An auction on ebay for these 4 cans just ended at $67. Admittedly they are not squeaky clean, but $17/each still seems low to me. I know the auction would have gone for more (for example...I would have bid) if it had offered paypal or even personal checks.

I bring this up because on several occasions there have been discussions on the "goodness" of paypal. Just wanted to highlight that along with all the solid reasons for not allowing paypal or accepting personal checks, there is a price tag associated with making that decision.

Rand

Rand, I think its because they are off-grade and easy. Any one of those or all could be obtained many times over in KC in three weeks. I'd say thats the reason. Josh.

I agree with Rand. I know if the seller will only accept money orders or cashier checks, 99% of the time I will pass it by. Only on something I really want will I go to the hassle of those form of payments. Call me lazy, but I think most items do bring in less money when the types of payments are limited.
Chris

I am with Rand and Chris, Many times I have passed on auctions that do not accept paypal. Money orders and even mailing checks is a hassle when I can pay in 2 mins from my office. Why anyone would not embrace the available tools for commerce is beyond me.

.02

"Why anyone would not embrace the available tools for commerce is beyond me"

PayPal sucks

That's why.

I'm with Henry Porter, Paypal Sux.

paypal does suck. i refuse to use it. I only bid on auctions that take personal checks( unless it is something whipass).

For a buyer paypal is great as long as you are using your credit card and not your bank account. That way you take any dispute through your credit card company and not their so-called protection plan. I would never use paypal without the credit card option.
Chris

I like paypal. Its easy and with over a thousand ebay trans actions (albeit..not all paypal), I have never had 1 problem. I dont even mind the fee as long as I get my money instantly. It also helps in a dispute. I like the convenience as opposed to waitng on my check to clear or going out to get a money order and mailing it. I wish all my buyers would paypal me, then they get thier item usually in 2 days. My time is probably coming but for now I embrace it!

No paypal....wouldn't use it period.
I do not mind sending money orders and I mostly pay with a check. Never a problem.
I won't bid on items that accept only paypal.
I have ZERO confidence in the security of paypal, and it leaves a very clear record of transactions, just in case your State or the Feds decide to tax the ebay marketplace.
John

Paypal sucks. I think they are crooks. Oh yeah, I love using it as a buyer, and once you ignore that cost I love it as a seller too.

Guys,

Paypal is eBay/ eBay is Paypal - trust one, and you should trust the other. They are the same entity. I'm a fan.

Mike

Hate paypal....love paypal....use it as a buyer....don't use it as a seller....whatever. The point isn't whether it is good or evil....the point is....if you as a seller do not allow your customers to use paypal (or at a minimum personal checks) you will have fewer bidders. Period. Not negotiable. No convoluted logic about it's evilness alters that. No bidder gives a rat's ass about your ethics or morals or opinion on Big Brother Paypal. They just want convenience and some will not bid without it. With fewer bidders comes less competition....and with less competition typically comes a lower final bid.

Do what you want. Just wanted to make sure that the capitalistic minded among you made that connection, and were willing to accept a lower return for doggedly adhering to an opinion rather than pursuing the best price.

Rand

Rand, What we have here is Failure to Communicate. Really it's a conflict of Interest. What the Buyer wants is whats conveinant for him & what the seller wants is conveinance for himself & what they want are 2 totaly different things. Ones looking out for himself & the other is just to lazy to run upto the local 7/11 or party store he passes on the way home from work to get a money order. I like Money Orders because I dont have a Bank Account, I have a Credit Union. Most people on ebay say will hold checks to clear 7 days or 10 days. When I ask my Credit union how long to clear they tell me we can not tell you if it clears. All we can tell you is if it bounces & that takes 3 weeks. I know from experiance this is true. When I started a new job & cashed the 3rd weeks check or tried too they told me no good because the 2 before it bounced. No holding a Money order, almost as good as cash. A check a worthless peice of paper in my opinion. Also, Years ago there was a huge scam at ebay where employees where stealing account #'s & scamming people big $$$. This was all over the news for one day & then court ordered gag order put a stop to it because if word of this got out could ruin ebay. Guess it worked because nobody seeme to know anything about this. I guess i'm the only one that remembers this incedent? P.S. I'll take a check from Rand since he's 100 miles from nearest 7/11 or conveiance store.

>Rand, What we have here is Failure to Communicate.

Not at all....communicating perfectly.

>what the seller wants is conveinance for himself

Woops! Sorry....my fault. I was going on the assumption that the seller wanted to get the best price for his can. My mistake. Sorry. Forget everything I said. Communication is coming through loud and clear now.

Rand

Rand, I just like using that line Failure to Communicate line from that 1967 Cool Hand Luke Movie where Warden Strother Martin tells Prisoner Paul Newman that, Also in a Guns & Roses tune. Just a Joke. What the seller wants is highest price & Conveinance. Buyer wants lowest price & Conveinance. The seller gets to make the rules on payment, not the buyer. Fact is, If you see a rare can going cheap you want badly your going to get a money order. If not then your not a serious bidder. To many people on ebay saying well maybe I want it, maybe not, maybe i'll get money order maybe not, hmmm, let me think, not sure, should i bid more. yeah, no? Not serious bidders & they'll never bid any big $$ anyways?

Rand, I got your point. I stick by my original post. If those cans were worth more they would have gone for more. Paypal is beside the point. Josh.

Just a seller's point of view, but I want it to be as easy for my customers to pay as possible. No different than Wal-Mart, Sears, or now even McDonalds (they have started taking credit cards). As for the paper trail issue, there is no totally sure fire way to do business in this era without some sort of trail. PayPal is tracible. Checks are tracible. Money Orders are tracible. Even Cash can be tracible. If you buy anything on eBay, it is there for the whole world to see (feedback is the confirmation of a completed transaction). My bottom line is simple, the sooner I get paid the sooner the stuff leaves my place and goes to yours and everyone is happy (I can use PayPal to buy myself more junk).

Vinny