Boat bits, paypal and the US of A?

[FNQCairns]

Tonight I will be bidding a few hundred dollars on an ebay boat bit, the seller is reputable and prefers Paypal. I will charge my Visa debit card with just enough for this transaction only. I will need to open an paypal account also.

Are there any downsides to paypal for a buyer? Is it the best way to go buying from ebay US?
I know about the #paypal email scams. I have read their site but it is thin on real information a bit 'come in spinner'.
Not sure what to do :-/

Look forward to any advice or experiences.

Thanks fnq

[predator]

Hey FNQ
I have used paypal very often over the last four years and have never had any problems. The main thing is make sure the seller is reputable... ;)
cheers
Wayne

[familyman]

Fnq I bought a uniden vhf from the states via ebay and paypal with no problems ,brand new sealed in box ,US ,canadian and international(aust)freqs plus dsc plus weather channels for about au$185 delivered.
To my way of thinking thats a good deal .Also bought other bits and pieces for bike and cd's,dvd's etc ,no problems-look at seller feedback.
good luck
cheers jon ::)

[FNQCairns]

Thanks fellas, better go and open an account [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Derek Bullock]

Same here.

I have a Paypal account for both buying and selling. Paypal have good guarantees for the use of their service. There fees are pretty good as well.


Derek

[FNQCairns]

Thanks Derek who pays the fees buyer or seller or both? cheers

[Derek Bullock]

You pay no fees when you are buying. Seller pays a fee that is currently in Australia 2.4% of the transaction plus 30 cents.


Derek

[FNQCairns]

Yippee! I won ;D

Didn't doubt it for a minute they are spoilt over there for boating bits.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4576250102&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AAAQ%3AAU%3A1

Thanks for the advice Ausfishers [smiley=2thumbsup.gif].

Back to bed now.

Cheers fnq

[Punkin]

Be VERY bloody carefull of paypal, have had long tedious and negative dealings with this company (owned bt E-bay). Luckily i was a buyer and able to charge back my payment thru the credit card company in the end. As a seller you've got no chance of getting your money back from paypal after they decide to 'freeze' your account, and they do it to hundreds of accounts. 3 months to get my $700 back. Ever seen the movie 'Erin Brockawitz" or whatever it was called? That's what the customer service is like... >:( >:( :-/
Try a google search on 'paypal sucks' or 'paypal warning' there is a lotta forums out there with thousands of members posting about their experiences of being ripped off by paypal :o

[predator]

congrats on the win!!!!
Did you email, to see if they would send to Oz??

I get all my items sent via USPS EMS and never have any trouble getting here. You get a tracking number and can follow it via the USPS web site.

Buyer does pay also, If you notice the conversion rate, it is about 3 -4 cents under what it usually is at the time.

cheers
Wayne

[88fishframe]

DON'T PAY JUST YET !!!!!!

RE : Punkin's comments about Paypal.

I have over 400 transactions up on ebay, quite a few with paypal. Punkin is right, be careful as it is all very good until someone makes a complaint, either buyer or seller. The first in with the complaint is usually the winner no matter who is in the right or wrong - they just go and freeze funds and all sorts of crazy stuff. Paypal would be prefect if it was managed correctly. Unfortunately they are very very hard to communicate with if it goes end up.

However, before you pay - I noticed on your winning listing - SHIPS TO USA. Check he'll send it to Australia [because it hasn't been listed on ebay as such]or he might just keep your money and ignore your emails. Can that really happen? I know it has, ........ first hand.

[FNQCairns]

Thanks for the feedback, yes we had a couple of emails back and forth regarding shipping before auction close all is OK there - hopefully.

It seems the way to go with paypal is to use funds from a visa etc and never from a normal bank account.

Bit more worried now :-? but not a real lot of money, will for sure let everyone know if it turns pear-shaped.

Cheers fnq

[Baycruiser]

Hmmmm....interesting reading. Have been using paypal & e-bay lately without problems. As always, some caution pays given some of the comments above.

[Derek Bullock]

Have purchased through ebay using paypal from the US, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Germany. Never had any problems whatsoever.


Derek

[joeT]

I've been trading (mostly selling) via paypal/ebay for a couple of years now and haven't had any problems. Their fees are a bit high for the seller but its fast and convenient. I've only ever had one complaint lodged and it didn't result in anything. However, I don't keep much of a balance in the account just in case.

