all this is excellent advice, and the hazards of the new EBay-PayPal combination are very real, for the Sellers.
my proposed solution might be three-fold:
- if you need some "advertising" (i.e., beyond the TimeZone / Chronocentric type of listing), then list on ebay, with a crazy high reserve . . . pay the listing fee, as a reasonable price for global advertising . . . hope that your reserve is not met
- in the ebay listing, state that you will accept PayPal for a mandatory $100 deposit, with the balance to be paid by bank wire . . . this may violate the listing rules, but do they really patrol this? I understand that this is how people sell cars and high-dollar items (to avoid the PayPal fees)
- because the reserve is set so high, you can hope the item does not sell
- if it doesn't sell via the ebay auction, then you can do a side-deal with the high bidder
- accept payment only by bank wire
- ship by the fastest express level of UPS or FedEx, with your own insurance on the shipment . . . ParcelPro, for example, which specifically covers watches and jewelry
I have never used this exact approach, but would be interested to learn whether others believe that there would be risks / exposures, for the seller.
One thing this thread makes clear, there are huge risks in the current EBay / PayPal regime. So who can write the software for our newest site, "ChronoAuctions"?
Jeff
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
: Ebay and PayPal have become a hellish highmare. See:
: http://www.paypalwarning.com/paypal_problems . I have been
: selling on ebay for 9 years and seen it all. You now have to
: take PayPal or a credit card for payment - no more checks, money
: orders or bank wire transfers. Also, to protect yourself, you
: have to have traceable shipping ONLINE - they will not accept
: any other form of shipping confirmation. So, if you ship
: something and its paid for by PayPal and it gets lost and you
: can't find it - PayPal will give the buyer his money back and
: you are screwed.
: Add to that, USPS states it does not insure jewelry including
: watches. I now only ship Fedex to any country besides the US and
: Canada. If you think you are safe doing it any other way and
: taking PayPal - eventually you will take it in the SHORTS! TRUST
: ME - I HAVE BEEN THERE MANY TIMES. And NEVER ship anything to
: ITALY - that is how all the postal workers get there bonesses!
: It's too bad that ebay has become a dictator state and I think it
: will only get worse. They have become the meaning of control
: freaks. All I can hope for is another selling site that will do
: them in! Craig
