I just opened a PP account, as I'm selling some stuff online and a seller requested to pay with PP.

So I have an account set up with my credit card.

WHAT does a Buyer need from me? My account name/e mail?

Thanks.

quote:

My account name/e mail?

yup.

They certainly don't need your password, address, or any other info. I think your account has a ready to go link IIRC.

By the way, if it's gun stuff, if you are not aware, they will cut you off if they find out

Thanks for the prompt reply....I'm selling a few bullet molds on CastBoolits.com. I see Pay Pal in the ads there so others are using it.

Just send them whatever email you used to setup the account. If they're paying via Friends & Family or "Gift", you don't have to pay any fees to Paypal, otherwise, you do. If you are going to use it pay for stuff, make sure your checking/savings account that's connected to your paypal only has the minimum amount of money you're going to pay; otherwise, there's a possibility that Paypal could drain your account.

*if this is for fireams stuff...have the buyer leave the "note" blank.

quote:

Originally posted by FN in MT:
I just opened a PP account, as I'm selling some stuff online and a seller requested to pay with PP.

So I have an account set up with my credit card.

WHAT does a Buyer need from me? My account name/e mail?

Thanks.

I send an invoice to their email through Paypal.
Scammers often ask for your email to send Paypal. That's probably OK with someone you know but there must be some way they (a scammer) can use it to get your dough.

Got it....Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
make sure your checking/savings account that's connected to your paypal only has the minimum amount of money you're going to pay; otherwise, there's a possibility that Paypal could drain your account.

Good grief

I've had a PayPal account for over seventeen years. They've had direct access to my bank account and to one of my credit cards the entire time. There's never been a bogus withdrawal from either.

They couldn't remain in business if they did stuff like that. There's a reason they remain the only viable e-payments system on the Internet, and it isn't by misbehaviour like that. They aren't perfect. Not by a long ways. I wish they were as product/service-neutral as my CU and credit cards, for example. But, other than that, they're pretty good.

Warning to sellers: If there's a dispute, PayPal will tend to side with buyers. Sometimes unreasonably so, from what I've read.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Scammers often ask for your email to send Paypal. ... there must be some way they (a scammer) can use it to get your dough.

Why "must" there be?

There is no known mechanism of which I'm aware (see above) that a scammer, or anybody else, can initiate a withdrawal from or charge to your PayPal account. A PayPal account holder has to initiate payments to another individual.

Scammers probably want your PayPal email address so they can attempt to crack the account.

Hint: Use a "tagged" (aka: "plussed") email address for PayPal--if your email service supports it. E.g.: "username+paypal@example.com", rather than simply "username@example.com". Reduces crackability somewhat and, if your email application supports revealing full headers, makes it easier to spot scam email. (If it's not sent to your plussed address, it didn't actually come from PayPal.)

You can test your email service by sending yourself email to a randomly-plussed email address: E.g.: Send email to "yourusername+test@example.com" (where you of course substitute your real email address for "yourusername@example.com") and see if you get it.

Sounds like you already set your price. When paying with paypal, there are fees that are taken and the seller gets the payment less fees. Some sellers state: e.g. $45 net. What they are saying, is that they want $45 plus the fees, so they get the net.

If you do a search for paypal fee calculator (many hits / links will work), you can figure the fees and just ask for that amount. For example, you want $45, set your price to $46.61 (paypal fee will be $1.61 for $45).

On the other side of the coin, if they paid $45, you get $43.39 - $45 less $161 fee.

Also, when putting up your ad, you can also state that you don't want payment via friends and family. When your buyer pays using friends and family, there are no fees, but there is also no recourse for the seller if things go south (larger ticket items apply). You can only dispute paypal payments when the buyer pays goods or services.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
make sure your checking/savings account that's connected to your paypal only has the minimum amount of money you're going to pay; otherwise, there's a possibility that Paypal could drain your account.

Good grief

I've had a PayPal account for over seventeen years. They've had direct access to my bank account and to one of my credit cards the entire time. There's never been a bogus withdrawal from either.