Since paypal introduced AU dollars they've had to obtain a financial services licence, which means if they stuff you around with your account you can have some recourse in australia.

[gavsgonefishing]

interesting thread, I have been looking at a furuno sounder thru ebay or thru one of the usa sites mentioned on ausfish. Sent an email regarding whatifs and warranty etc on the 20th, still haven't had a reply, obviously the date line is more than one day........

Always a bit scared of parting with my cash ( or card) over the internet, and there will be always some horror stories, I suppose you got to look at teh seller and the amout of transactions?

[Punkin]

Always a bit scared of parting with my cash ( or card) over the internet, and there will be always some horror stories, I suppose you got #to look at teh seller and the amout of transactions?


Gav, the sellers rating and feedback is a good reference to his honesty and reliabilty, the person i had problems with was a high volume boating electronics seller in the states with a feedback rating of over 99% on 2000 odd feedbacks. (and a good bloke)
Paypal froze his account after doing an analysis on his transactions with very little explanation. If you check some of the sites out there, it's a very common story- either that or a buyer uses a stolen c/c to pay and the results the same for a seller; No Funds, No way to give refunds, No appeal or recourse.
Paypal is a great system and as fishframe said, it'd be great if managed correctly, unfortunately they are on a loser as there is no other way to protect themselves from c/c fraud and chargebacks than to seize funds :-/
all nice till a problem, then your up shat creek, no paddle and no help...

[FNQCairns]

Nah Gav Re those dates, that is just slack but there was a weekend just gone, personally I would look elsewhere if 16 business hours passed without a reply.

Punkin you say the seller was a good bloke and you must be also #if you are posting on Ausfish :), so what went wrong? Did you just get caught up in a problem between someone else and this seller.

I will be finalizing payment today, think I would have to be pretty unlucky to encounter a problem by the numbers, but I guess it has to happen to someone.

This Internet banking is not what it is cracked up to be The Com bank has had a large portion of it's netbank site down all w'end (not good enough!!! [smiley=angryfire.gif]) so today I will need to manually place my the money onto my visa debit card. I would have paid yesterday otherwise.
I guess this sort of thing could be how ebay transaction problems can start, for instance the buyer could be flying out to a mine site today with no net access for a couple of weeks etc.

cheers fnq

[Hoges]

:D I have bought a few items out of the US on eBay and would insist that the seller send only by USPS (United States Postal Service) and definitley NOT by UPS as using UPS the item will automatically be put through Customs and even if no duty is payable you will be hit for GST. The chances of this happening going through the postal service is considerably less.
>:(

[Punkin]

Punkin you say the seller was a good bloke and you must be also #if you are posting on Ausfish :), so what went wrong? Did you just get caught up in a problem between someone else and this seller.

I will be finalizing payment today, think I would have to be pretty unlucky to encounter a problem by the numbers, but I guess it has to happen to someone.



cheers fnq

Paypal caused it, FNQ. The seller had all his funds frozen after i paid him, so could not forward the item (not actually in his possession same as so many of the high volume sellers ). Payapl gives what ever reasons it likes to the sellers and they have no recourse, no appeall. They are just stuck with an angry mob of buyers with no goods. The seller was in communication with me the whole way thru, and did his best to advise me on how to get my money back outa paypal. Needless to say, while his buisness has now dropped, he no longer accepts payapl.
You can pick those who have been burnt but have started trading again, theyu say in their listings things like;
'Asolutely NO Paypal'
'Sorry, but cannott accept paypal'
Etc Etc

But you are right, probly a very small chance of getting caught up in it on one transaction, only those contemplating high volume or high amounts are really gambling against the odds :-[ :'(

[Punkin]

;D

[FNQCairns]

He he, ;D ;D

Suspect there are some still slightly unresolved issues Punkin! ;D

Not that there is anything wrong with that!!

I would have them also ;).

So far so good with mine.


Could also be the middle to upper management of GBRMPA :( ::)

Cheers fnq

[norfish]

I recently bought a GPS from West Marine in US and even paying freight and customs saved around $500. The unit arrived in Aus within 3 days and took 4 days to get through Customs via Fedex who also completed all customs paperwork. They also have a 1800 number for Aus. so you can place an order over the phone. Only problem is you have to be aware of the time. Check out different dealers though, some were $20 to $60 cheaper but freight was double.

Best of luck.

