Buyer asked for PayPal invoices, should I be worried?

NoxTek

The Geek Redneck
Joined
May 27, 2002
Messages
9,300
I'm probably being paranoid here, but I'd like opinions on something.

I've got a buyer here at the forums that insists on me sending invoices via PayPal which is kind of weird, and also is repeatedly sending PM replies asking me to use bubble wrap in packing his items.

I'm trying to get a feel on whether this person is just being really careful or if they are trying to set the stage for claiming shipping damage and requesting a refund and potentially getting the items for free.

An I being paranoid?
 
There are legitimate reasons for wanting an invoice (taxes, business records, etc) and the obsession with bubble wrap could be that the buyer has been burned with poor packing practices.

That said, a good rule of thumb for buying or selling online is to not go though with a transaction when you’re uncomfortable with the other party for any reason.
 
A good reason to request an invoice is to make sure there are no mistakes made in typing an e-mail address. I prefer to be invoiced to avoid such mistakes. If someone receives an invoice in error, they obviously won't have to pay--and probably will ignore it. On the other hand, if the buyer sends the funds to the wrong e-mail address, it can take a while to get PayPal to sort things out. I speak from experience (and the error was my fault).

Another reason someone might prefer to be invoiced is it avoids the awkwardness of deciding (as the buyer) whether to add extra to cover the fees--you can only pay what is invoiced, I think. With that said, when I'm the buyer, I will usually add enough to cover the fees unless the seller states they've already added enough to the price to cover them.
 
Nothing wrong with you wanting to be as careful as the buyer appears to be.
Since the deal has not been completed yet, ask him to post his reasons in this thread.........probable legit if he is willing to post here, and then you can both move forward feeling better.
 
That said, a good rule of thumb for buying or selling online is to not go though with a transaction when you’re uncomfortable with the other party for any reason.
This. If you feel it's unreasonable or don't wish to, then don't.

Honestly though, I don't think what's being asked for is unreasonable.

The invoice feature is kind of nice really. And of course you want your purchase to be packed nicely.

Look at all the "Newegg" or other such entity sent me this threads...
 
If you get a weird hinky feeling, it's always good to bail.

With that being said though, asking for an invoice isn't that strange. It's actually good practice as Engr62 has said. Makes sure no one fat-fingers the wrong email and sends money to the wrong person. Plus the invoice should clearly state what is for sale or what is being exchanged for what, should anything happen down the road.

I'm all for paying PP F&F generally speaking (no point in giving PP any more money than they deserve), but the vagueness of it could cause trouble later on.

If you do issue an invoice, make sure you discuss who is paying the fees and such ahead of time so there are no surprises and clearly spell out what you are selling / including in the box.
 
Whenever I question the situation I bail. And I’ve thankfully had nothing but excellent experiences buying and selling here.

mid I’m the seller, the last thing I need is a hassle. And in my experience the pickier they seem prior to the sale, the worse they are after. Just my .02, but the people I’ve seen be the worst with buyers remorse are the ones who seemed very on the edge to begin with.

tech prices change fast. Some people use the PayPal policy of 90 days to file a dispute, as a return policy since the buyer always wins. If I remotely get that feeling or I see in the persons post history that they’ve made comments like that, I decline the sale.
 
I've had people ask for invoices, and it hasn't led to faulty transactions in any way. I wouldn't think they are trying to scam you on the back end just because they asked for an invoice.
 
I don't mind doing invoices, they certainly are better for record keeping. Though the last person to request it (was a $40 item) did end up making a claim. He later got banned for a dispute with another seller on here. I find it hard to believe he would bother making up claims for $40 but whatever.

I try to use F&F as much as possible, but as always you gotta protect your own ass or just accept that you might get screwed on a particular transaction.

Also not sure about the bubble wrap, kinda a funny hang-up.
 
My deal is, if I am spending more than $250, I want to do invoicing, thats just how I am personally.

I prefer bubble wrap too because peanuts can cause static and you can EASILY get a huge roll of pink bubble-wrap (anti-static) to do a lot more protection.

I am not the buyer in question, but I don't disagree with them.

But when it comes down to it, if you don't feel comfortable (as others said) then dont do it.
 
I always laugh when I get something from ebay and it has a whole spool of bubble wrap around it. Basically required twice the box size they could have used.

Well better than a single layer of bubble wrap, barely in a box to fit said item. Less than 3-4 mm's on each side and shows up damaged.
 
No, I request and send invoices because:

- I can make sure the PayPal address is correct

- As a buyer, I like the seller listing the specs on their end, not mine. So there's no chance of a mistake eg 2gb instead of 4gb VRAM, etc

- As a seller, I can specify a return time period

Just to list a few.
 
Thanks guys. The buyer has relatively low feedback (8-0-0) but it dates back to 2016 as does their membership here. I've never had a bad deal or gotten scanned in over sixteen years of dealing here so I'm sure it's all good.
 
8-0-0 could very well be 30-0-0 because most people here do not leave Heatware. That's very good feedback IMO.

And I have found the last few years that a lot of buyers ask for Invoices. There's nothing shady about it...it doesn't hurt the seller in any way. In fact, it's pretty good for both parties. It's just a good way to have good documentation on what you bought and from who.
 
Back
Top