PayPal

[Red-feather]

I do not have a paypal account and since I dont do that much buying/selling....what Im wondering is ....since I've always done my purchasing with a USPS money order, on terms with the seller to deposit/ wait till it clears before shipping the item...pretty simple .....right..?? Well my last purchase..it was brought to my attention that there have been some counterfeit USPS money orders..!!!!!
Are there other methods of payment for seller/ buyer that are safer/ more secure than paypal./ money orders...???
Just tryin to cover my tail......

[David Levene]

From my experience it depends how you use PayPal.

If the seller issues an invoice through PayPal for goods then, as far as I'm aware, you have the normal PayPal buyer's protection (which is pretty good).

If you just send a PayPal payment as a gift then you've got to trust the seller; I don't think you have any PayPal protection.

[yana]

CC is always good for payments.
Yr buy i insured as well automatically.
I use Paypal as well. Money orders dont exist here, its banktransfer/Ideal, CC, or Paypal.
Paypal ís more risky, but its far more easier as well

[Guest]

Use Pay Pal if you want to get screwed. They are not on your side.

Another option is for the seller to ship UPS COD. It takes a little while for the seller to get their money, but they either get their money or the item back.

[Red-feather]

I like that idea...!
As long as both parties agree....( buyer & seller )....
Seems to me it would be tough to get scammed....?

[scausi]

C.o.d , may be good but you wont get to open the package until you have paid for it, could get a surprise

[waxman]

Warning! I got this directly from PayPal:
"You may not use the PayPal service for activities that..." "...relate to transactions involving ... (i) ammunition, firearms, or certain firearm parts or accessories, or (j) ,certain weapons or knives regulated under applicable law."

They will cancel your PayPal account if you attempt to use it for a gun or ammo sale.

If you do a lot of gun business, consider:
http://www.pistolpay.com/
(I have no connection with them)
John

[NetNinja]

I have used PayPal from the very start. Very easy and convient way to pay for goods from winning ebay bids.

I have had 2 ocassions where I bought a server and it came so beat up I emailed the seller and sent him pictures of the server. He went silent on me for a week, so I opened a case with PayPal. They froze his account and he couldn't do business until my case was resolved. He sent me a new server and I released his account. I am not sure if payPal does that anymore.

One the second ocassion I bought a lamp and this person decided to put this heavy item in a box with those styrofoam peanuts. (hate that packing material)
I opened the box and it looked like it had been dropped from a 3 story building. I got PayPal involved after the seller refused to give me a refund.
PayPal got invoved but this time they didn't freeze this persons account. After about 2 weeks he returned my money back into my PayPal account.

So all in all I have had good luck with PayPal in the past 10+ years.

Also since PayPal is owned by fleaBay, we all know those Kalifornistinians don't like guns.

[mparker]

From my experience it depends how you use PayPal.

If the seller issues an invoice through PayPal for goods then, as far as I'm aware, you have the normal PayPal buyer's protection (which is pretty good).

If you just send a PayPal payment as a gift then you've got to trust the seller; I don't think you have any PayPal protection.

+1

I pay for purchases in a number of ways including PayPal. My biggest issue is the fees for Paypal and credit cards. Gun sellers on the various sales sites frequently ask for an additional 3% (somteimes 4%) on sales where I, the buyer, want to use a credit or debit card. Other (non-firearms related) sites where I buy merchandise do not ask for such nearly so often. I have a visceral aversion to paying such fees.

My policy:
I DO NOT charge a fee for items I sell and I WON'T PAY a fee for items I buy.

That said, I tend to send lots of money orders and cashiers checks, as you might imagine.

[metalsmith]

Paypal is hard to beat for convienience. BUT, they will fee you hard, If your the seller, you have no rights, and they will stomp on you over a dispute.
I use a debit acount and card that only has enough money in it to cover the transaction. It is the method with the fewest fees and they can't take back the payment if it is not in the account.
They are also viemently anti gun. even a scope stand or ammo block is against their policy.
How they get around small gun parts and barrels on Ebay I don't understand.

[bchannell]

Paypal is definitely anti gun, and I don't use them anymore than I have to because of it. They try to push their political agenda instead of just doing business as they should, and keep their views to themselves, as most of us do in business.

Don't get too worried about counterfeit USPS money orders. It was a problem a while back, but the PO changed their money orders and now they are safer. One good piece of advise is to cash the MO before shipment, simple and effective.

Walmart also has a good, easily available money order that can be cashed at any bank or Walmart store.