Selling on Gumtree using Paypal

Beaniegibbs

I posted a mobile phone for sale on Gumtree and have been contacted by someone from the USA wishing to buy phone using Paypal. As the phone is £300 I am looking to make sure I do everything right. Will be sending phone by recorded delivery and making them pay for insurance. Will also be taking photos and videos of phone working and imei number.
Will be making sure that only send phone to the registered Paypal address.
Just wondering what my rights are with Paypal if there is a dispute and if it is actually worth the risk.
Thanks

hermum

No don't do it.
Signed for is only covered until it leaves the UK. Recorded is only for items up to £46 anyway a phone of that value would need special delivery.
Gumtree is meant for face to face transactions, so I would expect a local buyer to come, check the phone over & hand over cash.

soolin

Ok I know you are a newbie so I will be gentle, but please, you need to understand the common scams and also how Gumtree works.

Gumtree is a face to face venue, anyone wanting something posted and especially overseas should be treated with caution and very stringent checks undertaken before even considering it.


Are you for instance familiar at all with how paypal works and the rules regarding tracking and signatures? If not this is a good place to start:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3146680

You will note that you require a fully tracked service and with a signature available online.

Then you need to consider the Royal mail aspect, for instance phones are not insured overseas if they cost more than £46, so you have no cover against loss or damage and as has been pointed out you have no guaranteed trackiing anyway. So that leaves you with needing to find a courier.

Then would you be familair enough with the use of paypal to understand the actual protection when you log in and check thetransaction?

I would suggest that £300 phones going overseas via Gumtee and paypal be left to those who are very familiar with the systems to be used to ensure that a scam cannot occur.