QUESTION: about selling

dogwood

I think this is the right place for this question, if not, moderators, feel free to move it.

How do most people sell fairly big-ticket items like camera bodies here? Obviously, for smaller items (ie under $100), the buyer can send a check and you can send the item and that's it and no one is too worried about getting ripped off. But how about something that is several hundred dollars (like a camera body)? Do I need a paypal account (I have one-- but I think it's just for purchases).

Is there a FAQ on this or an accepted method that I haven't heard about?

Tommyboy

I've been wondering that myself. I don't even have paypal.

There is a positive feedback thread (sticky) in this forum. If the person has high praise, a presence on this board, or at ebay, I'd trust 'em. When I got the check, I'd ship the stuff.

If there were no track record (like in my own case) I'd wait for the check to clear before shipping, with the buyer's advance knowledge, BTW.

If I'm going to want to do any business, though, I see a paypal account in my future. If you want to play, you've got to get in the game, no?

andymillson

As most (if not all) transactions on here are private sellers to private buyers, surely it would bo down to the pargties involved to disuass and agree on payment types etc.

My personal experience on here has been fantastic. Admiteddly just a bag for around $40 but Olga sent the bag before I had sent her the money (guess I have a trust worthy typeface

Some people expect paypal, other do not. Money orders, checks and even cash () seem to work.

So long as the seller is up front about acceptable payment types I don't think it matters what you use.

Just keep the price reasonable and I'll be checking out what your selling

Andy

I accept paypal (for most sales), cash, checks, money orders, bank checks, wired funds. I won't deliver an item until the funds have cleared.

For buying, I've paid for items with paypal, checks, cash, money orders, bank checks, and wired funds.

Does this help?

DoctorIt

Hey Pete, I guess it's my job to toss in a reply here. No, there is no specific guidelines on payment. I do my best to keep the riff-raff out and make this a nice place, but the money transactions are up to the buyer/seller. It would be difficult to make an applicable FAQ.

I can only echo what has been said above. The positive feedback thread is here, and you can click on the general forum guidelines in my sig below.

If you have any very specific questions, feel free to PM me, I will try to advise as best as possible. Happy trading!

dogwood

DoctorIt wrote:

I can only echo what has been said above. The positive feedback thread is here, and you can click on the general forum guidelines in my sig below.

Aaahhh, the feedback thread, I didn't know about that. Good idea. Thanks for your replies, everyone.

AlpineMan

I only buy/sell from someone who's got references...I use a credit card in Paypal when I buy just in case. I only use money order, check, etc...if and only if the seller has a well established reputation.

When selling and accepting payments by Paypal, watch out for Paypal fees. Paypal dings the seller 2.9% if you accept credit card payments (assuming your account has been upgraded to a Premiere account to be able to accept credit card payments in the first place). Even if the buyer pays you via direct bank transfer in Paypal, Paypal still charges the seller 2.9% if the seller's account is a Premiere. They ding you only $5 if the buyer uses e-Check in Paypal to pay you.

For some reason or another, I recently added more personal info in my Premiere account, and now, I don't get charged the 2.9% for direct bank transfer transactions any more in Paypal...but I still get dinged the 2.9% for credit card payments when I sell something.

So when I sell something, I give the prospective buyers a choice...no fees for direct bank transfer or e-check, or check (money order, personal, etc) payments (I wait for e-check/check to clear first before shipping) and additional 2.9% fee if they choose to use a credit card.

If you want to get the idea on how I sell, have a look at a recent ad for a lens that I sold:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=46586

Honesty is the best policy. I disclose everything that's wrong (if any) with the stuff I sell. This way, there's no surprises for the buyer when he gets his item. I use USPS Priority mail when shipping (it takes 2 to 3 business days for the item to arrive within continental US)...and I always insure the item during shipment! Just in case the item gets lost in the mail, nobody loses their money.

dogwood

AlpineMan wrote:

If you want to get the idea on how I sell, have a look at a recent ad for a lens that I sold:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=46586

Thanks Alpine Man. That is very helpful.

But why'd you get rid of your 70-200? That's a sweet lens-- and I'm speaking as someone who just had to send my 70-200 to Canon so it would (hopefully) stop locking up my cameras! Even with that major flaw, I still love that lens!

AlpineMan

dogwood wrote:

Thanks Alpine Man. That is very helpful.

But why'd you get rid of your 70-200? That's a sweet lens-- and I'm speaking as someone who just had to send my 70-200 to Canon so it would (hopefully) stop locking up my cameras! Even with that major flaw, I still love that lens!

I purchased my 5D "used" recently and it came with the 70-200 f2.8 IS lens as a package deal...I didn't need that lens since I had one already.

BTW...that locking problem you're experiencing is due to a faulty Image Stabilizer assembly. My first ever 70-200 IS lens had that problem...Canon fixed it for free even when I didn't have any paperwork to show them...I bought the lens in ebay. So when purchasing used 70-200 IS lenses (or any IS lens for that matter), check for camera lockups!!! The cause is the IS assembly.

dogwood

AlpineMan wrote:

The cause is the IS assembly.

Yeah, I just got my 70-200 back from Canon servicing/repair this week. I've tested it around the house with no problems-- hopefully this weekend I'll get a chance to test it in a real life situation. The lockups were always so random they were impossible to replicate or predict.

It's ironic, I was convinced the lockups were due to my 20D, only to try the lens out on a 1Dmk2 and have the same thing happen. That's when I finally sent the lens in for repair. Canon charged me though. To be fair, I've had the lens for a couple of years (yeah, with lockups...) -- so I wasn't expecting a freebie repair.

Thanks again for your tips.