Gift option: Still allowed?

dkb45

dkb45

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Issues regarding PayPal gift sales come up WAY too often. The real question is why allow it? Common sense things like no selling "for a friend" and selling goods not in hand are not allowed, so why are people allowed to force people to break PayPal rules and knowingly crap away buy and seller protection?

I can see going gift when it is a sale between people that know each other, but rules are still rules. If you want to do that, discuss it on your own (out of sight, out of mind). I don't honestly see how this is a still an allowable practice.

On a related note, why are money orders so frowned upon? Scamming via USPS money order is mail fraud, and I would say the government backing you with threat of felony is a hell of a buyer or seller protection. People will say "Paypal only" and let the item sit for weeks unsold rather than take a money order and get the funds they would have otherwise not gotten in a few days. Seems a little odd, since rarely if ever does a buyer try and pawn the MO cost onto the seller.
 
I'm not a big fan of the gift option and honestly don't really care for the add 3 and 4% thing, but no one forces me to do either.
 
How does the gift option work exactly? I just bought a Sog multi-tool from someone on here Thursday and paid with gift option not really knowing how it works.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
How does the gift option work exactly? I just bought a Sog multi-tool from someone on here Thursday and paid with gift option not really knowing how it works.
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It can work poorly for the buyer. Paying for goods using the Paypal gift option instead of the goods option leaves the buyer without the Paypal buyer protection. Doing so is a violation of Paypal's terms of service. Sellers typically request that payment be made by gift so that they can avoid paying Paypal's fee of 2.9% + 30 cents for most sellers. More commonly, but still a violation of Paypal's terms of service, sellers give the buyer the option of using the gift option or to pay using the goods option and add an additional percentage such as 4% fee to cover of the cost of Paypal's fee.

Most sellers on the exchange are highly trustworthy and honorable people and the chances of a deal going bad here are very small no matter what the terms of payments are. That being said it is just not a good idea for a buyer to pay for goods using the Paypal gift option.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
How does the gift option work exactly? I just bought a Sog multi-tool from someone on here Thursday and paid with gift option not really knowing how it works.
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Paying with the gift option takes the protection you may have received if the item never showed up at your door. Some might jump on the soap box and say you are cheating the system and unfairly deny pay pal there fee. So I highly recommend NOT using the gift option unless it is truly a friend or a gift.
 
Brisket said:
It can work poorly for the buyer. Paying for goods using the Paypal gift option instead of the goods option leaves the buyer without the Paypal buyer protection. Doing so is a violation of Paypal's terms of service. Sellers typically request that payment be made by gift so that they can avoid paying Paypal's fee of 2.9% + 30 cents for most sellers. More commonly, but still a violation of Paypal's terms of service, sellers give the buyer the option of using the gift option or to pay using the goods option and add an additional percentage such as 4% fee to cover of the cost of Paypal's fee.

Most sellers on the exchange are highly trustworthy and honorable people and the chances of a deal going bad here are very small no matter what the terms of payments are. That being said it is just not a good idea for a buyer to pay for goods using the Paypal gift option.
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Glad it wasn't something of more value. Really shoulda looked more into it before paying.
 
1. We don't enforce other companies policies, because they don't pay us to for one.
2. If someone needs a rule to govern what should be simple common sense, they may not need access to knives just yet.
3. Bladeforums is the venue, with some basic rules. Adults need to handle their transactions like adults.

The rules indicate clearly with the most recent edit, that you use Paypal gift at your own risk. If you get burned because of it, don't come crying. Does anyone really need a rule on this at this point?
 
We try to keep the rules simple and effective, to protect members from scammers.
Banning PayPal gift would be protecting members from themselves.
 
When I sell a knife via PayPal, my asking price always includes shipping and PayPal fees. In other words, the price I list is the price the buyer pays using "goods and services". I never post a price and then ask for additional funds to cover fees.

The only times I have requested a "gift" payment is when I have an item listed as "O.B.O"
If a buyer offers to buy, but offers me $15-20 less than my asking price, I will agree as long as he/she will send the funds so I don't have to pay fees on top of an already discounted item.

For simplicity, I'd like to see that all sales should list the TOTAL asking price, not a price plus a percentage. I think it would be more efficient to include the amount of money you need to "let a knife go" and get it to the buyer. If you are selling a knife for $200, don't say you are asking $200 + 3.5%. Instead just list it for " $207 - everything included"
 
why are money orders so frowned upon?
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With Paypal I can wrap the deal up in 4-5 days from payment to delivery. A "money order" I'll get next week then have to deposit and ship for 14 days minimum end to end.

