Using Pay Pal gift option

[Love Life]

I see it over and over again that people want payment via Pay Pal gift. That is a bad idea. It offers you no buyer protection.

My advice: Pay with the standard way and eat the 3% cost (regardless of how they want payment), ask the buyer to cover the 3%, or do not purchase the item.

This ends my public service announcement and ya'll have a happy Thanksgiving day!!

[tomme boy]

Not paying the 3% and using the gift feature is actually stealing from paypal. Just because you can get around the rules does not mean it is right.

[rattletrap1970]

I don't give a **** about paypal or what is fair to them. When they didn't like guns and gun related stuff that was ok. Now that it is to their advantage to deal with OUR stuff we tolerate them. I will pay the 3% for the convenience of allowing them to help me do MY business. But to feel guilty for them.. No.

[Fishman]

I agree with Love Life and tomme boy. Paypal is providing a service and the user should pay.

[Love Life]

tomme boy is right.

[dragon813gt]

I refuse to send that way and won't do business w/ anyone who wants payment that way. I have also refused payments sent to me that way. The firearm community seems to be the only one that wants to use that option. I've never seen anyone ask for it in my thousands of car parts transactions.

[smoked turkey]

I think Love Life's post is spot on. Tomme Boy too!

[gandydancer]

Not paying the 3% and using the gift feature is actually stealing from paypal. Just because you can get around the rules does not mean it is right.

OK tomme boy. how about when you have some money owed you from paypal and you ask for a check(because I'm not giving them my checking account #) and they charge you for that. and by the way paypal gets their 3% from the buyer or if sent as a gift they get their 3% from you. paypal will lose nothing.

[Alvarez Kelly]

...and by the way paypal gets their 3% from the buyer or if sent as a gift they get their 3% from you. paypal will lose nothing.

Not true. If I send money as friends n family, it doesn't cost me or the receiver a dime. PayPal just doesn't get paid. I don't steal from anyone, not even anti-gun Paypal. I refund "gifts" made to me that are not "gifts". They provide a service. If I choose to use their service, I will pay my way.

[garym1a2]

When I see an ad asking for paypal gift I skip it automatically. I will not lower to lie to save 3%. You can charge 3% or eat the charges, but ask for gift and I don't buy. You could always ask for a money order.

[paul h]

They provide a convenient service and it is reasonably priced. I'd much rather use paypal than to waste my lunch hour going to the bank and paying $2 to get a cashiers check and burning $3-4 in fuel. Then a trip to the post office. If I use paypal I'll likely recieve the item before my cashiers check makes it to the seller and then another week wait.

If I boycotted every company who's politics I didn't agree with I'd likely not be able to use the internet, not sure what car I'd drive, my clothing choices would be limited, not sure where I could buy my food, might have to make my own fuel for my truck, etc.,

Seems some folks just live to gripe.

[Bored1]

I agree with Love Life. I won't use the gift option anymore. It's not a gift, and offers the buyer no recourse through paypal if sent that way. Whenever I sell something I use the same price no matter how someone wants to pay, and prefer paypal since I don't need to wait for anything. Cost of doing business instantaneously on my part. What is it they charge $0.49 + 3%? Its worth that for my piece of mind. Actually just paid the fees myself because I wanted something that bad and it was still a good deal after the fees. However in my mind sellers loose points for charging extra to use paypal.

But too each there own.

[Fishman]

Well heck, I agree with Paulh too!

[starreloader]

I don't use PayPal...

USPS Money Orders or Personal Checks are fine with me... I have over the last 3 years accepted well over 200 checks from members on this board and never had a single problem... And I only pay with Business Check, USPS Money Order or Cashier's Check for items I purchase from members on this site... The only 2 problems I have ever had is that somehow both were USPS Money Orders and they went to Postal Heaven-( lost forever )

[possom813]

It's been said many times on the web that if you buy and sell and use paypal and most of your transfers are 'gift' option, paypal will freeze your account and all monies there.

