Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/08/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Nathan, You're exactly right about intra-US purchases. Therein lies the problem. For the casual eBay vendor who's cleaning out a house or closet, getting a check or money order is perceived to be far more convenient than dealing with PayPal. It's often the difference between putting up items for auction, or not--if the seller has to put up with any inconvenience, he or she will probably dump the item or sell it at a garage sale. Many of my favorite eBay finds (I happen to like obscure things of not terrifically great value) have come from occasional vendors who are on a cash or check basis only. Similarly, there are many individuals who will not make purchases if they have to use PayPal or some similar service. A good friend of mine runs a vintage magazine business, with a notable number of customers who insist on paying by check or money order. He worries that their business may disappear. The obvious answer is that eBay wants 100% of its cash flow to go through wholly-owned PayPal, thus ensuring that they get a 3% premium for every transaction. It harkens back to the days when US department stores would only accept their own credit cards. Jim Shulman Bryn Mawr, PA -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jshul=comcast.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Nathan Wajsman Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:14 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] Ebay Policy changes..... No more Checks..... To be honest, I doubt that this change will have any impact whatsoever on international transactions, for two reasons: 1) I have never encountered any seller who would accept a check or money order from abroad, simply because of the high cost of depositing it in one's bank account. 2) At least in Europe, checks are basically not used anymore. I have not written a check since I left the US in 1995. I did receive one from someone in the UK about 6 or 7 years ago, but that was the last time. All transactions here are done by bank transfer (both domestically and internationally), by direct debit or by other electronic means. I think the only transactions where checks are still used a lot of ebay purchases are intra-US deals. While I do not like ebay pushing people towards Paypal (and if I sell or buy something to/from someone in Europe, I will certainly use bank transfer and not Paypal), I can understand that they want to eliminate checks. Paper is so 19th century. Just like paper airplane tickets, checks are a thing of the past. Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu http://www.nathanfoto.com Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog On Aug 21, 2008, at 4:31 PM, Frank Filippone wrote: > Starting October ( 1? 30?) Ebay will no longer allow buyers to pay by > personal checks nor by money orders. ( which means PayPal only.) > > Can you believe they are stoking their own coffers at the expense and > especially risk of sellers? > > If you did not know, Paypal payments can be reversed...... and the > buyer > may still have the merchandise...... > Paypal does not guarantee Foreign ( non-US) payment transactions.... > > I am OK with this to pa a point for a $50 item.... but a $2500 Leica > Item??? > I am more than risk adverse..... > > I guess if you have something to sell, to a foreign audience, or do > not like > to use Paypal, you best sell it now..... > > Frank Filippone > red735i@earthlink.net > > > >