Ebay- Help with money transfer to a private foreign seller

[joymaker]

Hi All,

I've just won an item on ebay.de but didn't realise at the time that payment via paypal is not listed, only money transfer. I paid on ebay at the 'pay now' prompt. But not sure how a money transfer would have taken place. Can someone enlighten me?

I have checked my emails and it says in one of them that 'The checkout process is completed for this purchase'. How can I check that the seller has definately received payment from me?

Is checking with my bank or the seller (I don't want to get them concerned) the only way?

Thanks

I would definitely ask seller what they prefer.
Am thinking Western Union. Given it's probably too small an amount for anything else to be cost effective.

if you look at the item in my eBay what does it say when you hover over the pound sign, is there an egg timer there. You can also view order details from there. I presume you logged in an paid via paypal?

fergoose the pound sign is blue and when I hover it says 'You have marked this payment as payment sent', but I fear that while trying to check if payment had gone through I must have clicked on the link to mark payment as sent .

I'm gonna sound realy clueless now, but I can't remember if I signed in or not or not to paypal (as usual) or if I only in order to check straight after if payment had gone through IYKWIM

I thought all transactions would take place through ebay as the seller has not supplied any financial details to me (even after the sale) nor I to her.

nothing seems to have gone out from my credit card as I've just checked online, though I'm not even sure how long it would take for a credit transfer as have never done one before.

ragged have you done one before? Can you explain how I would go about it if I need to?

Sorry for the long post fear I'm in a bit of a pickle, starting to wish I'd hadn't bothered bidding now ...

I guess you haven't paid. If you log into paypal.co.uk it will show there if you have paid

No, there is nothing in paypal the last time I looked either...

Maybe I shouldn't pay outside of Ebay, it seems a bit risky as what protection could there possibly be?

none whatsoever. Best ask seller to cancel the sale then I guess?

fergoose when you say "ask the seller to cancel the sale" do you mean be completely honest about why i'm not purchasing? And what if they don't agree to cancel?

If I did do that (and it's annoying because I really wanted the item) do you know what if any penalty there would be from ebay?

sorry for all the questons but contacted Ebay online customer help (chat) and they were completely useless!

the seller can cancel and get fees back with no implications to you. Or they could file a non paying bidder report, get fees back then you also get a strike against you, but 1 strike will not affect your account

If you do pay the seller, how do they want paying and also how much is it. I would pay by credit card if you are going to pay then some protection for you. Guess it depends how much money and how rare the item is?

fergoose Thank you so much for taking the time to explain how it all works. At least I know now what I'm in for if I do decide to pull out.

Now if I continue I'll have to factor in charges not only from say western Union but aslo charges I may incur from my bank.

The seller wasn't specific on the listing about how they want paying, just said money transfer. In my enthusiasm to to pay and receive the item (Dydimos wrap which would be more than twice the price here) I emailed straight after the auction asking for the total but no more financial info was forthcoming (is it customary for the buyer to ask or something?) that's why I simply presumed payment could be made using ebay/paypal.

On my order details it says:

'Bank transfer (CIP)

You chose to transfer EUR 52.10 to (seller) from your financial institution.'

Maybe I should wait a couple of days to see if any payment has gone through.

Do you think before pulling out of the sale I should ask if they are prepared to go through paypal, or is that too cheeky?

Very welcome :)

So with a bank transfer the payment may be free to send but offers you no buyer protection whatsoever.

I would ask to pay by Paypal if I were you - am surprised the seller doesn't have to offer it tbh?

western Union is not really a bank transfer. Its a way of paying cash internationally. If you are happy to send an envelope of bank notes to a PO box number then Western Union is fine - but like sending cash, once they've walked into the western union office and picked up the cash there is absolutely no way to trace the recipient.

I would only send money Western Union to someone I already know and trust.

fergoose With the bank transfer with western union they're charging roughly £5, and Kewcumber is right that the seller simply picks up the cash. I had a brief look on the community boards on ebay and I think there is a way of making the cost of a bank transfer negliegable (though haven't figured out exactly) but no buyer protection other than that, as you said, which comes with my credit card.

I Googled CIP and one of the answers was
"it is a type of payment that allows the seller to draft the money owed directly out of your bank account" which maybe makes sense as to why they haven't asked me for any info and why my order details say what they do.

I think I shall wait a couple of days to see if any money comes out of my account or if I hear from the seller. if I don't I'll contact them put the paypal option to them, if they don't go for it then pull out. I shall let you know what happens.

Thanks again

Apparently in Germany they don't have to offer paypal which was news to me

if you haven't paid with paypal nothing will come out of your account

I would email the seller and ask them if they will accept paypal, and if not I would cancel the sale. Up to you though.

fergoose- took your good advice and paypal account details were supplied but now where do I enter them in my paypal account in order to pay her (and not to get charged extra if I can help it)?

Thanks for 'holding my hand' through this

just log into paypal.co.uk then click send money then just enter item number, email address sending payment to and the amount and it should all go through ok and also dovetail to mark as paid in your eBay. :)

Tried to do it this way fergoose, but because I pressed the pay now button(the button I thought was allowing me to pay through ebay initially , but turns out I was only committing myself to paying by bank transfer as per my order details) 'send mony' is not allowing me to connect the money transfer to my ebay item.

I've never sold before are there any fees (if so how much?) involved if she invoices me through paypal? (as she seems reluctant to do this)

I wonder if the same cover /protection applies if I send the money under the 'Personal' tab selecting 'other', though i can't imagine it does.

no fees for you as a buyer with paypal - seller will get charged though.

Do you know roughly how much it is fergoose, if it's not that much I could then offer to pay them.

Failing that maybe 'send money' and selecting 'goods' would be the next preferable.

3.5% - and no you shouldn't offer to pay their fees - it isn't permitted on eBay uk so presumably not allowed elsewhere

Oh right, ok, I didn't know that. What do you think of my last suggestion then? (last question promise!!)

I would send money and fill it in with the eBay item number and do it that way - i wouldn't do it any other way to be honest incase you lose your buyer protection.

I really can't see anywhere were there is space for the eBay item number unless it is on a continuation page that it is not allowing me to access. All I have displayed is: one box for the email or mobile no. of the recipient, one box for the amount being paid, a drop down menu to select currency, and then the choices of 'goods' 'services' and 'ebay items' (which it does not allow me to select)

oh well that is why you can't put the eBay item number in then.

fergoose paid under 'send money' selecting 'goods' in the end. On the continuation page it has space for a personal message to the recipient. I put the ebay details (seller id and item no.) in there and fortunately when I went to the paypal account overview and clicked on the details for the transaction it does have what I'd written in as a note. Hopefully that will do. According to eBay commumity help boards paypal protection will apply.

Once again thanks for all your help. I'd better really like this wrap after all this!