It never ceases to amaze me when I see equipment offerings here, and other places, and the seller says, "PayPal fees for buyer".

BS.... If you're selling something and you offer the PayPal option, the fees are to your account as the seller.

If you can't afford the 4.2% fee, don't offer PayPal as an option.

My $ .02.

Thanks for looking.

Ed

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Last edited by Ed in GA; 11-09-2007 at 12:38 PM.

[Matt Miller]

Why should the paypal fees be sole responsibility of the buyer?

I've listed items for sale with "buyer pays paypal fees". I've also listed them for sale with a "discount for payment by check/money order". I've also listed them for sale with my price bumped up to account for paypal fees. I've also listed them for sale with "buyer splits paypal fees". I guess it depends what I'm selling and what sort of mood I'm in when I list it.

[raz-0]

Why should the seller eat the cost of a convenient payment method for you?

It's part of life. Usually to shut the complainers up, you just figure in the cost of things like this to the base price.

Why "shouldn't" the seller pay it? Asking the buyer to pick it up is like B&H asking its customer to pick up the credit card fees.

Yeah, I complain about it.

As I said, if you can't afford to absorb the 4.2%, maybe you can't afford to own the camera and lens to begin with.

And, it's not a covenient way for me to pay, it's a convenient way for the seller to get paid and, in most cases, get paid quickly.

[RBellavance]

I have to agree with EddyinGA on this. If you, as a seller, choose a payment method that entails extra fees, you should be responsible for them.

As was already mentioned, take the fees into account when you set your price.

[chirpy]

You may well be in breach of your PayPal agreement if you do this (charge paypal fees from the buyer). E.g. from the UK PayPal User Agreement:

4.7 No Surcharges. You agree that you will not impose a surcharge or any other fee for accepting PayPal as a payment method. You may charge a handling fee in connection with the sale of goods or services, as long as the handling fee does not operate as a surcharge and is not higher than the handling fee you charge for non-PayPal transactions. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to affect the legal right of a merchant in the UK to impose a surcharge for a debit or credit card transaction under the Credit Cards (Price Discrimination) Order 1990.

Just checked the USA agreement:

4.7 No Surcharges. You agree that you will not impose a surcharge or any other fee for accepting PayPal as a payment method. You may charge a handling fee in connection with the sale of goods or services, as long as the handling fee does not operate as a surcharge and is not higher than the handling fee you charge for non-PayPal transactions.

[jfdavis58]

Oh pleeeeaze...

The buyer always pays---wake-up people, that's the side the money comes from! The rest is double-speak semantics!

Do some folks here really lead such droll little lives that they need to find excitement in transfer fees?

[raz-0]

Why "shouldn't" the seller pay it? Asking the buyer to pick it up is like B&H asking its customer to pick up the credit card fees.

Yeah, I complain about it.

As I said, if you can't afford to absorb the 4.2%, maybe you can't afford to own the camera and lens to begin with.

And, it's not a covenient way for me to pay, it's a convenient way for the seller to get paid and, in most cases, get paid quickly.

If you can't afford the 4.2%, maybe you can't afford to buy the camera and lens?

If you think B&H doesn't pass their credit card fees on to you, you are out of your mind.

Like I said, all you folks are complaining about is people telling you what they are doing and trying to cut people who pay by check or other feeless method a break on price.

Smart vendors charge EVERYONE for your convenience so they don't have to listen to the complaining. Then you think they are being nice to you. You aren't complaining about what you think you are complaining about.

Myself, I'd take the price I want for the goods, minimally, add on any auction and paypal fees for that price, and make that the reserve. Anything above that is gravy and I'd gladly split it with the bidder who is paying me a premium over what I wanted. Some people don't do that, so if you don't like it don't buy form them. But runing around complaining it isn't fair is kind of silly. You aren't entitled to be able to purchase whatever you want at the price you demand.

[khardur]

Oh pleeeeaze...
The rest is double-speak semantics!

You nailed that one. The buyer is the one who pays.

But I know where Eddy is coming from - it just plain sounds ugly when the seller offers a price and then tacks on the transaction fee. The seller could easily avoid this by just raising the price accordingly, like everyone else does. And then they won't have to deal with breaking the Paypal agreement as it was quoted above.

Do some folks here really lead such droll little lives <snip>

There's really no need for this kind of comment.

[Bramela]

I dont add on Paypal fees when selling, (not in writing anyway). I work out the price I want as the seller which includes ALL costs. If the buyer wants to pay it, fine. If not leave it.
Come on, either you want to buy the item, or you dont, whatever the total charge is.
I think the winge about adding on the fees is nonsensical.

[Eaglerapids]

I've posted about this before and I'm with Eddy and others on this one. Just put a price on an item that includes your fees, your time to run to the post office, the extra $20 you tack onto the shipping to make more money and all that stuff and sell your item!
Why do you think the retailers never ask for $blah blah PLUS credit card fees? If I go into a store and pay cash, I have never been reimbursed 4% for paying cash instead of with a credit card!
Selling is very competitive, make it simple for the buyer. If I want to buy something with Paypal I just want to hit the buy now button and pay. I don't want to have to get the calculator, enter the price+4.2%+shipping+handling+whatever else=$ and then wonder if I've done everything correctly.
I guess it's a psychological thing. If somebody asks for $50 for a lens, I'll think about it. If they ask $25 Plus fees, plus $20 for "professional" packaging, I'll move on without a second glance.

[Tom Lusk]

or other Aussies:

The word winge and its variations -

how is it pronounced?

Like winJ? or wing? or wyng?

What does it rhyme with?

Does it mean whine?

Is the word also used by Kiwis?

[smidsy]

Easiest thing to do is refuse to accept paypal which is what I do for selling and I will soon start refusing to buy from people who insist on screwpal.

I just bought some gear ex UK and to pay in UK pounds - the cost according to three Australian banks would have been $78AUS (not a lot I know) but screwpal charged me $85AUS.

Paypal is a rip off and they use dodgy exchange rates to inflate fees - it's ironic that they're owned by Ebay since if a normal ebayer pulled half the stunts screwpal does, they'd be banned.
Cheers

[Kaimarx]

or other Aussies:

The word winge and its variations -

how is it pronounced?

Like winJ? or wing? or wyng?

What does it rhyme with?

Does it mean whine?

Is the word also used by Kiwis?

LOL! When my cousin in "Sed-kneee" says it she sounds it out like "Weeenge", exclusively Oz

[ve2vfd]

Got to be smart about this...

You do not ever ask for a paypal surcharge... you bump your price and offer a "cash discount" to people who do not use use paypal...

Many brick and mortar merchants do this. Many stores will give you the 3% cash discount if you do not use a credit card.

Personally I will not buy from a merchand or auction that has any type of surcharges (be it paypal, credit card or even this new bull**** delivery "fuel surcharge").

Pat