I don't know what they use for guidelines as far as actual numbers and dollar amounts, but there have been several instances I've read about, on a sports card forum, where members that deal primarily with gift payment have had their accounts frozen with several hundred dollars in the account.

There's no real recourse if they freeze your account, all you can really do is wait it out. The numbers I've read for the time frozen have ranged from 3 days to 180 days without having access to your money.


I still use paypal, it is a necessary evil for doing business on ebay.

[Love Life]

I like personal checks and money orders as well. I sure wish other people would get the memo that personal checks are still a legal form of payment.

For me to get a money order I have to burn $25 in fuel ( closest post office is closed on Saturday so I have to drive to Gardnerville), pay the MO fee, and generally inconvenience myself and waste over 2 hours of my day. From this point forward if a seller won't accept a personal check or Pay Pal then I won't be buying.

Here is something I find odd though. I have to cash all of my MO at the bank because the PO never has enough money!! However my PO is right next to Ham Dogs!

[fatelk]

They provide a convenient service and it is reasonably priced. I'd much rather use paypal than to waste my lunch hour going to the bank and paying $2 to get a cashiers check and burning $3-4 in fuel. Then a trip to the post office. If I use paypal I'll likely recieve the item before my cashiers check makes it to the seller and then another week wait.

If I boycotted every company who's politics I didn't agree with I'd likely not be able to use the internet, not sure what car I'd drive, my clothing choices would be limited, not sure where I could buy my food, might have to make my own fuel for my truck, etc.,

I have to agree with this too. It's also worth it to me when I sell something. The money is there instantly, I don't have to wait for a money order then go to the bank or post office. I hit a few keys and can print labels directly from paypal, then request pickup automatically right to my door.

Nothing against those who use only money orders or refuse to use paypal. I can respect that and have no problem using money orders, but also appreciate the convenience of paypal. It would be nice if there was a viable alternative to anti-gun paypal, but alas...

[alrighty]

I also agree with Love Life and tomme boy.I do understand the sellers view as it is money out of their pocket but the seller should at the very least offer to let the buyer pay the fee.I of course do not agree with PayPal's anti-gun policy but I dislike lying and stealing even more.How can being dishonest with someone be acceptable simply because you do not agree with them?
I think we should ban the USPS money orders , after all they will not allow me to carry concealed!

[Love Life]

We should ban the money orders just because they are such a hassle. What would be sweet is if the USPS made purchasing money orders available online. You buy it online, and they mail it for you directly from the post office.

[alrighty]

We should ban the money orders just because they are such a hassle. What would be sweet is if the USPS made purchasing money orders available online. You buy it online, and they mail it for you directly from the post office.
That is a great Idea!

[9w1911]

um you guys are aware that paypal charges me 30.00 a month regardless if I make a sale or not

[Love Life]

^^^Why? I've had thousands of dollars come and go through Pay Pal and they have never charged me a monthly fee.

[fatelk]

What would be sweet is if the USPS made purchasing money orders available online. You buy it online, and they mail it for you directly from the post office.
That is a great idea! Better yet, they could just deliver it to the intended recipient the next day with delivery confirmation. I would certainly pay for a service like that.

[9w1911]

Its a business account. My point was just they get it one way or another. I dont mind either way, someone wants a gift ok, someone wants to pay the 3% ok fine, someone wants a USPS MO well ok then, I'm game. I never turn down a sale. I do not feel you are ripping off paypal not paying the 3% but I get the reasoning , I think at one time they even told me to send it as a gift because i did not have enough in the account to cover the transaction and their 3%.

[9w1911]

What would be sweet is if the USPS made purchasing money orders available online. You buy it online, and they mail it for you directly from the post office.---I think they want you to come in an buy some stamps too!! :)

[Love Life]

^^Now that is a sweet idea as well!! Use the PO locator, purchase at nearest post office near seller, have it delivered!!

