eBay

sylviebee · ‎06-14-2021

I have a buyer in Germany who wants to pay directly into my bank account as opposed to PP. She asked for banking information but could she just do the transfer via my email address or phone number?

I know it wasn't possible in the past but things have evolved.

vintagenorth · ‎06-14-2021

Something doesn’t sound right about that. You don’t need a persons banking information to send an e-transfer, just the email address. No need to give out your banking information. Also, is it considered taking the sale off of eBay if you complete the sale by e-transfer? As you say, things change fast around here, maybe eBay now allows e-transfers from overseas.

sylviebee · ‎06-14-2021

I'm not concerned about the buyer's motive. I'm just wondering if it's possible to do an e-transfer from Germany.

In the past that kind of transfer was complicated but things have changed. Just wondering if the transfer would be as simple as they are when transferring within Canada.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎06-14-2021

@vintagenorth wrote:
Something doesn’t sound right about that. You don’t need a persons banking information to send an e-transfer, just the email address. No need to give out your banking information. Also, is it considered taking the sale off of eBay if you complete the sale by e-transfer? As you say, things change fast around here, maybe eBay now allows e-transfers from overseas.

In doing a bit of research eBay For Europe - A seller can offer

Sarl(Sepa) (Except to Iceland, UK and Switzerland) which is a Direct Debit service

Sofort(PayNow) (real time banking transfer service - 1 Way - Under different names for different countries

Sofort: Germany, Austria, Switzerand

Bayez ici : Belgium

Klarna : Italy

Klarna : Spain

Sample translated listing below:

https://www-ebay-de.translate.goog/itm/223789587758?_trkparms=pageci:b44c6b65-cd10-11eb-8d05-aa10613...

International Sites Payment Methods: Section 2

https://pages.ebay.ca/payment/2.0/terms.html#section-iii

April 30, 2021

-Lotz

PS. Canada/USA to Europe - Not permitted

marnotom! · ‎06-14-2021

@sylviebee wrote:

I have a buyer in Germany who wants to pay directly into my bank account as opposed to PP. She asked for banking information but could she just do the transfer via my email address or phone number?

I know it wasn't possible in the past but things have evolved.

For an Internet e-transfer, both your bank account and your buyer's bank account have to be linked with an intermediary service. We have Interac in Canada, Germany has GyroPay, but those services aren't currently linked with each other.

Bank transfers are cheap and pretty commonplace in Germany. I believe credit card users are charged to use their credit cards, so that may be why your buyer is preferring a bank transfer. Your buyer probably doesn't realize that it would cost quite a bit to send a bank transfer outside the EU. Heck, bank transfers are even expensive within Canada; I think my credit union was asking 30 bucks for one when I last checked.

ricarmic · ‎06-14-2021

On another European site I sell on, I always have folks wanting to do this, within the EU it is very commonplace same as we think of it within our own country. The EU folks also seem to have a big hate on for PAYPAL too.

I haven't checked for a while but last time I checked at my bank (TD) it was $30 for an international one.

Someone was trying to tell me recently though that it is possible now without the fee, but I don't remember which bank it was and I haven't followed up with TD yet.

For certain you need to make sure with your bank whether you'll get dinged the $30 or whatever.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎06-14-2021

@ricarmic

Many moons ago (late 90ies-early 2000's) I was in the USA and tried to use my Canadian Debit Card at a Best Buy. They had no idea idea what the heck it was or how to make it work. Ended up having to use a CC. What will work in one country may not work in another. Constant game of everyone trying to catch up to each other. Even your password(number of characters) can be an issue country to country.

-Lotz

ypdc_dennis · ‎06-14-2021

a transfer via Wise.com (formerly TransferWise.com) is possible (cheaper than paypal or banks)

a wire transfer between banks would be too expensive (my credit union charges $16 to receive one)

an interac e-transfer is not possible from Germany

So if your Buyer is using Wise/TransferWise to move the money then it should be okay.

-..-

marnotom! · ‎06-14-2021

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@ricarmic

Many moons ago (late 90ies-early 2000's) I was in the USA and tried to use my Canadian Debit Card at a Best Buy. They had no idea idea what the heck it was or how to make it work. Ended up having to use a CC. What will work in one country may not work in another. Constant game of everyone trying to catch up to each other. Even your password(number of characters) can be an issue country to country.

Point of sale payments with a bank card aren't really a "thing" in the United States. Interac appears to be now partnered with NYCE Payment Networks so that many Canadians can use their bank cards to make purchases in the United States, although BMO Bank of Montreal and CIBC doesn't seem to be on board with this yet:

https://www.interac.ca/en/consumers/products/interac-debit/cross-border/

https://www.nyce.net/en/consumers/canadian

What Americans generally refer to as "debit cards" are VISA or MasterCard-branded cards that have bank accounts attached to them.

sylviebee · ‎06-14-2021

Sounds like it's too complicated for the time being.

Probably just a matter time until money transfers between countires are as simple as e-transfers within our own countires.

I remember doing bank transfers between different banks and having to involve bank tellers and paying high fees. Now it's easier than making a phone call.

In a similar vein, it wasn't long ago that opening an American Bank account was very complicated, but now I just opened one with a 5 minute phone call.

marnotom! · ‎06-14-2021

I like @ypdc_dennis' suggestion to use Wise. At first glance, it does seem to work a lot like an Interac e-transfer.

https://wise.com/ca/send-money/send-money-to-canada-from-germany

reallynicestamps · ‎06-14-2021

Europeans and particularly Germans use wire transfers a lot, and while they are not allowed on the North American eBay sites, they are allowed there.

She may be getting wire transfer and e-transfer mixed up.

At the moment, I don't think e-transfers are allowed either, if only because there are no takebacks on an e-transfer.

Also, wire transfers are very very expensive in N. America. Acceptance fees start around $25.

You gave the forms of payment you would accept. Personally, I would politely tell her that will not be possible and that you are willing to cancel the transaction if she cannot pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, ApplePay, GooglePay, or Paypal, which you can accept.

a52split · ‎06-14-2021

It almost seems too good to be true.

The fee for Wise is 1.39%, and the exchange rate they give you is the mid-market rate!

sylviebee · ‎06-15-2021

reallynicestamps thank you for that information because it explains a lot. My German buyer was having trouble with PP but according to her FB she has made hundreds of eBay purchases. She must have paid for all of them via e transfer.

She purchased the item several weeks ago and most sellers would have cancelled the transaction long ago but I'm very patient with slow payers. I emailed her a couple of days ago and asked if she wanted more time that's when she told me she was having trouble with PP. She also told me a little about herself and clearly she's a very desirable customer to have. She is actually a very avid collector and has also written a book on Antique Purses.

This was her first purchase outside of her own European comfort zone.

She just paid via PP. She purchased one of my more expensive purses and is already asking about purchasing a second one. She has the potential to be a very good customer in the future.

Just sayin': Sometimes things aren't what they first appear to be. 🙂