They couldn't remain in business if they did stuff like that. There's a reason they remain the only viable e-payments system on the Internet, and it isn't by misbehaviour like that. They aren't perfect. Not by a long ways. I wish they were as product/service-neutral as my CU and credit cards, for example. But, other than that, they're pretty good.

Warning to sellers: If there's a dispute, PayPal will tend to side with buyers. Sometimes unreasonably so, from what I've read.

I have had a paypal account since 2004,
no issues with bogus withdrawals etc,

have had issues with discrete buyers that were not discrete,

as in I am on my 3rd account, the last was locked up and money held for 6 months,

basically all I use it for is stuff I sell on ebay, never for gunbroker or other firearm or firearm related transactions,

I had a friend once who said PayPal and eBay are a thief's wet dream.

Buyers have turned into scammers on PP just as much as sellers. When I had paypal years go they changed their policy that if you are seller and there is a dispute in the buyers favor, if your PP account is at $0 they could do a withdrawal on your associated bank account to refund the buyer. I had a policy that I wouldn't ship anything until paypal funds cleared to my bank account. Had a small item dispute and buyer wanted to negotiate a lower price based on his value. I said send it back and I will refund. He agreed but took his time. PP closed the dispute in his favor at their 20day mark. With $0 in my PP account they drafted my bank account for the refund. I got the items back but learned a lesson and opened another account solely for PP. When it happened a second time, I quit PP and have never looked back. Been 10 or more years and my life is better without the headaches. I've missed some sales because of it, but not like they were sales to put food on the table.

If you are using PayPal, my best advise is to make sure that you are using some form of tracking for your items (USPS tracking) and make sure to upload the tracking number into Paypal.

If you don't, and the other person says the item never arrived, then Paypal will absolutely side with them and withdraw the money out of your account, and refund the buyer.

Honestly, you should set up a very simple e commerce website, and avoid papal if you can. I'm not a computer wiz, but it should be pretty cheap to set up.

When commerce was realized using shells and stones as currency, someone was certainly quick try an pass of a dried velociraptor turd as a stone.

Scammers and thieves we have with us always in great numbers, but some people are going to call the medium of commerce out as the evil one.


I've had the same PP account, tied to the same bank account/email for nearly twenty years, soon after it was established.

I have never had a problem and have made several hundred thousands of dollars of transfers in that time.

I am a computer wiz, and more likely to incur higher costs and greater risk using "eCommerce" (other than PP) for online sales.

The server system hosting the website, the code and applications, front end, back-end database, CC transaction system and code as well as the processor all become variables and vulnerabilities to be exploited, and you will either pay a good bit of coin to someone to build manage and maintain all of that, or a great deal of time doing it yourself.

Using PP because it has established itself as a very solid and viable service is a smart thing in most cases.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
When commerce was realized using shells and stones as currency, someone was certainly quick try an pass of a dried velocity turd as a stone.

OK, you got me.

What is a "dried velocity turd?"

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
When commerce was realized using shells and stones as currency, someone was certainly quick try an pass of a dried velocity turd as a stone.

OK, you got me.

What is a "dried velocity turd?"

LOL Auto-correct.

velociraptor

I claimed to be a computer whiz, not a grammar nazi.

quote:

What is a "dried velocity turd?"

I read that too, and was mystified, but my reaction was "pray I never find out!"

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
make sure your checking/savings account that's connected to your paypal only has the minimum amount of money you're going to pay; otherwise, there's a possibility that Paypal could drain your account.

Good grief

I've had a PayPal account for over seventeen years. They've had direct access to my bank account and to one of my credit cards the entire time. There's never been a bogus withdrawal from either.

They couldn't remain in business if they did stuff like that. There's a reason they remain the only viable e-payments system on the Internet, and it isn't by misbehaviour like that. They aren't perfect. Not by a long ways. I wish they were as product/service-neutral as my CU and credit cards, for example. But, other than that, they're pretty good.

Warning to sellers: If there's a dispute, PayPal will tend to side with buyers. Sometimes unreasonably so, from what I've read.