[Epd230]

Good idea, USPS could give PayPal a run for their money.

Just remember, PayPal is not run by idiots. They have to know what is going on. They will eventually put a stop to the gift option, or start charging for it. They are owned by ebay. Ebay changed their charges based on everybody selling their item for $.01, then jacking up the shipping fees to cover the real price.

[tomme boy]

I used to only accept a USPS MO for things I sold on here. Then I just started saying cash, MO, Check. I do not have a paypal account. The old lady does. I use it to buy things all the time. I have even been payed to it also. But it is very,very rare I will get paid by it. Since I started accepting checks, my stuff sells a lot faster. Just about everyone has a checkbook!

[uscra112]

No Paypal under any circumstances, ever, for me. Won't bore y'all with the details, but AFAIK they are a criminal enterprise, and their management is not being prosecuted only because they contribute so much to the current administration, (and key congressmen and senators).

[waksupi]

um you guys are aware that paypal charges me 30.00 a month regardless if I make a sale or not

Why? I use them all the time, and I have never had a monthly charge like that, only stated transaction charges. Must be some business account you are using? I think you have to do over $5000 per month to get extra commercial charges.

I read on down, I see yours is a business account. If you are clearing the amount that it takes to incur the charges, I'd suck it up, and be happy! Many banks charge more than that for a fee.

[9w1911]

Why? I use them all the time, and I have never had a monthly charge like that, only stated transaction charges. Must be some business account you are using? I think you have to do over $5000 per month to get extra commercial charges.

I read on down, I see yours is a business account. If you are clearing the amount that it takes to incur the charges, I'd suck it up, and be happy! Many banks charge more than that for a fee.

oh I was not complaining I was just saying they get paid. I have done it all, set up merchant accounts from paypal to BOA to whatever you name it, in the end paypal blows but blows less hard than say Wells fargo merchant services

[thehouseproduct]

oh I was not complaining I was just saying they get paid. I have done it all, set up merchant accounts from paypal to BOA to whatever you name it, in the end paypal blows but blows less hard than say Wells fargo merchant services

+111111
I cancelled my merchant credit card account. Cost so much money it wasn't worth it.

[gandydancer]

Not true. If I send money as friends n family, it doesn't cost me or the receiver a dime. PayPal just doesn't get paid. I don't steal from anyone, not even anti-gun Paypal. I refund "gifts" made to me that are not "gifts". They provide a service. If I choose to use their service, I will pay my way.

it is true. the last 3 times i sent money to NOE I sent it as a gift. SWEDE GETS HIS FULL AMOUNT. and I pay the extra 3.3% and I can send you a copy of the transactions from paypal if you would like. Tom

Secure TransactionSend Money
You can pay for purchases and services or send money to friends and family.

Send Money
To (email or mobile phone)

AmountAmount $84.80
Amount:Currency: $84.80
What are you sending money for?
I'm paying for goods or servicesI'm sending money to family or friends
$0.00 USD fee if you use your PayPal balance and/or a bank account.
3.3% Fee
$2.76 USD fee if you pay using your credit or debit card.

[waksupi]

For those who don't want to give Paypal a bank account #. Go start a new account. Put just enough bucks in it to make it active. Use that number for online transactions. Plus, you will probably get a nifty new toaster or something for opening a new account!

[Love Life]

The purpose of this thread was not about stealing and stuff. It was about protecting your behind. If you gift somebody money, you have no recourse if they decide to hose you.

That is why I send money for purchases as paying for a service. This way, even if the seller wants to act a fool, you can initiate a refund through pay pal.

[Alvarez Kelly]

it is true. the last 3 times i sent money to NOE I sent it as a gift. SWEDE GETS HIS FULL AMOUNT. and I pay the extra 3% and I can send you a copy of the transactions from paypal if you would like. Tom

I apologize. You are right at least some of the time. Since I pay with my Paypal balance, I have never been charged a fee to send a gift to my nephew, for example. I recall some small print that said I would be charged a fee to send the same gift IF I used my credit card to pay. Is that what you do?

