Gift option in paypal

P2P

P2P

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Is there any downsides to using this option? I ask because I have started selling knives and I'm sure some of you guys here could help.
 
They provide an excellent service that is well worth the minimal amount they take.

I have come to the analogy that abusing the gift option is just the same as not tipping at a restaurant.

You can always send a check or money order if you don't want to pay the paypal fee.;)
 
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Protection from the buyer? any details on this?

I like money order just fine. Does it deter prospective knife buyers?
 
The Government said:
They provide an excellent service that is well worth the minimal amount they take.

I have come to the analogy that abusing the gift option is just the same as not tipping at a restaurant.

You can always send a check or money order if you don't want to pay the paypal fee.;)
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Pretty good analogy....I actually wait tables for a living.
 
P2P said:
Protection from the buyer? any details on this?

I like money order just fine. Does it deter prospective knife buyers?
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If the buyer sends payment using the gift option he isn't able to do anything if he doesn't receive the item. The seller doesn't have to send anything and can treat it as free money and Paypal will side with the seller. If you send it normally (non-gift) paypal will provide protection and insurance and the seller will have to prove they sent it with a signature confirmation and tracking. It's not a perfect system and Paypal has been known to suck but I would never send money with the Gift option.

I don't know about others but money orders definitely deter me as a buyer. I'm too lazy to do that and just want to hit "send" online to send money. I don't mind receiving money orders though. I can just cash them when I go to the post office when I'm sending out the knife anyway.
 
P2P said:
Pretty good analogy....I actually wait tables for a living.
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I never use the gift option because I don't want you spitting on my knife.

Using gift option for:

Seller- You don't have to pay any paypal fee's.
Buyer- You don't get any protection from knife spitting sellers as you sent the money as a "gift" and not for goods.
 
P2P said:
Protection from the buyer? any details on this?

I like money order just fine. Does it deter prospective knife buyers?
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Everything you need to know is on the Paypal site, including what is considered acceptable use for the various payment options. Personally, if I am buying something, I would not send the money as a gift. Because it is not a gift, it is a payment for either goods or services.

Also, these threads belong in the Feedback section, not in General Knife Discussion.
 
mongomondo said:
If the buyer sends payment using the gift option he isn't able to do anything if he doesn't receive the item. The seller doesn't have to send anything and can treat it as free money and Paypal will side with the seller. If you send it normally (non-gift) paypal will provide protection and insurance and the seller will have to prove they sent it with a signature confirmation and tracking. It's not a perfect system and Paypal has been known to suck but I would never send money with the Gift option.
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Good to know -Thanks! I've made a few purchases here but never thought much about the guys that ask for gift option only. I just thought they were being a little cheap by not wanting to pay the 3%.
 
rkmoore said:
Good to know -Thanks! I've made a few purchases here but never thought much about the guys that ask for gift option only. I just thought they were being a little cheap by not wanting to pay the 3%.
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According to paypal you are not to ask the buyer to cover fees.
 
It is a way of shamming PayPal out of their service fees if you use it for sales. Some may think nothing of using somebody else's equipment & time and then not pay it, others are willing to pay for this. You decide.
 
CWL said:
It is a way of shamming PayPal out of their service fees if you use it for sales. Some may think nothing of using somebody else's equipment & time and then not pay it, others are willing to pay for this. You decide.
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With all due respect. I disagree. Paypal makes a ton of money and is now the primary earnings driver for Ebay (their parent). They know that the gift option is used this way at times and are ok with it up to a certain amount. It's not dissimilar to a bar comping you a drink after you've purchased 4-5.

That said, I generally quote two prices in my sales one for regular PP and one for PP gift. As far as the buyer is concerned they have the choice as to what they pay. Obviously if the sale costs me more then it will be reflected in the price (not dissimilar from asking for express shipping, for example.) Its at the sellers discretion how they want to proceed.
 
ooitzoo said:
With all due respect. I disagree. Paypal makes a ton of money and is now the primary earnings driver for Ebay (their parent). They know that the gift option is used this way at times and are ok with it up to a certain amount. It's not dissimilar to a bar comping you a drink after you've purchased 4-5.

That said, I generally quote two prices in my sales one for regular PP and one for PP gift. As far as the buyer is concerned they have the choice as to what they pay. Obviously if the sale costs me more then it will be reflected in the price (not dissimilar from asking for express shipping, for example.) Its at the sellers discretion how they want to proceed.
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So because they make money from other people, you can shirk your contractual obligation?

Like I said, you decide. It's showing your ethics.

