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Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

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Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#271

Post by edj »

I've been scammed selling on eBay and will probably never sell there again, but if I did I'd want a cheat sheet of scam countermeasures. Here's a start based on the OP's safety checklist (points 3 through 5), comments in this thread, and my own experience.

1) Try not to sell on eBay. Perhaps Craigslist or another marketplace will work instead. Unfortunately, people in low population density areas are kind of screwed without an online marketplace.

2) Block all buyers from countries other than your own. In massive markets like the US, gaining a few more potential buyers is not worth the increased risk of fraud or loss during shipment. Perhaps in smaller countries this rule won't work as well.

3) Only sell to people with significant positive feedback.

4) Only ship to CONFIRMED Paypal addresses.

5) Require Signature Confirmation for items over $250.

6) Don't accept PayPal; require money orders for payment. This might scare off potential buyers. However, it has the benefit of taking PayPal and credit card chargeback schemes completely off the table.

7) Don't ship General Delivery.

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#272

Post by wjamesg »

Amadou wrote: post #227
ceol wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not a lawyer or a police officer, but doesn't this sound more like fraud?

IANAL either. BUT, I know a guy who had his car stolen through fraud. The fraudster gave him a bogus cashiers check (and his bank took over a month after deposit to alert him that the check was bogus). His car insurance paid out on a theft claim. I'm sure there were more details to it, but I've never heard of "fraud insurance" as part of an auto insurance policy.

FYI (everyone): US Post Office offers a money order verification system to avoid bogus transactions like these. I've gone so far as to choose a meeting location around the corner from a post office location and insist on a money order from that location.

https://www.usps.com/shop/accepting-money-orders.htm

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#273

Post by bicknergseng »

mistermann wrote: post #235
callmeed wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same way AirBnB does it: verify everything (phone, email) and provide social context ("You and the seller have 2 friends in common on Facebook"). You could go a step further and remove as much anonymity as possible. Of course, there are other ways to stop fraud which you'd want to do as well.

Facebook has the infrastructure and population coverage to facilitate provide this service. They could charge for "Verified by Facebook" services. Hell, they could replace eBay and PayPal while they're at it, not to mention AirBnB, CraigsList, etc. They're stumbling around looking for a business model as it is, I don't know why they don't get into this. Sure, easier said than done maybe, but if anyone can do it, it i…

I've said the same thing for a couple of years. Their Oodle marketplace is anemic, despite having the ability to combat fraud issues in a way eBay, Craigslist, etc will never be able to.

So bizarre to me they don't move into in a serious way. ecommerce

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#274

Post by lifeformed »

encoderer wrote: post #264
pdonis wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't understand is why using this passphrase doesn't obligate the buyer to return the item.

THIS. Except, I suppose, how do you validate THAT? If I'm the seller, and you send me back an empty box or an old iPhone 3GS, what do I do then?

Just also tell them, "Item not as described".

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#276

Post by ChuckMcM »

chockablock wrote: post #262
ChuckMcM wrote: post #228

Fascinating, back in the way back time when Ebay was first starting, the only way I would sell something was payment in advance, but check. Further the check needed to clear my bank before I would ship the merchandise. This was a pain but it was the only way to do business if you wanted to avoid fraud. Paypal made this so much easier, they would carry the risk if it was a 'certified' account. The whole "not as descri…

Funds from bad checks can be pulled from your account even after the check has 'cleared'. cf. 419 scams.

To be explicitly precise, Wells Fargo will not honor a 'stop payment' on a check which has settled. The settlement date is not the same as the 'hold' date, they may release funds prior to the settlement date if you are a good customer, with the understanding that if the check is subsequently refused by the originating bank, or is shown to be invalid, the deposit will be reversed.

The most common scam that trips people up is the 'over amount' check where a "cashiers check" for more than the amount purchased is sent with the instructions to deposit the whole thing and just send back another check with the overage. When the check finally 'bounces' the check sent has already settled and you're out the amount of the overage (and possibly the item).

In this way writing a check is exactly the same as handing the person cash, once both banks agree the funds from one is in the other and the accounts are all updated, assuming it wasn't in error, and the other party doesn't have special privileges (there is an exemption that governments can pull back funds) the only way to reverse that transaction is a lawsuit. Well at least according the commercial banker who handles my business account at Wells Fargo.

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#277

Post by plaguuuuuu »

kerryfalk wrote: post #267
plaguuuuuu wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dude, why can't I just browse a bunch of products for sale? That's all I want to do, I don't want to sign up to your site. I just want to see what's listed and possibly buy some parts. I'll probably check back again tomorrow if I see a few interesting things, probably in my lunch break at work. I've been thinking about getting a Garrett 3071 turbo kit but haven't given into the temptation yet -- but probably after se…

https://www.styckyd.com/search

Being terse in this post bc I'm working atm and don't have much time.

a) Link either doesn't exist on main page or isn't immediately apparent enough.

b) Consider this page - http://www.boostclassifieds.com.au. Today is the first time I've seen it - visually it looks horrible and potentially untrustworthy. If I may say so, your site looks freakin' incredible. But on their site, the first thing my eyes land on is a gigantic list of categories. It takes me FIVE seconds to find the link to "turbos and superchargers" and one click later I'm where I want to be, looking at what I want to buy. Which I guarantee I'm doing right now - in fact I've spotted a couple of GT280RS that look pretty good to me.

I had to navigate through so much shit to find the search page and look for turbos on your site that I didn't actually want to bother.

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#278

Post by kerryfalk »

unreal37 wrote: post #201
kerryfalk wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct. We built it to integrate with vBulletin forums: https://partners.styckyd.com Our brand name is taken from "stickying" a post on a forum.

You need to get a proper domain name if you are serious about this as a business. Go get $10,000 and buy stickypost.com if you still like the name. Look at the comments in this thread discussing what it means.

Maybe. The domain name isn't perfect, I'll admit, but it's far from the key thing standing in the way of the success of the product.

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#279

Post by kerryfalk »

plaguuuuuu wrote: post #277
kerryfalk wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.styckyd.com/search

Being terse in this post bc I'm working atm and don't have much time. a) Link either doesn't exist on main page or isn't immediately apparent enough. b) Consider this page - http://www.boostclassifieds.com.au . Today is the first time I've seen it - visually it looks horrible and potentially untrustworthy. If I may say so, your site looks freakin' incredible. But on their site, the first thing my eyes land on is a gi…

Thanks for that feedback. Not terse at all.

I'm having trouble with the balancing act. I definitely need to improve the searchability of the site. At the same time if I put everything front and center it'll become pretty apparent that we don't have many listings yet. Will that just turn people away? I'm not sure yet, I don't have the data to say.

I'll think more on this.

Re: Thinking of Selling on eBay using Paypal? Think Again

#280

Post by ars »

kerryfalk wrote: post #267
plaguuuuuu wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dude, why can't I just browse a bunch of products for sale? That's all I want to do, I don't want to sign up to your site. I just want to see what's listed and possibly buy some parts. I'll probably check back again tomorrow if I see a few interesting things, probably in my lunch break at work. I've been thinking about getting a Garrett 3071 turbo kit but haven't given into the temptation yet -- but probably after se…

https://www.styckyd.com/search

You've gone too far in the style over substance balance.

The site has so much style it's unusable. And what's with the B/W photos? They look horrible. Even on the detail page I have to mouse over it to get color.

People go a site like yours to get stuff done, not to chill out and look around.

P.S. I apologize if I sound too harsh, I'm not always good at giving criticism online.

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