Should I use PayPal Goods & Services or PayPal Friends & Family?

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ctrsurf

ctrsurf

Feedback: +58 / =0 / -0
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So I'm pretty new on here, but I've been enjoying this community and have been blown away by some of the kindness and brotherhood I've seen and experienced!:D:thumbup: One thing I'd like help understanding is the option to abuse PayPal and use Friends & Family when I'm clearly not FF with strangers on a forum buying luxury items. Today I tried to purchase a knife for $485 from a gentleman who's ad states that he'd prefer to be paid via Friends and Family, OR have 4% added (even though PayPal's fees are 2.9% + $0.30). When I told him that I'd gladly pay $500, he got very defensive about his perfect feedback rating, and insisted that PayPal would take way too big a chunk from him, and that I should pay him via FF option. I told him that though I respect his great rating, I'm not willing to send that amount FF. He then said, "ok fine, I'll accept $510". I'm over it, as he clearly doesn't really want to sell the knife that badly, and I'm struggling to understand arguing over a few bucks at that price point anyhow.

I'd like some input about this whole business please. The sticky's posted by the mods are abundantly clear about NOT using PayPal's FF option, as it's not only dishonest, but also avoids conflicts. Why then are 50%-ish of the ads I see openly asking to be paid FF, or to add XX% to the price to use Goods & Services? I am missing something? If we are so blessed that we can buy knifes that cost hundreds of dollars, why are people so worried about a few pennies?? What am I missing here?:confused:
 
Definitely use the goods&service when buying a knife. It is in your favor to to use that option. Especially when buying an expensive knife.
 
If someone selling can't include the shipping and PP 3% into the price I tend to move on. I'm too busy to do the math :)
 
If people want to rip off Paypal by accepting payment for items via gift payments, that's one thing. Someone trying to talk to into sending a gift payment when you're willing to add fees is a red flag. That makes me think they're trying to remove your buyer protection through Paypal.
 
ctrsurf said:
...I'd like some input about this whole business please. The sticky's posted by the mods are abundantly clear about NOT using PayPal's FF option, as it's not only dishonest, but also avoids conflicts. Why then are 50%-ish of the ads I see openly asking to be paid FF, or to add XX% to the price to use Goods & Services? I am missing something? If we are so blessed that we can buy knifes that cost hundreds of dollars, why are people so worried about a few pennies?? What am I missing here?:confused:
Click to expand...

Why? Greed & bad habits, mostly... There have been many topics written here concerning paypal, how prices are listed, and ultimately having the buyer cover the fees so I'll give you my cliff notes version:
1) The asking +any% above the 2.9% +30¢ that paypal charges is an insult to the buyer IMO
2) People "should" list the price they are expecting to receive (which includes fees and shipping)... make it higher if that's an issue and stop worrying about having a catchy low price to show when it's misleading.
3) List it as "price is firm" or "OBO" depending on if you have wiggle room
4) Understand that paypal charges a fee for the service they provide and that fee is the cost of doing business that the seller "should" cover.
5) "Net to me" means "I'm too lazy to do the math, so you do the work."
 
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If the price and terms are clearly listed in the sales thread, either abide by them or move along. Nothing to complain about.
Gift payment is almost never a good idea.

ETA: It is funny that someone would give up a sale over $4 and change... I'd pass.
 
I buy the way I sell! Everything is straight up and everyone gets their cut. No funny business. Yep, even the government and paypal get their cuts.:)

it makes my life simpler and its easier to sleep at night.:applause:
 
If you use PP for goods or services they should be paid. If you don't want to pay fees use another form of payment such as USPS money orders, bank transfer or check. IMO
 
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You are not missing anything, however the folks that push the PayPal friends & family on the exchange are missing out on the business from those that don't want any part of that.

Sadly this practice is commonplace on BF even among members with spotless and extensive feedback. I wouldn't read too much into the practice as I strongly feel the high percentage of sellers asking for PayPal F&F payments or the Goods + X% on the BF exchange is simply a monkey see, monkey do thing as I have noticed brand new sellers stating the same terms seemingly cut & pasted from other sellers. I doubt that few if any even realize how ridiculously contradictive the whole "I want to cheat Paypal take away your buyer protection, but I've got good feedback and will treat you right anyway" message sent by those terms. This issue has been discussed many times over here and the exchange sticky note discussing those terms seems to have made little impact. Evidently not that many people read the sticky notes.

I've softened my original stance to the point where I will participate in +3% type purchases particularly with some great folks I know and respect that just happen to be mathematically challenged. :)

My biggest peeve these days is sellers claiming to be not responsible for shipping mishaps. As a buyer I'm sure the heck not going to accept full responsibility for lost or damaged shipment when the buyer is responsible for packaging, selecting the carrier and handing it off to them. Fortunately PayPal sees this my way and is another reason to never give up your protection afforded by PayPal Goods purchases.
 
