<p>I am selling a musical instrument of reasonably substantial value. Currently the high bid is over $6000 and there are some days left to go.</p>
<p>The only other time we’ve sold on eBay was years ago when we helped DS, as a late middle schooler, sell an old Nintendo system. So we are inexperienced.</p>
<p>What do you consider the wisest/safest method of payment to accept in a transaction like this… that will also work for the buyer? Will a buyer pay the full amount via PayPal before we release the instrument for shipping? Or do the same with a cashier’s check? (Buyer will be arranging for and paying for shipping in this case; will likely have a moving company crate and ship).</p>
<p>I’ve never sold on eBay, only bought. A lot. But PayPal is absolutely the safest. The buyer always puts the whole thing on PayPal before you send it. You get the $$ before it is sent or, at least, you get assurance from PayPal that it’s a go. So you’re protected.</p>
<p>Second best would be a cashier’s check. With something of such great value, I doubt any buyer would be surprised or would object. Good luck!!</p>
<p>Photograph the instrument thoroughly before shipping–at the shipper’s. Insist that the buyer do the same on arrival. Insure the instrument for shipping. </p>
<p>Get full payment BEFORE you ship. Do not ship to Singapore, Taiwan, or other Asian countries. Spain, for some reason, is also rife with fraud. Our business (we have an Ebay business) has had trouble with buyers in Miami Beach.</p>
<p>A friend sent expensive stereo equipment to Taiwan. Letter arrives: “damaged goods.” Seller asks to have it sent back, it never comes back. Ebay says that without proof it wasn’t damaged before shipment, he’s out the $$.</p>
<p>The buyer can also use <a href=“http://www.escrow.com%5B/url%5D”>www.escrow.com</a> as an escrow service if he chooses (DO NOT AGREE TO ANY OTHER ESCROW SERVICES, THEY MAY BE FRAUDULENT).</p>
<p>Yes, I was originally thinking escrow because I didn’t think a buyer would release full payment in advance. And I would certainly go with eBay’s recommended escrow service and said in the item description that I would pay escrow fees.</p>
<p>I kind of worried, though, because the escrow company has the buyer receive and “approve” the item. What if the buyer raises nit-picky objections?</p>
<p>I have tried to present the instrument accurately, with all its warts as well as virtues. Have posted several photos and sent additional to bidders requesting same.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip on taking photos which would be useful wrt claimed shipping damages. I wouldn’t have thought of that.</p>
<p>I’ve bought on Ebay a lot, and never had a problem. But I’ve relied on the feedback system. Some sellers reserve the right to only accept buyers with a certain number of positive feedback ratings, and no negative feedback. I’m not sure that you can do this now that bidding has started, but you might try.</p>
<p>Don’t ship until payment clears. Be crystal clear and upfront with your terms of sale…and like stated above, sell to the US only. Less hassles if there is a problem.</p>
<p>I would suggest Paypal only. My sister in law recently got ripped off when she sold something on ebay & took a check. She shipped before the check cleared & lost her money … a LOT of money. I won’t tell my H’s story … he paid a lot of money & never got the product … he will ONLY do paypal transactions now. It’s really best for buyer and seller.</p>
<p>I agree. I’ve dealt with sellers who didn’t take paypal (they said they had previous problems with them, or didn’t want to pay the fees), but there shouldn’t really be any reason why a buyer would not use Paypal, and as a seller, you’re protected. Now that ebay has been around as long as it has been, I would NEVER accept a personal check, and would be very concerned about a money order or cashiers check for a large amount of $$, because of possibilities of fraud. </p>
<p>Paypal, IMO, is your safest bet. Good luck!!!</p>
<p>I have sold timeshare and website on ebay. Anything over a few thousand $ I have used escrow. I think as long as your description is accurate then the buyer can’t really nik pick. If the buyer is not satisfied then the buyer would have to return the item in the exact same condition, or forfeit the payment to escrow company. The only down side you would have is to getting the instrument back.</p>
<p>When I purchase anything on Ebay I use PayPal, but use my AmEx for funding. It gives me 2 protections - PayPal’s and AmEx’s.</p>
<p>I agree with everything posted here. When you are selling an expensive item, I wouldn’t sell to a new ebayer. As others have said, check their feedback history. We had problems with someone who renegged on expensive tickets. It worked out in the long run with another buyer, but it was initially a challenge. Good luck. You might also consider calling the buyer on the phone before you ship. You can sometimes get a good feel for the person over the phone.</p>
<p>agree that Paypal is the way to go along with plenty of insured shipping. I was responsible to help my seller get a claim the times I got a shattered mirror and a bent up lamp on ebay…but 99% of purchases are well packaged. I took photos and filled our forms. Sent in paperwork to help get insurance payout and had to bring to my local post office so they could concur on damaged packaging.
I would professionally pack. The only reason my items arrived busted was that the packers were kindly numskulls who went around their house and threw in scraps in boxes that shifted around in transit. A lot of bubble wrap, a protective inner box or case and tape so nothing shifts does the trick.
In our case, we use Bethesda’s Potters violins for everything and they would likely tell you on the phone exactly how they safely ship instruments all the time to buyers. They ship to us.
Also, in my experience people even selling paperback used books who don’t use Paypal are shady and have credit problems…the only time I have been ripped off…were two people “no longer using Paypal.” Two of those sellers kept our money order and sent nothing. </p>
<p>Good luck…sounds like you have a great instrument. I am going to set up on Ebay and start selling to raise some cash soon with things we no longer need in this house.</p>
<p>Thanks, I don’t know who the end buyer will be, but I am currently talking by email (and planned by phone today) with a buyer with really good feedback, including at similar price levels. He plans to use moving company specializing in this instrument.</p>
<p>Of course, I have no feedback… so I imagine they are wondering about me, lol. But everyone has to have a first transaction some time, right?</p>
<p>Any advice on how to start selling things on Ebay? My dh and I have talked about it, just household/child stuff we no longer need or never used, but getting from the talking to the doing is the hardest part.</p>
But PayPal is absolutely the safest. The buyer always puts the whole thing on PayPal before you send it. You get the $$ before it is sent or, at least, you get assurance from PayPal that it’s a go. So you’re protected.</p>
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