PayPal - Purchaser safety question

[Neo Ash]

This is a long story, so I will keep it brief. I purchased an item from an eBay seller. We are negotiating a 2nd off eBay deal. After dragging his feet, he finally provides a shipping quote. He sent a detailed quote to my email. I have asked him to send it via PayPal. His responses have been to the effect of what's the problem or I have already done that. I have zero email/PayPal notifications for outstanding invoices or requests. I'm cautions to use the send money option. Is that a valid concern? I'm currently waiting on a response to my last request. Communications have mostly been phone/test with some less than prompt response times. This transition is for a little over $2,600; obviously, it would be nice not to risk it on transaction processes that might not follow best practices.

 

[Tw3ek]

For a high dollar transaction like that, I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting at least some kind of safety net should something go wrong.

 

[Montatez]

So you can also send money as transaction rather then gift then paypal will back you on the transaction.

 

[BIG BEAR]

Half now.Half when you receive the product?
COD -J/K
He really should have no problem sending you an invoice via eBAY BUT then again, what does his eBay feedback look like?
BB

 

[xelement5x]

So you can also send money as transaction rather then gift then paypal will back you on the transaction.

Have the seller send you an invoice through PayPal, make sure that it includes the items you are purchasing.

If he says "I don't know how" or "it's too much work", point them here: https://www.paypal.com/gd/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/sell/invoicing_works-outside

$2600 is a lot of money, I'd never send that much as gift unless it was someone I knew very well already.

 

[egg_sanwich]

I don't think the issue is about whether it's sent as gift or not (I hope not, I wouldn't send anything as gift unless I really trust the person), but whether there is sufficient documentation should something go south, given that communication has been outside of PayPal.

You say that you have a copy of the detailed quote sent to your email that outlines everything included in the transaction, plus transcripts of your text conversations, then you should be fine. PayPal buyer protection covers you no matter where you purchased from, as long as you can back it up.

That being said, I don't think it's unreasonable for you to ask through an invoice through PayPal - seller must be really lazy

 

[mjmjr25]

The protection is the same whether he invoices you, or you just send a payment to his paypal as "goods". If you send as goods - put in the comments box:

For [list of items, in detail, here] to be shipped to [your address here], via [whichever method of shipping you agree to here].

Your address should be the same as your paypal address - the reason to put it out again is to avoid any claims that you suggested a different address in a different communication.

With all of this - keep in mind - paypal protection is very limited. They verify you recieve a package - beyond that - not much. Meaning, if he sends you something and it's not as described or DOA - there is no protection. If you go off ebay - be sure to record the opening process start to finish, including label that shows the shipping weight, cost, date shipped, et Ebay protections are much more vast.

I've only heard of one time where a refund was issued even when a package was confirmed delivered. In that circumstance the person was to have sent a Neo Geo AES with sticks, but the package the seller used was a medium flat rate box. The buyer immediately knew he'd been scammed and documented the label / box and the size of a an AES w/sticks - even at that he had to waste hours on the phone to get a live person and get away from the prompts (which kept telling him to work it out with the seller and he wasn't protected against item not as described).

 

[skate323k137]

Echo what Mike said.

That said, use a credit card as your payment source. Not debit, not your bank acct, and definitely not your PayPal balance. Using a credit card makes paypal have to refund to it if you win a dispute whether or not they can recover from the seller. If you lose a dispute it leaves you an extra play of issuing a chargeback.

 

[Wachenroder]

I've only heard of one time where a refund was issued even when a package was confirmed delivered. In that circumstance the person was to have sent a Neo Geo AES with sticks, but the package the seller used was a medium flat rate box. The buyer immediately knew he'd been scammed and documented the label / box and the size of a an AES w/sticks - even at that he had to waste hours on the phone to get a live person and get away from the prompts (which kept telling him to work it out with the seller and he wasn't protected against item not as described).

wow guy could have at least went all in on his scam. Cheaping out on medium flat rate box....

but yeah i wouldnt fuck around any high dollar amount

i make sure to document everything in extensive details with pictures and everything. Making sure they dont have an angle to squeeze through to fuck me. Has worked out for me in the 10 years ive been selling.

 

[wyo]

What Mike said. If you have bad vibes, best not to deal for that amount, period. eBay/Paypal protection is only good to a point.

 

[Neo Ash]

Everything worked out just fine. The guy sent over a proper PayPal request and I have goods in route. Thanks for all the tips. I typically don't do this sort of thing outside of a market place.

 

[RabbitTroop]

Just don't be dumb. If you're sending money, send it for goods/services. You don't need an invoice, but fill out the what it's for section. NEVER send it as a gift. Just good advice, period. Any money you send as a gift is 100% risky, no matter who it is too. We've seen good sellers go belly up here, and it's the same everywhere. If the seller is going to violate Paypal's policies and demand you pay the 4%, and you have to deal with that shit, even if it is hugely unethical, then add the 4% yourself and send it over. The gift option is the dumbest thing Paypal added, or maybe smartest, since so many people use it and Paypal will just tell you to go fuck yourself if you have a problem after doing so.

That being said, I also wouldn't do this transaction if the guy is giving you bad vibes. I'm guessing this is a hard to find item, and he's got the goods you really want, but one thing I've learned over and over again is that prized item, that one of a kind, seems to pop up every X number of months. Wait it out for a better/safer deal if this one is feeling like it might go south.