Steve, How do you handle payment and shipments? Do you ship first or wait until the payment clears? What kind of payments do you accept? Do you use Paypal for payments even if selling here? Would you handle selling a single item like a lens differently than a whole system that costs a lot more? Thanks. Alan
The answers depend on the item and the buyer; more valuable items get more scrutiny and consideration. I'm generally more lenient with someone with a long history here or who I've dealt with before. If it's someone I know and the item is not too valuable I may even ship before receiving payment, although the practicalities of when I'm able to get to the post office often mean PayPal payment arrives prior to shipping. I accept PayPal as it's the
de facto currency of the realm, but if someone wants to send me a money order or a personal check I'm happy to accept it provided the buyer understands that shipment may be delayed. Again, someone I know, either through forum history or prior personal dealings, may get treated more favorably than a new face.
I
don't ask for PayPal "friends and family" payment because it offers no buyer protection and people who've never dealt with me may feel put off by that. Some buyers will add 2-3% to their payments by regular PayPal to cover the fees, some won't, and some will use "friends and family" (no fee) - their choice, based upon their level of trust, and I never push anyone for one method over the other. When I buy I may add 3% or use f-&-f, depending on how well-known the seller is to me. On the other side, I usually won't buy from someone who insists on PayPal "friends and family" unless I know them, or I'll ask them if they'll accept regular PayPal plus 3%. I consider it a red flag if they won't accept normal PP+3%, which gives me as a buyer a bit of protection, and won't make the purchase.
Shipments inside the US almost always go by Priority Mail, which comes with an automatic $50 insurance plus tracking. I rarely use UPS, never Fedex, but the PO is quite close to my home and is price-competitive so I prefer it. I always insure expensive items. Normally I quote items as "US shipping included" and factor that into my asking price. If I have an international buyer I'll charge them actual shipping (after knocking down the price a little to remove the built-in cost of US shipping) and I usually insist on some kind of traceable method with insurance, which can be expensive. If they absolutely insist they don't want to pay for insurance, I
may continue with the sale after establishing a "paper" trail that they're accepting the risks - this might come in handy if they later file a PayPal claim for non-delivery, although that's never happened to me.
I know how to pack fragile and expensive items and have never had an item lost or damaged in shipment. A couple of packages have gotten stuck in "mail loops" over the years, but now I check the receipt before I leave the counter to make sure the destination printed thereon matches the one on the address label, and this seems to have solved the problem.
Once in a while I'll suffer brain fade and accidentally price something below what I paid for it (most recently with a 180mm Fujinon-W LF lens). I say nothing to the buyer and honor the sale - a deal is a deal. The Fujinon was maybe a $100 lesson, but it was my mistake and I have to live with it - that's life. I know how I'd feel if I were on the opposite end of something like that.
It really comes down to common sense and treating people the way you'd like to be treated. Selling on the forums isn't a business for me, it's a way to maybe make a few bucks to help cover my photographic expenses, and to get equipment I don't need into the hands of someone who will use it.
