posted on October 1, 2001 08:59:10 AM
As a buyer how do you like to make payments? Money order, Billpoint,Paydirect, Money Orders, Etc.
As a seller I would like to know. With the Christmas Shopping Season coming up I would like to get as many payment options (that buyers will use) set up.
posted on October 1, 2001 09:51:44 AM
Personal checks or Billpoint. I can get a money order, and do many times, but I can have a personal check in the mail right away. Having to get a money order means I have to get cash first, then go to Rite Aid for the MO, which will most likely delay payment at least a day.
posted on October 1, 2001 09:56:23 AM
My first choice is Paypal followed by Billpoint. If no other online payment is available, I prefer check. Money order is an absolute last resort for me. If an auction only offers money orders as a payment method, I'll bid on it if it's the only one available on ebay. On the the other hand, if there's a lot of the item on ebay, the first thing I'll do is start eliminating the sellers who don't offer Paypal.
I think offering some sort of online payment becomes particularly critical as you get down to the "crunch time" before Christmas and people want to save as much time as possible.
posted on October 1, 2001 09:59:18 AM
Checks or MOs.
I closed my PayPal account last year after all their shenanigans (which have gotten worse over time instead of less) and have no intention of dealing with them or similar .coms again.
posted on October 1, 2001 10:49:52 AM
Well here's my pennyworth (can't afford 2 cents as sales are so slow!).
I sell more than I buy. When I do buy, I prefer to pay via online payment. Paypal first to use up my balance, and Billpoint if I have to. I have no problem at all getting money orders. I get them free from my credit union because I owe them so much money on my various mtgs on my house.
I would like to hear how you check payers feel about a 10 day hold for checks to clear, does that scare anyone off? I say that I do that in my listings, but rarely ever do hold checks. I have had one bounce but they made good on it. (It came back on the 11th day... wouldn't ya know it.)
posted on October 1, 2001 11:36:20 AM
As a buyer I would use any of the following in any order: PayPal, Personal Check or BillPoint. As stated elsewhere, money orders are a hassle.
I have no problem with a seller holding my check but I do like for them to note that in their auctions. As a matter of fact I have two items that I paid for with a check about three weeks ago that I have not received yet.
I stay far, far away from cash or money orders ONLY auctions.
Edited to add that I just processed payments from the PO box and I received:
3 personal checks
2 money orders
1 bidpay money order
1 cash
posted on October 1, 2001 11:41:40 AM
I am mainly a seller
but i buy a few items per month.
and usually buy a LOT between now and Christmas.
I prefer to pay with C2it - and MOST of the time if a seller does not accept it,if I ask them to sign up, they will.
when they won't sign up, then I will send a Check if they will take one,
and as a last measure, I would send a money order
posted on October 1, 2001 03:19:34 PM
As a buyer, Check is #1 it's just easier.
As a seller, Check is still #1 way i get paid. I used to take PayPal when they first started. Didn't increase business at all. When I stopped taking PayPal, it didn't slow business at all either.
Check is still King.
Oh, on high end item I really can't afford, I look for billpoint so I can use my credit card.
[ edited by glasshappy on Oct 1, 2001 03:21 PM ]
posted on October 1, 2001 03:25:31 PM
As a seller, I accept money orders and personal checks only! My auctions have NOT suffered from this. I sell antique glass/china.
As a buyer I send a personal check and with my +400 fb, I usually wait about ~7-10 day and then the package arrives. Why the rush to receive something you are just going to use? I can't undersand why one would use a credit card to sell. It only adds to your expenses?
posted on October 1, 2001 03:34:27 PM
Paypal or Billpoint. It would have to be something I just couldnt' live without for me to bid on an auction that did not take either of these.
posted on October 1, 2001 03:49:51 PM
As a buyer, I prefer to send a check (I do not mind waiting 2 weeks), 2nd choice is Paypal. I hate getting money orders and if the auction says money orders only, I do not bid!
posted on October 1, 2001 04:14:59 PM
Money orders, or paypal are my preferred method of payment. I'm at the post office at least every other day, so money orders are not a problem for me. Plus, I understand the fees associated with online credit card payments. I recently started taking paypal in hopes of increasing my sales. Hasn't happened. Oh well...
posted on October 2, 2001 03:09:28 AM
first choice is paypal - fast, easy, and i can use the money in my account. second choice, usps money orders, since i'm already often at the post office anyway, and the chances are better i'll get my item quickly. checks are easy, but i understand if sellers want a holding period, and i'd prefer to get the item more quickly. i'd rather not keep track of what's come and what hasn't, and it more difficult to do that if checks are held.
posted on October 2, 2001 03:27:49 AM
Of the hundred or so eBay transactions I've carried out, all but 2 were as a buyer.
Of those the majority were buying from the US to ship to the UK in which case Paypal is infinitely preferable to any other alternative. Cheques are a non-starter. Money orders are a hassle and end up costing more to somebody. Cash hasn't proved problematic to date, but the odds are decreasing which each instance...
When buying domestically, cheque is as convenient as Paypal without the associated cost.
Guess it depends on what you're selling and where you're prepared to ship.
posted on October 2, 2001 03:54:56 AM
As a buyer..paypal,paypal,paypal. I prefer being able to log on, do a little typing and then get a conf. email that my payment is already in the hands of the seller and that my items should be to me rather quickly as I also check to make sure the seller ships priority mail as well as takes paypal before I even bid.
