Safe guide for buying and selling...

sanmich

sanmich

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Hi all

With all the horror stories going around of people loosing well earned money to scam artists over the web, I wonder if we could have a one thread dedicated to safe trading, under all aspects.
All the regulations about Paypal / Ebay / Shipping are too complicated to follow for the average guy.
I would like to first ask for knowledgable mambers to share their tips on:

safely buying and selling on Ebay
Safely sending/ receving funds
safely ship in your country and abroad.

Thanks!
 
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The most obvious lesson from the recent threads is to be suspicious of bank transfers. It might save the seller a few per cent, but there's little in it for the buyer. If a vendor won't accept PayPal funded by a credit card (which gives an extra layer of protection), you'd have to know them well or feel very good about them.

Edit: Bear in mind that for private transactions, as on RFF, PayPal doesn't protect buyer or seller, your only recourse is to your credit card company should you get scammed.
 
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I think we should all have an account at Heatware.com. It has worked for numerous B/S/T forums and it will work for RFF.
 
I'll put one that I pretty much understand:
while paying by Paypal, always withdraw the money from a CC.
In the eventuality you get scamed, you are protected by your CC policy.
Of course, PP are the one that will eat the loss, and that's why they are so eager to make you connect your bank account to your PP account, and impose that the "regular" way of payment is through your account and not CC.
You have to remember each time you pay to switch to CC...
 
sanmich said:
I'll put one that I pretty much understand:
while paying by Paypal, always withdraw the money from a CC.
In the eventuality you get scamed, you are protected by your CC policy.
Of course, PP are the one that will eat the loss, and that's why they are so eager to make you connect your bank account to your PP account, and impose that the "regular" way of payment is through your account and not CC.
You have to remember each time you pay to switch to CC...
Click to expand...

To say nothing of the fact that they can't come into your account any time they feel like it and do a debit. Paypal by the CC side of my debit card is the only way for me.

Always check feedback; how many, how good.

Does it look too good to be true, or anything else look suspicious? If the transaction is for more than you are willing to lose; run, don't walk away.

Ask the seller questions, such as on a lens; scratches, fungus, fogging? Anything else a buyer would want to know? No answer, no sale.

Don't forget to count the shipping and handling as part of the total cost. Too much? Leave it alone.
 
I think paypal is good, when both the buyer and seller are verified, and where the protection policies apply to both.

For books, dvds, and cds, I've had great experiences buying and selling luck on the Amazon user stores.
 
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No they cann't. If they could your bank should be able to protect you, just like a CC company does. At least with the bank I use this works.

Paypal withdraws money only if you tell them to, or if ebay invoices you. After its out of your account it's hard to get back, even if you don't receive what you pay for.

Ebay can withdraw money via Paypal based on your agreement with them, but has to send an invoice 10 days in advance.

The easiest way to protect yourself is to stop trading camera gear :)

Or use reliable stores that often sell used gear for not much more (or even cheaper) than what it runs for on ebay or here, in particular for Leica lenses.
 
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for 'bigger' items i only buy from 'known' folks here on rff or i buy new from reputable dealers.

smaller stuff, i am willing to risk it on ebay or from someone i may not 'know' very well on rff or other photo forums.
 
Do not let ANYONE near your bank acct with a direct debit.
As I understand a verfied paypal is one linked to a bank acct.
I will only link paypal to my credit card.
I once set up a direct debit with my bank for a farm supply item for a fixed amt. On enquiry was told the amt was irreverlent. The bank was obliged to honour ANY amt the supplier nominated, I was in fact at the mercy of the honesty of the firm involved (in my case there wasnt a problem as the firm was 100%), but I was exposed to a risk none the less.
Not a bad idea is to set up a separate acct with only the amt in it you are prepared to lose, even that will hurt of course but at least a business acct is isolated.
I am more and more coming to the assement to forget ebay for anything I am not prepared to be scammed over.

ron
 
mmm, more quests than members on this at the moment

Use a debit card, not a credit card, transfer only the funds you need for the e-bay purchase into debit card account- dont keep other funds on the debit card at other times.

Contact the sellor through one of their `other listings' to ensure they DO have the item you are interested in listed.

Do a dummy run with sellors you may purchase from - i do this all the time, 99pence Kowa H, 20 buck FSU lens, that sort of thing.

Feedback - the total percentage is a useless guide , check detailed feedback.

Always ask at least one question, even if the answer is in the aution details.

Check everthing on a first time transaction, there is always time.

Then ask yourself this ` am i prepared to lose out if this turns to doo'?
 
pakeha said:
mmm, more quests than members on this at the moment

Use a debit card, not a credit card, transfer only the funds you need for the e-bay purchase into debit card account- dont keep other funds on the debit card at other times.
Click to expand...

Interesting one here...

do you mean that PP has the right to withdraw money from you CC if your PP acount is empty and there is a problem with a transaction??
This is related to something I was starting to think about:
as a seller, when for instance dealing with a foreign country that doesn't have verified address, would it make sense to empty your PP account before sending the item in order not get burned if the buyer is not legit?
Of course it doesn't work if PP has a right of withdrwal from your CC for their own needs...
 
You could do that Michael.

Problem is, Paypal might file a credit complaint, might start using a collection agency, etc. If you have ever dealt with a false collection claim, and you value a good credit history, it can be a real mess in the US.

This, IMO, is the biggest risk of using the ebay/Paypal system: selling an item to an non-US bidder, and him then claiming that the item never arrived, and Paypal refunding him. The only way to avoid this is to sell to verified adresses in the US only, and use receipt confirmation, with USPS, for example.

Paypal and ebay are buyer focused. In doubt they always side with the buyer.

Interestingly, reg. the recent thread of the lost payment on a Noctilux, the buyer would have been refunded easily, had he used Paypal instead of wire transfer.

Roland.
 
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The best way I have found is www.escrow.com. I have used it on almost every purchase I have made online.. You send payment to them, they hold it until you receive the product and ok it, they give you a week. If its no good, you return it, and they will return the payment once the seller receives the package back. It protects both the seller and buyer pretty good. The fees are higher than paypal, but I think its worth it..
 
FS Vontz said:
Cheaper things I would do on eBay(£45 FSU camera), other things I go to more reputable sources(KEH, for my Contax G1)
Click to expand...
Just about sums it all up. Treat ebay like a day at the horse races, have a lot of fun, hopefully win some and not loose more than you can afford.

Best Christmas wishes to all.

ron
 
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