How to sell / collect money?

[FLYER15015]

O.K. Guys,

I would like to list a set of Trippe Senior Speed Lights that I would consider "driver quality", but I don't have a "Paypal" account and I don't know how to ask for payment.

I've never sold anything on line, so I'm looking for some help from all you professionals.

 

Mike in Colorado

[Walt G]

Certified check, postal money order. If someone wants the lights bad enough they will put up with the delay to have the $ clear and then also the sloooooow mail service.

[F&J]

US Post Office money order seems to be a good option for safety over taking possible bad checks;

 

When the USPS money order arrives, your local post office can run the printed ID number instantly, to make sure it's legit.   

 

Then if your local PO branch does not have enough cash on hand to redeem it, you can deposit that postal MO at your bank, in your bank account.  But get it checked at your post office first.

 

On lower valued items where your post office likely has some minimal cash, you also bring the item with you to mail it using some of the money from the MO, then get the rest in cash.  

[joe_padavano]

I've been using Paypal and Venmo for many years to both buy and sell. No issues ever. Your call, but you're probably significantly reducing your potential market by refusing to take electronic payments. It is the 21st century.

[JayG]

Walmart also has a money transfer service.  

[1937hd45]

PayPal is the way to go, but the Money Order from the Post Office is second best as mentioned above. Can you pack the lights properly for safe travel? 

Edited July 29, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Guest]

Postal money order is the safest and the cheapest.

[FLYER15015]

Yes, I believe I can package them correctly, even though UPS throws stuff around like it's a basketball.

SO, here goes my listing in the buy / sell forum thread.

Thanks guys !!!

 

Mike in Colorado

[1937hd45]

Flat backs or pointed back? Levels or no levels? 

[Gunsmoke]

I'm not a spokesperson for Paypal nor a shareholder. But definitely the way to go with long distance sales. While they are not free (charge the seller a small fee), the sale is guaranteed by Paypal at both ends, buyer and seller. I've used Paypal perhaps 100 times, never an issue. And it's simple to register and from that point on only your email address is used to make contacts. Failing that, a MO or bank draft works fine, but as mentioned, the long delay is problematic. For example if Paypal is used, the seller can have his money in his account in 5 minutes and ship the item 5 minutes later. Delivery is then perhaps 5-7 days. If using a MO, you need go to the bank, then the post office to mail it, 1 day, and wait another 5-7 days for seller to get the MO. Then wait 2-3 days for seller to go to his bank and deposit it. Then wait 4-10 days for seller's bank to get it cleared. Only then will seller pack the item and mail it, another 2 days. Shipping will typically take 5-7 days. so a total of 24-25 days versus the 7 days via Paypal. Then the real kicker, if product is defective or not as described, you are on your own, and if seller says bug off the saga is over. But you likely know all this, so my advice, get someone you trust to help you set up a paypal account and I guarantee you will be very happy in the end.  

[1937hd45]

PayPal is great, far better, and FASTER than the Ebay Managed Payment system. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[rodneybeauchamp]

Also you can ship internationally to buyers all over the world. PayPal is the way to go.

Just my two and sixpence worth 😀😀😀😀😀

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

[31 LaSalle]

paypal every time safe and secure payments

[Pilgrim65]

Having used pay pal for many years I have been very satisfied, however the  recent change in payment method , where they now hold your money for two weeks after item is sold before releasing funds is a backward step and just a ploy to make millions in interest. Not impressed 

[joe_padavano]

13 hours ago, Roger Walling said:

Postal money order is the safest and the cheapest.

Paypal person-to-person costs nothing.

[TAKerry]

I dont do pay pal either, or any other type. I have bought a lot more than I have sold but when buying I am up front with the seller that I do not do paypal and can send them a usps money order. Most times that is good. I trust the seller and request not to send until they get the m.o. I have never had a problem, then again I dont spend more than I want to lose. One seller insisted I do a walmart money transfer. That worked perfect. You go to the service centre, buy the 'money order' and within something like an hour or less, the funds are available to the recipient at their nearest walmart. Very simple and effective. My wife did get a venmo which wasnt too bad to do, that seemed pretty good  as the money is there almost instantly. 

[jp1gt]

What happens if a usps money order gets lost? How long does it take to get a replacement? I was real nervous about that

[TAKerry]

I have never had a problem. If you are sending, keep the tab and your receipt. Once its deemed gone, you should be able to get a refund from the post office. Only time I had a failure was sending one to Canada. Who knew that Canada doesnt take our money? 

