selling my mandolin

[JPS1919A2]

hello to all, selling my mandolin. my questions to those of you who have sold on the cafe what is the best way to receive a payment from someone who wants to purchase the mando? my item is not on ebay or amazon. thank you to all for your time. joe ~o)

[mrmando]

PayPal works. I gather there's been some sort of fraud problem with postal money orders of late. A cashier's check drawn on a U.S. bank could be an option.

[Pasha Alden]

Hi there

I found Paypal works very well.

[pickloser]

I like USPS money order.

[Gregooch]

Warning to anyone foolish enough to trust Paypal. My son once sold a laptop on e bay. The Paypal payment went through and the laptop was shipped out Fedex or UPS (not sure which one?) My son received a signed receipt that the buyer received the laptop and then got a notice from Paypal that he owed $400.00 as the buyer cancelled his payment for the item. It went into a long drawn out collections process of harassing and threatening phone calls and letters from paypa that never ended until my son ended up paying for his own laptop. I will never use paypal again.

[Paul Busman]

I've received PayPal payment from several hundred of my whistle customers without a hitch. There are horror stories about all sorts of things but I think with PayPal they're relatively rare. PP is especially good for international transactions as they'll automatically do currency conversions for you.
I'm thinking that some categories of PayPal customers are safer than others. With something as generic as a computer, any sort of lowlife might pull a stunt like Gregooch related. If you're selling a mandolin, you're dealing with a relatively small market of people who share the love of an instrument with you. I've found penny whistle buyers to be perfectly fine, and I'll bet mando folk are too.

[Bill Clements]

Not a fan of PayPal for receiving payment due to the associated fees.
I've had good luck with USPS money orders in the past. Please note the Cafe Classifieds now suggests alternative methods.
Cashiers checks are good too, but if you don't know the buyer try getting one tendered by a bank local to both parties.
Recently, for little things like picks, etc. I've even accepted personal checks. Most people here on the Cafe are trustworthy--unlike CL where anything can happen.
For international sales, wire transfers are the way to go. Your bank will help you every step of the way. Usually the buyer needs your bank account info and a swift code. You may find there are fees with this sort of transaction, depending on your bank. These fees are generally a flat rate, rather than a percentage like PayPal.
Talk to the buyer if possible via phone or Skype.
Good luck!