Home World & Ancient Coins Forum

Paying foreign sellers

If I were to order from a seller out of the country (US)...in England, say...and the seller wanted to be paid in £, how would I go about getting a money order to pay him?

Nothing specific in mind, just planning for the futureimage

Comments

  • I would use Paypal. I also thought you could go to your bank and buy a money order in any currency you want.
    Becoming informed but still trying to learn every day!
    1-Dammit Boy Oct 14,2003

    International Coins
    "A work in progress"


    Wayne
    eBay registered name:
    Hard_ Search (buyer/bidder, a small time seller)
    e-mail: wayne.whatley@gmail.com
  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    Not all banks or branches will offer Pound Sterling Travelers/Money Orders. I believe Bank of America does. Another alternative is a Bidpay account, it converts payment, you pay fees unlike paypal.
  • 1jester1jester Posts: 8,637 ✭✭✭
    Another option, if you trust the seller, is to send US$ in cash. However, very recently I noticed a seller has instituted a 5% additional fee when not being paid in pounds sterling. I don't approve of that practice, but it's the seller's prerogative.

    edit: even though the auctions are listed in US dollars.

    imageimageimage
    .....GOD
    image

    "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9

    "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5

    "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
  • BidPay is good, WesternUnion is good (both are somewhat expensive tho), I have also done a lot with sending cash to England and I have never had a problem with that. Most of the sellers that I have dealt with prefered to have cash instead of a money order or a check because of the excessive fees charged.

    Best bet tho is still Paypal.
    Cecil
    Total Copper Nutcase - African, British Ships, Channel Islands!!!
    'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'
  • I don't deal with sellers who do that sort of thing, Jester. I agree it is thier perogative to do so, just like it is my perogative not to give them my business...
    Cecil
    Total Copper Nutcase - African, British Ships, Channel Islands!!!
    'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'
  • My wife told me "If they don't take PayPal, then I can't bid on it!"
    Was that a crack of a whip I just heard?image
    Glenn
  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭
    There's always Wire Transfer or Foreign Draft from your bank as well. That's how we usually do it.
    image
    https://www.civitasgalleries.com

    New coins listed monthly!

    Josh Moran

    CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
  • I try to purchase from sellers that take paypal. I have once sent U.S. cash (about $6) overseas. I have sent a U.S. $ money to china once and a couple of U.S.$ personal checks.
    So many coins, so little money!
    Ebay name: bhil3
  • XpipedreamRXpipedreamR Posts: 8,059 ✭✭
    I don't use Pay Pal at all. I prefer money orders. I didn't know I you could foreign checks from your bank.
  • You could order the foreign currency of choice from your bank and then mail the cash to the seller, though there is a risk of sending cash....
  • If it's just a few dollars then $US is usually acceptable. If you're going to get stiffed it doesn't make much difference what you send.
    "It is good for the state that the people do not think."

    Adolf Hitler
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,961 ✭✭✭
    Sending cash in £ is a logistical nightmare because the lowest paper denomination is a fiver. Lower denominations are fat, heavy coins that cost a lot to send.

    Most UK dealers still accept $US last time I checked.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • Most of my customers from the US pay by Paypal, others send cash in $ bills.
    The only problem was when one customer sent me mint stamps! and found it difficult to understand why I could not use them.
    Tony Harmer
    Web: www.tonyharmer.org
  • One option that hasn't ben mentioned is International Money Orders, you get them through the Post Office. Th down side to this is that the only place you can get them on a "while you wait" basis is St Louis. Any other office can take the order for them but they have to snd the order on to St Louis and it will be then sent to its destination from there. Cost can be a problem too. In St Louis they are around $3 but from others it can be higher. From where I live, the surrounding area, and the offices I checked in Louisville all wanted $15 and warned me that it could take up to six weeks for it to arrive. So it is an option but I don't recommend it unless you live in St louis.
  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I've used international money orders to Canada, UK, Japan, and the PRC and it all worked out fine.
  • SYRACUSIANSYRACUSIAN Posts: 6,461 ✭✭✭✭
    If you're willing to use a credit card, nothing beats paypal. International money orders, (essentially Western Union) are a pain in the a$$ for the buyer and the seller, wether online or in hand. The buyer pays hefty fees , not as much as when bidpay was around but still a lot, especially for amounts less than $100, and the recipient of the money order will probably pay a "valeur" percentage as well, if he's lucky enough to find a nearby agent to cash it . It's a price to pay when you want to send "instant cash" to somebody abroad, but unnecessary for auctions imho. Bank wires are excellent, but mainly for large sums like those you'd expect from someone like Civitas image


    Hot cash is still #1 on my list! image
    Dimitri



    myEbay



    DPOTD 3
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,389 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You would be very wise to learn about the various fees and charges involved in international transactions before proceeding. You will find that the fees and charges in many cases will greatly increase the cost of your transaction. Prepare to be shocked!


    All glory is fleeting.
  • AskariAskari Posts: 3,713
    The best means of paying will vary by country, currency, seller, and overall amount. PayPal in GBP is the safest, fastest, cheapest, and most secure means. Small-value items (up to your loss risk tolerance -- say $50+/-) can usually be accomodated in USD. As Conder mentioned, IMOs -- NOT the green ones, which are for domestic use only -- can be a hassle, but they work well with Canada and Mexico; however, not all countries will accept them (often major countries, not just the shaky ones). Most German dealers prefer wire transfers denominated in Euros; that costs me $20 at my bank (Bank One), but it is fast. For a $17.50 fee, I can pay for a "foreign draft" (may have a different name at some banks) for a check made out in the payee's name and preferred currency. In fact, I did this just today for a purchase I made from a British seller and payment went out in the mail immediately.

    There are some other creative methods, BTW, especially for smaller amounts. One British bookseller offered to accept Amazon.com UK gift certificates in lieu of cash. You'd have to open an account on Amazon's UK site even if you have a US account, but apparently the exchange fees are minimal and the crediting is as fast as Western Union's former BidPay confirmation process.
    Askari



    Come on over ... to The Dark Side! image
Sign In or Register to comment.