I believe in karma.
 
CWL said:
So because they make money from other people, you can shirk your contractual obligation?

Like I said, you decide. It's showing your ethics.

I believe in karma.
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Well no. The example I used is quite apt. I sell things on Ebay; they collect fees; in turn they comp me some amount of free transfers. Again, paypal is quite aware of this "loophole" and is quite happy to let a few slide as long as they are raking it in overall. Maybe you should call and ask them how they feel about it. I've actually talked to them on this topic and got the answer above.

Also, please don't attack my ethics. They are quite sound, I assure you.
 
monger4142 said:
there's no downside to taking the payment as a gift
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Sure there is, (error-I cant click and ship-error, meant print labels from paypal) and simply put it in my mailbox. This may also affect the buyer getting it faster as now I gotta find the time to hit up the PO.
ooitzoo said:
Well no. The example I used is quite apt. I sell things on Ebay; they collect fees; in turn they comp me some amount of free transfers. Again, paypal is quite aware of this "loophole" and is quite happy to let a few slide as long as they are raking it in overall. Maybe you should call and ask them how they feel about it. I've actually talked to them on this topic and got the answer above.

Also, please don't attack my ethics. They are quite sound, I assure you.
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I find it hard to believe paypal would be ok with you making a sale that goes outside of the gift/personal rules, but Ive been wrong before. Also, he didnt attack your ethics, he said its showing them, up to everyone else to decide if its for the better or worse. Me, I think your explanation sounded a bit weasel-ly, but its just an opinion, not an attack.
 
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dericdesmond said:
Sure there is, I cant click and ship (print labels on-line) and simply put it in my mailbox. This may also affect the buyer getting it faster as now I gotta find the time to hit up the PO.

I find it hard to believe paypal would be ok with you making a sale that goes outside of the gift/personal rules, but Ive been wrong before. Also, he didnt attack your ethics, he said its showing them, up to everyone else to decide if its for the better or worse. Me, I think your explanation sounded a bit weasel-ly, but its just an opinion, not an attack.
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I click n ship everything anyway so its a non-issue with regard to the labels.

Paypal is fine with it as long as you are using the option and not abusing it. The analogy was given to me by a representative from paypal when I called to ask about something else. The exact words were something like "we're ok with people doing that assuming they are good customers of our anyway." If paypal's own policies sound weasel-ly then I am not sure what to tell you. I invite you to ask them yourself if you don't believe me. This is a major company with a good strategy dept and they are quite aware that it goes on. Also, PP does place limits on how much you can gift; this is done specifically to curb abuses of the feature.

Going back to the analogy earlier, I am sure every bar owner would prefer their bartenders not comp drinks but they would also prefer you keep coming back/ordering drinks. Have you never had a dessert comped at a restaurant? I mean, its EXACTLY the same thing.
 
I just use USPS.com. You can click and print From there for the same price as PayPal.

I shop and sell on eBay regularly. They take 14.5% of what I make selling knives, that's worst than tax rates.
 
I don't have a bank account tied to pp anymore, so gift isn't even an option. I'm glad of that too, TacticalBlade just ripped me off for $332, the mods here don't care, pp says it's too late to file a claim, and my credit card is my only hope of seeing my money again. OTOH, I've heard horror stories of 'buyers' abusing pp's policies to rip off honest sellers. There's no best answer for both sides.
 
ooitzoo said:
I click n ship everything anyway so its a non-issue with regard to the labels.

Paypal is fine with it as long as you are using the option and not abusing it. The analogy was given to me by a representative from paypal when I called to ask about something else. The exact words were something like "we're ok with people doing that assuming they are good customers of our anyway." If paypal's own policies sound weasel-ly then I am not sure what to tell you. I invite you to ask them yourself if you don't believe me. This is a major company with a good strategy dept and they are quite aware that it goes on. Also, PP does place limits on how much you can gift; this is done specifically to curb abuses of the feature.

Going back to the analogy earlier, I am sure every bar owner would prefer their bartenders not comp drinks but they would also prefer you keep coming back/ordering drinks. Have you never had a dessert comped at a restaurant? I mean, its EXACTLY the same thing.
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I have things backwards, I used the term click n ship wrong. I thought it was a general term but after googling it got sent straight to usps. I meant I cant print labels from paypal when I get a payment as gift. Will edit my above post and look into click n ship for future shipments :)

As for the rest, I hear ya man, not disputing it, just sounds kinda bad I guess. If thats paypals explanation then I apologize for making it out to be your own.
 
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