Gumtree and Paypal for Sellers

Found 29th Nov 2012

Advertised a phone on gumtree and have an interested buyer who wants to pay via paypal and then have it posted to a UK address.

I, however, am a tad dubious of the whole paypal thing as there have been too many threads on here where it seems like its easy for buyers to claim item not received/ described etc etc and put in for a refund claim and the honest seller is left stuck in a rut with frozen funds etc.

I would accept paypal gift or a bt but even though the normal paypal offers protection for both parties- there's too much evidence here to suggest that paypal side with the buyer - and what if the buyer is the dodgy one? So I could easily post off the phone and buyer can say 'not as described' and return a totally different one back to me.

I've sold lots of gumtree before and posted out a number of things (highest value £400+) but its always been payments by bank transfer.

Would you sell a high value item on the gumtree and accept paypal as a method of payment (for posting)?

Post Share

New Comment Save for later

4 Comments

29th Nov 2012

Would you sell a high value item on the gumtree and accept paypal as a method of payment (for posting)?

Don't do it because you would be leaving yourself wide open to getting ripped off.

29th Nov 2012

If you go ahead with it, I know what one of your next threads will be....

Hey HUKD members I sold a phone on Gumtree and think that I've been scammed.as the PayPal payment has been reclaimed.......

No I wouldn't sell high value via paypal or even bank transfer on gumtree

29th Nov 2012

Paypal and Gumtree don't mix. I get 4 or 5 people asking to pay via Paypal every time I put up a desirable item. Personally I wouldn't accept a bank transfer either (the thought of giving out bank details to strangers scares me).

Gumtree is only really intended for selling things in face to face.

Edited by: "SUMMONER" 30th Nov 2012

Original Poster

29th Nov 2012

yep- you guys confirmed what's been bugging me most of the day.. think i'll give it a miss. funnily enough, a few years ago i wouldn't have thought twicw about posting out goods but am very cautious now.. changing times eh many thanks