[Alvarez Kelly]

The purpose of this thread was not about stealing and stuff. It was about protecting your behind. If you gift somebody money, you have no recourse if they decide to hose you.

That is why I send money for purchases as paying for a service. This way, even if the seller wants to act a fool, you can initiate a refund through pay pal.

You are correct of course. I had a guy ask me to pay him as a gift. I chose to pay the fees myself. It just didn't feel right. Sure enough, the deal went south. Paypal recovered the $450 with little hassle.

[Alvarez Kelly]

it is true. the last 3 times i sent money to NOE I sent it as a gift. SWEDE GETS HIS FULL AMOUNT. and I pay the extra 3.3% and I can send you a copy of the transactions from paypal if you would like. Tom

Secure TransactionSend Money
You can pay for purchases and services or send money to friends and family.

Send Money
To (email or mobile phone)

AmountAmount $84.80
Amount:Currency: $84.80
What are you sending money for?
I'm paying for goods or servicesI'm sending money to family or friends
$0.00 USD fee if you use your PayPal balance and/or a bank account.
3.3% Fee
$2.76 USD fee if you pay using your credit or debit card.

As I expected. You are paying with a credit or debit card. Paypal is charged a fee by the bank backing your card. They are just making sure they don't go in the hole passing on your money. That seems pretty normal to me.

I'm still not sure why you feel you need to send a gift.

[gandydancer]

Kelly is right its better to add the 3.3% to the total amount to keep one self from getting a butt burn and be covered by paypal. it was never my mind set to cheat anyone. I use a C/C on paypal and always paid the fees. but it did burn my butt to pay to get my money from PP.

[gandydancer]

As I expected. You are paying with a credit or debit card. Paypal is charged a fee by the bank backing your card. They are just making sure they don't go in the hole passing on your money. That seems pretty normal to me.

I'm still not sure why you feel you need to send a gift.

not sure my self? I no longer do. Tom

[Newtire]

Not paying the 3% and using the gift feature is actually stealing from paypal. Just because you can get around the rules does not mean it is right. Hey Tomme boy. Paypal and Ebay are no Angelic folks. If you paid for your sponsor status membership using Paypal, then you are obligated (by them-not Cast boolits) to renew again when the time comes. They get their percentage and don't give a hoot about you. Another member pointed this out ot me or I wouldn't have known. You can go onto Paypal and change this but you aren't told this in plain English when you sign up for Paypal! Anyway, an old Savanna, Illinois boy here telling you. Mathew 7.6. "Cast not your Pearls before swine". Paypal and Ebay are making money from both ends and up the middle-they are not your "friends"!

[Alvarez Kelly]

Hey Tomme boy. Paypal and Ebay are no Angelic folks. If you paid for your sponsor status membership using Paypal, then you are obligated (by them-not Cast boolits) to renew again when the time comes. They get their percentage and don't give a hoot about you. Another member pointed this out ot me or I wouldn't have known. You can go onto Paypal and change this but you aren't told this in plain English when you sign up for Paypal! Anyway, an old Savanna, Illinois boy here telling you. Mathew 7.6. "Cast not your Pearls before swine". Paypal and Ebay are making money from both ends and up the middle-they are not your "friends"!

I was clearly informed I was starting a "subscription" when I paid Cast Boolits with PayPal. I think I would have missed it if I didn't do my part and actually read the notice they put in front of me to "accept."

[fishhawk]

Kind of strange to read this thread. Funny how many on this forum cry about the decline of morality and responsibility of the US and people, and here are some of them saying it's OK to cheat PAYPAL because they are a big corp. Doesn't the start to rebuild the U.S. start right here with us doing the right and honest thing that we say is one thing that's missing here in our country?

