Ebay Seller Note In Package

In a recent large stamp purchase I made, the seller included a handwritten note with their phone number and e-mail address and indicated they could make better deals outside of eBay. Seller is not a stamp enthusiast and is selling off an inherited collection. So my rookie question is how would seller transact outside of eBay and what means of buyer protection would I have?

As long as you use Paypal you should be OK


Peter

For reflection.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't"

Just off the top the seller avoids eBay fees and if you are in a state for which eBay automatically collects sales tax, you avoid that as well. Even if the selling price is not changed both come out ahead.

Don't as in DO NOT, send payment on PayPal in any form except as payment for goods. Do not fall into the trap of just "sending money" as to a friend or family member. First while the seller will tell you it helps them save on PayPal fees what they don't tell you is that PayPal then charges YOU the fees. Also how can you claim you did not receive an item or items if you were just sending money and not making a purchase.

If you are comfortable with the seller after some number of transactions you can ask if they would take a check which saves them PayPal fees which should be split between you both.

John

Could be an honest genuine person, you have to judge for yourself!

Perhaps do a background check.

How do you think the non-retail collecting world functioned before ebay? Lots of us bought and sold via small ads in magazines. A list would be requested, a purchase/sale would be made, perhaps preceded by a telephone call, if a number were provided. The experience could be good, bad or average - usually the first in my experience. This suggestion is no different.

In the year of our Lord 1985 BE (Before Ebay) there existed a retail environment free of silly feedback and it was a righteous place full of merry collectors not conditioned to respond to wonderful and dubious proclamations of greatness in 90 characters or less and the interlocutor PayPalipus Maximus was yet to be formed to pillage us of our monies.

If you get comfortable with the Seller and decide to go direct, you can use Zelle which is a no fee ACH transaction. Sponsored and offered by most reasonable sized banks. Means you don't have to snail mail a check and wait for the turnaround. Note however, Zelle offers no buyer protection just like a paper check.

The one thing I wonder about this thread is could there be an issue because SCF gets ad sponsorship from EBay? Ebay is very explicit about dealing outside their system. They definitely monitor their own direct messaging system to see if anyone is trying to avoid their fees. Just speculation on my part.


Bob

Regardless of the technological age you are in, "Caveat Emptor".

Dealing outside of eBay is fine, but if it is for an item listed on eBay and you buy it outside eBay that is a violation of eBay terms. It means the seller used eBay to advertise what he's selling, but didn't pay eBay for the service. I've sold things outside eBay, but only things I haven't listed on eBay. I may be in the minority, but it's worth mentioning there is a legal and ethical angle.

No they don't.

The Paypal payment, is always an ethical confrontation I find.

I once lost a buch of Postcards from The ONEPS Oriental and Near East Philatelic Society, because I refused to pay "as a donation"
That surprised me.
I even (as I always do) offer to include the Paypal impost myself.

When I donate to SCF then the donation is recorded on the application.

Since the seller gave me their phone number and personal e-mail address, they would not violate any eBay terms since I would be dealing with them via phone or personal e-mail and all communication would presumable occur through that medium. Good question would be if eBay charges close to 15% in fees, would the discount be that or more and is it worth the savings to forgo eBay's buyer protection? Would that savings me the only motivation for the seller? This is the first time I have encountered such a request.

If it's a longtime ebay seller with good feedback in other categories, I'd consider it.

(This situation is different from a seller asking to complete an ebay transaction outside of ebay. That's bad karma.)

Keep in mind that your initial shipment may have contained better material than you will see in the next shipment(s), either intentionally, or through legitimate lack of knowledge on seller's part. Seller will be able to say, "hey, I told you I'm not a stamp guy." You should expect to be able to get good, clear pictures of exactly what your next shipment will contain. He doesn't have to know stamps to take good pictures.

All that said, think carefully before proceeding. No offense intended, at all, but you'd have to admit that you are a bit nervous about selling, buying, and waiting for shipments. This may be more risk than you are going to be comfortable with?