Paypal "gift" question

[jg8422]

Originally Posted by Butter

Absolutely none, unless it's with a credit card. That's why most buyers don't like to use it.

Does your credit card company simply take your word that the card never arrived, was not as stated, etc. and refund you money?

[sbfinley]

I don't mind using paying paypal gift as long as I'm purchasing something from someone I have dealt with before and/or the amount is low enough that if I get burned I won't hate myself for being out said amount. My own rule of thumb is when using paypal gift use common sense, because you're level of protection is very low.

[BasherBoy]

I've been using it alot lately both as buyer and seller. As long as you are dealing with somebody you know it's great. Saved me a good bit of money on some lots I've bought. pretty much zero protection though. On the issue of using a credit card to send a gift for some protection, it is pointless. I tried doing it on one deal as an experiment and if you try to send gift with a credit card it charges you a fee as the buyer. If you are going to do that, you may as well just pay regular paypal and agree to cover the seller's fees.

[Big Ben]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I don't mind using paying paypal gift as long as I'm purchasing something from someone I have dealt with before and/or the amount is low enough that if I get burned I won't hate myself for being out said amount. My own rule of thumb is when using paypal gift use common sense, because you're level of protection is very low.

+1 well said

[scmavl]

PLEASE BEWARE: I use to sell a lot of items via Paypal gift on a high-end guitar forum. After a few thousand dollars worth of sales, I got an email from Paypal saying my account would be closed if I continue to accept gift payments for "what they know are actual purchases."

Be careful what you put in the memo field.

[Rob D.]

Here's a crazy idea: How about instead of trying to avoid the fees that PayPal has established, you just pay for using the service, which has made online transactions much easier.

You're choosing to use a service. Pay for it or don't use it. Pretty simple.

[Kawika]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Here's a crazy idea: How about instead of trying to avoid the fees that PayPal has established, you just pay for using the service, which has made online transactions much easier.

You're choosing to use a service. Pay for it or don't use it. Pretty simple.

Rob, you are so 2010.

[jg8422]

Originally Posted by Kawika

Rob, you are so 2010.

Rob,

I don't mind paying a resonable amount for a service. However, when you combine the total fees of both ebay and paypal (the same company) their fees, in my opinion, seem to be on the unreasonable side. They pretty much have a monopoly and get away with charging whatever fees they want.

Question to members: Are the combined ebay and paypal fees too high? I am a big believer in capitalism and free markets, however I do not think that makes it right to have such high fees. Too bad there is not much competition out there for ebay/paypal. What gets me is that the only way ebay allows you to pay is through paypal.

Thoughts? MAybe i am just a cheap bastard. haha

[Griffins]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Here's a crazy idea: How about instead of trying to avoid the fees that PayPal has established, you just pay for using the service, which has made online transactions much easier.

You're choosing to use a service. Pay for it or don't use it. Pretty simple.

Well said Rob.

[YankeeCollector]

Originally Posted by Griffins

Well said Rob.

I'd rather pay eBay and paypal fees than a consignment fee and a nearly 20% buyers premium, because even though the seller doesn't pay the buyers premium, it affects the sale price.
For example, I was going to bid for a card that was at 2975 tonight at an auction. But, I didn't because I would have to add the 15-20% buyers premium.

In my opinion, eBay is the biggest bargain for sellers.

[sbfinley]

I don't mind paying a small fee for the right to use their auction format or the payment service they own. When they decide they want a percentage of the cost of shipping, I get annoyed as do other people. If someone wants to throw a $50 card on the Net54 B/S/T and save some money by offering paypal gift I don't mind. Before long it wouldn't surprise me if they wanted a percentage of the cost of the slab of a graded card.

That being said I wouldn't buy a "Super Sik Lebron/Jordan Patch Auto" for 2k from "KingJamesDaBomb" with paypal gift. That's dumb.

But if one of the hundred or so great Net54's I have either met or dealt with before would like to receive paypal gift for a $40 Zeenut I don't mind.

I look at paypal gift as ebay/paypal saying "Yup, we're going to squeeze every cent we can out of you, so here is a bone. But if you're going to be dumb with it and get burned, you are on your own."

[timzcardz]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Here's a crazy idea: How about instead of trying to avoid the fees that PayPal has established, you just pay for using the service, which has made online transactions much easier.

You're choosing to use a service. Pay for it or don't use it. Pretty simple.

Thank you!


I personally refuse to do business with anyone that insists or wants payment for a sale to be identified as "gift" for two reasons.


1. I believe it to be dishonest.

2. They entered into an explicitly defined business agreement with PayPal that they willfully choose to not comply with. Why should I believe that they would not shirk their responsiilty in another business agreement, such as one with me to deliver what I pay for?

[Leon]

Also, please remember there is an e-check option that only costs $5 (max) to take any amount of money. There are some guidelines to meet but it's the way I take larger payments to not cost me the +/- 2.9%...

[HRBAKER]

Originally Posted by timzcardz

Thank you!


I personally refuse to do business with anyone that insists or wants payment for a sale to be identified as "gift" for two reasons.


1. I believe it to be dishonest.

2. They entered into an explicitly defined business agreement with PayPal that they willfully choose to not comply with. Why should I believe that they would not shirk their responsiilty in another business agreement, such as one with me to deliver what I pay for?

To me it is akin to walking into a store and changing the price on goods to a lower price to avoid paying for what you are getting. The rationale that the store already makes enough money on the other things that it sells makes no difference. I have used the gift option before to send money to family members, etc. where it was a gift.

And to the OPs original question, why should you have any coverage if you are circumventing the terms of sale for commerce by using the "gift" apparatus. Also the point was made about how this might be an option since it is distasteful for ebay/paypal to charge fees on shipping charges as well. Some of that decision may of come about because some sellers were offering lower buy prices and inflated shipping charges in order to circumvent seller's fees on the true cost of the item.