[FNQCairns]

bump

[FNQCairns]

Update...to counter Blazes good news story ;)

Some might remember this post a couple of months ago?? anyway to my surprise the helm turned up this morning ;D ;D
Here is the original desciption etc...it did sound good Huh!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4576250102&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3AAAQ%3AAU%3A1

Below is a couple of pics I took just half an hour ago.

[FNQCairns]

hfb

[FNQCairns]

check out some of the salt water I drained out and some of it sitting in the bottom.

[FNQCairns]

Ok can I now join the 'who got screwed lately' club! I am sure I qualify :o :P.
cheers fnq

[blaze]

bugger, feel for ya, is it repairable
cheers
blaze

[FNQCairns]

Dunno.... It's in too hard basket for now, tonight I will submerge the whole thing in some oil.

Sometime later I will see if the pump component is a replacable part.

Trying to light a small fire under the sellers bum with Visa, Paypal, Ebay etc hope I get at least a bit lucky there, not holding my breath though!

cheers fnq

[familyman]

FNQ thats a real shame as there is lots of good stuff on ebay sold by reputable sellers,but in saying that ,the risk is always there as you now know >:(
Hope you can get spares for it,make sure you give the seller BAD feedback ,that will stuff them up for future auctions.
good luck
cheers jon

[Arlon]

I've been using both for years. I have been an ebay member since the days when there where just a few catagories and only 3 pages of auctions period. I have been a seller and buyer and almost always use paypal. I've never had a problem yet. I do pay attention to feedback and number of auctions a seller has completed. There are scammers there as everywhere else. Paying by Paypal helps protect you from them. The ones to stay away from want you to mail a money order to a PO box. If you see that, don't bid... The one in question here has a ton of feedback. No scammer is going to have that. Arlon (in Houston USA)

There are also plenty of scammers out there trying to get your paypal and or ebay account numbers and passwords. Once you have joined ebay beware of ANY email asking for account info. Ebay and Paypal will NEVER ask for that info in an email. If you get one, foreward it to spoof@ebay.com . Those are the scammers to look out for, not so much the ones with good feedback selling on ebay.

And yes we are spoiled for bits here. I just got a new in the box $1500 motor bracket for $300 on ebay.. Go figure

Arlon (in Houston USA)

[rajawolf]

FNQ..they sent it via seamail....at lest they could have carried it on deck and not towed it behind the ship.

Sorry it turned out bad for you.. >:(


EDIT:

Mate...why did u give him good feedback before you received the item?

Fast shipping, good comunication, great product.
Buyer nqcairns ( 17) Oct-26-05 23:39 4576250102


FIVE STAR EBAYER!!
Seller bestboats ( 840) Nov-02-05 08:10 4576250102

[eatship]

Hi all,

Paypal is fairly safe but heres the truth.... The ATO and customs dept monitor the transactions to find inconsistancies with declared values and gst amounts..... Just be careful if you are doing the dodgy with "gift" and lower declared values.

They are all over it like a hot rash atm.

As I say, its ok if your are being truthful.

(Info comes from very very very good source who works within those organisations)

[FNQCairns]

Rajawolf good catch, I stuffed up, I meant to leave feedback for another seller but pressed the button on the wrong seller ::) :-[.
Contacted Ebay straight away and asked if it could be removed as it was a mistake and they explained to me all very nicely that they have no policy regarding such a dumb idiotic mistake ;D.

Anyway with the Aust customs debacle I suspect my item has been sitting in a container here for a month or so awaiting clearance, the pump might have been savable if not for that extra time, cannot say.

Overall a stuff up all around, wouldn't have been a problem if it was as described!!!

Arlen your not joking I need a bib each time I visit the US Ebay boat bits site and see what stuff goes for!

Familyman, yeah not tainted yet I have had a fairly good run with products overall, unlucky this time will see if it does come in 3s ::)

Eatship you may be able to confirm- I understand we now have free import on items up to $1000.00. The crackdown would only apply to those items above this amount?. Regardless of declaration?

cheers fnq

[rajawolf]

FNQ,

mate it is easy done, I have made same mistake.. i got ripped too and and in my feedback I let fly with all the %$#@*)%$..and it was deleted ;D


On a positive note I also purchased a tilt steering from the US...it took about 4 months to arrive...AU$450 cost here ..and I was the only bidder and won it for US$25 + postage of about US$38.

You were unlucky, but dont let it put you off buying from the US..some of thoses Boat part sellers have some great bargins.

Merry Xmas mate, :)

Tony