Mitch
 
I think it is great to have the gift option by the way I was just suprised to hear that paypal wouldn't do anything about it if you got scammed but it makes sense since their getting nothing from the transaction. And nobody forced me to use it i just heard that it was free for seller so could save $ but thought paypal would have it still protected. All makes sense know though.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
I think it is great to have the gift option by the way I was just suprised to hear that paypal wouldn't do anything about it if you got scammed but it makes sense since their getting nothing from the transaction. And nobody forced me to use it i just heard that it was free for seller so could save $ but thought paypal would have it still protected. All makes sense know though.
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that's what a lot of people believe "that paypal would cover you with the gift option"
but they will not because by using it you are telling them this money is a free gift to a friend or family member with nothing expected in return.
that's why with the gift option you can,t get anything back #1 you"d have to admit that you were lying breaking their terms of service #2 committing fraud by lying to avoid someone paying them what you both agreed to when joining.
 
Ulf Krogstad said:
I think it is great to have the gift option by the way I was just suprised to hear that paypal wouldn't do anything about it if you got scammed but it makes sense since their getting nothing from the transaction. And nobody forced me to use it i just heard that it was free for seller so could save $ but thought paypal would have it still protected. All makes sense know though.
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Not sure how it could get confusing really. You give a gift to someone, and then turn around and claim the item you bought was not delivered or was wrong in some other way? When you buy goods, your purchase is protected. Gifts are not purchases, the seller isn't giving you anything free, you shouldn't send them money for free either.
being-confused-smiley-emoticon.gif
 
Lost a very nice microtech combat last night because I didn't click the gift option the guy is on here and we agreed on 695 so I paid went to bed then woke up with a refund saying gift or nothing I emailed him and told him I'd pay him the extra fees but that still wouldn't work??????? When I wanted to just give 725 and have protection he said I seemed like a nice guy but he don't want to sell to me??? He was all for it when I was going to do gift so it seemed weird to me idk though I'm just a back woods ky boy who is new to this paypal stuff but 700 bucks is a lot to loose if he didn't send it.
 
Flynlow said:
Lost a very nice microtech combat last night because I didn't click the gift option the guy is on here and we agreed on 695 so I paid went to bed then woke up with a refund saying gift or nothing I emailed him and told him I'd pay him the extra fees but that still wouldn't work??????? When I wanted to just give 725 and have protection he said I seemed like a nice guy but he don't want to sell to me??? He was all for it when I was going to do gift so it seemed weird to me idk though I'm just a back woods ky boy who is new to this paypal stuff but 700 bucks is a lot to loose if he didn't send it.
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I'd say you did just fine. When someone demands "Gift" only, it's time to move along no matter how cool the item is.
 
Flynlow said:
Lost a very nice microtech combat last night because I didn't click the gift option the guy is on here and we agreed on 695 so I paid went to bed then woke up with a refund saying gift or nothing I emailed him and told him I'd pay him the extra fees but that still wouldn't work??????? When I wanted to just give 725 and have protection he said I seemed like a nice guy but he don't want to sell to me??? He was all for it when I was going to do gift so it seemed weird to me idk though I'm just a back woods ky boy who is new to this paypal stuff but 700 bucks is a lot to loose if he didn't send it.
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Definitely agree with Rev on this one.

It's bad enough when someone asks for gift, but the fact s/he wouldn't even take payment when you said you'd throw in fees it seems really suspicious.

I wouldn't lose sleep over that one. Might have saved yourself a load of trouble.

As for the topic, BF seems to lean towards not making rules except when absolutely necessary, which isn't a bad position. In this case though a lot of people join here and buy a knife via Gift without realizing the implications. Is it their fault for not looking into what a Gift payment actually means? Yep. But could it also prevent a few people from getting scammed? Yeah probably.
 
Flynlow said:
Lost a very nice microtech combat last night because I didn't click the gift option the guy is on here and we agreed on 695 so I paid went to bed then woke up with a refund saying gift or nothing I emailed him and told him I'd pay him the extra fees but that still wouldn't work??????? When I wanted to just give 725 and have protection he said I seemed like a nice guy but he don't want to sell to me??? He was all for it when I was going to do gift so it seemed weird to me idk though I'm just a back woods ky boy who is new to this paypal stuff but 700 bucks is a lot to loose if he didn't send it.
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You'll want to put that person on your "Never deal with again ever" list. In fact, if you would, PM me the user name so I can put it on mine.
 
Thanks it makes me feel better I had a bad weekend like this got asked for more money after I bought a armslist scarab Friday then lost that combat talon last night maybe I actually got lucky . The only thing that bothers me is when I make a offer and they except it then they say they got offered more and I have to match it lol that was the deal Friday I swear if I price you my house for a dollar you can bet I wont back up on a trade my daddy didn't teach me that way but it seams now they use my offer to try and extort more money from me it burns me up I traded case xx and tested for 15yrs before sebenzas and microtechs and people's words are meaning less and less very sad :( sorry for the rant and thanks for listening also I apologize for my grammer I'm simple underground electrician here in ky not a English major ;) but I love knifes more than anything .
 
I can't seem to be able to pm anyone...???? I click on there name but it just goes to a list of friends and things ?? Sorry I'm new to posting and buying on here so be easy with me lol
 
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