PayPal

After perusing the classifieds here, I have been very put off by the volume of sellers on this site requesting payments as gifts, or stipulating various fees be added (often over those charged by PayPal). Those things are deal breakers for me - I have never requested, or accepted, them as a seller; and I won't cooperate as a buyer. I'm somewhat surprised that it is such a widespread practice here; and that so many people consider it normal/acceptable.

:thumbup: deal breaker for me as well.
 
i will never do business with someone who asks "gift or 3%", shows how unprofessional they are. i am surprised bladeforums doesn't have a policy against asking. it would seem to eliminate a lot of problems that have happened with "gift" purchases and it is also against paypal policy to ask the buyer to cover the fees (just add them to final sale price if it is that big of a deal).
 
If you're a seller, don't be "that guy" who asks the buyer to pay the fee.

i will never do business with someone who asks "gift or 3%", shows how unprofessional they are.

The seller's fee is always subsumed in the purchase price, whether the seller tells you so or not. The only difference between "the cost is $100 plus 3% for Paypal" and "the cost is $103 and I'll eat the fee" is the buyer's emotional response. It may come as a surprise, but $103 = $103.

I'll buy with using the gift option sometimes, but only when its a BF seller with something like 60+ positive transactions and 100% good feedback.
 
I just never understood why sellers don't add the fee percentage in their final price (which Paypal encourages). You get what you want after fees and you don't have to come off as someone who doesn't know how to use their computer's/tablet's/phone's calculator. "Math is hard, can you add 3% for me?"

Of course, what's even better is when people expect 4% and it ends up putting them ahead of Paypal's (30¢ + 2.9%) fee anyway. That's just pure class.

I pay it because I like to show how exceptional my math skills are... and because no matter how much I dislike it, like so many things in life, it's not going away anytime soon.
 
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I just never understood why sellers don't add the fee percentage in their final price (which Paypal encourages). You get what you want after fees and you don't have to come off as someone who doesn't know how to use their computer's/tablet's/phone's calculator. "Math is hard, can you add 3% for me?"

Of course, what's even better is when people expect 4% and it ends up putting them ahead of Paypal's (29¢ + 3%) fee anyway. That's just pure class.

I pay it because I like to show how exceptional my math skills are... and because no matter how much I dislike it, like so many things in life, it's not going away anytime soon.

Everything he said and its wrong to steal . The gift option is a perk. I am guilty of breaking this perks purpose. Not by asking for it., but by not refusing it.
They are a business providing a service for a fee, they are entitled to it. They aren't entitled to expect your business . Just once they provide , you pay. I have suggested to my post master that the post office should offer online purchasing of money orders that could be on will call at a selected PO
. ID required. Paid and shipped at the same moment. They may even be able to make a little money and stop using us to subsidize junk mail delivery. Honestly flat rate boxes are great but who are we kidding. They are being wasted. Charge at least what the box cost . Don't figure it into a shipping price assuming the 2 will ever meet. Life may not be fair., but where it isn't and its easily solvable, it should be. Especially if it affects all of us. to the negative. just my 2 cents donation.

Added, if you ask for gift so you cant be held accountable for not being a good seller or just by someones else choice not to be satisfied. We all are suppose to have an understanding on this forum, that a deal isn't done till both parties are satisfied. Removing the ability for a 3rd party to decide doesn't remove your agreed upon choice to abide. I don't think that is the majority that think that way. I think some think they are saving money. or at least asking someone else too. paying paypal isn't a waste of money. its a saving to you, considering the alternative to no payapl.



James









James
 
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The owner of the site has made it clear, Bladeforums is a venue to buy, sell, and trade, how people want to go about that is their own business.

That seems reasonable to me. :thumbup: Spark and the mods simply don't have time to "police" every sales thread.

My opinion is, if you don't like the way a seller conducts business, either don't buy from them and/or in the case of PayPal rules violations, report them to PayPal.

The seller's fee is always subsumed in the purchase price, whether the seller tells you so or not.

That's absolutely true for me; I sell my knives for flat prices that include shipping/handling fees to any US address, as well as insurance and tracking numbers. I take all of that into account when I put a price on my knives. It just makes it easier for everyone involved.

Part of the "handling fees" that I consider are whether or not I pay PP to make the transaction easier for both me and the customer, or if I have to sit around waiting for a check or MO to show up and take it to the bank myself. It works out about the same for me, so... it's the same price no matter how a person pays.

The only exception to my policy is that I offer a discount if someone buys two or more knives at once (because it costs me about the same to pack/ship another knife in the same box) or if they're close enough to come pick it up in person, because that saves me the trouble of packing it up at all.

The problem comes when sellers charge the buyer EXTRA for the convenience of getting their money faster, and/or ask them to stick their neck out with no "safety net" (gift option). I find that just plain cheap at best, and probably an indication of some shady ethics in general.
 
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Of course, what's even better is when people expect 4% and it ends up putting them ahead of Paypal's (29¢ + 3%) fee anyway. That's just pure class.
Your fingers got confused for a second - PayPal's fee is 2.9% + 30¢ - but I agree on the people that pad the fee that they request.
As far as paying it because it isn't going away, I've walked away from a lot of purchases because of that...and, on the other side of the coin, on the occasions that buyers have included it in their payments to me, I've always refunded it (with a message thanking them for the gesture).
 
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