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Buying from Sellers who DON'T take paypal....

This was never an issue with me a couple of years back, especially when buying cards for $5 or $10 a piece.

Now that I'm starting to buy cards in the $100+ range for my collection I'm a little more worried. Especially after spending some time on these boards and the horror stories you hear.

What do you think about buying from sellers who do NOT accept paypal?? Will any of you do it?? At what feedback do you feel safe?? Is there any way to protect yourself whatsoever by sending a check or money order if something is not legit???

There is a seller that has a handful of cards I'm interested in, has a great feedback record, but simply will not take Paypal. If I ever sent 200 bucks to a seller and got stiffed, I would be sick about it for a long, long time.

Thanks for any advice.

Shawn.

Comments

  • frankhardyfrankhardy Posts: 8,121 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unless the card for sale is very rare, and I have been looking for it for a long time, I do not purchase unless they accept Paypal.

    If it is a rare card and they don't accept Paypal, and their feedback is good, I wouldn't have a problem sending a money order. You can always get delivery confirmation at the PO to make sure they got it.

    Shane

  • Some of the best dealers out there do not take Paypal...ie Discount Sportscards. Remember, before eBay, there was no Paypal! If you are not comfortable, pay with a Credit Card ( not a debit card).
    My focus, 1970 Topps Baseball Raw and Graded, pre 1989 PSA Hockey and 1933 INDIAN GUM ! Yikes!!
  • Be careful - I made an exception to my paypal only rule and bought two cards from freedman collectibles (no paypal). I sent a postal MO for 250+, and now am having a nightmare with the seller - he hasn't received my MO (though I've NEVER had anything lost in the mail, hundreds of other payments/shipped items.) I'm getting all kinds of excuses - haven't rec'd MO, maybe he misplaced MO, father slipped and broke his leg, can't check mail so he will check it out this weekend and get back to me (no reply yet) etc....In the meantime his feedback says others get their cards, etc... Now we're at 3 weeks, no cards, no communication...


    If you can wait at all, I'd wait for a seller that accepts paypal...
  • i didnt take paypal up to a month ago. i was screwed by a seller 3 years ago & paypal didnt cover my payment so i said screw them. i went 3 years without using it.
  • BigRedMachineBigRedMachine Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭
    I'm really not worried about the seller in the item I'm looking at THIS TIME. The seller has 3053 positives and 0 negatives (which is about the highest amount of positives I've ever seen without a neg). So if there was ever a time I would do it without paypal it might be this one. I realize some people just won't take paypal, it has nothing to do with a scam. I guess nearly all scammers won't take paypal, but all people who don't take paypal aren't scammers. You know what I mean.

    Sending a check or money order with delivery confirmation is great idea, thanks. At least the seller can't say it didn't show up.

    Best of luck jlbsquared on getting your card. Hope it all works out in end for you.

    I guess money orders are hard (if not impossible?) to cancel. At least if I sent a personal check I could cancel the check if it mysteriously didn't show up.

    shawn
  • smallstockssmallstocks Posts: 1,640 ✭✭✭✭
    It really frustrates me when a seller doesn't take paypal, so I always bid lower if they have something I want.. If I win the card at the lower price, I feel it is worth the hassle of obtaining a money order.

    Late 60's and early to mid 70's non-sports
  • scooter729scooter729 Posts: 1,730 ✭✭✭
    If the seller has a high feedback score on ebay, I have no problem with sending a payment via a method other than Paypal. Keep in mind, for those of you who don't sell and accept Paypal, there are substantial fees to accept payment via Paypal. If you sell something for $500, you might only receive $480 from Paypal. So by telling the buyer to send a check or money order, you are saving $20. That can add up for big-time sellers. So if someone has done tons of successful transactions and doesn't take Paypal, I would say you can still buy with confidence.


  • << <i>TextBest of luck jlbsquared on getting your card. Hope it all works out in end for you. >>



    Thanks - just sent out another email nicely asking for at least confirmation of receipt of my payment. I'm really hoping he tells me all is ok and cards are on the way - he does have 1263 pos feedbacks vs. 14 negs and is a PSA authorized dealer - I just get a little nervous when the cards I bought are still on his website at 2x and 5x the price I won them at auction. If he comes through I will be back proclaiming the seller a man of his word...

    This is only the 2nd time ever on ebay I've had something like this happen. The first time was for like 45 dollars worth of stuff - I paid through paypal and only managed to get 20 back for some reason. I hope the USPS makes it easier to recover my funds (if that is the path I have to take).

