Payment via Paypal Echeque

gingababe

Hi

I sold an item over 14 days ago ( that was the last listng because I am going away) any way the buyer paid by paypal, so I thought no probs when checking on paypal it says that payment is via an echeque should be cleared by 20 sept, so on the 20 sept it is still saying uncleared, I have checked again & it is still saying uncleared, so do I contact the buyer & tell them that payment hasn`t cleared, or do I just post the item & keep fingers crossed that payment clears.
Thanks for your help

frivolous_fay

Echeques can take 14 days or more to clear, whatever paypal tell you.

You must wait for the echeque to clear. Did you tell them they paid by echeque? Often they don't realise.

syanide

paypal will email you when the payment has cleared.. I get a lot of payment via echeque.. just wait... it will clear soon..

Hintza

I will go against the good advice here (esp since you are going away). How much is it for? If it is fairly cheap I would send the item out.

OK so you are at risk and assuming its not a mobile phone etc, it might be worth the risk. Instead of having an irrate buyer moaning when it doesn't turn up.

I used to wait for them to clear but on cheaper items it was just logsitically easier to post them out when it was paid.

frivolous_fay

Hintza wrote: »

I will go against the good advice here (esp since you are going away). How much is it for? If it is fairly cheap I would send the item out.

Fair point... but my idea of cheap is under a fiver

Hintza

frivolous_fay wrote: »

Fair point... but my idea of cheap is under a fiver

I'd probably do it upto about the COP cut off point of £34. But only if they had some history and decent feedback. If not probably around the £15-£20 mark.

But everyone will have their own limit on what they can afford to risk.

But you can see the buyer on here:-

"Bought item 4-5 weeks ago no reply from seller what do I do?"

frivolous_fay

Hintza wrote: »

But you can see the buyer on here:-

"Bought item 4-5 weeks ago no reply from seller what do I do?"

That's why I always acknowledge payments and encourage recipients of echeques to point out to the buyer that's how they're paying :A

syanide

same here... no way i'd go upto 34 quid... if the items are sent and the buyer revokes the payment... takes 2/3 time and your £100+ down...

My item go for around £24 and if an echeque is paid I always inform the buyer when it is expected to clear and that the item will be posted only the funds have cleared... some buyer dont understand that the payment are not in your account till they clear.. so you may have to explain it to them..

No point you being out-of-pocket when they are the buyer... if echeques are used then the buyer waits...

GregtheHammer

I have had echeques take 48hours longer than the expected clearing date to go through.

Personally I would wait to send item until it has cleared.

Hintza

All very well but the OP is now going away!

I have found most buyers are clueless that they have even paid by echeque.

The options are don't do anything until OP comes back (high possibilty of a neg and any rate hacked of buyer)

Post it out (carries some risk is OP willing to take risk).

Have it packed ready to go and then check Paypal when away and ask someone to post it for you. (Bit of hassle)

Only OP can make the call after taking into account all the circumstances.

But from a personal point of view if you are selling anything online you really need to be available to complete the trade, taking into account the worst possible scenario... in this case the dreaded echeque.

frivolous_fay

If I was going away, I'd either:

- leave my paypal account details with a (trusted) friend and get them to post when it clears
or
- email / call the buyer, get them to sort out their payment details if possible... and get them to make an instant payment... then refund the echeque, or get them to cancel, or however it's done. (I've only ever had one echeque and I sat it out)