Payment Methods
 

Here's the deal:

A member of this forum is in need of some vintage Mercedes parts. I just happen to be able to acquire these parts and ship them to our member in need. My question is what method of payment would be best in order to reduce the chances of either of us getting burned?

I have heard of Pay Pal, but am otherwise unfamiliar with it.

PayPal or?
 

I have been selling parts for others, many on this forum, since last November.
I prefer PayPal only. To be able to use the service you do need to establish an account. Very easy. But it does take a few days to get it going without limitations.
The instructions at the PayPal site are clear. Just type in PayPal in your search bar and look for the "setting up account" instructions.

With PayPal, anyone with a credit card can pay you for a purchase. Very secure. When the payment comes in, it arrives with an email announcement to you. The PayPal account number is set up acccording your instructions. I simply use my own email address as my PayPal account to simplify things.

Keep in mind, PayPal does take a fee(about 3 to 5%) depending on the amount. What gets deposited in your account is what is left. Then at your leisure, you use this money to buy things or just transfer it to you checking account.(this will also be previously set up by you).

What I like about PayPal the most, I sell and ship worldwide. I communicate in English and dollars only. If someone from any other country pays me through PayPal, the money exchange and language translation is done. All included in the same 3 to 5% fee.

Then there are those who may not have credit cards. No problem, I have accepted and had no problem with US postal money orders. With these, you get full value.

Cashiers checks and personal checks are, for me, strictly avoided.

Thanks, since I don't plan on doing this very often, I think I'll stick with money orders.

Stick to money orders,PayPal hits the buyer and seller and they have a poor track record of dispute resolution as well as scams where the buyer can demand his money back,claiming he did not receive his item.Happened to me twice on FeePay.

I'm curious with other's success using Craigs List as opposed to Ebay. I tried CL this week for the first time and out of three ads, I made a sale on one of those items. So, that's a 33 1/3% success rate so far.

I know some of you use these and perhaps other methods for selling things. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. I hope this wasn't a hijack. It seems somewhat close to the original topic.

Thanks.

I've sold a few things (a $500 motorcycle, a $800 240D) through craigslist - buyer showed up in person (good) and paid cash both times - no sweat. I'd recommend CL and taking cash only as payment. No fees, no accoutnability crap (good and bad) but you (the seller/poster) push all the buttons. And since CL is local (by definition) then you can ask for cash only and people will play that game.

-John

As already mentioned, there are lots of advantages to dealing locally (Craigslist) - especially when it involves items where the hassle and costs associated with shipping may be deal-killers.

Whether or not Craigslist will work for you has much to do with the nature of the things you want to sell and the nature of the local market. For a particular item, how likely is it that you'll find a local buyer - within an acceptable period of time - who is willing to pay the price you want for that item? How, if at all, might you expect things to be different if you were to list it on eBay or through some other on-line venue?

If I list an item on eBay, it's because I want access to a much better market for that item than I think I could find locally.

Yep, I'm all for local, cash transactions, too.

Ive used Paypal with no real issues. Of course, I tie it to my AMEX and so the problem is easily remedied when AMEX is involved.

I would guess the hookers and drug dillers in East Oakland like them as well

money order and send it to this address:

If you paid a hooker with credit cards, where would he/she do a card swipe? :D

Don't laugh AK- they have portable ones...

Not the answer I was hoping for. :D

And no quips about bounced checks returned for "insufficient fun"
 

Professor in Law School asked us this:


"If you paid a hooker for an illegal act of prostitution, with a counterfeit $100 bill, and she found out later, could she have any legal recourse? "


(fake money for an illegal act)