Should a Price be Required in a Collectibles Classified Ad?

[TwistedNadine]

Yes there is a fee for international transfers using the paypal gift option

[WeDealInLead]

Thanks. That just makes using the "gift" option even less appealing.

[biomieg]

It was just brought to my attention that if a buyer paid using the gift option, they are precluded from taking action if the item they receive is not as described. Is that true? I never knew that.

[RC65]

As a seller, it's hard to a) list your items below market value, b) below what you paid for them, c) include shipping, d) with an additional discount because someone bought three items, and then e) get hit with a fee from PayPal. Give the seller something!

It's not the buyer's responsibility to make sure that a seller's profit, shipping (discounted or otherwise), packaging material, PayPal fees, gas $ to drive to the Post Office and $ for coffee on the way, are all broken out and paid for...it's the seller's responsibility to make sure all those things are covered, and it's far more accommodating and customer-friendly thing to do so behind the curtain, so to speak, and offer a flat, non-PayPal-Gift price with reasonable shipping. Or in an ideal world, lump it all together. One feels nickel-and-dimed when a book is $75, but it then asked to pay 3% for PayPal fees (i.e. the Gift option), $3 for packaging material, $7.50 for shipping and $1.00 for handling. As a customer, I'd vastly prefer a price of $90 shipped to that kind of nonsense.

[RC65]

It was just brought to my attention that if a buyer paid using the gift option, they are precluded from taking action if the item they receive is not as described. Is that true? I never knew that.

Yes. The "Gift" option is for sending money to family and friends; it was never intended by PayPal to be used to buy merchandise. Since there can be no dispute over cash (and that is what the Gift option is for), then there can be no dispute and thus no recourse. If you use the Gift option to buy merchandise of any sort, you are gambling as there is no protection in place.

From PayPal:

“Gift” or “personal” payments are intended as transfer of funds from family or friends to one another. For this reason, there is no processing fee when payment is made with bank or PayPal balance. On the other hand, as it is a “personal” payment, there is no Buyer or Seller Protection Policy, as no goods or services have been exchanged. . . . There's no legal agreement in place where we can start reversing payments sent as gifts. We might be able to investigate the sellers account and shut it down if we have evidence of them breaching the user agreement but that would still not give us the right to reverse the payment.

[Randall Flagg]

I can see both sides of the PP gift issue, but as an example, I just listed a signed Doctor Sleep in the Classifieds. Instead of $289 PP gift, I suppose I could price it at $297.67
It may seem like "bad form" but I suppose if I burned a member my credibility and the site's credibility would be ruined.
Some buyers have insisted on adding the 3% for their protection and that seems to work.

[jhanic]

This all brings up an interesting question: If a member lists a price but specifies Paypal gift only, would he/she accept that price +3% if paid by a "regular" item payment?

John

[Randall Flagg]

This all brings up an interesting question: If a member lists a price but specifies Paypal gift only, would he/she accept that price +3% if paid by a "regular" item payment?

John

I would hope so.

[biomieg]

I would. In fact, I don't think I will ask anyone to use the gift option anymore either, based on what I know now.

[RC65]

I don't think I will ask anyone to use the gift option anymore either, based on what I know now.

My work here is done.

[tippy4]

Tippy, is there a valid point to not posting the price or at least the ballpark, up front? I know I can be obtuse, but I just don't see the advantage.

FWIW I almost exclusively and automatically pass on items marked "make an offer". I just am unsure of the market and do not want to offend. Just be up front IMHO. Can't see that being a detriment to selling. If you're unsure just say "OBO"

Like the post below states...we don't need more rules. I feel this is a knee-jerk reaction to an isolated incident.

Here is an argument NOT to require a price. Say a seller offers an item with no price and says MAKE ME AN OFFER, and an interested buyer makes an offer 10% over what the seller had in mind...well that just worked out for the seller...right? I buy and sell and trade here....so I am on both sides of the equation.

Also, MAKE ME AN OFFER elicits creative trade deals. I just worked out a nice trade with a member here in which I offered cash and trade for an item he was selling. We both walked away very happy.

I agree with Tippy. Don't add rules because a few people get their nose out of joint over a few comments taken the wrong way. Most of the sales through this site go through smoothly (I am assuming here cos plenty of sales happen that we don't hear about...), so don't try and fix a great place to sell/buy that IMO works well as it is...

Exactly

We didn't need to suddenly ban selling after the STEVOHUMP ordeal right? We are all big boys and girls here, and know there are no guarantees in life.

