Warning to all buyers: PayPal Gift = Caution!

[LyonsArcade]

A better way to say it is "Chew"


"I wanted 20 bucks but he chewed me down on the price to 15"

 

[coinopdirect]

Anytime I sell something, I request the buyer to pay as Goods Shipped and specify in the notes section what the purchase is for and from where (i.e. KLOV). This helps me keep track of what sold and where and the buyer retains trust in the transaction.

I am of the belief that most people are honest and (knock on wood) I have never been burnt by a buyer using PayPal. Not saying that it will not happen and when it finally does, I'm more inclined to believe it will be from a buyer on eBay rather than a specialized forum or in my general business.

Having said that, business is business and needs to be treated as such. Transactions need to be treated as a standard business deal regardless of buyer and seller reputations and where bought / sold.

 

[MmSadda]

I, for one, got my start in arcade stuff on neo-geo.com, which is a smaller group where it seems like most people know most everyone else on a first-name basis, and paypal gift is really the standard around there.

As such, I ALWAYS ask for Paypal Gift or for the buyer to add whatever absurdly high amount Paypal is charging now (Is it 6%? I feel like it may be that high.) The way I see it, if a buyer wants that protection, he should be the one to pay for it for himself, quite frankly; it shouldn't be on a seller to compensate for the fact that a buyer doesn't trust him.

In my time on here, Neo-geo.com, arcade otaku, and shmups forums, plus eBay, I've never received a single negative feedback in a few hundred transactions total. If a buyer has a legit complaint about an item, I'm more than happy to refund. If someone ships me something that was supposed to work but doesn't, and I believe it's an honest mistake, I will generally ask them to refund the money less shipping costs, so they don't get screwed.

But I know there are people out there, especially in this hobby, who use the anonymity of the internet to take advantage of people. I just wish people still had principles like I do.

Sorry for the self-righteous rant; I just believe Paypal Gift is a 100% viable option in a community like this, aside from when paying new members. I also believe new members should ALWAYS pay older members via Paypal gift, so the reliable sellers are protected from new members who could open wrongful Paypal disputes against them.

 

[osver]

I've never asked for a payment as gift. The fees are part of dealing with paypal. If you don't like their fees charge more up front...don't try to tack on extra to me at the last minute. As long as it is up front and part of the initially discussed cost, no worries, but if after we've worked out a deal you try to nickle and dime me to cover your fees, that's bad form.

 

[MmSadda]

That's what stating "I accept Paypal Gift, or add money for Paypal fees" in one's listings is for.

 

[jow]

I've never asked for a payment as gift. The fees are part of dealing with paypal. If you don't like their fees charge more up front...don't try to tack on extra to me at the last minute. As long as it is up front and part of the initially discussed cost, no worries, but if after we've worked out a deal you try to nickle and dime me to cover your fees, that's bad form.

You don't like gift payments, but you don't want to be charged extra for the fees? Im cornfused?

 

[MmSadda]

You don't like gift payments, but you don't want to be charged extra for the fees? Im cornfused?

Yeah, the guy you're quoting doesn't make any sense. I think he's saying that sellers should just build that into prices, which is CRAP. If I want X dollars for an item, I want X dollars, which is usually a nice round number, not 94% of X dollars. And I sure as hell don't want to be bothered with adding 6.38297% to the price of everything I sell to come out with X dollars.

And, as you seem to be insinuating, with non-gift payments, SOMEONE is going to pay those fees.

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

You don't like gift payments, but you don't want to be charged extra for the fees? Im cornfused?

I don't see anything confusing in what he wrote. He says if you want him to pay the fees tell him up front instead of trying to tack it on at the last minute. I agree completely.

 

[jow]

I don't see anything confusing in what he wrote. He says if you want him to pay the fees tell him up front instead of trying to tack it on at the last minute. I agree completely.

Ok, yeah. I read his post too fast. I still would rather ask for gift payments than tack on extra $$$. KLOVers are cheap enough bastards as it is

 

[MmSadda]

I don't see anything confusing in what he wrote. He says if you want him to pay the fees tell him up front instead of trying to tack it on at the last minute. I agree completely.

It's just a question of what is assumed, which ultimately means it's better for a seller to specify whether he's expecting standard payment or gift payment.

If a buyer assumes he'll pay as a regular payment, and a seller has assumed he'll receive a gift payment, no one is necessarily WRONG to think that, it's just a 6% discrepancy in the price. It's like if someone in Canada is posting items, and doesn't specify on the front end whether prices are in US or Canadian dollars.

 

[tron guy]

A better way to say it is "Chew"


"I wanted 20 bucks but he chewed me down on the price to 15"

I think it would be more "politically correct" to say
I wanted 20 bucks but he egyptian-slaved me down on the price to 15.

 

[FrizzleFried]

I am guilty of the following statement...

