What is a safe payment method for selling used equipment?

[john_fraser2]

<p>Hi i'm new to posting equipment for sale on photo.net. <br>

What is a safe payment method for selling used equipment? on ebay safe payment is part of the site's protocol. How do you do that here?</p>

[bobcossar]

<p>You can use PayPal for just about any transaction anywhere......Their seller protection plan is not nearly as good as their buyer protection plan though. An unscrupulous purchaser <em><strong>can </strong></em>make things unpleasent for the seller....even on e-bay....Robert</p>

[jennifer_spencer]

<p>Money order or cashier's check at the bank before purchase is released is always safe. I've done personal check with waiting for it to clear as well, and honestly I think that's fine. It takes more time, but I don't think it's possible to fake it. Wire transfer would also work, or a Western Union cash wire that you can pick up. I had to do that last one for an international sale once. </p>

[john_fraser2]

<p>Thanks Robert and Jennifer. i have a couple more questions:<br>

how do i arrange to receive PayPal payments as a seller? my experience is only to use PayPal on Ebay to purchase things.<br>

regarding checks, money orders or wire transfers: if someone buys something from me, how do they know they can trust me to send them the item? i have no history at photo.net as a seller.<br>

Thanks.</p>

 

[david_henderson]

<blockquote>

<p>"I have no history at Photo.net as a seller"</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Its a bit worse than that. You joined Photo.net today. You have no history in the forums or the gallery and you haven't yet become a subscriber. You haven't uploaded photographs and post no links to photographs you've taken, and whether true or not it looks like you've signed up here to sell equipment. Sorry, you're probably as honest as the day is long, but an awful lot of people are going to be chary about buying from someone with no history here. Even on eBay I can see the record of sellers who I may be tempted to buy from. I think your biggest issue is not the security of getting paid, but the probability that people will see buying from you as a risk until you have participated more fully in the site for a while.</p>

[john_fraser2]

<p>Thanks David. you've addressed my concern exactly. i was recommended to this site as a place i might sell my equipment. i'll take your suggestion to participate in the site.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>Best bet under these seemingly dire circumstances: put the stuff on Craigslist. And meet face to face for a cash sale. Of course if you live in an Eskimo village above the arctic circle , or in a remote desert, forest or jungle location, there could be a problem.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>Assuming you aren't in a remote, unpopulated place. Place an ad on C'list for face to face, cash deal.</p>

[bkpix]

<p>Actually cashier's checks from banks are very insecure. Many people have been burned by counterfeit cashier's checks and you have no recourse at all.<br>

Go with PayPal or other credit card transaction.</p>

<p> </p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<blockquote>

<p>Money order or cashier's check at the bank before purchase is released is always safe.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's what I thought too - and it isn't true. I got taken when purchasing an item and paying with a money order. I didn't receive the item and then learned the hard way that a money order is as good as cash - and the US privacy laws protect the perpetrator better than the victim. Google money order and cashier's check and you will find out how much fraud is going on there - and with personal checks as well. I wouldn't use a wire transfer either - the only relatively safe way I know is to use paypal and then only in conjunction with a credit card - that at least gives you the option to open a dispute with paypal and your credit card company. If someone will not accept payment through paypal, that should start the alarm bells ringing. I, for one, will not accept a money order, cashier's check or personal check from anyone. By the time you find out that they are fraudulent, your stuff is gone and the monetary loss irretrievable.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>how do i arrange to receive PayPal payments as a seller?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>All you need is an account and all the buyer needs to know is your paypal-registered email address to pay you. Believe the free account has some restrictions on the amount of the transaction and the unlimited account will deduct a fee if a credit card is used as payment.</p>

 

[jennifer_spencer]

<p><em>Money order or cashier's check at the bank before purchase is released is always safe.</em><br>

I meant by "at the bank" was that the check or money order has to clear before you give over the merchandise. Not everyone is willing to wait for you as a seller, but if you are clear about it beforehand, it should be an acceptable way of doing business. I have gotten counterfeit cash at ATMs, too, so really, nothing beyond a wire transfer is safe. In a lot of the world, it's the only way agencies do business. But here in the US, it usually costs us $25 to effect one. </p>

<p>The waiting period of course assumes you have a viable reputation as a seller. In this case, I also advocate doing Craig's List and an in-person transaction.</p>

[john_fraser2]

<p>Thanks everyone. You've all been very helpful.</p>

[mark_ethridge]

<p>I have had good luck with craigslist for both photo and non-photo equipment sales. The benefit is that if you live in a larger area and your item is priced right, you can have cash in hand very quickly. </p>

[steven_moseley1]

<p>"on ebay safe payment is part of the site's protocol"</p>

<p>Sorry, but this is BS. There is no such thing as a 100% safe payment method. Many, many buyers on ebay have been scammed, usually via paypal (who ebay happen to have owned for several years now)</p>

[steven_moseley1]

<p>"on ebay safe payment is part of the site's protocol"</p>

<p>Sorry, but this is BS. There is no such thing as a 100% safe payment method. Many, many buyers on ebay have been scammed, usually via paypal (who ebay happen to have owned for several years now)</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Cash. Or a cashier's check that you watch a teller fill out. Paypal is for Ebay - outside Ebay there are too many ways to get burned, unless you have reason to trust the other party.</p>