Internet transactions, payment and shipping

[jonathan butcher]

I wasn’t sure about where to post this so mods feel free to move to the appropriate place.
When I purchase items via internet ( ie forums etc) I almost always use CC or PayPal for its safety and security. I never send a MO, not because I don’t trust the Seller but because things happen. I recently bought an item from a Seller who’s payment method was USPS MO. Through my excitement I agreed, even though I knew better. I sent payment via Priority Mail thinking that would at least provide a predictable time line for when it should arrive to the Seller.
Well wouldn’t you know, it’s ‘missing’, with USPS tracking info being inadequate at best. The Seller is awaiting payment, I’m for the moment out the money until it finally shows up on the other end, and I’m left kicking myself for breaking my number one rule for internet purchases.
I know many of you have exchanged MO’s without incident, and I also know PayPal is an anathema to us shooting enthusiasts. But for me I’m not at all comfortable hoping my payment will arrive in a timely way. This is the first and last time I send money in this fashion, if the transaction can't be completed without sending what is essentially cash, I will have to do without having said item. By the way this is no reflection on the Seller, he seems to be a good and reliable gentleman as far as I can tell. But sending payment via mail is over for me.

 

[mooman76]

Sorry for your loss but it isn't essentially cash because if it does turn up lost permanent, you will get your money back. How long is it over due? There is a chance it was just misrouted and will eventually show up. Sucks, but it does happen.

 

[BigSkyRambler]

PayPal is great, but they will not cover your loss if it is a gun. If you use a USPS Money Order, then both parties are covered, as it is a big no-no to a)counterfeit one and b)to fail to deliver goods paid for. The latter is considered as wire fraud and might send one to the Grey Bar Hilton. Another thing is that the new "postmaster" is trying his best to help kill the postal service. He has conflicts of interest, owning a number of entities that compete with the post office, but this seems business as usual these days. But the new directives from the top have really gummed up the mail. I have had two first class letters take 8-10 days to get from one major center to another and a priority mail package almost two weeks to get from AR to CA. So don't despair just yet.

 

[Brokennock]

Sorry to read of your problem. For what it is worth, and I'm probably jinxing myself here, all my forum purchases, here and at the ALR, have been by money order. I don't keep checks, and wouldn't have the receipt stub a money order has if I did send a check, and had so many problems and hassles with my PayPal account that I closed it years ago. If someone has a business set up that I can pay thru PayPal via an invoice they send me, so I don't need anaccount, I am glad to do so, or pay by credit card if that is an option.

At least with the USPS tracking showing that the MO never arrived, and the receipt stub from the MO, you should have no problem getting your money back. Doesn't help that burned feeling though.

It would be nice if there were another option.

I guess I should add based on one of the responses above, that I don't totally disagree with, that the last 2 money orders I sent priority mail, and the last 4 or 5 items I recieved by mail, arrived 1 to 3 days earlier than originaly stated.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I found a part at Pedersoli that I couldn't find anywhere else. I tried just giving them my credit card info. My bank stopped payment as I forgot to notify them. (Love my bank, they are always on the lookout for my safety) Then Pedersoli suggested Paypal. It was over in minutes and I will be receiving my hard to find part. There are times that you need to pay quickly and Paypal has the ability to do that overseas.

 

[jonathan butcher]

This right here. I wish there were a secure payment option like PayPal but not PayPal, ie no hassle paying/ receivng money. I appreciate that most here have had no issue with their MO payment arriving on time. But it only takes once.

It would be nice if there were another option.

 

[jonathan butcher]

But that's just it, overseas or local, across town or across the US when you make a Pp payment, it arrives, If anything is in doubt you have a customer service # from which to set it right.

I found a part at Pedersoli that I couldn't find anywhere else. I tried just giving them my credit card info. My bank stopped payment as I forgot to notify them. (Love my bank, they are always on the lookout for my safety) Then Pedersoli suggested Paypal. It was over in minutes and I will be receiving my hard to find part. There are times that you need to pay quickly and Paypal has the ability to do that overseas.

 

[Treestalker]

And I thought it was the VIRUS backing up the system LOL!

 

[SDSmlf]

I made a purchase using PayPal a number of years ago. Received the product with no problem. A few months later my PayPal account was frozen with no explanation. Could not get my money. Turns out the company I had purchased the item from was selling something else PayPal decided was against their rules. Froze the seller’s and all their buyers’ accounts until the investigation was complete. It was months before I had access to MY money. Within hours of getting my money and closing my account I started to receive emails from PayPal wanting me to reactivate my account.......

 

[jonathan butcher]

This is not good.

I made a purchase using PayPal a number of years ago. Received the product with no problem. A few months later my PayPal account was frozen with no explanation. Could not get my money. Turns out the company I had purchased the item from was selling something else PayPal decided was against their rules. Froze the seller’s and all their buyers’ accounts until the investigation was complete. It was months before I had access to MY money. Within hours of getting my money and closing my account I started to receive emails from PayPal wanting me to reactivate my account.......

 

[Tumbledown]

I made a purchase using PayPal a number of years ago. Received the product with no problem. A few months later my PayPal account was frozen with no explanation. Could not get my money. Turns out the company I had purchased the item from was selling something else PayPal decided was against their rules. Froze the seller’s and all their buyers’ accounts until the investigation was complete. It was months before I had access to MY money. Within hours of getting my money and closing my account I started to receive emails from PayPal wanting me to reactivate my account.......

I don't leave money in PayPal. I pay by CC or transfer deposits directly to my bank account.

 

[jonathan butcher]

Me too. I never leave more than $30 in my Pp accnt.

I don't leave money in PayPal. I pay by CC or transfer deposits directly to my bank account.

 

[TNGhost]

If pay pal finds out your purchase has anything whatsoever to so with guns of any kind they will generally freeze your account and do whatever they can to make your, and the other party in the transaction, lives miserable.

 

[rdlowe]

In the year 2020, it’s easy to move money from one person to another. The belief that a PMO adds a layer of protection against fraud or loss that other forms of payment can’t is just left over tribal lore from years ago.

 

[Bledfor Days]

Email money transfer is King here in Canada.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Yup, etransfer for all transactions up here. I’ve received goods from the US and had to use PayPal or just sent a cheque. Most times with a cheque I’ve gotten the goods before the seller had the cheque as thats how the mail worked. I’ve never been screwed over by anyone on this site.
Walk

 

[rdlowe]

I purchased a rifle from a forum member here very recently. It so happened he mailed the gun and I mailed the check on the same day. We didn’t plan it that way but it gave me a dash of hope for the future of the human race.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Have you contacted USPS yet about the missing payment? What does the tracking # show?

 

[Nazgul58]

When my wife passed away in 2007 she had a PP account/debit card. I had no idea what balance was on it so I called them about closing the account. They sent me a 12 page packet to fill out, everything from her SS #, birth certificate, death certificate and all notarized. They even wanted a court order giving me permission to close it!!

I used the card to put gas in my truck until it wouldn't work any more then threw it away.

Don

 

[Thunder14]

Ya Pay Pal SUCKS I sold some items and they held my money hostage for about 2 weeks NEVER AGAIN. And the people received there purchases in 3 days thanking me so there was no issue with that and this was before this corona froud.