any ebay experts out there?

[Trillian]

domestic bank transfer is

international bank transfer isn't, just like an international bankers draft, it takes a fair while to clear, however it shows up as clearing, you send goods then the draft doesn't clear and goes back where it came from.

 

[Steve Austin]

So what is the safest way to receive money from abroad?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

tell him your terms, if he doesnt like it then let him walk...a genuine buyer will not run scared of your terms if they are fair and in common practice...i.e paypal.

 

[davidwalton]

davidwalton: what alternative to paypal do you use, or do you just use it grudgingly?

I do not accept payments on-line any more, so the only payments I make are via shops like Wiggle, etc with my Card. I do not buy from EBay, or use PayPal with my Card (I don't trust them with the details)

If I needed an online system again, I wouldn't touch PayPal. There are a number around (MoneyBookers and StormPay, to name 2 similar to PayPal, and 2CheckOut.com for accepting payments as a merchant). If serious, I would go the route of getting a proper Merchant account to be able to accept all Card payments.

 

[davidwalton]

So what is the safest way to receive money from abroad?

http://www.westernunion.com. It is expensive though, and you need to go to an agent to pickup the payment. On the other side, payment can be collected as soon as WU accept the transaction and provide the transaction ID (within a few minutes).

Receiver then goes to their nearest agent with the transaction ID, and possibly proof of ID, and collects money from agent.

In theory, you can have the payment as cash, in your hands, within a few minutes of the sender making the transaction on WU site.

 

[punkypossum]

I read a warning in a magazine somewhere only last week though never to use Western Union unless you know and trust the recipient.... Can't remember why, but it made sense at the time.

 

[davidwalton]

I read a warning in a magazine somewhere only last week though never to use Western Union unless you know and trust the recipient.... Can't remember why, but it made sense at the time.

Not sure why as all they can do is collect the money you have sent, no more or less. They do that by you giving them the transaction ID.

 

[davidwalton]

Anyway, would anyone send a lot of money abroad to someone they don't at least know and have some relationship with?

 

[bonj2]

I do not accept payments on-line any more, so the only payments I make are via shops like Wiggle, etc with my Card. I do not buy from EBay, or use PayPal with my Card (I don't trust them with the details)

If I needed an online system again, I wouldn't touch PayPal. There are a number around (MoneyBookers and StormPay, to name 2 similar to PayPal, and 2CheckOut.com for accepting payments as a merchant). If serious, I would go the route of getting a proper Merchant account to be able to accept all Card payments.

what if you want to sell something on ebay?

 

[davidwalton]

what if you want to sell something on ebay?

Will never happen. I have the same contempt for EBay as I do for PayPal, as Ebay own PayPal.

 

[bonj2]

Will never happen. I have the same contempt for EBay as I do for PayPal, as Ebay own PayPal.

What if you had something you WOULD want to sell on ebay if you didn't have contempt for it? No offence but isn't it a bit like cutting your nose off to spite your face?

 

[davidwalton]

What if you had something you WOULD want to sell on ebay if you didn't have contempt for it? No offence but isn't it a bit like cutting your nose off to spite your face?

Not had a problem to date. Found that by advertising on forums, like this one, anything I needed to sell has gone quickly.

Last thing I sold by advertising on the Internet was a Flugel Horn. Sold for £1250. If I ever upgrade my French Horn, I will either chop it in as part payment, or sell that through advertising where Horn players are known to look on the Internet, somewhere like http://www.brass-forum.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl.

Everything else, ie. small stuff, can be collected and go to the next Car Boot sale. Although, as we only recently moved, there is nothing collected as yet for that.

 

[davidwalton]

Sorry, had to post again. was on 666 posts

 

[Rhythm Thief]

domestic bank transfer is

international bank transfer isn't, just like an international bankers draft, it takes a fair while to clear, however it shows up as clearing, you send goods then the draft doesn't clear and goes back where it came from.

How so? Surely if it shows as cleared, then it's cleared. What changes between it showing as cleared and it going back to the sender?
Not that I would accept an international bank transfer anyway, I'm just curious.

 

[mickle]

Totally agree. Paypal and UK addresses only, tell anyone else to take a hike and look out for anyone with less than 10 feedback.

Sorry, don't agree with this assertion, I've been using Ebay for two months, buyer only, 18 transactions, 100% positive feedback and I've spent less than £300 although I've been a member for well over a year. Any old scumbag can establish a good feedback record....