[rd200]

i am trying to sell something over the internet and i am wondering if fedex cod is the safest. i would prefer prepay, but i'm sure no one is going to agree to that. but i cant take a personal check and then send my stuff at the same time cuz if the check is bad, then i dont have my money and they have my stuff. i need a way for me to get my money guaranteed and for them to get their stuff too. any suggestions?? i know i should deal locally, but that's just not an option in this situation. Thanks Rach

[Wisdom]

Have you heard of Paypal? If you have a website you can have a link to Paypal and customers can pay with a credit card there. You'll be charged a fee with them but I don't know how much. You can find their website through Google and get more info on them.

[rd200]

im not sure i get it!!! if they pay with a credit card how do i get paid?? i'm not very advanced with any of this stuff.

[Wisdom]

Originally Posted by rd200

i am trying to sell something over the internet

I was assuming you had an internet business but that may not be the case...is it? If not, what venue are you selling your item through (ebay? craigslist?)?
With Paypal I think you have to have a business but not sure.

[Wisdom]

I just looked at Paypal's website. You don't have to have a business like I thought. You would have to set up an account with them. Your customer can pay you through Paypal using a credit card. You get your money from Paypal--they send you the money or they can transfer the $$ into your checking account. To get more details I'd call them and ask them exactly how it works and what fee they will charge you.

[DPline]

Not knowing the exact situation, Paypal does sound like your best bet. I sell on Ebay but dont' have a busines - just selling of DD's outgrown clothes - and that is what I use.

I will try to remember to check back to this thread, but if you have questions about using Paypal, feel free to PM me.

[rd200]

I dont have an internet business. i am just selling something through "free garage sale" and pay pal does not approve of his site so they wont allow people to use paypal if it is through this site. and i might be shipping across the country so its kinda scary thinking that i might get ripped off and not ever see my money. i mean, if someone gives me their fake name and whatnot, there's nothing i can do to get my money or product back. I'll keep looking into it, but thanks anyways. Rach

[mommieof2cuties]

I have been ebaying for years, I have issues with PAY PAL...but they are pretty good. When we used Fed ex COD you the shipper have to pay fedex, than when they arrive at the location the other person pays and funds get released.

My husband ships COD all the time for his work, using UPS and he has never had to do what I had to do for fedex. So maybe look into UPS?

Also some items have a high risk than others... You could also do money transfers etc...

Hope this helps..

[EZ2Luv]

Before Ebay made it so you could only use paypal on auctions, I used to accept personal checks and money orders. However, before any items were shipped out the check would be deposited and have to clear without any problem.
I am not sure what you are selling or where but I would be VERY leary of this type of transaction.
Craigslist and other sites strongly recommend only dealing with local people because there is so much internet check fraud going on. They also discourage transactions that are paid by check for this very reason.
Many time scammers will troll sites lik Craigslist and make offers to buy items by check for more than the asking price. The seller will agree, recieve the check, ship the item out and find out that the check it bad. A coworkers brother got scammed out of $3k selling a car that way.
As much as Paypal charges for fees it is still one of the safest ways to do any kind of online transactions IMO.

Good Luck
EZ

[mommieof2cuties]

The reason why you cannot pay with pay pal on that site you are selling on is because ebay and pay pal own each other and really only allow you to pay if they own some sort of stock or something in a company. I wish it was different but that is why you cannot use them on that free site.

[catperson]

rd just because you ship something COD it doesn't guarantee that the payment is valid, or good. All it does is guarantee that you will receive the payment once Fedex, or even UPS, collects it and then forwards it to you. If you can't use Paypal then I would insist from your buyer that they send you a certified bank check. Once you receive it, deposit it and wait for it to clear 100% before you ship out the item. This might take awhile by the time it gets back to the bank the check is drawn on, but might be the only way to protect yourself. If the person you're selling to gives you a hard time about this and doesn't want to do it, I would be very suspicious especially if they insist on sending you a personal check. It's better to lose a sale then lose the product and the money.

[rd200]

i got an email yesterday from a women that had emailed me friday about my breastpump that i was selling on craigslist. i emailed her back and then last night she sent me a very odd email. she said that she wants to purchsase the item outright and that the price and condition were satifactory to her but she is out of town on business and was going to send me a certified check for payment and when it cleared that she would send her "delivery guy" to come pick it up at my home. she wants to know my full name address, and phone number so she can send my check and whatnot. to me, that sounds VERY suspicious. who has a delivery guy? and how convenient that she is out of town too. i mean, i can hardly believe that someone would try to scam me for a breastpump that i'm selling for $65!!! i emailed her back and said that i only except cash and i was willing ot wait till she got back into town to make the sale. So if she is a scammer, i probably wont hear back from her.

The certified check thing isnt always safe either i heard. it will clear the bank and everything and then a few weeks later your bank finds out its acuttally fake and then goes after YOU for cashing it. this whole email was very similar to one of the scammer emails that is posted on craigslist to read. I just wanted to sell some of my stuff i dont use anymore for some extra cash to help wiht my adoption expenses and this is what you get!! i even put in my ad that i will only take cash and deal locally. Maybe someone legit will come and want it. Rach