Explain postal orders to me please

Cuilean

I have a fairly low value item for sale at the moment. Current bid is just over £1, but postage is £4 because I don't use Royal Mail. It's difficult for me to get to my nearest town's Post Office - the cheapest parking I can get is £1 for half an hour, and once I've added on Signed For to even the lightest parcel, I'm better off with Hermes.

I've just had a message asking if I'll take a postal order for my low price item, but I've said no. Mostly because I prefer having access to the security of Paypal for items which will need posting, but also because I've stated on my auctions that it's either Paypal or cash on collection - nothing else. Now I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing an opportunity.

Having never had, bought or received a postal order before, I wondered if someone might be kind enough to explain why a buyer would want to use a postal order to pay, and what any advantage of this might be. If it's very advantageous, I'll add it as an accepted method of payment in future.

jeffuk

Sellers have little or no protection with Paypal.
Postal Orders can be payed into a bank account, or can be cashed at the post office.
I'd take a PO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Order

soolin

Cuilean wrote: »

I have a fairly low value item for sale at the moment. Current bid is just over £1, but postage is £4 because I don't use Royal Mail. It's difficult for me to get to my nearest town's Post Office - the cheapest parking I can get is £1 for half an hour, and once I've added on Signed For to even the lightest parcel, I'm better off with Hermes.

I've just had a message asking if I'll take a postal order for my low price item, but I've said no. Mostly because I prefer having access to the security of Paypal for items which will need posting, but also because I've stated on my auctions that it's either Paypal or cash on collection - nothing else. Now I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing an opportunity.

Having never had, bought or received a postal order before, I wondered if someone might be kind enough to explain why a buyer would want to use a postal order to pay, and what any advantage of this might be. If it's very advantageous, I'll add it as an accepted method of payment in future.

Out of interest what protection do you think you get with PayPal?

Cuilean

soolin wrote: »

Out of interest what protection do you think you get with PayPal?

Never as much as it should be, but as yet they've not let me down. I do realise that they're more in favour of the buyer though.

soolin

Cuilean wrote: »

Never as much as it should be, but as yet they've not let me down. I do realise that they're more in favour of the buyer though.

What I'm trying to get at is what benefit is there with taking PayPal, which can be subject to 2 distinct forms of chargeback claims, as well as a SNAD claim against taking cash in the form of a postal order?

Obviously_the_best

A postal order is basically a prepaid cheque. You can cash it at a post office of pay it into your bank account like a normal cheque.

Quite a good way to get paid really.

Snap-ant

If you accept a Postal Order ask them not to have it crossed when they purchase it from the Post Office.
You can then cash it at the Post Office.

If it is crossed it has to be paid into your bank account

F&L

Cuilean wrote: »

I wondered if someone might be kind enough to explain why a buyer would want to use a postal order to pay

Some buyers are wary of buying online using a credit card. Others don't have credit cards so buying a postal order may be an easy option to them although one that is more expensive when you factor in the PO fee, postage stamp to send it to you and the increased risk to them of having no buyer protection.