[Sweetpea]

:goodpost:

[Uncle R.]

Kind of strange to read this thread. Funny how many on this forum cry about the decline of morality and responsibility of the US and people, and here are some of them saying it's OK to cheat PAYPAL because they are a big corp. Doesn't the start to rebuild the U.S. start right here with us doing the right and honest thing that we say is one thing that's missing here in our country?


:goodpost:

Well said indeed!

Uncle R.

[Newtire]

Sorry, but missed the whole part about it being a recurring expense. I just think it is kind of sly and cheesy of them to put such a rider in there in the first place is all. For instance, a local guy who flushes the sprinklers (along with other competitors who you can choose from) left us a note that unless we declined in writing, our sprinklers would be automatically flushed by him next year and that we would be charged. I flagged down the first guy I saw in our neighborhood and had him flush mine. I just didn't think it was very ethical that someone would automatically do such a thing. I also think that Paypal is an easy way to pay but just don't like the underhandedness of their methods.

[Love Life]

I find none of their methods sneaky, underhanded, or preposterous. Their terms and conditions are available in English.

[Newtire]

I guess everone's entitled to their own opinion. Happy Thanksgiving!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Yep the 2.9% plus 30¢ is paypal's cost of doing "business",
All others are free to use the "friends and family" FREE money transfer (Not necessarily gift), Paypal offers that option for private, non-commercial transactions and it's foolish not to use it...and it's not stealing !
Happy thanksgiving everyone,
Jon

[farmerjim]

I will only use PP as a last option. I prefer someone who takes my credit card or check. In 20 years of selling vegetables, I have never gotten a bad check.

[vintagesportsman]

Ditto to the online USPS money orders - if USPS stays solvent?!

[montana_charlie]

it is true. the last 3 times i sent money to NOE I sent it as a gift. SWEDE GETS HIS FULL AMOUNT. and I pay the extra 3.3% and I can send you a copy of the transactions from paypal if you would like. Tom

Secure TransactionSend Money
You can pay for purchases and services or send money to friends and family.

Send Money
To (email or mobile phone)

AmountAmount $84.80
Amount:Currency: $84.80
What are you sending money for?
I'm paying for goods or services I'm sending money to family or friends
$0.00 USD fee if you use your PayPal balance and/or a bank account.
3.3% Fee
$2.76 USD fee if you pay using your credit or debit card.
By using the Friends and Family option, you are stating that you are NOT using Paypal to buy goods or services.

If you are sending money to Swede because you like him a lot, that's fine. But something tells me that (in truth) you are buying a bullet mould.
It's that "truth" which is missing here, and that is what makes it 'stealing'.

If a person can figure out a reason that makes it okay to cheat PayPal or eBay, he can probably come up with a logical reason to cheat me, too.
If he asks me to 'lie' by buying his merchandise with a 'gift' payment, he is too dishonest for me to deal with ... and that method cheats me out of the buyer's protection that PayPal offers on bona fide purchases.

CM

[WallyM3]

If I can take advantage of the slight departure of the thread from OT...

As most of you know, eBay reports seller accounts with $20,000 or greater annual sales, or any SSN with multiple accounts the combined total of which is $20,000 or greater.

What I didn't know until I suddenly found myself with an additional $3,000 tax obligation (to the IRS, the state wants its cut, too) and called eBay is that postage is included in calculating total annual sales. This inclusion is not reflected in the monthly statement of account sales.

It is also included in Final Value Fees, although that is reflected in the above mentioned statement. In some circles, charging twice for the same event is called "double-dipping". It's not illegal, just lousy.

Puzzling.

[dragon813gt]

Kind of strange to read this thread. Funny how many on this forum cry about the decline of morality and responsibility of the US and people, and here are some of them saying it's OK to cheat PAYPAL because they are a big corp. Doesn't the start to rebuild the U.S. start right here with us doing the right and honest thing that we say is one thing that's missing here in our country?