[tippy4]

One feels nickel-and-dimed when a book is $75, but it then asked to pay 3% for PayPal fees (i.e. the Gift option), $3 for packaging material, $7.50 for shipping and $1.00 for handling. As a customer, I'd vastly prefer a price of $90 shipped to that kind of nonsense.

Nobody pays a fee if the sender uses the gift option as long as they use your Paypal funds or use funds from your bank.



I saved $54 yesterday on one $1800 transaction....not nickels and dimes in my book.

[tippy4]

This all brings up an interesting question: If a member lists a price but specifies Paypal gift only, would he/she accept that price +3% if paid by a "regular" item payment?

John

As a seller, this works to my advantage...because I can then print my postage through Paypal, and still get all of my selling price....I cannot print postage with a gift payment.

That being said....I would never pay an extra 3% just to put money in Paypal's pocket.

I would send the gift option if the seller required it.....if I felt comfortable doing so with that seller....and if I did not feel comfortable, I would work something out with the seller.

[DoctorZaius]

Listing a price or not listing a price does not matter to me. I am a big proponent on not using PayPal gift for many of the reasons stated. Better to have peace of mind for both parties for small price. I see it as the price of doing business. It's still a lot cheaper than ebay.

[Merlin1958]

Tippy, is there a valid point to not posting the price or at least the ballpark, up front? I know I can be obtuse, but I just don't see the advantage.

FWIW I almost exclusively and automatically pass on items marked "make an offer". I just am unsure of the market and do not want to offend. Just be up front IMHO. Can't see that being a detriment to selling. If you're unsure just say "OBO"

Like the post below states...we don't need more rules. I feel this is a knee-jerk reaction to an isolated incident.

Here is an argument NOT to require a price. Say a seller offers an item with no price and says MAKE ME AN OFFER, and an interested buyer makes an offer 10% over what the seller had in mind...well that just worked out for the seller...right? I buy and sell and trade here....so I am on both sides of the equation.

Also, MAKE ME AN OFFER elicits creative trade deals. I just worked out a nice trade with a member here in which I offered cash and trade for an item he was selling. We both walked away very happy.

I agree with Tippy. Don't add rules because a few people get their nose out of joint over a few comments taken the wrong way. Most of the sales through this site go through smoothly (I am assuming here cos plenty of sales happen that we don't hear about...), so don't try and fix a great place to sell/buy that IMO works well as it is...

Exactly

We didn't need to suddenly ban selling after the STEVOHUMP ordeal right? We are all big boys and girls here, and know there are no guarantees in life.

Fair enough, Rick you make some salient points. According to the poll though, maybe it should not be a rule, but it will serve you well to put a price out there.

[tippy4]

I always do.....but I want the option not to.

[Merlin1958]

I always do.....but I want the option not to.

I know and I hear ya!!

[Jimimck]

Based on the number of comments here, it sounds as though the general thought pattern is not to make it compulsory to add a price.

Quick question however: if the decision was made to make that a rule, what sort of consequences would you impose, RF, for people who chose to post with out?

(Just curious is all)

[evilash]

As a victim of Stevohump, I was left in the lurch as I paid with Paypal gift. That left me no option but to lose my $300 to that hemorrhoid. That being said, if I trust the seller I will send $ via Paypal gift if requested and I won't use it if I am not sure of the seller. It is my responsibility to work out something else if I am uneasy about a tranaction method. Once burned and all that. In the end it should be the seller's right to list an item the way they want and the buyer's right to buy/negotiate or not.

[Randall Flagg]

Based on the number of comments here, it sounds as though the general thought pattern is not to make it compulsory to add a price.

Quick question however: if the decision was made to make that a rule, what sort of consequences would you impose, RF, for people who chose to post with out?

(Just curious is all)

A timeout in the corner...

[Brice]

I am and always have been anti-rules....or at least for minimal rules. I don't see this as being a severe enough issue to warrant a rule. I do prefer a price to be there...though I am guilty due to my lack of knowledge on pricing of not giving prices. I am consistently inconsistent.

[George at C-Springs]

I would. In fact, I don't think I will ask anyone to use the gift option anymore either, based on what I know now.

Oh sure, now you tell me!

[biomieg]

But you trust me, don't you George?

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Buyers and sellers are free to do anything they like as far as I am concerned. And the less rules the better.

Personaly, if an item does not have a price on it, I just pass on by.

[Br!an]

As a seller, this works to my advantage...because I can then print my postage through Paypal, and still get all of my selling price....I cannot print postage with a gift payment.

Why not? I do. You can't do it from eBay but you can directly from PayPal.

https://www.paypal.com/shipnow