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chad.petree

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 2, 2013
569
259
Germany
I'm selling my MacBook 2012 on eBay but pretty much everyone tells me that they want to use by using PayPal and I've read PayPal can be quite dangerous since they can tell PayPal that they didn't receive the item and PayPal would take the money back from me, what have your experiences been so far?
 
I personally have never sold anything on eBay, just bought.

I have been ripped off once, but the cost of the item ($150 USD) wasn't worth the time I would spend on getting the issue resolved. I left the seller a 1 star rating, chalked it up as a lesson learned, and moved on. The seller did get royally upset at me for the 1 star rating, though. So, there was some amount of satisfaction on my part there. I guess in the end, it was a win-win. :D They got my $150, and I made them angry for the justified 1 star rating.

Their venom was a bit over the top, though. The f-bombs and whatnot weren't really justified, IMHO. Some people just don't deal well with stress, I suppose.

On the flip side, I don't think I will ever sell anything on eBay. I have heard too many stories these days about buyers scamming the sellers (reverse scams, I call them.) Can't be safe anywhere online these days, I suppose.

My advice is to use something like Craigslist, and sell it to a person that's local. Meet in a public place (Apple store, for example) and do the transaction there. Cash only, "as-is, all sales final" type thing (but provide full disclosure to the buyer about the system's history ... issues, repairs, etc.)
 
Just require signature upon delivery. That's proof of delivery right there, so they can't run behind your back and tell paypal they didn't receive the item. Personally, I haven't had an issue yet, but there is always that chance.
 
It's safe if you've covered everything. (Signature on delivery, parcel tracking, mention some stuff like "serial and model number has been noted" in the description, etc)

I've sold quite few MacBooks on eBay over the years and never had a problem, just keep an eye on the bids, if I see any bids from recently registered users with 0 feedback, I remove them, users with negative feedback are prevented from seeing or bidding on my auctions (can be done via eBay's settings)
 
I'm selling my MacBook 2012 on eBay but pretty much everyone tells me that they want to use by using PayPal and I've read PayPal can be quite dangerous since they can tell PayPal that they didn't receive the item and PayPal would take the money back from me, what have your experiences been so far?

No true. I am an ebay seller and buyer. Never had any issues. Make sure you upload tracking and everything will be okay.
 
I'm selling my MacBook 2012 on eBay but pretty much everyone tells me that they want to use by using PayPal and I've read PayPal can be quite dangerous since they can tell PayPal that they didn't receive the item and PayPal would take the money back from me, what have your experiences been so far?

Ive sold 3 things on eBay and just to give you a heads up eBay will take a percentage of what ever you sell your macbook for I would suggest trying craigs list first then eBay as second option and yes it can be risky from stories i read on forums about people sending back broken or MacBooks that weren’t originally sent
 
Only concern besides what's already been mentioned is that an unscrouplus buyer may claim the computer isn't working properly and file a claim with Paypal.

You can put it on eBay as a "Local Pick Up Only" and that way the buyer can check it out before purchasing.
 
I've bought several Macs on eBay but have never sold one there. I find eBay fees too high (about 10%) so I don't sell high value items on eBay.

I've sold several Macs on craigslist. I live in a fairly populated city so it's easy to sell. If you don't live in a big city, eBay is a good alternative.

I'd have the same concerns that the other members have above because eBay favours the buyers and if one is dishonest then the deal might get complicated.
 
Only concern besides what's already been mentioned is that an unscrouplus buyer may claim the computer isn't working properly and file a claim with Paypal.

Easy. List it "as is". They can file claims with PayPal all day long. Won't do them any good.
 
He will also get less money if it's an auction

Unless you are prepared to offer a warrantee, then all sales are "as is".

If you fail to be clear, you open yourself up to all sorts of scams and claims.

The extra few bucks you MAY get are not worth the risk.

Be a smart eBayer and everything will be just fine.
 
It's safe if you've covered everything. (Signature on delivery, parcel tracking, mention some stuff like "serial and model number has been noted" in the description, etc)

I've sold quite few MacBooks on eBay over the years and never had a problem, just keep an eye on the bids, if I see any bids from recently registered users with 0 feedback, I remove them, users with negative feedback are prevented from seeing or bidding on my auctions (can be done via eBay's settings)

What do you mean by "mention some stuff like "serial and model number has been noted" in the description, etc) "

Where should I mention that? Yeah that's the thing I'm not using eBay per se, I'm using eBay" classifieds " which I've noticed is totally unsafe because you get contacted by lots of crazy people, since they don't have a reputation system, it worked" fine " when I sold my iPhone but not so much with the MacBook



Easy. List it "as is". They can file claims with PayPal all day long. Won't do them any good.

How do I list it as it is?



I've bought several Macs on eBay but have never sold one there. I find eBay fees too high (about 10%) so I don't sell high value items on eBay.

I've sold several Macs on craigslist. I live in a fairly populated city so it's easy to sell. If you don't live in a big city, eBay is a good alternative.

I'd have the same concerns that the other members have above because eBay favours the buyers and if one is dishonest then the deal might get complicated.

I live in Berlin so there's quite a lot of people here, but as far as I know Craigslist is not really used here
 
How do I list it as it is?

You just say it on your listing. "As Is with no warranty, no returns accepted."

