Are there advantages for buyers to sign up for PayPal?

[rkstr67]

Hi,

I'm brand new to eBay and haven't signed up for PayPal, since I noticed that all credit card purchases are automatically routed through PayPal. So, I though, why bother sign up as a buyer?

Then, I noticed that after having bought two items in U.S. $ (and my credit card being in Canadian $), the credit card company charged a currency conversion fee, tacking it onto the overall price + shipping.

My question is: if I sign up for PayPal, can I avoid being charged a conversion fee (U.S. $ to CAD $) for a U.S. listing, which my credit card company was charging me? Or, does PayPal also charge a fee for doing this?

Thanks

[reallynicestamps]

On foreign exchange, if you buy an item that was sold in another currency, no matter how you handle it there will be foreign exchange. Paypal's exchange rate is no better and no worse than that of cards.

If you ever move to selling, you can keep multiple PP balances, one in each currency you list in (usually USD and loonies) and pay from your balances, skipping the exchange.

With Paypal you have a straightforward Buyer Protection policy which works smoothly with eBay's own Buyer Protection.

EBay gives you 30 days after (the last estimated date for) delivery to open a Dispute. The Seller is required to pay for return shipping if the item is Not As Described.

Paypal allows you to open a Dispute immediately after payment*, and that window is open for 180 days. But PP insists that the Buyer pay return shipping.

Cards vary.

But we see enough unhappy buyers who can't figure out how to identify their purchases never mind open a Dispute, for me to say that Paypal is a sensible solution.

*They may build in a slight delay to allow a shipment to be delivered. Or not. It's complicated.