posted on March 17, 2005 10:49:00 AM
Hello, I'm new to selling internationally. Is paypal a safe way to go for international payments? Most of my sales range from $5.00-$40.00. Any feedback would be appreciated.
posted on March 17, 2005 10:54:58 AM
Never use PayPal for any amount GREATER than yer comfortable with EATING!
If you live in da USA & ship OUTSIDE da USA, then yer NOT covered under PayPal's SELLERS' UN-PROTECTION POLICY, and, thus, if some Fritzie Smith in DEUTCHLAND complains to PP that they didn't receive the HERBAL VIAGRA you shipped to them, PayPal will yank da MOOLA out of yer account and you are left: WITHOUT ANY RECOURSE WHAT-SO-EVER...
SO: "What is yer RISK TOLERANCE level?"
Ralphie's is: ZERO!
"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." ~ George W Bush
posted on March 17, 2005 11:02:24 AM
Technically, no. The thing is that if you ship the merch you sell the chances of you having problems are low. I ship dozens of packages oversees every day (it's domestic transactions that are rare for me) and my problems have been few and far between. I just wouldn't sell to Canada....
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on March 17, 2005 11:39:37 AM
Their customs is the worst. My UK customers get their orders before Canadians. I'm also just frustrated with the disproportionate number of nutsos. Of my 5 biggest nightmares... three are Canadians.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on March 17, 2005 05:50:01 PM
Knock wood...I've been selling internationally for a long time and have had zero problems with accepting PayPal...but Ralphie is probably correct...you have to factor in your risk tolerance. For items over $50, I generally tell international folks I prefer BidPay or Western Union but I have accepted international PayPal payments for over $100. I think it depends on what you're selling and where it's being shipped to. Japanese customers,for example, in my experience anyway, are absolutely terrific!
posted on March 17, 2005 06:24:04 PM
We deal internationally all the time but also deal internationally in trade shows so I am really not afraid of this type of transaction.
Tom is right what is your tolerance level for loss? It will determine how you handle pay pal. Also be aware of the time differences. If your expecting speedy response on e-mail it may be their middle of the night.
Some of my most pleasant transaction have been international. A friend also deals with a lot of international items and it just opens up a new world for you.
posted on March 18, 2005 03:57:39 AM
You could do what another seller does. . .she immediately withdrawals the money to her checking account and doesn't send out your item until it clears her checking account. I may start doing that. You should never keep more than you can afford to lose in your PayPal account anyway. PayPal's seller protection policy is a farce it protects no one but PayPal. I accept PP for international sales, but I wait until the money is out of my PP account and into my bank account. They can't touch that.
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Mar 18, 2005 03:59 AM ]
posted on March 18, 2005 06:32:34 AM
I have been selling international for over five years. Once in a while I experience problems however the problems have been with the bidder.
I only ship by Express Mail. Yes, it is more expensive but you have insurance and a tracking number.
If a bidder says he didn't receive the goods Pay Pal wants the tracking number. Since you shipped it by Express Mail, you have it. Your money is returned to you once the tracking number shows delivery. 9 times out of 10 the package is sitting in customs because the bidder does not want to to pay the taxes.
I am not saying it is as simple as that. You will spend time on the phone with the post office and customs.
I can't afford to say no to international sales. Most of my business is overseas. I always push Bid Pay first but 9 times out of 10 they want to use Pay Pal.
posted on March 18, 2005 06:39:01 AM
emptying your paypal account does not solve your problem with buyer complaint if paypal decides you are in the wrong,they will just create a deficit in your balance,so the next time some one send you payment,it will be netted against it.
Unless you decide not to use paypal anymore.
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
posted on March 18, 2005 07:04:24 AM
Stop is right. The only thing you accomplish by watiing until the payment is in your checking account is delaying shipment. For that matter, why not just remove the money via your ATM card?
If you really want to do business internationally and have the protection, you probably should use DSI insurance. I use them for anything over $50 - It costs me a whopping $.90 and if someone does a PayPal chargeback, I can file a claim on it.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on March 18, 2005 08:39:44 AMNO...DSI will not cough up for THAT & I'm not even sure if you can ethically file such a claim. The DSI insurance is purchased for the physical loss or damage of the item -- NOT against yer bidder pulling a quickie on ya
I'm sure many folks never have ANY problemos with accepting PP payments from NON-USA buyers...
THE PROBLEM IS THIS: what do ya say when ya accept $300 from an ELBONIAN PayPal account for his 3lbs of HERBAL VIAGRA and then (even with EXPRESS MAIL tracking & a video of him receiving the packie from the POPE'S own hands) he squaks to PP that he diodn't get NADA??
You then DO NOT HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON, as you violated the PP TOS for the PP SPP by shipping outsuide the USA...
And then ya scream & P&M about evil nasty PayPal here & on PAYPALSUCKS.COM, when the real culprit ain't PayPal, but...YOU!
If you can afford to take the CHANCE of pi$$ing $300 (or whatever), then, by all means, accept PayPal fer yer Lower Slobovians, etc...
Ralphie, OTOH, will stick to BIDPAY and International Postal MO's, etc,etc...
I'm always amazed that folks will accept the totally SCAREY & PROBLEMATICAL international PP, but then NOT accept USA personal checks! P-CHECKS with an imprint that matches the shipping address, in higher numbers, sure do seem 1000% safer than an international PP payment
BUT, OTOH, IOW: it still just boils down to Ralphie's original question:
"What is yer personal risk tolerance?"
"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." ~ George W Bush
posted on March 18, 2005 01:34:58 PM
Tom - when you decry the possible negatives why is it that you always seem to come up with a scenario that only an complete functional idiot would involve themselves in? Yes - if you decide to sell $7000 of anabolic steroids to the Czech Republic the chances are you are going to have a problem. Thing is that's not what is being discussed here.
We are talking about a $25 jewelry item. In which case, if this is a case of international credit card fraud the complete functional idot would have to be the buyer wasting their time on such a menial purchase.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on March 18, 2005 02:46:05 PM
thats because Tom is A COMPLETE FUNCTIONAL IDIOT HIMSELF!!!!!!!
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
I can tell ya that these ploys are well-discussed and regurgitated in the seemier message boards...
At least once/month, I get offers from Elbonia or Lower Slobovia, begging me to sell them 100 or 200 scales -- AND, they all kindly volunteer to pay me with...PayPal --
As soon as I say NO to PayPal, but offer to accept just about any OTHER method (not only will I take other payment methods -- I OFFER TO PAY ANY ASSOCIATED FEES), they all DISAPPEAR back into the woodwork...
Gee? I wonder why that is??
"There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again." ~ George W Bush
posted on March 18, 2005 03:00:30 PM
Sorry tom,we deal with Nigerian dictator and Cambodian prince and Estonian princess !
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
posted on March 19, 2005 06:16:53 AMshe immediately withdrawals the money to her checking account and doesn't send out your item until it clears her checking account.
That solves nothing. In the PayPal fine print, you give them permission to snatch the cash right out of your checking account if they so wish.
thats because Tom is A COMPLETE FUNCTIONAL IDIOT HIMSELF!!!!!!!
Now that goes without saying. Anyone stupid enough to have an ugly dog has to be a complete functional idiot.
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Alive in 2005
posted on March 19, 2005 07:27:27 AM
no,paypal can no longer tap into your bank account.
dont insult people 's children or dog,just attack their cooking!!!!!
-sig file -------
Eat grass,kick ass,never go belly up!
