FleaBay Fairy Tale

[uniface]

Once upon a time there is an artifact dealer on Flea Bay. She occasionally had some nice paleo tools (translation : tools that actually were made in the Paleo era. As opposed to Archaic. Which is usually the case with "paleo" tools there). When I bid on one, I got a Bid-Rejected-Because-You-Don't-Have-A-PayPal-Account notice.

(Suffice it that there are way too many Pay Pal horror stories out there for me to even consider sticking my head in that noose and hope I won't be the next one).

I thought, in light of my feedback history (number and quality level), this would be something I could contact and reason with her about. When I tried to, Surprise ! She had the Ask Question feature disabled.

I suppose it's possible that she saw this arrangement as something other than the way I saw it -- as the ultimate possible combination of greed and laziness. Which is probably why she did it. (I haven't seen her there in a while. Maybe she just had a collection to sell).

Well, tonight I put a bid on a pretty decent Early Archaic tool (advertised as Paleo. Of course) from a high-volume artifact seller (whose handle there is the name of an Early Archaic point repeated) that had attracted no bids with half a day left. He wanted more to start than I figured it was actually worth, but I bit in it anyhow because it was of a type, and from an area that I don't have nailed down yet.

Surprise again ! No Paypal = Screw Off, Jack (nothing in the description about that). Since I'd already bought several pieces from him before, I tried the Ask Seller a Quesrion route. Same result. I don't want bothered. Just buy my stuff without me having to so much as answer a simple question about it.

Well, up your nose with a garden hose, buddy.

And if you're reading this (and I hope you are), spare me the sad song about how when you're got a national audience like you have on Flea Bay, customers can be jerks. So what else is new ? Comes with the territory.

Heads I Win, Tail You Lose is not a viable business model.

And I'm happy to be doing my small part to get that across to you.

Have a nice life.

[Steve Valentine]

I have been using PayPal for a few years and have had no problems whatsoever. As a matter of fact, they will actually help you retrieve your money on a bad deal and it gets your item to you much quicker since they get the payment almost immediately.

[SmokyHill]

Originally Posted by uniface

(Suffice it that there are way too many Pay Pal horror stories out there for me to even consider sticking my head in that noose and hope I won't be the next one).

I'm with you Uni ...I don't like PayPig either.

[argohunter]

I have been using Paypal for like 5 years for different reason. I use it all the time and have never had any issues. I got screwed a few years ago by a guy that I shipped internationally to, but I guess it was my fault for not covering my own *ss. I have just started selling some stuff on eBay. But I don't make it to where u have to have Paypal to bid on my stuff. When I tried it before, I had it set up to only accept Paypal, and I lost a lot of sales because of it. Now I see it as money is money, no matter how I get it. But Paypal is nice and easy. No problems in 5 years. I can't complain.

Chris

[ghost recon]

A couple of years ago the site switched to paypal only, right? I don't think sellers are to blame. All about the monopoly.


http://www.neowin.net/news/ebay-enac...licy-in-the-us

[joshuaream]

Uni,

It's eBay, not the sellers. Unless it's a car, real estate and certain big ticket items, sellers cannot accept payment via check or money order through the mail. It's their way of forcing more business through their Paypal subsidiary.

When I did a round of auctions on eBay last year I had several auctions pulled and cancelled because I put in the notes that I take check and money orders.

[uniface]

If they did, very few sellers seem to take it seriously, because I've gotten stuff every few months there for years. Some of it from people who had "PayPal Only" listed as a term but were reach-able & amenable to reason (and to money in the mail. You're not supposed to do that but I've only been burnt that way once in 300+ transactions).

[ghost recon]

Most sellers will take check or m.o. though if you play your cards right. Hint hint.

[uniface]

What I don't "get" is this : any US banknote says on it "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private."

I almost wish I were a lawyer -- I'd have some fun with that. Pro bono, of course

[Trask]

Originally Posted by uniface

Well, up your nose with a garden hose, buddy.

I love it Uni !!!

I think the lack of payment options is an increasingly alarming trend...For what it's worth i have used Paypal several times and despite some hesitation initially I have had no issues.
Cash is King and I prefer to deal with it as much as possible but the system makes it difficult...I'm currently buying ( negotiating to buy) a new house with Cash...Amazingly people are VERY suspicious when I offer a bag full of clean 100$ bills and a handshake in exchange for a home I don't get it..why can't we just make a deal anymore like humans have for many years?
I think we have grown complacent and have afforded ourselves the ability to not deal one on one anymore..Uni I think you hit on a number of deep issues that are emerging in our culture