posted on February 3, 2001 10:50:51 PM new
My auction description clearly stated:
Outside the U.S. please email me your address so I can calculate your shipping fees. Money Orders Only. Thank you.
So... the winning bidder tonight took it upon himself to email me this:
I sent you $30 through Bidpay, I hope it's enough, I didn't know how you would handle shipping outside the US.
$30 probably is enough (the item is only $23 and change), but that is not the point. I don't know ANYTHING about BidPay, is this something I have to register with like Paypal?? I am NOT interested in anything of the sort. I know I know, some people will say "Just be glad they paid, at least it's not a deadbeat," etc etc, but ya know, I decided I only wanted money orders, and that was my decision on how I choose to sell. And no they DIDN'T really pay me, because they gave the money to someone else, not ME. If this is some electronic payment nightmare service again, I really am not interested. It just aggravates me to no end when people do whatever the hell they feel like, after I already made myself clear in my description. Can someone tell me what is going to be required of me to get my payment through Bidpay? Do I have to enter a CC # and all that stuff and promise my first born child? (AS IF.)
I don't use credit cards, I don't use Bidpay, I DO NOT LIKE IT SAM I AM.
UGH. Any suggestions?? Thank you.
Rocker
posted on February 3, 2001 10:57:36 PM new
If I am correct... your buyer buys an international money order from bidpay (he can use his credit card to do this) Then Bidpay sends you the International MO by mail.
posted on February 3, 2001 10:59:25 PM new
Oh... I also do not think you have join them but you can so you can track the MO. They mail it by snail mail...
posted on February 3, 2001 11:04:41 PM new
Hi, Rocker
You don't have to give BidPay any personal info--they simply mail a Western Union MO to you. You don't even have to sign up!
I'm leery of online payment services, too, but so far BidPay has been the simplest...works great for international bidders, since they don't have to wait while a money order crosses the Atlantic.
(Not to sound like a cheerleader or anything...sorry! )
posted on February 3, 2001 11:11:13 PM new
HEY!!!! Thanks, everyone!!!
Always so helpful!
And :::::kissing Michelle's hand::: Thank you Moderator!
Sigh ... I just love it when a Moderator replies to me. It's kinda like when the teacher chooses YOUR paper to read out loud to the whole class as a good example. (Which by the way, did not happen often to bad-example Rocker.) Sigh... I feel so special.
posted on February 3, 2001 11:45:42 PM new
Michelle..
Thanks for the thread link... I don't use BidPay because I really never knew about it. It sounds like many people like to use it and don't mind paying the $5.00. As a seller I think I will include it in my payment options from now on.
I am wondering if I could encourage buyers to use it, by offering a $2.50 discount on shipping for sales that are over $20.00? (this discount would cover 1/2 their MO fees if the sale was under $100.00.)
posted on February 4, 2001 10:06:52 AM new
If you sell to folks outside of the U.S. and Canada, Bidpay is great, and the buyers don't mind the fees because other payment methods are even more costly. (I think it's something like $15.00 to get a British bank to issue a money order in U.S. dollars; $5.00 plus air mail postage for an Australian to get an international postal money order, etc.)
U.S./Canadian buyers rarely use Bidpay because of the cost, and the availability of cheaper alternatives.
posted on February 4, 2001 10:27:22 AM new
You might want to read my reviews of online payment services. For international payments, Bidpay is very highly rated. The best news for sellers is there can be no charge backs. But Bidpay also takes pains to protect buyers are well.
posted on February 4, 2001 03:21:50 PM new
yisgood -- This is off-topic, but I just wanted to let you know that every time I attempt to access one of your website URLs it crashes my browser. (I am using Netscape 4.73.) What little bit I've been able to see before my browser crashed looks good, but... I have never been able to read the whole page. (I think it might be the animations, but I'm not sure.)
Violetta
(Not known by this nickname anywhere but here.)
posted on February 4, 2001 06:06:09 PM new
Violetta: I did test them with Netscape, which though I don't use myself, I downloaded for the purpose of testing. Do you know anyone else with netscape who can try it?
posted on February 4, 2001 09:31:28 PM new
Yisgood...
Your site is a great resource, and I thank you for making it available! I've pointed a number of folks in its direction.
I usually use IE, but I also have Navigator on my computer just for checking to see how my own webpages look. Although I cannot claim any familiarity with Navigator's foibles, I can say that your site loaded quickly and smoothly for me using Navigator.
posted on February 4, 2001 09:36:28 PM new
Okay, here's the thing - I went to Bidpay.com and it says ya don't have to register to get your payment - so okay - WHERE is the link to get my payment? I see where to register (I don't want to register), I see where it says SEND payment without having to register... but.. WHERE DO I GO TO GET MY DARN $$?
I want my magic beans. Sniff.
posted on February 4, 2001 10:01:35 PM new
This whole process confused me the first time I saw it, too! Yup...if you just ignore all the bells and whistles, a money order will plop into your mailbox in a few days. Just pretend that the customer mailed it and save yourself a lot of mental effort!
posted on February 4, 2001 10:55:21 PM new
Rocker,
You will get 2 e-mails from Bidpay. The first will alert you that the customer has applied to have a money order issued to you and will confirm the auction # and amount. The second will notify you that either the application has been denied, or that it has been approved and the money order is on the way. They will confirm the shipping information and caution you to notify them if the customer wants it shipped to a different address. The next step is just waiting for the Post Office to bring it to you.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on February 4, 2001 11:06:36 PM new
Thank you barkrock and sparkz! Yes it is confusing! And Mr PotatoHead - if you have never used Bidpay, perhaps you don't know what I mean - it is not as though I ignored all those good people's posts. It is that I sincerely doubt any one can deliver any money order to me since I have not given anyone my address yet! Unless Bidpay is clarvoyant too! Wow impressive! The bidder didn't have any of my info when he sent this money order, and no I have not received any email from Bidpay. I went to the site but it seems I have to register and I would rather not. (If I have to, I will.) Hmmmm something sounds not quite right here, don't ya think??
Rocker
(edited for typos)
[ edited by nycrocker on Feb 4, 2001 11:08 PM ]
posted on February 5, 2001 06:36:43 AM new
I believe it works like this:
You need to email the buyer all the mailing information and total price due you.
Then the buyer goes to Bidpay and enters that information in a form letter and the buyer give bidpay his information and where they should take his funds from.
Then Bidpay will email you telling you, your buyer just made arrangements to send you a check for $$$ and they will give you his information.
Then you will get another email from Bidpay saying funds are being sent to you, meaning the transaction with the buyer and Bidpay is complete.
Then, you just wait for your payment to come in the mail. I have had buyers use this service and I like the way it works, I feel
it is great for international buyers, and also local buyers, they do it all on the computer and it saves the buyer time and don't forget if they want to pay you with a money order they would still have to pay for it. So this way it is convient for the Buyer.
I quit paypal, so this is the next best way for a buyer.
posted on February 5, 2001 07:50:28 AM newnycrocker...
I really like BidPay and encourage my buyers to use it...I use no other online payment service.
BUT, you're absolutely right...no one has sent you anything without your mailing address. Either they're having trouble with the language, or they're confusing BidPay with some other service.
posted on February 5, 2001 12:41:00 PM new
Thanks toni and toke
I do like the sound of Bidpay, maybe I will start using it after all.
And for now, I am going to email my winning bidder - again - and see how we can straighten this out.
Thanks again all!
Rocker
)
Rocker