There is also an option you check when building the listing.

Some people might not want to risk buying this from you. If you have a good reputation on eBay, then it should be fine.
 
Just require signature upon delivery. That's proof of delivery right there, so they can't run behind your back and tell paypal they didn't receive the item. Personally, I haven't had an issue yet, but there is always that chance.

That's usually not the issue. The issue is usually when the buyer files a "Not as described" claim in which case the seller is screwed because ebay/paypal always sides with the buyer.

I had a situation years ago when I sold one of my iPhones via ebay and the buyer claimed that there was nothing in the box he received which was total BS of course. Paypal immediately froze my account until resolution. I ended up being extremely fortunate as I went after UPS because I insured the package. Even though the buyer likely really had the iPhone I sent him, I submitted an insurance claim to UPS claiming that one of their employees must've opened the box and took it during the shipping process. After UPS initially denied my claim I appealed and they ended up paying me. I'm sure this isn't common though and sellers usually just end up taking a loss.
 
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Don't sell it on ebay.
A very bad idea given the questions you are asking.
eBay and ParPal are OK when you know how they work.
And you understand the seller and buyer scams.
No amount of advice can help you - only personal experience.
 
Make sure to only accept payments from buyers with great 100% feedback on ebay, no new accounts.
 
Backstory:

Years ago I sold a brand new Nintendo Wii (when it first came out) to some person down South who lived in the sticks (I say this because initially the post office had a hard time locating the address). Anyway, I sold it and everything was well until a week later I get an email saying they filed a claim on Paypal against me. They claimed that I sold them the Wii system with a disc lodged inside the console. The damn thing was brand new and sealed in the box and I included a free game at no additional cost. I could only assume that their son jammed the disc in the wrong way and they saw this as an opportunity to get their money back.

Anway, I called Paypal and pleaded my case and they sided with the buyer. I had them send me the Wii again. Luckily I had purchased a warranty to Best Buy which I was going to transfer to the new owners once they left me feedback and etc. I took the console to Best Buy and they were kind enough to give me a new Wii and replacement game after I explained my issue. My feedback wasn't damaged but I stay away from selling on eBay. I buy a lot though.

Paypal is safe nowadays but if you are going to sell the Macbook I'd have someone record you packing the Macbook up in the box and sealing it so you have proof. You don't want them coming back and saying you didn't pack it well enough and it came damaged. If you're shipping it add insurance and make it MANDATORY so that the buyer has to pay it. Also, as soon as you sell the Macbook and send it out go on Paypal and upload the tracking number on the invoice so you have a trail. Make sure you list in your listing AS IS, NO RETURNS, YOU ARE BUYING A WORKING UNIT YADADA.
 
I've done many things on PayPal and found that they are very helpful when it comes to disputes. From buying gaming accounts online, to a pair of fake Ray Bans....if I don't get it, I get my money back. Just make sure if you buy, you don't send as a gift.
 
i sold a laptop on ebay for a substantial amount, 3 days after posting i got a warning message from ebay and paypal that an issue had been raised. My paypal account was then £500 in the red and it meant that my account was effectively blocked because i couldn't use Paypal now. After all sorts of claims about condition of received item (the buyer didnt want to pay for insurance) i ended up repaying some of the money to the buyer to keep him happy because he didnt want to send the laptop back (otherwise i lose my perfect rating!) I wasn't out-of-pocket after this incident, but it was an eye-opener for sure.
 
What about this site?

http://kleinanzeigen.ebay.de/anzeigen/s-notebooks/c278

ps. wow, MBPs are expensive in Europe! There's a 2011 MBP listed for 1.400 €!

I sold mine last year for $1200 and it was better equipped!

That's exactly the page I'm using but like I mentioned before is totally anonymous, they don't even have a rating system , it's really a wild west, lost of freaks call me, Someone offered me 300 euros for my 2013 macbook pro 15" , I wanted to punch him in the face hahaha :mad:

I think after reading your stories, I don't want to risk it, I will only accept local pickup :confused:
 
I personally wouldn't risk it.

I sold a laptop on ebay once, did everything right.

It was working when I sent it. "Faulty" when they received it (it had clearly been water damaged by them) but obviously ebay sided with the buyer.

There's too many things that could go wrong. I also nearly got scammed when selling an xbox, I stated on the page "I will only sell to users with +10 positive feedback". Someone with no feedback won the bid, it was obviously a scam, when I contacted ebay they said "Just because you've written it in your listing doesn't mean it will change ebay terms and conditions" and said that I had to send it.

In the end I told the buyer I would deliver it personally and film the transaction to prove they received it, they backed down and cancelled. This scam could easily happen "they sent a box of paper, there was no laptop in it" and you have literally no recourse.

I will still buy on ebay but I'm not going to sell anything worth over £100 again.
 
I sold my macbook pro retina 13 successfully. However, I would advise to sell to only buyers in either Europe or America for starters. Also make sure you take pictures beforehand and note any flaws on your listing and to also prove that your mac was working in case the buyer damages it and tries to make a claim. I had one little scratch I forgot to flag and I lost a 150 pounds.

Unfortunately I do not recommend using ebay, seller fees are quite a lot for these kind of products and an because buyers hold so much power. An untrustworthy buyer is one step away from catastrophe.
 
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