I just started selling some stuff on Ebay to make a little extra money...

...and I just fell into Ebay and Paypal's clever trap. You see, if you have only a "personal" paypal account, you cannot receive credit card funded paypal payments. You have to upgrade to a Premier paypal account. So you think, that's fine, I will pay the 2.9% fee when someone pays from their credit card. But then you read the terms and realize, that this fee now applies to ALL money received from here on out, even if they fund their payment directly from their checking account. Bastards.

So if one wants to make a little money on the side selling on Ebay, is there any way around this? Should I just ask for a money order when I sell?

You should open a second paypal account that doesn't accept credit cards so you can avoid paying the fee. On your auctions use that account. Then if someone complains that they want to pay with a credit card, you can refer them to your other account. Just an idea.

I ran into the same problem a few months ago. Now in all my auctions I just added the statement that I don't accept credit card payments through paypal. Hasn't been an issue for me.

You should just pay the extra fee, you will have more bidders, which ammounts to more profit, so you will be ahead anyways. And you will save yourself a lot of headache.

HIEDI

Just add a bit extra into the "shipping & handling" that you'll charge the winning bidder.

When I sell on eBay, I always quote a shipping and handling charge that estimates:

-Actual postage or shipping cost
-Shipping materials (box, packing, etc.)
-eBay transaction fee
-Paypal fees

Then I mark that up by a small percentage to cover calculation error, fuel cost, etc.

It's the only way to ensure that I don't cut too much into my selling price to cover all those costs.

QUOTE (zonedoubt @ Apr 13 2005, 07:24 AM)

When I sell on eBay, I always quote a shipping and handling charge that estimates: -Paypal fees

If this is reported to ebay by a browser/bidder, your auction will be canceled, and you will be warned the first time...ask me how I know. I do not know what happens the second time.

Its clearly states in the selling rules that it is not allowed to have a buyer cover your Pay Pal fee. However, it is allowed to include this fee (HIDE) it in Shipping/handling etc...I think they charge to much myself, but it is convenient, and you pay for it!

LAST MONTH I PAID $296 IN EBAY FEES. THE PAYPAL FEES WHERE ABOUT $100. THE OTHER DRAW BACK IS THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PREMIER ACCOUNT YOU CAN NOT SELL OVER A $1000 IN A 30 DAY PERIOD. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ARE SELLING IT COULD BE A LONG DRY SPELL BEFORE YOU CAN LIST AN ITEM.

I DISAGREE ABOUT ADDING CHARGES TO SHIPPING COSTS. MOST PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO SHIP ITEMS. PUT THE PRICE ON YOUR ITEM THAT YOU WANT. TAKE YOUR CHANCES. SOMETIMES THE SHIPPING COSTS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BIDDING.

THE OTHER THING THAT GRIPES MY ASS IS THAT PAYPAL GET FEES ON THE TOTAL WHICH INCLUDES THE SHIPPING THAT THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING. NOT FAIR!!!!

QUOTE

If this is reported to ebay by a browser/bidder, your auction will be canceled, and you will be warned the first time...ask me how I know. I do not know what happens the second time.

Of course I don't mention this in the auction. I just put "shipping & handling". I'm sure a large percentage of sellers are already doing this to avoid being screwed by eBay/Paypal. And I'm sure a lot of buyers already know about this.

Just check out some of the outrageous shipping costs being charged by some eBay sellers. As well as those auctions for $0.01 with HUGE shipping & handling charges.

It can be hard to juggle how to pay for fees and such, but they have to be paid for, I have a system which Is kinda complicated and will take to much time to explain. I suggest that you print out what fees ebay will charge and what fees pay pal charges, and come up with a system. For example, instead of listing something for $10, list it for $9.99 instead, saving you a few pennies. Ultimately you will need to add the cost of some of your fees to the item cost.

HIEDI

Hiedi is on the spot here. Just pay the fee, give customers good quick service, no hidden "Handling" charges, and you will win in the long run. If you start your item at a buck and you only get two, then I guess that is what you get.

Handling should not include me buying you lunch at Del Taco and a music CD to listen to, and a tank of gas so you can drive to the Post Office! These are all the costs you should pay for doing business.

There will always be a bad egg in the group. This is why I PAY for tracking and insurance on all shipments as well as I package the item very well to protect from damage from the morons at the shipping company. In 10 years of doing business this way I have never lost a package or had a major problem.

Why can't we pass the fees on to our customers? That's how big businesses make profit. And unless you're ebaying for charity, you're trying to make a buck or two.

I believe PP and ebay have outrageous fees. Postal Money order or personal check (will have to clear) are perfectly fine payments for me. Paypal accepted but shipping adjusted so.

Wait, that sounded a bit harsh. I charge the normal rate for shipping, but that's only because I get a big ass discount through FedEx ground, so I charge what their rate calculator says.

eBay has changed a lot over the years. I have had an account with them for 8 years. I have been thinking about canceling/deleting it. It just isn't the same. There is a reason you often hear the term "EvilBay".

They are out to make thier money too. If you don't like it, do what I did, don't use them. Or paypal.

Another example of a good Idea that has morphed into a money grabbing enterprise to apease its shareholders at the expense of the users who made it a success in the first place.

I say Ebay and paypal

QUOTE (914Sixer @ Apr 13 2005, 08:05 AM)

LAST MONTH I PAID $296 IN EBAY FEES. THE PAYPAL FEES WHERE ABOUT $100. THE OTHER DRAW BACK IS THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PREMIER ACCOUNT YOU CAN NOT SELL OVER A $1000 IN A 30 DAY PERIOD. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU ARE SELLING IT COULD BE A LONG DRY SPELL BEFORE YOU CAN LIST AN ITEM. I DISAGREE ABOUT ADDING CHARGES TO SHIPPING COSTS. MOST PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO SHIP ITEMS. PUT THE PRICE ON YOUR ITEM THAT YOU WANT. TAKE YOUR CHANCES. SOMETIMES THE SHIPPING COSTS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BIDDING. THE OTHER THING THAT GRIPES MY ASS IS THAT PAYPAL GET FEES ON THE TOTAL WHICH INCLUDES THE SHIPPING THAT THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING. NOT FAIR!!!!

doood, use it judiciously

Screw paypal !!!! I have been selling on evilbay since 1999, I will not accept paypal, if a buyer wants to pay with a credit card let him pay through bidpay (at his expense)
Seems to me that ebay is not familiar with the term "don't bite the hand that feeds you"

Both evilbay and paypal suck...until a viable competitor comes around...ya gota live with it....

I have had my moments with PayPal, but Ebay has been good to us so far. One time paypal crashed for almost a week and I was so fed up with them, another time a package to canada was held up in customs for almost 3 weeks and they filed a claim, so paypal decided to take the money right out of my account, I was so pissed. Then the buyers gave my money back when the package arrived. Get tracking on everything.

HIEDI

QUOTE (Brando @ Apr 13 2005, 12:44 PM)

Postal Money order or personal check (will have to clear) are perfectly fine payments for me. Paypal accepted but shipping adjusted so.

There was a note in my last statement from my credit union, saying that they no longer accepted US Postal money orders as there has been a rash of fake ones showing up lately.

A quick search on google turned up plenty of hits about this Fake US Postal Money Orders

It turns out that they look real until they go back to the PO clearing house. Then if you deposited it to your bank account, you get charged for the amount.

Your local post office will cash postal money orders.