Give me a crash course on paypal/shipping stuff

jaieger · 03-02-2011, 08:04 PM

Hey all,

So I'm selling stuff on craigslist for the first time and I've got a buyer who wants me to ship the item to them (I'm in coastal BC; they're in central BC). They're the first buyer (who's not lowballing me anyways) so I'd like to sell it to this guy, but the thing is, I've no experience at all working with paypal/shipping stuff.

So, few questions:

1) What information do I have to give them for them to pay me via paypal? Just the corresponding email?

2) I should only ship insured, yes? Is there a particular shipping brand I should stick with (UPS/FEDex, or is canada post okay too?)

3) What sort of scams (both paypal and shipping related) should I watch out for?

Very much thanks to all!

KxBlaze · 03-02-2011, 08:26 PM

1) All you have to give is your email address you have registered with paypal.

2) It's kind of up to you and/or the buyer if you ship insured or not. Most people say that once the item is shipped it is out of your control and the buyer assumes responsibility. So if you want to be nice you can insure it or the buyer can request you insure it. I would try USPS first. They tend to be the fastest and most reliable. FedEx is good all around (but not as good as USPS) and in my opinion UPS is GARBAGE!!!! Try and avoid them at all cost. They mess up orders all the time and will do everything they can to not assume responsibility. I just realized you are not in the US so USPS will not work for you. How about the Canada mail service (Royal Mail or some thing like that)? I just think regular mail is better than most 3rd party businesses.

3) Can't think of particular scams but just to be safe do not send the product until you receive and VERIFY payment and only send to the buyers address he has registerd with Paypal.

**I'm sure I'll think of more advice later and will update when I do.

Wheatfield · 03-02-2011, 09:20 PM

Pretty much everything the above reply gives, except for the shipper.
You'll want to use Canada Post.

jaieger · 03-02-2011, 09:32 PM

Alllrighty then.

Thanks a ton Kxblaze & Wheatfield!

Kryosphinx · 03-03-2011, 01:02 AM

Also, make sure you package your item very very well. Package it well enough that your stuff will survive repeated drops from 3m or so. Most of the time, carriers are not very kind with packages, so package like your life depends on it.

jolepp · 03-03-2011, 01:23 AM

The indirect, substantial benefit of insured is the recipient signing for it and being able to track it in case it gets lost; if there is trouble, there would be a way of getting out of it. Depends on how valuable the item is, how much there is reason to trust the buyer and/or how bad/good the carries is. A potential scam is reporting to Paypal that something did not arrive when it in fact did for a charge reversal. That signed-for / trackable thing eliminates that, then again most people are quite decent, so I guess it is about taking a small risk (or not).

Bramela · 03-03-2011, 01:49 AM

One important note :

****Ship NOTHING till the money is in your hand/account.****

wwwmorrell · 03-03-2011, 03:16 AM

Ship after the money has been trasfered to your personal account, not in your PayPal account.

03-02-2011, 08:04 PM	#1
jaieger Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 586	Give me a crash course on paypal/shipping stuff Hey all, So I'm selling stuff on craigslist for the first time and I've got a buyer who wants me to ship the item to them (I'm in coastal BC; they're in central BC). They're the first buyer (who's not lowballing me anyways) so I'd like to sell it to this guy, but the thing is, I've no experience at all working with paypal/shipping stuff. So, few questions: 1) What information do I have to give them for them to pay me via paypal? Just the corresponding email? 2) I should only ship insured, yes? Is there a particular shipping brand I should stick with (UPS/FEDex, or is canada post okay too?) 3) What sort of scams (both paypal and shipping related) should I watch out for? Very much thanks to all!

03-03-2011, 01:23 AM	#6
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	The indirect, substantial benefit of insured is the recipient signing for it and being able to track it in case it gets lost; if there is trouble, there would be a way of getting out of it. Depends on how valuable the item is, how much there is reason to trust the buyer and/or how bad/good the carries is. A potential scam is reporting to Paypal that something did not arrive when it in fact did for a charge reversal. That signed-for / trackable thing eliminates that, then again most people are quite decent, so I guess it is about taking a small risk (or not). Last edited by jolepp; 03-03-2011 at 01:50 AM.

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03-02-2011, 08:26 PM	#2
KxBlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,602	1) All you have to give is your email address you have registered with paypal. 2) It's kind of up to you and/or the buyer if you ship insured or not. Most people say that once the item is shipped it is out of your control and the buyer assumes responsibility. So if you want to be nice you can insure it or the buyer can request you insure it. I would try USPS first. They tend to be the fastest and most reliable. FedEx is good all around (but not as good as USPS) and in my opinion UPS is GARBAGE!!!! Try and avoid them at all cost. They mess up orders all the time and will do everything they can to not assume responsibility. I just realized you are not in the US so USPS will not work for you. How about the Canada mail service (Royal Mail or some thing like that)? I just think regular mail is better than most 3rd party businesses. 3) Can't think of particular scams but just to be safe do not send the product until you receive and VERIFY payment and only send to the buyers address he has registerd with Paypal. **I'm sure I'll think of more advice later and will update when I do.

03-02-2011, 09:20 PM	#3
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,987	Pretty much everything the above reply gives, except for the shipper. You'll want to use Canada Post.

03-02-2011, 09:32 PM	#4
jaieger Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 586 Original Poster	Alllrighty then. Thanks a ton Kxblaze & Wheatfield!

03-03-2011, 01:02 AM	#5
Kryosphinx Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 129	Also, make sure you package your item very very well. Package it well enough that your stuff will survive repeated drops from 3m or so. Most of the time, carriers are not very kind with packages, so package like your life depends on it.

03-03-2011, 01:49 AM	#7
Bramela Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newcastle Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,284	One important note : **Ship NOTHING till the money is in your hand/account.**

03-03-2011, 03:16 AM	#8
wwwmorrell Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mount Buller, Australia Posts: 397	Ship after the money has been trasfered to your personal account, not in your PayPal account.