"I can ship it for $100.00 if you send Paypal as a gift or $103.00 if you send via regular Paypal"...

Perhaps I simply won't give that option any longer...

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

Ok, yeah. I read his post too fast. I still would rather ask for gift payments than tack on extra $$$. KLOVers are cheap enough bastards as it is

I don't like gift payments because it is bypassing the established fee structure. They are providing a service and should be compensated for this service. If you feel the cost is too high then go somewhere else...


BTW, I usually tack on a few extra bucks to conver PP costs unless the seller appears to have already compensated for the fees in the initial cost. I have also refunded "gift" payments and asked for a normal payment when I think the payer will understand. I never ask for extra to cover my costs. I build the costs into the price of the item I am selling. Is it really that hard to tack on a few extra dollars to cover pp fees? It seems simpler than calculating shipping costs to me...

 

[jow]

I don't like gift payments because it is bypassing the established fee structure. They are providing a service and should be compensated for this service. If you feel the cost is too high then go somewhere else...

Why have it as an option then? Or maybe this has been covered? I haven't read the whole thread.

 

[FrizzleFried]

RE: The "jew" statement...


I remember I was working for the Beach & Bay Press newspaper in Pacific Beach California... owned by a jewish guy named David Mannis. Good guy. Well, one day I was in his office bitching about a cheap bitch from La Jolla (why are the richest mo-fo's always the CHEAPEST mo-fo's) and I remember saying to David... "Man, that woman was CHEAP... can you believe she tried to jew me down on the cost of the photo?"...

David laughed and we went about our business. About 10 minutes later I was sitting there and it hit me...

I went in to David and apologized for the comment. He laughed again and told me not to worry about it. I don't think HE even made the connection until I mentioned it.

 

[Oryk Zinyo]

Why have it as an option then? Or maybe this has been covered? I haven't read the whole thread.

From what I understand the gift option is there for actually sending gifts to one another. This way grandma can create a pp account and send a gift to her grandaughter in college who can't make ends meet since she is spending all of her cash on alcohol and Plan B. This is why there is no buyer protection, since nothing is supposed to be purchased when a gift is given.

 

[MmSadda]

I don't like gift payments because it is bypassing the established fee structure. They are providing a service and should be compensated for this service. If you feel the cost is too high then go somewhere else...


BTW, I usually tack on a few extra bucks to conver PP costs unless the seller appears to have already compensated for the fees in the initial cost. I have also refunded "gift" payments and asked for a normal payment when I think the payer will understand. I never ask for extra to cover my costs. I build the costs into the price of the item I am selling. Is it really that hard to tack on a few extra dollars to cover pp fees? It seems simpler than calculating shipping costs to me...

They DO provide a service, but by raising the fees as high as they have, they're exploiting their base of consumers, who don't have an other service that is clearly an option with as many people who use it.

Plus, a huge portion of that service is the ability to file claims; by using gift, you forego that, and decline to use that part of the service. That's how I think of it.

You can do what you want with your sales, and ultimately a good price is a good price. However, there's just NO sense in giving 6% of everything you sell or buy to Paypal, any way I look at it.

 

[hindered]

I went in to David and apologized for the comment. He laughed again and told me not to worry about it. I don't think HE even made the connection until I mentioned it.

More likely he was a polite, friendly guy who didn't want to ruin a relationship over an unintentional slight.

 

[ixtlann]

i am glad some one posted this, not for me, but for others wh may NOT know the ins and outs of paypal charge backs etc

 

[osver]

You don't like gift payments, but you don't want to be charged extra for the fees? Im cornfused?

I don't see anything confusing in what he wrote. He says if you want him to pay the fees tell him up front instead of trying to tack it on at the last minute. I agree completely.

I don't like gift payments for the last of buyer protection. OZ read my statement correctly. I have no issue being told I have to cover your paypal fees IF that's agreed to up front. If we discuss a price with shipping, I agree to buy it, and then at the last minute you say, oh by the way you also need to tack on X more for paypal, that's going to rub me the wrong way. Be up front and honest about it, and I have no issues.

Why have it as an option then? Or maybe this has been covered? I haven't read the whole thread.

The gift option works fine for situations like when Frizz was collection donations to get Ken internet. I'm not getting any goods, and didn't need any protection, so I have no issues using the gifting there.

Yeah, the guy you're quoting doesn't make any sense. I think he's saying that sellers should just build that into prices, which is CRAP. If I want X dollars for an item, I want X dollars, which is usually a nice round number, not 94% of X dollars. And I sure as hell don't want to be bothered with adding 6.38297% to the price of everything I sell to come out with X dollars.

So round up to the an even dollar amount... guestimate... it's not that hard. You want $100? Fees will be 6.38297? Ask for $110.

Why is it CRAP that you should do your work as a seller and calculate the fees, for the service you're using, into your asking price?