Gumtree sale, buyer wants to use Paypal

[Opara]

Hello, I am selling an item on Gumtree and the buyer I was emailing it turns out doesn't live local.He has now said he wants to pay via Paypal and have the item shipped to him.

I have only used Paypal via Ebay so I'm a little unsure how the protection works, I don't want him suddenly raising a dispute after receiving the item.He has said he will take care of the fees on his end.

As it is a £1000 item is it worth the potential hassle or do you think I should hang fire and wait for a local buyer?

Thanks

[steveo3002]

dont take paypal , if its worth 1k then someone will drive and collect it with cash payment

[TheEnd]

Tell him no, only a personal cleared cheque, and if he doesn't want that, then adios muchachos.

[Opara]

How would you a cleared cheque work? Do you mean he pays by cheque and collects once it has cleared?

How about a bank transfer?

[Snails]

They will pay via Paypal and gain buyers protection from Paypal. The item will then "not arrive" or will be "damaged" or "not as described" if it does. Paypal will ask the buyer to return the item if it does arrive damaged or not as decribed and the buyer will then send you back a damaged item (that isn't yours) or another item altogether if "not as described". Paypal will then refund the buyer and you are left out of pocket.

[HenryJM]

I could be wrong but my reading of PayPal is that you accept payment and ship goods, they complaint and get money back and keep what you shipped them, you then faced the challenge of getting it back.

Maybe it's not like that but it's how I interpreted it.

[stevensdrs]

Cash on collection or bank transfer. Paypal for gifts or deposits only or you leave yourself wide open to being turned over.

[supertouring]

Why take any risk yourself, ask for cash or simply move on to the next buyer.

[TheEnd]

A bank transfer should work, but remember there's usually a 2-3 day clearing period even if the money shows as being available.

[Justayellowbadge]

Accept paypal, but only if they send as a gift.

Bypasses fees, too.

[Hoofy]

Your only safe options:
-PPG
-bank transfer if you check the wording so it's not a fake banker's draft or cheque paid in to the cashier
-bank transfer with you present, account to account
-cash

[750turbo]

Opara said:

...I am selling an item on Gumtree ...

Makes ebay seem almost nice!

Horrid horrid selling place...

[ReaperCushions]

Hoofy said:

Your only safe options:

-cash

But only if you drive to the bank together and pay them in. This allows the bank to check for fakes, as well as protects you from having a wad of cash at home that someone might come back for in the middle of the night.

[boxst]

750turbo said:

Opara said:

...I am selling an item on Gumtree ...

Makes ebay seem almost nice!

Horrid horrid selling place...

I've sold (And bought) quite a few things on Gumtree. Quite easy to spot the idiots and it usually a face-to-face transaction.

With regards to the original question, no not with Paypal ...

[ferrariF50lover]

I bought a hedgehog and sold a washing machine via scumtree last year. Both transactions went smoothly and in cash. Equally, I purchased the washer via eBay and PayPal and that was fine too. There's no hard and fast rule. If you're dealing with a crook, you're dealing with a crook. If you're not, you're not. Like so many things in life, you'll have to use a combination of wit and intelligence to work out which is which. If you want to be ultra safe, insist upon cash. Then again, perhaps if you feel the need to be ultra safe, maybe you don't want to deal with this person at all?

I don't think you should be suspicious of a PayPal request per se. If it's the latest in a long line of suspicious requests, then it's probably a scam, but it's not nailed on. If it's just a query as to whether PP would be better since it'll save on fees etc, then it's probably not, but again, there are no certainties. Take all the evidence at your disposal and make a calculated value judgement based on it, weighed against the pain in the arse of not selling to this bloke.

Simon.

[NBTBRV8]

My guess is that the buyer doesn't have enough cash and wants to pay for it on their credit card linked to their Paypal account.

[TheEnd]

I've got a hedgehog you could have had for free it you had a box.

[Some Gump]

10 echo run
20 goto 10

[lord trumpton]

Tell him to jog on.

[Opara]

I told him I was only interested in a face to face sale as I'd had a bad experience with PP.I got this response shortly afterwards.


" I insisted on paypal because i don't have access to my bank account online as i don't have internet banking and i can't go to the bank due to the nature of my job, but i can pay from my paypal account, as i have my bank a/c attached to it, i will need you to give me your paypal email address so i can make the payments asap for the item and pls if you don't have paypal account yet, it is very easy to set up, go to www.paypal.com and get it set up , after you have set it up i will only need the e-mail address you use for registration with paypal so as to put the money through."


Going to leave it and wait for another buyer.