📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Paypal Invoice

Options
I sell odd bits of radio on forums that I am a member.

The main for of payment is Paypal, with the odd bank transfer or cheque.

The de rigueur payment is Paypal Gift. Today I have been asked to send a Paypal invoice, I'm not really sure why, this is not a service and the goods only amount to £20 inc. P&P. The goods are sold as advertised and fairly described as 'not in a good way'.

Am I right in thinking that by doing it this way, I could be subject to a payment reversal unlike Paypal Gift? Also is there a charge, that someone has to pay?

As I've said, it is only a £15 sale, with £5 P&P to NI, it really isn't worth the heartache of getting involved in Paypal disputes, I'd rather just throw them in the bin, than go to the trouble of sorting out packaging, labelling and taking it to the drop off shop.
«1

Comments

  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,928 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 5 July 2015 at 3:38PM
    Because the buyer wants some comeback if you fail to send the item or it turns out not to be as described.
    A gift payment offers a buyer zero protection and is banned on several forums that i use.

    One will give you a complete 30day ban for the forum and a 3 month ban from the sales/wants section if you put down that you want a gift payment.

    It also protects you from a chargeback, You wont be able to fight a chargeback because the payment was only a gift not for goods.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • RMS2
    RMS2 Posts: 335 Forumite
    Because the buyer wants some comeback if you fail to send the item or it turns out not to be as described.
    A gift payment offers a buyer zero protection and is banned on several forums that i use.

    One will give you a complete 30day ban for the forum and a 3 month ban from the sales/wants section if you put down that you want a gift payment.

    It also protects you from a chargeback, You wont be able to fight a chargeback because the payment was only a gift not for goods.

    Thank you for answering my question, I just want to clarify one point and then maybe comment on the sale.

    So the buyer can raise a chargeback. I'm confused about the seller (your end comment) being protected, do you mean if he reports it as some sort of credit card theft/fraud?

    On the forum issue, I'm a member of three forums for this hobby, this particular one for seven years. Paypal gift is the accepted norm. You're not allowed to sell anything until you've been a member for an acceptable period of time and contributed to the forum, anyone seen to be getting their post count up to sell, is restricted.

    This rings alarm bells with me, someone from NI, too far and too expensive to turn up and knock on the door, which is what I would normally do with someone that is playing me about. I've listed these items brutally honestly, describing them as 'a bit battered' and listed exactly how working and what faults.

    Something started ringing my alarm bells with the Paypal invoice (something which seems to be a valid claim). It's a friendly forum, and I like many others hold an Amateur radio callsign, and you can put that in a website and get my full name and address, there is nothing to hide behind. I might have understood if this was a secondhand HF rig for a few hundred pounds, but not for £15 plus delivery. I'm off to tell him no deal - it is his money, but they are my radios and at that price, they ain't making a trip over water.
  • tattycath
    tattycath Posts: 7,175 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Maybe the buyer wants the product for his/her business and would like an invoice to put through the books. When I buy things for my business I always like some kind of invoice so I can prove a legitimate business expense-for tax purposes.
    GE 36 *MFD may 2043
    MFIT-T5 #60 £136,850.30
    Mortgage overpayments 2019 - £285.96
    2020 Jan-£40-feb-£18.28.march-£25
    Christmas savings card 2020 £20/£100
    Emergency savings £100/£500
    12/3/17 175lb - 06/11/2019 152lb
  • RMS2
    RMS2 Posts: 335 Forumite
    tattycath wrote: »
    Maybe the buyer wants the product for his/her business and would like an invoice to put through the books. When I buy things for my business I always like some kind of invoice so I can prove a legitimate business expense-for tax purposes.

    These are three old CB radios, valued at about £3 each and £6 for the mic.

    I'd be impressed if he is going to use them for a business. As a private individual, I'm not VAT registered, so no VAT to reclaim. And whilst he could put it against income, it really isn't going to make much difference to the bottom line. Anyway, it is academic now, as I have said no thanks.
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,928 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Yes if he pays by gift payment and then later tells his bank that they did not authorise that payment they will get refunded and reclaim the funds back from you.

    You have no protection as they say it was a gift and you have lost nothing. You cannot say you sold them something because its a gift not a sale.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,149 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    It appears that a paypal gift payment is not as safe for a seller as we all thought. I know I have mentioned it before but there was a long discussion on the community boards and it appeared to be confirmed that a gift payment can still be subject to a claim for unauthorised use of a card.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • RMS2
    RMS2 Posts: 335 Forumite
    soolin wrote: »
    It appears that a paypal gift payment is not as safe for a seller as we all thought. I know I have mentioned it before but there was a long discussion on the community boards and it appeared to be confirmed that a gift payment can still be subject to a claim for unauthorised use of a card.

    Yes, this is just reconfirming what other posters seem to be saying. TBH, I've never had a Paypal gift problem, unlike ebay sellers starting ebay chargebacks.

    I'm more concerned that a forum member would not trust a long standing member, who has a high post count and contributed much to the forum. The fact that he even has chargeback at the very back of my mind worries me. Quite frankly, the value is so low and I'm not comfortable with it going over water to NI.

    If there is a problem, I'm happy to refund, but I don't like this sort of behaviour. Said person has responded (I haven't read it) and probably says, Paypal gift, but unfortunately it has left a bad taste in my mouth. TBH, if someone PM'd me and said, I'm on benefits, I don't have a lot of income, I do like to try and rescue stuff, if it doesn't sell, if I collect, could I have it for a fiver - I would say yes, and then give it to them for nothing.

    Thanks to all that have answered. For me, this has been about two points. The actual technical point on the Paypal issue and secondly, lack of trust.
  • Queenriderbrekke
    Queenriderbrekke Posts: 5,592 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    If you send a payment for goods and call it a gift isn't that avoiding Paypal fees for selling goods? I probably wouldn't be willing to do a gift payment if I was buying off another person even if they were a long standing trusted member of a forum on the grounds that Paypal could suspend/cancel an account if they suspect?
    "Sealed Pot challenge" member No. 138

    2012 £ 3147.74 2013 £1437.532014 £ 2356.52
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 74,149 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If you send a payment for goods and call it a gift isn't that avoiding Paypal fees for selling goods? I probably wouldn't be willing to do a gift payment if I was buying off another person even if they were a long standing trusted member of a forum on the grounds that Paypal could suspend/cancel an account if they suspect?

    There is nothing dodgy about it, it is a proper paypal function for friends or relatives to swap money. As for fees, it is only free if the sender has a balance in their paypal account already, if they back it from a card or bank account then there are fees, but the buyer can pay them.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,928 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If you both use paypal properly then your both protected. There are always risks but the usual problem is not following the rules.

    One rule is dont use gift payements for buying/selling. Only send to the approved address.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 244K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.