    I've sent MOs in the 500 dollar range to DSL on a few occasions and never had a problem...
  • sagardsagard Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭
    PAYPAL IS NOT GOING TO SAVE YOU A DIME IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH A SCAMMER.
  • BigRedMachineBigRedMachine Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭


    << <i>If the seller has a high feedback score on ebay, I have no problem with sending a payment via a method other than Paypal. Keep in mind, for those of you who don't sell and accept Paypal, there are substantial fees to accept payment via Paypal. If you sell something for $500, you might only receive $480 from Paypal. So by telling the buyer to send a check or money order, you are saving $20. That can add up for big-time sellers. So if someone has done tons of successful transactions and doesn't take Paypal, I would say you can still buy with confidence. >>



    But is the seller in your example losing $25 from the final auction ending because of buyers like smallstocks above.......??

    I know I won't pay as much as I would if they take paypal. Because it does cost me a trip to the bank for a money order, buying a money order, buying a stamp, a trip to the post office, a longer wait to get my item, and, of course, less peace of mind.

    shawn
  • theczartheczar Posts: 1,590 ✭✭
    it depends on the seller. discount sports was mentioned and what the personal hassle of not taking pay-pal is made up for by their liberal shipping prices and their policy of letting you go over two weeks after an auction to combine shipping.

    zukeepr and dhcards also do not take pay pal but are fair to deal with.
  • larryallen73larryallen73 Posts: 6,067 ✭✭✭
    I agree with smallstocks. It's a time factor. It's a waste of time to write a check, write out the envelope, and it adds a lot of time to my getting my cards! I won a card on the 1st, paid with PayPal and received it the 3rd. I don't worry about scammers... I guess because I haven't had any problems.
  • lawnmowermanlawnmowerman Posts: 19,477 ✭✭✭✭
    I try not to buy any cards from sellers who dont take paypal. If I do, its only if its about $30.00 or less. Anything over that then I stay away. Now if they accept paypal, then use your credit card. I do for all my card purchases. Even though paypal may or may not help you if you are in a dispute with a seller, your credit card will. You wont pay a penny till you get what you want out of the deal. Its really the only safe way to buy on ebay.

    Matt
  • fiveninerfiveniner Posts: 4,111 ✭✭✭
    I basically stick to Sellers that accept Pay Pal only because its become much easier for me however there are several very outstanding sellers out there like Johhny Hustle,Texasholdem that I have dealt with often that do not or at least didnt accept Pay Pal.You just have to be able to check thier track record to determine if there are any risk factors.Personally before I started using Pay Pal about a year ago I made many transactions and it is safe to say I never had a problem with CK MO or cash.
    Tony(AN ANGEL WATCHES OVER ME)
  • SDSportsFanSDSportsFan Posts: 5,142 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unless I'm looking at a card that I just "have to have right now" i.e., I don't expect it to come up again in the foreseeable future, I won't buy from anyone who doesn't accept paypal. The only exception I make to this rule is for DSL (Discount Sportscards).

    It's mainly a time factor...I just don't want to have to take the time to fill out checks and envelopes, and buy stamps, and then have to wait an extra week or three for the check to clear and the seller to send the item to me.


    Steve
  • I am very cautious when I buy from sellers that don't take Paypal, especially international sellers. In fact, I won't purchase from an international seller unless they accept paypal. The only recent seller that I buy from that doesn't accept paypal is DSL. They used to take it but they don't anymore. Maybe I don't have a problem with them since I bought from them when they did take it. image

    Scott
    Registry Sets:
    T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
    1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
    1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
    1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
    1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
    1981 Topps FB PSA 10
    1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
    1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
    3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up

    My Sets
  • BigRedMachineBigRedMachine Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭
    Check out this seller. Anyone bought from him? Impressive feedback, everything looks on the up and up. Just no paypal. image

    ebay auction

    If I can't trust this seller and his feedback, I'll never do another non paypal auction.
  • and if you look at his completed listings, you will see that his prices are a little low. He's had a lot of nice things but his realized prices are suffering IMO. image

    Scott
    Registry Sets:
    T-205 Gold PSA 4 & up
    1967 Topps BB PSA 8 & up
    1975 Topps BB PSA 9 & up
    1959 Topps FB PSA 8 & up
    1976 Topps FB PSA 9 & up
    1981 Topps FB PSA 10
    1976-77 Topps BK PSA 9 & up
    1988-89 Fleer BK PSA 10
    3,000 Hit Club RC PSA 5 & Up

    My Sets


  • << <i>Check out this seller. Anyone bought from him? Impressive feedback, everything looks on the up and up. Just no paypal. image

    ebay auction

    If I can't trust this seller and his feedback, I'll never do another non paypal auction. >>



    I've bought 3 or 4 times from this seller with no problems...it would be nice if he did take paypal.

    As a matter of fact, once I was to lazy to go and get a money order for one of his auctions so I just stuck $15. cash into a envelope for my $14.75 total and he sent back the extra quarter with my card!
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