recieving payments from Germany

sunsetgirl

Hi can anyone advise me please?

I have sold an item to a buyer in germany for £7.00.
I stated in my listing that I only accept payment via paypal in gbp sterling from overseas buyers.

The buyer says they can't pay by paypal and want to send a cheque. I can't cash a foreign check in euros, I think you need a euro bank account?

Has anyone had any experience of recieving payments from Germany and could advise me of my options.

many thanks

soolin

Hi can anyone advise me please?

I have sold an item to a buyer in germany for £7.00.
I stated in my listing that I only accept payment via paypal in gbp sterling from overseas buyers.

The buyer says they can't pay by paypal and want to send a cheque. I can't  cash a foreign check in euros, I think you need a euro bank account?

Has anyone had any experience of recieving payments from Germany and could advise me of my options.

many thanks

Germany seem to have totally different laws and things to the rest of the EU and I have always had problems with German buyers. Paypal seems to be hardly used at all and like you I have been offered cheques which I always refuse as they cost too much to convert to sterling.

I have never found another method of payment for German buyers, a few have sent me Euros in an envelope only half of which were ever received.

If your auction stated paypal only for non UK buyers (as mine do) then just say you are sorry but you cannot offer any other form of payment. All you can do then is file for NPB and move on.

There is an option to file for a mutual NPB but reading the ebay groups this seems to be changing and unless the buyer actually bothers to confirm to ebay that they agree with the mutual you don't get your fees back, if I had more time i would check when this new system starts or maybe someone else on here will have the info to hand.

I think in your situation I would sort of ignore what the buyer has already said and just confirm to him that as per your auction terms payment is only to be made in Uk sterling funds via paypal. Leave the situation with him to come up with a better idea at no cost to yourself.

SOo

Benji

https://www.auctionpix.co.uk will cash any amount of Euro cheques for you for 95p.

http://www.auctionpix.co.uk/euro.html

The cheque has to be made out to them :-/, but I've used them a dozen or so times with no problems.

stavros_2

I agree with what soo's said....if they didn't read the auction properly then it's their fault....I'd stand your ground (unless, of course, you don't feel that the item will sell again for anywhere near that price minus the costs to convert the cheque)

BigKisses

Couldn't the Buyer get British pounds from his post office in Germany and send them to you by insured post(notes only)? When I won something on Ebay from Germany the payment choice I had was to either wire them the funds in THEIR curency or post the funds in THEIR currency.(Yes I took it for granted that they would accept Paypal and they didn't)You could offer those options to your buyer (in YOUR currency).I believe they tend to wire funds direct into the sellers bank account as the preferred method of payment in Germany anyway.Any extra expenses are the buyers concern not the sellers.

quoia

If it was for a much larger amount then the story might be different.

£7 = 10€ - JUST 10 Euros

Hardly a huge amount of cash to risk sending through the post.

Get the buyer to send you a 10 Euro note.

Then exchange the 10 Euros for £7 at this end.

You must know someone (friend, family, workmate etc.) who is going to France, Germany, Spain, etc.... etc... etc... in the next few weeks or so, and will need Euros when they get there.

If 10€ isn't quite enough ask for 11 !
(Unforunately this means a coin in the letter which, unless "hidden" or disguised, can be a giveaway that cash is enclosed)
I think the smallest Euro note is 5€

YOU can't lose out if you do not send the goods until you've received payment !

chillipepper_3

I have been sent euros many time in the post and often trade with it back when buying abroad. Stick to notes only and small amounts and you can't go wrong. If you are really concerned as to losing the money then ask the seller to put a ten euro note in a small box and send it parcel post declared as a gift.
I have probably received around a dozen payments in cash or euros and have never not received one yet.

soolin

I had a regular German buyer from an old now defunct auction site, he regularly used to send me euro notes in an envelope. Unfortunately I do have major problems with my post and in the end about 1 in 3 payments were 'lost' before they reached me.

Having said that I got an envelope this morning from a buyer with 3 £10 notes and some loose coin in it, all sellotaped up. This is despite me NOT offering cash as an acceptable payment method due to so many losses on its way to me.

Soo