Classifieds payment (buyer willing to pay fee for regular PayPal vs F&F)

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9985

Active member
I've been on RT since 2008, mostly lurking & reading, started active participation again few months ago, got over the 50 post threshold to use classifieds. I'm primarily here for discussions, but option to buy is handy (will almost exclusively be a buyer, haven't sold anything online to date, but never say never).

Question is about PayPal etiquette so I don't piss off sellers right out of the gate: I'm unwilling to do F&F payments, but don't mind paying the 3% fee for "regular" PayPal goods & services. So do I just PM sellers asking for F&F, and offer for 3% more? Other than the 3% fee, are sellers going to lose their mind and refuse those transactions for some other reasons? For the record, I did search around & read the classified rules, did not see this addressed. Thx
 
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Shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve done F&F with trusted guys here but if they’re selling something I want and I don’t know them I’ll pay the fee just to be covered.

Anyone that won’t sell to you because of that? Wouldn’t get business from me.
 
Thanks for the reply. I just have no clue about the mechanics of receiving funds from PayPal tied to a credit card, aware that there are new US federal tax rules about online sales that have some people bent out of shape.

My aversion to unprotected F&F transactions isn't limited to being wary of unknown sellers, it's also to address hacks of people's accounts.
 
I prefer selling F&F but if the buyer has concerns, I have offered half down half upon delivery and inspection. I am transparent offering my cell phone and email. Typically I’ve carried on extended conversations with a buyer, this gives each of us a pretty good idea of how we carry ourselves. I did sell a high dollar guitar a while ago to a forum member and even took payments. I’ll check their post history and most of the time, buyers I have dealt with are on other forums I frequent. Let’s be honest, the whole F&F thing now is all about avoiding the 1099.
 
Bro KV said:
I prefer selling F&F but if the buyer has concerns, I have offered half down half upon delivery and inspection. I am transparent offering my cell phone and email. Typically I’ve carried on extended conversations with a buyer, this gives each of us a pretty good idea of how we carry ourselves. I did sell a high dollar guitar a while ago to a forum member and even took payments. I’ll check their post history and most of the time, buyers I have dealt with are on other forums I frequent. Let’s be honest, the whole F&F thing now is all about avoiding the 1099.
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Appreciate the reply. So you would not accept a regular goods & services PayPal transaction even if the seller pays the fees?

Personally I would not do a F&F PP transaction (or 2 F&F transactions) with some I don't actually know - just trying to gauge if that is going to make RT classifieds a waste of my time.
 
9985 said:
Appreciate the reply. So you would not accept a regular goods & services PayPal transaction even if the seller pays the fees?

Personally I would not do a F&F PP transaction (or 2 F&F transactions) with some I don't actually know - just trying to gauge if that is going to make RT classifieds a waste of my time.
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I’m just one person who prefers F&F and I advertise it as such. I haven’t had any issue selling the items.
 
I have no problem with F&F for long time members, or members I know very well. This place is pretty self-regulatory, and lots of people are known quantities. I've never had an issue where someone outright REFUSED a normal goods and services transaction, though, in the few cases I thought that was necessary.
 
DanTravis62 said:
I have no problem with F&F for long time members, or members I know very well. This place is pretty self-regulatory, and lots of people are known quantities. I've never had an issue where someone outright REFUSED a normal goods and services transaction, though, in the few cases I thought that was necessary.
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Good to know, thanks for weighing in.
 
Over the 2 weeks since I started this thread, none of the listings on the classifieds were interesting enough to me to reach out to the seller, so this remains a theoretical discussion. Reading through the 20 or so most recent classifieds, there were only two where the seller specifically stated the were open to standard PP transactions - rest either said PP F&F, Zelle/Venmo, or were non-specific about method. From other threads on RT, I gather the aversion is primarily about the PP 1099/tax reporting that went into effect in January.
 
9985 said:
Over the 2 weeks since I started this thread, none of the listings on the classifieds were interesting enough to me to reach out to the seller, so this remains a theoretical discussion. Reading through the 20 or so most recent classifieds, there were only two where the seller specifically stated the were open to standard PP transactions - rest either said PP F&F, Zelle/Venmo, or were non-specific about method. From other threads on RT, I gather the aversion is primarily about the PP 1099/tax reporting that went into effect in January.
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I’d say your hunch is correct
 
What about damage, theft, lost etc ? With f&f both parties are vulnerable. Do I understand this correctly? Also curious about pm . What is required for that to be allowed?
 
One thing to keep in mind, you lose all buyer protection. So in the case where UPS damages your guitar and then refuses the claim like they do on any and all claims, you can get screwed if the seller isn't a stand up person.
 
This is my concern. Even if I know / trust a seller, that's only part of the issue. The tax angle is real. I don't see it lasting. If ( example ) , I buy an amp , it gets smashed, I want out of the deal. The seller is left with damaged property . UPS plays hardball for a decade. There is no protection. That scenario doesn't fly. Gov screwed that all up. Options ?
 
On smaller items or pedals it’s fine. $4k amps I don’t know. Some sellers think once it’s at ups they did their part. Now it gets damaged in shipping and you rely on a seller who doesn’t think he’s responsible. Not sure how that plays out here.

I do think everyone here has good intentions. But when some one ships their favorite marshall and it’s damaged, I think it gets ugly.
 
Agreed. This exactly. No one should get burned. Life happens. To defeat the system that protects to save 3% ( ? ) seems counterintuitive. Dunno.
 
I've done it several times with people I know or have really strong references. That said, I've also been flat out refused sale recently on RT because I was unwilling to do F&F will a seller and told him I'd pay the fee. This is the first time I've ever encountered this in like 15 years of buying and selling. The guy wouldn't do it without F&F because he wanted to avoid paying taxes on it. I say, if that's you're reasoning, you shouldn't list it online, then.
 
Also experienced this. Opinions aside, it's crushing to miss a deal when I'm willing to pay fees. However, everyone has different circumstances.
 
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