bank transfer advice please

smashed

Hi.. I sold an item on ebay today for £360. However, the user has a score of 0, but has been registered for 4 years. No negatives either though.
He says that he has a problem with Paypal.. and now wants to pay to my bank if i give him my details.

Needless to say, Im a bit worried. I can see it could be genuine.. but can also see that it could cause me problems.

Advice please?

southernscouser

smashed wrote:

Hi.. I sold an item on ebay today for £360. However, the user has a score of 0, but has been registered for 4 years. No negatives either though.
He says that he has a problem with Paypal.. and now wants to pay to my bank if i give him my details.

Needless to say, Im a bit worried. I can see it could be genuine.. but can also see that it could cause me problems.

Advice please?

What is it with problems and Paypal? I've never had any problems!

If it were me I'd ask what problems he is having so you can help him resolve them! Also say you will allow him 7 days to sort out Paypal. after that file a non-paying bidder!

wigginsmum

I've had people pay me by direct bank transfer (and paid myself that way before Paypal) - never had any problems.

But if you're unhappy with the idea (and do go on your gut feeling), is there any reason why he can't send you a cheque and you wait for it to clear before sending out the item? After all, whether he does a bank transfer or sends a cheque, the money's got to be in his account before it'll clear. If he hasn't got a personal cheque book, he should be able to do a bankdraft. It may simply be that he wants to do it online for convenience.

What did you give as your payment options on the item?

Jules

gizmoleeds

If you give someone a cheque it has your bank account no and sort code. There is nothing they can really do with the information (ie. to steal your money) yet people are very afraid of doing this. In Germany nearly all ebay transactions use bank transfers and they think we're nuts paying to receive money through paypal. Plus they cannot do chargebacks with a few clicks of the mouse like on Paypal.

smashed

Thanks for the instant advice
I said paypal or cheque or PO's..
Cheque is better than paypal for me.. as it will save me £15
I will ask him about cheque first.. and see what he says.

gizmoleeds

A bank transfer is just as secure as a cheque but several days quicker.

masonic

I think I'd much prefer to receive a payment of that size by bank transfer over paypal. No fees, no chargebacks and, as far as I'm aware, quite safe. I wouldn't worry about giving out your account number, since you do so with every cheque that you write.

soolin

masonic wrote:

I think I'd much prefer to receive a payment of that size by bank transfer over paypal. No fees, no chargebacks and, as far as I'm aware, quite safe. I wouldn't worry about giving out your account number, since you do so with every cheque that you write.

I agree, I would prefer a bank transfer over a cheque any day.

Cheques can bounce for weeks after payment, as far as I undersatnd bank transfers are final so once you have the money it's yours.

To the OP...say yes please to a bank transfer very quickly before your buyer changes his mind.

Soo

motorguy

... alternatively he could he be a time waster - the sort who usually plagues high price items (and usually mine!)

Good Luck - personally i'd give him your bank details. not much damage he can do - hopefully he will pay up

soolin

pgilc1 wrote:

... alternatively he could he be a time waster - the sort who usually plagues high price items (and usually mine!)

Good Luck - personally i'd give him your bank details. not much damage he can do - hopefully he will pay up

If he is a time waster, and I can't see any thing in the OP that might suggest that, then a bank transfer is even more favourable. Ay most a transfer will take 4 days to appear in the receivers bank account, so if nothing arrives by day 5 you still have time to go to a second chance offer. With a cheque you really need to wait a week to 10 days for the post and by then a second chance offer is unlikely to be taken up.

Soo

motorguy

soolin wrote:

If he is a time waster, and I can't see any thing in the OP that might suggest that, then a bank transfer is even more favourable. Ay most a transfer will take 4 days to appear in the receivers bank account, so if nothing arrives by day 5 you still have time to go to a second chance offer. With a cheque you really need to wait a week to 10 days for the post and by then a second chance offer is unlikely to be taken up.

Soo

yeah i'd push for a bank transfer - just had bad luck with 0 feedback bidders on high priced items - got my paranoid head on!