PayPal gift, what's all that about then?

I've not been here all that long, so forgive me if this is it out of line, but why on Earth do people insist on using PayPal gift to pay for things?!

Again, correct me if I'm wrong, but fees are exactly the same as for goods (3.4% +20p), unless you're a big trader, in which case the goods rate is actually lower!

I can't see any advantage to gift at all, just state in the listing who's paying the fees and that's that.

I should add that I've had almost exclusively good experiences on here - and BikeRadar - with some really nice folks, so this isn't born of bitterness however there have been scammers in our midst recently, and it just seems daft to send money out with no comeback at all if things go awry.

Discuss...

If you pay someone via Paypal gift and the money either comes out of your Paypal balance or direct from your bank account then nobody has to pay any fees.

Only downside is you have no cover from Paypal so you must trust the other party first

Im sure I had to pay a fee...i.e I was given the option to either take the fee on top of the gift payment or take it off the gift itself.

stevetait":1e4drxya said:

Im sure I had to pay a fee...i.e I was given the option to either take the fee on top of the gift payment or take it off the gift itself.

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Thats happened to me once for some reason but every other time there's been no fees :?

Thinking about it, it might have been when my card had expired but gift usually means no fees with so many people using it I'm not sure how long it will remain an option.

This is interesting - I've always had the fees added, or the option for the seller to pay them, so is this because I'm using a Visa card rather than money that's already in the account...?

elPedro666":3rzqiezw said:

This is interesting - I've always had the fees added, or the option for the seller to pay them, so is this because I'm using a Visa card rather than money that's already in the account...?

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Yes.

the way i understand it, if its paid out of a balance there is no fee whatever you mark it as, but if you pay using a credit/debit card there is a fee, marking it as a gift means the buyer pays the fee, marked as goods the seller pays the fee. thats why most people say paypal as a gift, so they dont get stung for someone elses cc fee.

Fair point... I always use Visa debit... gotta love the Paypal/Ebay machine for screwing every possible penny out of the consumer... lets not start questioning the make up of ebay listing/selling fees, now thats a kettle of doom!!

stevetait":2cpsjyh9 said:

Fair point... I always use Visa debit... gotta love the Paypal/Ebay machine for screwing every possible penny out of the consumer...

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VISA charge Paypal (and anyone else who accepts payment from them), hence the fee.

Tallpaul":2h21hcrf said:

stevetait":2h21hcrf said:

Fair point... I always use Visa debit... gotta love the Paypal/Ebay machine for screwing every possible penny out of the consumer...

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VISA charge Paypal (and anyone else who accepts payment from them), hence the fee.

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every shop owner in the country curses Visa and Chip&Pin, now that cash has fallen by the way side.

I know the argument that will come next, it costs to handle cash, bagging, depositing it etc