[60FlatTop]

18 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

you're probably significantly reducing your potential market by refusing to take electronic payments. It is the 21st century.

In life I have found enough restrictions placed on things I would like to do. I have no desire to place my own restrictions on what I do.

[Gunsmoke]

TAKerry said "Who knew that Canada doesn't take our money?" OUCH. Of course we are happy to take US money, as are our banks. However, the issue with MO's internationally is that they are issued by a domestic bank (sometimes a small local state/county bank), but being redeemed by a bank in another country. The Bank in Canada has to go through the process of having the MO cleared, sometimes with a small US Bank they have no normal dealings with. This happened to me when I got an MO issued by a small Bank somewhere in mid-West, and my Bank, one of the 3 largest in Canada had never heard of the Bank and took several extra days to clear the MO.  If you actually had a failure, it was most likely due to some other issue at your end. 

[FLYER15015]

On 7/29/2022 at 6:28 PM, 1937hd45 said:

Flat backs or pointed back? Levels or no levels? 

Not the pointed back.

Plain tops.

#1157 bulbs, for 12 volts

listed in the "parts 4 sale" thread.

$850.00 postage paid 2 u.

PayPal accepted.

 

Mike in Colorado

Edited July 31, 2022 by FLYER15015 (see edit history)

[kgreen]

Glad to hear so many with positive comments on PayPal, but they screwed me big time. I made a payment to a fake account but discovered it before the payment was processed. The fake account became so obvious that I even cancelled my credit card before the payment was made. I “contacted” them with the full details yet they let the payment go through. I appealed twice and they refused to settle the problem. I’m not able to delete my account so it sits in limbo. I use Zelle which is bank to bank. Gosh, you sure see a lot after dealing with so many privates sales on car parts.  That last experience finished me. 

[Bloo]

USPS has special no-hassle "international" money orders for sending to money from the US to Canada. They are pink. Ask for them.

[Guest]

  On 7/29/2022 at 3:25 PM, joe_padavano said:

you're probably significantly reducing your potential market by refusing to take electronic payments. It is the 21st century.

 

 Yes it is the 21 century, and here are scams that have never, ever, been heard of before! Life is great with CASH!   (Or a US postal money order)

[Gunsmoke]

RW wrote 'and (t)here are scams that have never, ever, been heard of before! Life is great with CASH!   (Or a US postal money order)". While true RW, I don't understand how cash and MO's prevent or reduce the possibility of scams? Quite the contrary. Cash payments are untraceable and so if you get scammed on a cash payment you have no record And again, if the seller cashes the MO and somehow doesn't deliver the goods you ordered, you have little recourse (other than going on here and ranting as some have done), especially on international purchases. Paypal (and there may be others) seems to have largely eliminated this issue. If a scammer does pull something on paypal, they cancel the seller ASAP, and limit the possible damage to one buyer, and their process refunds the buyer his/her money. Old Dogs New Tricks.

[60FlatTop]

I was a kid in the 1950's and early 1960's and I remember how the country was crawling with thieves. If you sent a dime or a quarter through the mail you had to tape it to a piece of cardboard and disguise it so no one could tell it was money.

 

Today the scams are very obvious, to me anyway. And it appears the thieves and pilferers must have died off and were replaced with more honest people. I have no problem slipping a cash payment into a tri-folded paper for mailing as long as I have vetted the recipient. Those grandfathers and great grandfather used to steal anything that wasn't bolted down.

 

The mail is much safer now than it was when I was a kid, from an anecdotal perspective.

[FLYER15015]

Well, lot of pros and cons re PayPal here.

I did however set up a PayPal account just now, with the help of my granddaughter.

So, I guess this old geezer is being drug, kicking and screaming into the new century.

Now I'll go in and amend my listing.

Thanks guys..........

 

Mike in Colorado

[yachtflame]

I had a PayPal when they first came out. A few years later my identity was stolen so I got rid of all on line accounts, or so I thought. Even though I had pressed all the buttons to delete the PayPal account, a year ago I found out that it hadn’t been deleted. I was selling a part to a fellow and told him I only accept USPS money orders. He said he’d already paid me and wanted his part. After the arguing settled, it seems he didn’t want to do the USPS thing and sent the funds via PayPal. Now I find that PayPal never deleted the account but denies me access to it. They’ve taken their fee but I can’t get the rest of the funds. I asked the fellow to ask for a refund but he doesn’t want to be bothered. He wants his part cuz he paid for it! An ongoing argument.
 I had to drop that email address in order for this to not happen again.  I can say that I’m not a Paypal fan!!

