Online Foreign Purchases

murphy306

袁 芳 would like to be paid through PayPal is the email I got to pay for goods from USA/China. Is this ok to pay them through paypal and is it safe enough once you are paying via paypal?

murphy306

I forgot to add I have been speaking with the wholesaler on MSN already and we agreed a price for the goods before he sent the Paypal Invoice. He has only marked on it Goods does that matter?

Notmyrealname

I would definitely pay through Paypal and make sure it is for goods. That way you are covered by Paypal buyer protection just as if you'd bought through Ebay.

Yes it does matter he has marked on it that it is for goods. If it said anything other than goods or services, you'd not be covered.

murphy306

I have just read some horror stories online about people paying buyers overseas and then receiving an empty box tracked and then no fallback. Perhaps I am being too cautious?

soolin

murphy306 wrote: »

I have just read some horror stories online about people paying buyers overseas and then receiving an empty box tracked and then no fallback. Perhaps I am being too cautious?

That is always a possibility, not very likely if you are using a reputable dealer of course but technically possible all the same.

However paypal is the safest way to pay you would have even less protection using any other method of payment.

Also, remember when importing to factor in all handling, duty and tax charges.

Crowqueen

murphy306 wrote: »

I have just read some horror stories online about people paying buyers overseas and then receiving an empty box tracked and then no fallback. Perhaps I am being too cautious?

That's where feedback comes in. Even the number can have a bearing on whether the seller is a potential scammer.

I tend not to buy expensive or electronic stuff on eBay - I've never had much luck, although I accept it's possible to get a bargain.

However, while the risks are indeed there, I actually think that the more feedback a seller has, the less likely they are to do a bunk with the money and the more they would have to lose. Between about 200-5000 feedback I am more cautious unless I am buying something like stamps or postcards which are not huge scam items. Above 5000 feedback and the seller usually has a lot more to lose - their livelihood, their reputation, their ability to sell, the potential ban that comes with treating customers poorly - so I'm more confident. That applies to TRS too, even TRSes with dodgy terms, because they are obviously doing something right to gain and keep that status.

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule (there is one occasional forum poster who has 10,000+ FB who sometimes pesters us to help her get unbanned, but people are reluctant to do so when they see her feedback record), but I see many more sellers with red stars or below on the forums after being banned than sellers with green stars or above.