As a seller...I take cash, check, M.O....I also like paypal, achex, propay and bidpay with the listed order as my order of preference for the online payments.
posted on October 2, 2001 05:30:04 AM
As a buyer, I have only used money orders, because my checks have my home address on them. I did use PP a couple times until I dumped them last February. I still have BP, but don't offer it in my auctions right now and I don't remember using it as a buyer.
Edited to add I do offer BidPay in my auctions and wouldn't hesitate to use them for a purchase if item was costly enough.
posted on October 2, 2001 06:15:32 AM
As a Buyer: Paypal I can sit here and with a few clicks payment is made the deal is done
Followed by checks I still have to address the envolope, write the check , find a stamp , and ,mail it pain in the .....
I have to really want the item If you will only accept money orders and then you can expect to wait awhile for payment untill I get a chance to get by and pick up a money order.
As a seller I perfer paypal , I accept checks and in 4 years on ebay have yet to have a problem with one.
spock here......
I don't mind if a seller wants to hold checks, but (maybe because of my feedback?) I can't remember the last time someone did.
I don't hold them either. I started not holding the ones under $20, then $50, and got brave (for me anyway) recently and next-day mailed on a check for $153. I've only had one bounced check in two years and it was because the man had his wallet stolen and had the account closed - he made good on the check before my bank notified me it had bounced.
But I understand why some sellers might want to hold them, so I don't mind at all.
posted on October 2, 2001 08:34:19 AM
In order of preference:
1) Paypal
2) Check: I can issue a check on-line .. my bank sends it via regular mail. The funds are taken out of my account balance the minute I enter the payment so the check can't bounce.
3) USPS Money Order .. PO around the corner and small. If I lived in the city .. this would NOT be desirable at all!!
QUESTION for SELLERS: Option #2 above .. if I emailed you and explained how this worked with my bank, would you have any hesitation about not holding that check?
posted on October 2, 2001 09:07:21 AM
As a buyer, I want to pay with Paypal. I've become too impatient to write a check and wait for it to clear. I will still bid in auctions that take only checks.
I avoid auctions that say cash or Money Order only. I REALLY hate getting money orders, and don't like having only an option of cash
posted on October 2, 2001 09:12:16 AM
Thanks everyone! I have started to redone my payment options after getting your answers.
I do accept checks but I do not list this in my auctions.
posted on October 2, 2001 09:58:13 AM
tuition44years:
Would look at your feedback and then make decide based on that. If mostly good feedback and no bad for bounced check, I would believe you. I've actually done this for a bidder before with the same kind of account, so it would be no problem.
[ edited by glasshappy on Oct 2, 2001 10:02 AM ]
posted on October 2, 2001 09:40:03 PM
Thanks for your perspective, GlassHappy. I did it myself for a buyer once BEFORE I was paying my bills on line and didn't yet understand exactly how this worked. I did what you did .. she had good feedback so I shipped and crossed my fingers. Was fine of course and now I know why!
posted on October 3, 2001 08:36:43 AM
Unless it's somthing I HAVE to have- I PASS on items that don't take online payments!
I especially love to pay with Paypal because the I usually have a balance and i can just zip off the payment without having to find a stamp, envelope, writing etc.
posted on October 3, 2001 08:41:37 AM
PayPal or personal checks. As a buyer I am finding that I tend to prefer PayPal because the payment is received instantly, so the seller usually ships the item within 2 or 3 days after I pay. Receiving my items that quickly is nice (not essential, but nice). If the choices are only Billpoint vs. money order, then I use Billpoint. But I prefer PayPal to them. Money orders are more difficult to get. Until this month we were a one-car family and there just was no easy way for me to get out to buy one, so my payment would be delayed 4 to 7 days until I could get to the store to buy it.
(As a seller, I don't yet accept any online payment services, but it is an issue that I'm thinking about.)
Violetta
(Not known by this nickname anywhere but here.)
posted on October 3, 2001 11:29:33 AM
Thanks, at1x22, for starting this thread. The responses have been very interesting--and helpful for this seller!
As a SELLER, any method that gets the payment from the customer's account to mine is fine with me.
I do not hold shipment on PERSONAL CHECKS under $50.00 on established buyers with good feedback. For newbies, I 'judge' shipment based on several things--like the response time to notification e-mail and the 'flavor' of the note I receive from them. (Folks tend to reveal a lot about themselves when writing back. Often it is the interest level in the item they've won or a note about who this gift is for, their apparent eagerness to get the item, their willingness to try new things like PayPal, etc.)
As a BUYER, I really like using PayPal. Usually it is a bank-transfer from one account designated for auction purposes, or funds from my accumulated sales, with which I make payments. (I do keep my account balance through PayPal pretty low, for reasons discussed in other threads.) I rarely pay with credit cards, but do have one set aside for on-line payments only. If sales don't cover the balance-due on that card, it's time to slow down the buying. :>(
If the seller does not accept PayPal or BillPoint, I prefer to send a Personal Check, as a bank-trip is 30 miles from my isolated residence=delays in getting the payment to the seller and prolonged paper-work on the buy. (Yes, I keep thorough records of all my buys, just as I do with my sales.)