Edited July 31, 2022 by yachtflame (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

I do not like buying postal money orders because the local post office always has a line so it will be a half hour or longer in line to purchase one.

 

Pack the lights so the box can be used as a basketball and dribbled hard. Double boxing at least. Lots of foam/bubble wrap, etc. If you think the lights will be damaged if the box falls on the floor, you DID NOT pack it right! Boxes fall off conveyer belts, tailgates, etc. Pack knowing this.

[TAKerry]

On 7/30/2022 at 10:19 AM, Gunsmoke said:

TAKerry said "Who knew that Canada doesn't take our money?" OUCH. Of course we are happy to take US money, as are our banks. However, the issue with MO's internationally is that they are issued by a domestic bank (sometimes a small local state/county bank), but being redeemed by a bank in another country. The Bank in Canada has to go through the process of having the MO cleared, sometimes with a small US Bank they have no normal dealings with. This happened to me when I got an MO issued by a small Bank somewhere in mid-West, and my Bank, one of the 3 largest in Canada had never heard of the Bank and took several extra days to clear the MO.  If you actually had a failure, it was most likely due to some other issue at your end. 

I sent a United States Post Office Money Order and it was rejected.  After explaining to my post master, she told me I should have gotten one for international if going to Canada. It was my mistake. My brother lives in the Great White North, we go at it all the time, LOL.

[Trulyvintage]

On 7/29/2022 at 2:40 PM, JayG said:

Walmart also has a money transfer service.  

Walmart store to store - you can send up to $1000 for $8.00.

You must send it to the name that is listed on the receiver's driver's license.

 

I found a great dealer on an enclosed sprint car trailer a week ago Sunday 

on Facebook Marketplace that listed early evening - started FB messaging

Sunday evening - had a friend who lives 50 miles away go look at it Monday.

 

My friend stopped at a Walmart on the way & picked up $1000 cash 

that I sent him for a deposit - the trailer checked ot and my friend

secured it with the cash deposit.

 

 

Jim

[Marty Roth]

Hi Flyer,

 

My preference, and I believe the safest way, is a Bank-to-Bank Wire Transfer,

sender usually pays, and I think our most recent one was $20-

well worth it for the immediacy and safety

[JayG]

Hi Marty - You have to supply bank account info with the seller.  How is this safer?  Jay

[Guest]

 Any time that you send a personal check to someone your bank info. is printed on it.

[JayG]

Good point. 

[FLYER15015]

On 8/3/2022 at 6:36 AM, Roger Walling said:

 Any time that you send a personal check to someone your bank info. is printed on it.

Yup, routing number and account number, AND a copy of your hand writing / signature.

What else could a thief want ?

Just asking.

 

Mike in Colorado

 

PS; Hey Marty,  my daughter, Sara, is still driving your Expedition. Well over 100K on it now, and she runs fine.

Edited August 4, 2022 by FLYER15015 (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

And, in the 70s and 80s we used to have our SSN printed on checks along with our name and address! Saved time at the cash register buying groceries., since our SSN was also our driver's license number. Oh how smart we guys were back then!😁

[60FlatTop]

My identity was stolen by a local man. Things started happening and one rainy evening he was knocking at my front door begging me to take it back. I refused. My wife and kids watched out the window as he sat on the step in while the sky darkened in the steady rain. At bed time he was gone. We never did hear from him again but the next morning there were bits of shredded plastic and paper on the wet steps. It seems so dismal in my memory as I write.

[Grimy]

37 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

My identity was stolen by a local man. Things started happening and one rainy evening he was knocking at my front door begging me to take it back. I refused. My wife and kids watched out the window as he sat on the step in while the sky darkened in the steady rain. At bed time he was gone. We never did hear from him again but the next morning there were bits of shredded plastic and paper on the wet steps. It seems so dismal in my memory as I write.

We can ALL imagine why he wanted to give it back!  Well done, Bernie!

[Flivverking]

I have would never sell a car that is not a cash deal as a private person.

 I've sold cars on auction sites and stipulate cash to take the car way.

 It can be messy when the car hauler shows up before the nephew shows up with funds..

  If someone says their check it good

..it isn't!

 Only high end folks ,untrust worthy , play the game of no cash

 Antique autos is a CASH hobby, period!