction dispute gets resolved through eBay and Paypal refunds the money, etc.

I have two Paypal accounts and both are linked directly to my main bank and checking account. The second is linked to another account i made just to be able to open the second Paypal account.

Sure their (and eBay's fees) are outrageous but that's the cost of selling on the biggest online auction site in the world! I've shipped stuff to practically every Country around the globe and have gotten major coin ($$$) in the process for all my stuff, thanks to eBay and Paypal.

Anyway on to the tips...

• Make sure you go through ALL of their verification processes and add a credit card as a backup payment source, etc, etc.
• since you're a new member, Paypal will hold the funds until your buyer receives the product and leaves a positive feedback so make sure you describe the item as is and post plenty of pics. The faster (and safer) you ship, the faster you'll get your money without a hassle

That's all i can think of right now.

 

[LeakySeals]

Been using PayPal and eBay along with PayPal's Security Key for many years. So much safer than leaving your credit/debit card in databases all over the net. Databases of card numbers are vulnerable to attack. Using PayPal is manual, and combined with account withdrawal controls and the key fob its really the only way to go.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: bornconfuzd
Having said that, I don't think either Paypal OR eBay are what they used to be. The wild west days are over and the game is definitely rigged in favor of the buyer. Except that, as a buyer, bargains are harder to find.

Thats the truth, seems the only one making a good profit these days is Ebay. Buyers are paying more for less selection, sellers have to deal with high fees, Paypal hassles, and irate buyers.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone

I have some nice items, mostly automotive, I'd like to list on Ebay. Not really interested in Craigslist, people coming to my house or not showing at all, etc.

I've used Ebay for years without a Paypal account, but now its become a major hassle, usually buyers freak out and won't go through with the deal when you tell them you don't use Paypal, even if they're getting a fantastic bargain.
Most cannot seem to imagine that things worked just fine before Ebay decided they wanted a much bigger cut of the transaction and ruined it for small private sellers.

Anyway, any advice in setting up and using a Paypal account without giving away lots of personal info and/or risk getting ripped off?


I've been using Paypal for about 10+ years. And for my business that started in 2007, about half our income comes through Paypal. Our primary is a credit card, but we need it linked to our business bank account to sweep our funds every couple days. I don't exactly like Paypal, and make no mistake there really is no seller protection in a dispute - Paypal watches out for one thing and that is Paypal.

All that said, we've never been a victim of any big ripoff because of Paypal. We've had a few chargebacks over the years, but just as many on our straight credit card side. Paypal and Credit cards charge about the same exact merchant fees....probably not by accident!

Use Paypal with confidence.

 

[OilNerd]

Originally Posted By: Artem
What is the big deal with linking your bank account info with Paypal? It's not like they're going to go in and take out your cash when you're sleeping at night (steal it) ...


My friend's son got hacked by malware. While the disputes were being dealt with (a few weeks), he was out of the cash in his account and his checks bounced. PayPal didn't block the suspicious transfers.

He did eventually get it all back, except the bad check fees.