Zero feedback buyer wants to send cheque

claire07

A zero feedback buyer won a couple of my items last week and says they are having problems paying with paypal and want my address to send a cheque.


As I presumably have to wait for the cheque to clear is there a better way of doing this such as bank tranfer without falling foul of any ebay rules?

ballisticbrian

They can pay via PayPal without an account by opting to use a card. If they haven't got a card they shouldn't really be shopping online.

soolin

To add to the above response, if you have been selling for a few years then accepting a cheque or bank transfer is perfectly acceptable and is allowed under ebay T and C's. For some newer sellers the only option is paypal - but if you already have a confirmed sale then ebay cannot force you to take it and all the risk remains with the buyer.

I find it odd though that a buyer has no online payment methods set up, as ballisticbrian says they can pay by card via paypal easily.

Whether you accept a cheque or not is completely up to you, if it is drawn on a UK bank then the 2-4-6 rules apply and it is cleared against fraud after 6 working days - and you would need to explain to the buyer that there could be an 8 day delay or so in posting due to this time frame. I would be slightly more concerned if this is a high value item and buyer is planning a cheque on a non high street bank, or tries to push you to post on day 4 when cheque shows as cleared for funds.

Personally for a small amount I couldn't be bothered to take a cheque and faff around and would be saying card via paypal or bank transfer only.

KxMx

Remember some banks use digital imaging now for cheques. Funds clear the next working day.

Not all banks have it yet though, my local HSBC doesn't but their App does

kazwookie

Personally with all the faffing around, for clearing etc, I would say no.

I also would be unhappy to giving my address out for a cheque (I don't really know why but I would be)

claire07

Many thanks for the advice. As this was a zero feedback new bidder I got the feeling something might go wrong. So I'll suggest they pay by card via paypal or bank transfer.


Also kazwookie said they would be unhappy giving out their address and that is something I don't want to do. Strangely enough I feel safer giving out account number and sort code as it seems more anonymous.

[Deleted User]

If you accept a bank transfer can I suggest you possibly send item signed for?

I had an issue once where I allowed it and the person went to their bank then mine and claimed they hadn’t received, my bank then froze my account, I had to prove it, lucky for me I sent it signed for, had the receipt and was able to show the tracking info online in branch.

soolin

MarkN88 wrote: »

If you accept a bank transfer can I suggest you possibly send item signed for?

I had an issue once where I allowed it and the person went to their bank then mine and claimed they hadn’t received, my bank then froze my account, I had to prove it, lucky for me I sent it signed for, had the receipt and was able to show the tracking info online in branch.

Are you absolutely sure ? That breaches all bank regulations especially as bank transfers are not linked to a sale and are made voluntary.

I certainly would not expect any bank to go completely against the rules and make up a scenario where I had to,prove receipt of something that is neither attached to the payment nor covered by any bank guarantee.

theonlywayisup

I would take a 6 day clearance on a cheque over a 180 day clearance on a Paypal payment ANY day of the week.

Take the cheque, you are in control, let it clear and post. JOB DONE.

robatwork

You take the cheque.
Then on next day the nagging to send the item will start.
Then they'll get angry and insulted you don't trust them.
Don't trust them.
If they have a current account, which they do, then they can bank transfer. Ask them why they can't do this.

[Deleted User]

Soolin...

Sorry it won’t let me quote.

I’m not sure procedures or anything but what happened is, I went to the cash point at my bank to withdraw some cash and it sucked my card in.

I went into branch and they retrieved it and when they looked into my account, they said my account had been frozen and I had to speak to their fraud team.

Until I had found the receipt and tracking information I couldn’t use my card online or in cash point and had to use counter service with ID to get money out.

Thought it was strange.

I’m not with them now I told them the way they treated me meant I didn’t want to be their customer no longer.