How do most sellers handle their forum sales?

"What mechanism (? PayPal, ? checks) do most people use to conclude the sale?  Granted, the vast majority of folks selling here and in similar venues are totally honest.  I have a PayPal account.  If a seller only wants the buyer to pay "actual" shipping how does one come to a final price before the item is actually shipped?  Thanks for any advice."

    I prefer paypal payment as it's fast and requires no trip to the bank to cash a check, payment and shipping can often happen same day using paypal. To get a postage price the post office and UPS have a calculator on their website that lets you put in the zip code, the weight,and box size then gives you the price.For most shipment priority mail is the best deal as it includes insurance and tracking for a little bit more than the parcel post cost. If you think your items are more desirable than common trains you'd probably clear more on ebay by letting bidders do their thing. or maybe list here as fixed price at a higher price than you expect then if it doesn't sell lower it a bit in a few days?( if the first guy that sees it buys it then you know it was priced too low ) :> .....DaveB 

I agree with DaveB and can add that pictures are a HUGE help in selling any item either here on the Forum or over on "The Bay".  I agree that you will probably do a bit better on eBay but don't forget that there are many "hidden"  cost that the buyer incurs that will lower your net return as well.  I've listed items here on the forum that didn't even get a look and eventually sold them on eBay for more than I was initially asking on the forum.  Also, you have a MUCH larger audience looking to buy on eBay.  Either way, best of luck to you!  

Chief Bob (Retired)

The one piece of advice I'd give is the first post explicitly stating "I'll buy it", gets it. Anything less is just a tire-kicker.

YEP!  Forgot that one and it is VERY important

On the forum,I prefer a check,I have had two Paypal transactions in the last six weeks that were supposed to be friends and family and they were sent the regular way,I am not into paying the percentage when it is already a good deal.

Mikey

US post office money order gets your package shipped the very same day.

A couple of bad checks will take the wind out of your sails!

When a person purchases a USPS money order does he have to then physically mail it to you himself or is there some electronic way it can be sent to the seller or can it be sent electronically to the seller's local post office (so as not to have to wait for a letter to come)?

Thanks

I do not accept nor do I use "Friends and Family" option when paying for or selling an item via Pay Pal.  I encourage buyers to use the "Goods and Services" option (where the buyer adds 3.5% to the amount they send to Pay Pal) if for no other reason but to have the Pay Pal "Buyer Protection".  I consider it to be an Insurance Policy of sorts which mostly protects the buyer.

Chief Bob (Retired) 

Even those who accept USPS Postal Money Orders, (I have done so on several occasions) should delay shipment until they are sure the funds have cleared.  It is a rare occasion but there have been isolated incidences where USPS Postal Money orders have been counterfeited.  Ask me how I know.

Chief Bob (Retired) 

I personally do not know of the USPS electronically sending Postal Money Orders.  That is the whole objective of services such as Pay Pal.  Postal Money Orders are still one of the safest ways to send a "physical" payment but they can be circumvented as well.  I've recorded hundreds of transactions via Pay Pal through eBay without one problem to date.

Chief Bob (Retired)

Bob,

Ditto! Ditto!

I'm curious if anyone has used Square- Cash to make forum purchases?  https://squareup.com/help/us/en/topic/139-square-cash

I've used it a few times with business associates, but not with 'strangers' as of yet.  I do use Square card readers for my business, and while the 2.75% fee is annoying, the service is nice to have.  As of the last time I used the 'cash' service, there was no fee.  

I wont use paypal. Too easy to be locked out from accessing your money.

 My buddy had his accounts frozen by E-idiots too often.

The USPS Money orders being faked. Recently? Cashed at your bank, or at a PO?

 Because I thought that they had control numbers to verify with, if you cashed it at the P.O..

 You may not get your money, don't ship the goods.

And you might lose some time answering questions. Just think about the grin from a federal counterfeiting case against an idjit.

No deal is 100% without risk.

I like the USPO MO or cash. I cash them at the PO just before I ship the things.

Track the high $ stuff. 

USPOMO-Just to avoid any "stop payment" scams too.

Here is my take on waiting for a check to clear:

The buyer is trusting you to actually send the merchandise, and that it is in the condition you say. Why aren't you trusting him/her to send a good check? If you want instant payment, eat the fees and take Paypal.

IMO it is the sellers responsibility to pay the PayPal fees...it's their account, and the price of doing business.  I never do the friends and family or gift because my understanding is, as a buyer you have no protection at all.

-rog

I tried Paypal...didn't like it at all nor did I really feel comfortable linking credit cards, etc online. I do it the old fashion way - check or USPS MO (or cash for local pick up). I ship when it clears unless I know and trust the person I'm selling to. Never been burned but have had a few folks, with the "I'm sending payment" line that goes week after week and you never see the $$$. After about 2 weeks of that, I tell them have it to me by day X or no sale. Either you never hear from them again or see the $$ next day. I do everything on my end to get the sale done quickly, you, the buyer, should do the same. 

When I sell on here, I make the price shipped to the lower 48. If the person is someone I know from the forum as a regular (or a TCA Member), I ship it right away. If not, I wait for the check (the only form of payment I accept) to arrive, then ship it.

  CHECKS CLEAR THE NEXT DAY AFTER DEPOSIT IN 2015!!!  Just a personal observation, but often, it is more prudent to pay the 13% Ebay/Paypal fees, and skip the "dog ate my homework" of SOME on here!  There is NO buyers remorse once you submit your bid on auction sites.  It's a shame that people abuse the free service provided by the Forum!  I would rather sell on here...I like the format, but I will be ****ed if I spend days setting up payments on a $200 item, and have the guy back out.

When buying I send a check.  I ask the seller to deposit and wait for the check to clear, then send the item.

Sellers here often send the item well ahead of then any way.