If it is a business transaction for goods or services then use goods. If it is a gift for friends or family then use gift. the names actually tell you what to do. Fairly simple.

And like others have said, if you don't like the terms of the sale then move along. And using paypal gift is foolish. It also says something about the person who offers to take it exclusively.
 
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Thanks for the feedback knife brothers! Guess I'm not crazy... Well at least about this issue. I passed on the deal altogether, as several have pointed out that the whole thing smells a bit fishy.
 
Good question to ask before you made a possible error.

Goods and services.

If you purchase with Gift you have no recourse if something goes wrong because you are gifting them money.

Look through threads here and youll see plenty of reasons not to use Gift. Ive never seen anyone post of the benefits of it.
 
Brisket said:
You are not missing anything, however the folks that push the PayPal friends & family on the exchange are missing out on the business from those that don't want any part of that.

Sadly this practice is commonplace on BF even among members with spotless and extensive feedback. I wouldn't read too much into the practice as I strongly feel the high percentage of sellers asking for PayPal F&F payments or the Goods + X% on the BF exchange is simply a monkey see, monkey do thing as I have noticed brand new sellers stating the same terms seemingly cut & pasted from other sellers. I doubt that few if any even realize how ridiculously contradictive the whole "I want to cheat Paypal take away your buyer protection, but I've got good feedback and will treat you right anyway" message sent by those terms. This issue has been discussed many times over here and the exchange sticky note discussing those terms seems to have made little impact. Evidently not that many people read the sticky notes.

I've softened my original stance to the point where I will participate in +3% type purchases particularly with some great folks I know and respect that just happen to be mathematically challenged. :)

My biggest peeve these days is sellers claiming to be not responsible for shipping mishaps. As a buyer I'm sure the heck not going to accept full responsibility for lost or damaged shipment when the buyer is responsible for packaging, selecting the carrier and handing it off to them. Fortunately PayPal sees this my way and is another reason to never give up your protection afforded by PayPal Goods purchases.
Click to expand...

This is another favorite of mine as well. Not being responsible for shipping. You can't talk your way out of rules. Regular Paypal will at least give you protection against poor packing.
 
IMHO, people that list knives with a certain price, and then say if you use PP Goods add xxx% are not only lazy, it tells me something about their character...

There are to many horror stories here about people getting screwed if there is a problem with the knife. If the people can't be bothered to do the simple math and post the price with the fees included, I won't deal with them...

I can sorta understand members who haven't been here long not understanding, but it really irritates me when I see a member who has been here for a few years or longer, and they still charge extra for PP fees.

If a person can't absorb a few dollars buying and selling knives, they really probably can't afford the knives in the first place... YMMV
 
drrickso said:
Why? Greed & bad habits, mostly... There have been many topics written here concerning paypal, how prices are listed, and ultimately having the buyer cover the fees so I'll give you my cliff notes version:
1) The asking +any% above the 2.9% +30¢ that paypal charges is an insult to the buyer IMO
2) People "should" list the price they are expecting to receive (which includes fees and shipping)... make it higher if that's an issue and stop worrying about having a catchy low price to show when it's misleading.
3) List it as "price is firm" or "OBO" depending on if you have wiggle room
4) Understand that paypal charges a fee for the service they provide and that fee is the cost of doing business that the seller "should" cover.
5) "Net to me" means "I'm too lazy to do the math, so you do the work."
Click to expand...
^---- This right here.
After reading horror story after horror story about PP Gift issues in GB&U, I refuse to do business with anyone who pushes the "Family" payment method. If I really want the knife then they get price x 1.03 via PP Purchase and we're good, if not I will buy elsewhere.
 
I never thought the day would come where I would see this question actually being asked. Wow.
 
budthachud said:
Someone trying to talk to into sending a gift payment when you're willing to add fees is a red flag. That makes me think they're trying to remove your buyer protection through Paypal.
Click to expand...
:thumbup:

PayPal Buyer Protection is worth the 3%~4% to me.

If a seller insists on 'Gift' ... RUN.
 
Ahhhh, the recurring paypal thread. My philosophy is pretty simple. If a seller is not honest enough to abide by Paypal's terms of service, which they agreed to when they signed up for an account, I am not interested in dealing with them.
 
I have regularly seen sellers here ask buyers to lie about the nature of a transaction by calling it a gift.

I wish I were surprised by dishonesty, but I'm not.

If it's OK to ask buyers to lie, what's so odd about a buyer asking if its "Do as I do, not as I say?"
 
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