Thank you. People that want something for free have obviously never had a business of their own. Between this thread and the one about FFL transfer fees my opinion of some members has changed quite a bit.

[DCP]

Kind of strange to read this thread. Funny how many on this forum cry about the decline of morality and responsibility of the US and people, and here are some of them saying it's OK to cheat PAYPAL because they are a big corp. Doesn't the start to rebuild the U.S. start right here with us doing the right and honest thing that we say is one thing that's missing here in our country?

This really says it all. Thank you

[MBTcustom]

Kind of strange to read this thread. Funny how many on this forum cry about the decline of morality and responsibility of the US and people, and here are some of them saying it's OK to cheat PAYPAL because they are a big corp. Doesn't the start to rebuild the U.S. start right here with us doing the right and honest thing that we say is one thing that's missing here in our country?

Very very true statement Steve.
The truth shall set you free!

I never minded PP's fees, because it costs me more than that to drive to the PO, get a MO, seal it up in an envelope that anybody could open, hope it gets there in one piece, and maybe two weeks after the deal went down I get the goods I payed for.
With PP, it's click, click, type, type, type, clickety click, and the guy is payed. He drops my package in the mail tomorrow, and two days later I'm ripping it open like a kid on Christmas day. I don't begrudge them their fee for the help it gives me.

I love a good deal as much as the next person, but dang, I'm not willing to cheat someone to get it!
Someday PP will do away with the "gift" option, and it will be the cheaters out there who are to blame.

[destrux]

Paypal has been harassing me over things they think might be guns for years since I accidentally received a payment for an SKS 20rd magazine through them. Now every time I get a payment for over $200 my account is held till they determine it's not a for a gun. Paypal has cost me hundreds of dollars in lost sales after buyers backed out because of this (these were all car parts buyers on ebay, I regularly sell hard to find parts for classic cars), so they can take their 3% loss on my occasional reloading component purchases and stuff it. If anyone has been stealing, it's been Paypal.

It's to the point where I have to use my wife's account on ebay because paypal has so severely impacted my ability to sell on there with their constant harassment.

I really don't mind their fee, and I normally pay it, but the fact that their buyer protection is useless on most gun parts and all reloading components is the only reason I refuse to pay their fee when I pay for those particular items, which isn't all that often anyway.

[robertbank]

Do your banks in the US offer Electronic Money Transfers? Up here it has become an accepted method of money transfer and is a free service all the banks up here offer. You do it via email to your Bank and recipient. Th entire transfer is done electronically and is secure. Between EMT and Direct Deposits I have not used Pay Pal for domestic transfers in years. For international I just use my credit card. Up here I can go to a branch of the recipients Bank and just deposit directly into his/her account. Obviously this involves more time and effort than EMT.

Take Care

Bob

[montana_charlie]

Thank you. People that want something for free have obviously never had a business of their own. Between this thread and the one about FFL transfer fees my opinion of some members has changed quite a bit.
I can't tell if you are in disagreement with me.
That's because I don't know how you are defining 'want something for free' in this context.

I go to Kmart, the grocery store, or the gas station, and I pay with a credit card. I don't carry much cash in my pocket, but I pay the total credit card bill at the end of each month.

Those retailers don't ask me to pay the Visa surcharge when they take my payment. I presume that I am paying it, but it is buried in the price of the item. The amount of that total selling price influences my decision on whether to buy the merchandise.

If an online seller has something I want, I decide on whether to buy it based on his price ... for purchase, and for shipping ... and part of that decision will also rest on how easy it will be to complete the transaction.

If he wants me to pay for his use of PayPal by including 'extra funds' to cover the fee that he will be charged, then I feel he is taking advantage of me.

He should include that 4% extra for purchase (and 4% extra for shipping) to the stated costs. Then I can make my decision from the same starting point as I have in the grocery store ... which IS a 'business of their own'.

CM