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Avoiding Paypal Fees

Started by Sheldon L. Cooper, Ph.D., 05/24/2016 04:32PM
Posted 05/24/2016 04:32PM Opening Post
An increasing number of Astromart sellers suggest payment in their ads via the Paypal Friends and Family option to avoid Paypal's 3% fees. Whether or not one likes it, Paypal provides a very convenient method for completing deals - but it is a for-profit entity and provides a service, and cheating it out its fees is, simply, cheating. Would you condone your child's stealing a pack of gum because it only cost $1.50? CN deletes classified ads that mention this payment option. If the buyer and seller of a $1,000 item agree to split the Paypal fees, each is out a whopping fifteen bucks. Do the right thing - because it is just that, and not because you might get caught - and make your buyer drive to the post office, buy a money order for $1, and mail it to you - or pay for the privilege and convenience of using Paypal. Ernie Spragg
Posted 05/24/2016 04:47PM #1
Ernie - PayPal is doing just fine.

We enforce OUR rules here. Not PayPal

Anytime someone wants to donate to THIS site http://www.astromart.com/aboutus/supportoptions.asp we can always use it

AstroMart
Posted 05/25/2016 07:05PM #2
Paypal held hostage to my money with no explanation whatsoever. It took me months to get it back with nary an apology.
Forgive me for not having much sympathy to their bottom line.
Posted 06/09/2016 07:27PM #3
While I understand and generally agree with the OP's point, PayPal tends to primarily protect buyers. What this means to a seller is you are either at greater risk of being scammed out of your item with no recourse while PayPal protects the buyer or seller/buyer must spend more for shipping.

For instance, you setup the sale of an item with a buyer. Buyer submits payment for product/service through PayPal. Seller sees the payment in escrow and then ships the item. In this case, the item must be shipped fully insured and requiring a signature, both of which costs more money (if item is worth more than $50 for USPS or $100 UPS). If you go the less expensive route (no signature), then the recipient can claim they never received the item, file a claim with PayPal, and cha-ching, they got your stuff for free while you paid to ship your item to a scammer.

So, I will offer the buyer the choice between paying me as a friend and shipping it cheaper or paying me as a vendor and paying more money for shipping.

Hopefully this makes sense and adds to the discussion.

James