I sold an item 3 days ago, and the buyer has never bought anything on ebay before. He sent me a message asking if he could send a money order because he doesn't own a paypal account. Isn't this against ebay rules? Has anyone done this before (I never have). What is your advice? THANKS.
Dont do it, UNLESS your listing said that you would except money orders. File a complaint get your listing fees back then relist it. Set the listing where only peeps with a PayPal account can bid and you have to have a feedback score higher than 10.
Nothing wrong with accepting a Money Order IF it is approved by you in advance. eBay rules say you can't say you accept money orders in your TOS. However what happens outside eBay's sight is okay. BUT you won't have the protection offered by eBay/PayPal if you don't use PayPal. File a NPB, wait until it is resolved, then relist. Oh, and block that bidder.
EBAY Help Hi, i would contact the Ebay Help department before accepting it. I suggest calling them, as their email link is filled with a menu type format that you have to navigate. Just click on the "Help" font at the top of the Ebay page. Then you'll click on call us, which will produce a popup that has a 6 digit number that you need to give Ebay when you call(i think the number is valid for an hour). They have a toll free 800 number & are available on Sundays. It's best to ask them directly when you encounter a problem such as yours! Good luck! (Keep in mind that the Ebay toll free number call times are shown as Pacific time zone)
Don't accept a money order Against ebay rules, and if you did, you would need to say, I accept MO in your listing... Tell this guy to get paypal, or take a hike.. Honestly, is it that hard, takes seconds to get an account, and a minute or so to add forms of payment
Accepting checks or MO's is no longer allowed to be an accepted form of payment but if a buyer messages me in advance and asks, I always say yes but I never say it on the listing and I never post the answer. I feel if a buyer wishes to use that form of payment, it's alright with me, especially since I then don't have to pay the high percentage rate to PayPal. Ribbit Ps: While Ebay can force sellers to not list other payment options, they cannot stop buyers from using those payment methods.
I would accept it and just let them know that shipment will not take place until the check or mo clears.
My advise. Stay within the rules and be transparent. Possibly give him the opportunity to open a Paypal account and pay you. If he's not interested, then say no and relist the item. Set preferences as mentioned in previous thread. All the best, Steve.
When i see a item that I am interested in I always click save in my e-bay .Then I e-mail the seller before I place a bid or buy it now and ask the seller if he will accept a POSTAL MONEY ORDER , if he agrres I have a file titled accepts money orders. That way i have his response on file, for future use if he goes back on his wrd. I have a file of 13 sellers that I buy from . Had one prblem with seller going back on his word I had all the proof, he didnt have any . HE GOT KICKED OFF AS A SELLER ON EBAY. I had pay pal once and it messed up my bank account, and always keep your money order receipt, forthe proof, keep the serial # If thay say they wont accept a postal money orde I figure It is their lose not mine I LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIANCE.
I wouldn't accept anything other than paypal. Money orders are too commonly faked and you can end up on the losing end. If he doesn't want to open a paypal account then he has no business buying on eBay. I would give him the chance to open one and if he is unwilling then I would relist it. I'm kind of surprised that sellers aren't weary of Postal Money Orders. In my experience in banking those are among the most commonly forged money orders there are.
I agree. IMHO, postal money orders are just too risky. I'd feel more comfortable with a money order drawn on a large bank.
In fact most of the response from the sellers say they would rather have a postal money order, I am sure they will check the buyers rating. IF I a had a large $ item that Ibought I agree with a postal money order but if it is a low dollar like under $ 15.00 I WOULD NOT BOTHER WITH A BANK MONEY ORDER . If the seller agrees with the POSTAL MONEY ORDER and we agree thats his problem . GOT FED UP with PAY PAL.
I agree with checking the buyers rating. The funny thing about postal money orders is the public thinks they are safer. The truth is the opposite. Because they are so common and contain minimal anti-counterfeit measures...they have become a risk. I have seen more of these come back as fake than any other kind. The vast majority of the public don't know how the systems work. I have been told by a number of people that a "money order is as good as cash" but it's not true. Ask the employees at your bank, if they have been working there for a while they will say the same thing. Now, there is nothing wrong with a MO from a buyers perspective. The risk is to the seller. If the MO is good then it work's perfect. The problem is when you run across a dishonest buyer. I don't think this has anything to do with eBay's policy though. I'd imagine they have an exclusive deal with paypal and that's why they have the paypal only policy.
I agree I was a seller and had a store at one time, this is just my output. Idont mean to be rude but i did get the shaft from pay pal.
You're not being rude...but my experience tells me that it is a dangerous practice to accept money orders especially from out of the area. But, I have no doubt that you have had a bad experience with paypal...a lot of people have. eBay didn't team up with them to make our lives easier or to help the "little guy." They did it to make more money for themselves. I think you have to be careful either way.