I have had a paypal account since 2004,
no issues with bogus withdrawals etc,

have had issues with discrete buyers that were not discrete,

as in I am on my 3rd account, the last was locked up and money held for 6 months,

basically all I use it for is stuff I sell on ebay, never for gunbroker or other firearm or firearm related transactions,

I have a PP account and have had zero problems.

However, I have a relative who bought an online business that used paypal to process payments. Shortly after my relative began actively marketing and pricing competitively a competitor complained to PP that my relative’s business was violating their terms. My relative had no idea since they bought the business and kept using PP. PP reversed all credit card transactions (ie refunded the money) despite the fact my relative had already shipped. PP said tough shit. My relative sent letters to everyone he shipped to requesting them to pay with money order and had zero people send payment. Expensive lesson on PP’s policies and their business practices.

.

Sister sold a used cell phone on PayPal. Two months after payment and shipment were completed, PayPal withdrew the funds from her bank account as the credit card was reported lost/stolen.

.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Scammers often ask for your email to send Paypal. ... there must be some way they (a scammer) can use it to get your dough.

"Why "must" there be?

There is no known mechanism of which I'm aware (see above) that a scammer, or anybody else, can initiate a withdrawal from or charge to your PayPal account. A PayPal account holder has to initiate payments to another individual.

Scammers probably want your PayPal email address so they can attempt to crack the account.

Hint: Use a "tagged" (aka: "plussed") email address for PayPal--if your email service supports it. E.g.: "username+paypal@example.com", rather than simply "username@example.com". Reduces crackability somewhat and, if your email application supports revealing full headers, makes it easier to spot scam email. (If it's not sent to your plussed address, it didn't actually come from PayPal.)

You can test your email service by sending yourself email to a randomly-plussed email address: E.g.: Send email to "yourusername+test@example.com" (where you of course substitute your real email address for "yourusername@example.com") and see if you get it."



I too haven't had any problems with Paypal in 18 years of using them.

The reason I mentioned the email address issue; When I have had obvious email scams that want me to use Paypal they usually ask for my email address as opposed to me sending a Paypal invoice to their email address. I'm not tech savvy enough to know what they are trying to do, I just know they always want it to work that way. Maybe that gives them some info they need or just confirms my email address. I am not suggesting there is some sort of hole in the Paypal system that will allow them to suck money from my account that way.

Another long-time eBay and PP user. I've sold numerous things via eBay and directly using PP. I've had pretty decent luck with the service. I don't use the friends and family method, I do a normal PP invoice that I send via an email link and then I provide a tracking number associated with the transaction. I tend to always use UPS for convenience. I have not used PP for anything that I know that violates their TOS so I cannot speak to those type of issues.

I will reiterate what has been said about buyers being favored. This was something eBay and PP did a number of years ago and it's important to realize that they will protect the buyer more than the seller. A new PP account may have a hold period on the funds. Also, if your account goes inactive for a period of time. I had a year or so period where I didn't use the service but then when I started using it again I had to wait 21 days to gain access to the money I was paid. Kind of pissed me off not knowing that upfront since I sold an expensive item and had to wait that time to get paid. The buyer of course already had your goods.

Fees are the other thing to remember as was noted. PP will take a cut so if your margins are thin or you need to make a certain amount it's good to realize you will pay a fee for the service.

quote:

Originally posted by sleepla8er:
Sister sold a used cell phone on PayPal. Two months after payment and shipment were completed, PayPal withdrew the funds from her bank account as the credit card was reported lost/stolen.

Hmmm... This doesn't sound right.

First of all: You can't "sell on PayPal," as PayPal is simply a payment processing system.

Secondly: This would be an action triggered by the CC company, not PayPal. So if your sister accepted CC payments directly, and the same thing happened, this would imply the CC company would attempt to recover from her.

Now, what's curious about this story is that a CC company would do that on a two month old transaction. If your CC is lost or stolen, aren't you obliged to inform the card company in a timely manner?