When buying/selling gear, what payment methods do you use?

[ddt0725]

I have only used paypal to buy & sell, going the invoice & fees route. Recently, I have used the gift option for both buying and selling small items under $200, andit worked out well. Today I tried selling two lenses on FM. One lens I dropped the price down within 8 hrs. by $25 and went from + shipping to including shipping. This guy didn't want to gift me the money (understandable) but also wanted me to pick up the paypal fees. Another guy on FM was willing to trade his camera to me for another lens and cash but wanted me to gift the cash and mail the lens and then he would send me the camera. He's not even a paying member on FM so he couldn't place a listing for it but stalked me out by an inquiry I sent someone else. I just couldn't do it on the hopes and prayers that I was ever going to see a camera from him!


Here I wouldn't have a problem gifting cash because I pretty much know everyone accept some of the new members and I hope people would trust me. But is gifting and Chase QuickPay getting to be the norm to do business online?


Ebay only gets me scammers when I list, craiglist bought me plenty of scammers and spam the last time I listed there. Plus I heard Uncle Sam wants his cut if you sell too much on PayPal via invoicing.

[HDNitehawk]

Denise


It has been 7 years since I bought and sold using pay pal. One thing I remember though is that if you bought with a credit card, through pay pal you had some protection. If you were the buyer you could dispute the charges and have them reversed. I have seen this happen.


The opposite is true, if you sell and you took credit card for payment, they can reverse charges on you.


Out of 200+ buy and sell transactions back then on ebay, I only got ripped off one time.


I would be interested as well in finding out in today's market what is the safest method to get secure payment. I am thinking about selling my 7D, 16-35mm L II and 24-70mm L and the only thing stopping me is the fear of getting ripped off online. My local camera store salesman has told me he could barter them off for me, I think that may be the best way and just try to do a Cash in person sale.


Rick

[ddt0725]

Hanging out on FM the last few days to get a feel for prices and what people are looking for, I just couldn

[HDNitehawk]

I would want to have the cash secure and in hand if I were selling before I sent out some thing as valuable as your 7D. There is also a scam floating around using money orders and cashier checks, you take those in payment and you do not find out till weeks later that it was no good. Plus it needs to be a form of payment they can recall on you.


A $200 item I would be less concerned about, loosing $200 bucks and I wouldn't be as demanding on how I got paid.


Whether they pay the shipping or you pay it, you have to take that in to consideration in your price. Sounds like these guys are just to work a better deal out. If they bought it from B&H they get charged shipping, why not from you as well. If the buyer wants insurance he should pay for it, not you.

[jcrowe87]

I would just say be patient, there are lots of people out there purchasing gear, especially with the creeping prices.


Wait out a sale that you feel comfortable with, as long as your prices are fair someone will be interested.

[neuroanatomist]

craiglist bought me plenty of scammers and spam the last time I listed there

I've only ever bought/sold gear on Craigslist. Sure, you get spam. One possibility is to set up a new free email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) for just that sale - when concluded, forget about the account and the provider will delete it after a period of inactivity. Any time you post a CL listing you get a barrage of emails from people who want the lens shipped to their new house in the UK, want you to take a money order, or whatever. But it's pretty easy to weed those out - in my ads, I indicate that I will only sell locally for cash, and that I will only respond to replies that include a phone number. In all cases where I've sold items, the buyer has come to meet me, and I do that outside the building where I work, or in the Starbucks down the street.

[HDNitehawk]

I've only ever bought/sold gear on Craigslist. Sure, you get spam. One possibility is to set up a new free email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) for just that sale - when concluded, forget about the account and the provider will delete it after a period of inactivity. Any time you post a CL listing you get a barrage of emails from people who want the lens shipped to their new house in the UK, want you to take a money order, or whatever. But it's pretty easy to weed those out - in my ads, I indicate that I will only sell locally for cash, and that I will only respond to replies that include a phone number. In all cases where I've sold items, the buyer has come to meet me, and I do that outside the building where I work, or in the Starbucks down the street.

Last year, locally a couple put their late model escalade on craiglist. They set up a meeting at a local McDonalds, the buyers showed up robed the people and stole thier escalade. Its bad when car thieves are calling for delivery.


Another scam that runs on craiglist, are buyers who set up a transaction with you at some location and they ask for cash. When you show up, they know you brought the cash to buy the item and rob you.


Be safe, meet in a public place. Not outside.Take someone with you. Arrive early so your inside the place before they get there. Don't give out your home address or home phone. Get paid in Cash. If the situation doesn't feel right or safe, walk away.

[ddt0725]

Be safe, meet in a public place. Not outside.Take someone with you. Arrive early so your inside the place before they get there. Don't give out your home address or home phone. Get paid in Cash. If the situation doesn't feel right or safe, walk away.

Good Advice! I can't believe how many times I have had people come to my house and I've gone to theirs! The guys at work used to yell at me all the time saying they didn't want to read about me in the next mornings paper!