Replies

1. 
   RickL | Apr 17, 2008 04:59pm | #1

   Paypal would be the way to go.  Watch out for those international sales. Is it a big ticket item or a small item?? You should provide a lot more info on these questions. Show us the item and your site. Expensive or under $100? I've heard stories of strange goings on. Check out the folks at http://www.woodcentral.com  A number of active selling crafts people with stories to tell.

   
   

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   Edited 7/22/2008 12:09 pm ET by RickL

1. 
   bob k | Apr 17, 2008 05:25pm | #3

   Thanks, Rick. I use PayPal for EBay, but have never used it for non-EBay sales. How does the customer send money to PayPal if not through EBay? Thanks, again,
   Bob

2. 
   blewcrowe | Apr 17, 2008 05:19pm | #2

   Bob, you might do the obvious and talk your bank manager. See what they recommend. As an alternative, find a friend who has a business with a credit card machine, run the sale through them and give them a few points.

   Beware beware beware of international sales.

1. 
   bob k | Apr 17, 2008 05:31pm | #4

   Using a friend's machine might work, but I'm not sure I'd do it if it were someone asking me to get involved in the transaction. Rational or not, we don't know what we don't know. I would never ship anything without pre-payment in full, completely cleared. Thanks for the input.Bob

1. 
   blewcrowe | Apr 17, 2008 05:59pm | #6

   Once Visa accepts his card and makes the transaction, you're guaranteed payment.

3. 
   ring | Apr 17, 2008 05:56pm | #5

   Any number of safe alternatives. First you could ask for a cashier's check from his bank. Second you could ask him to wire transfer to your bank and ship the order only after you have confirmation that it arrived. If it's a very large order there are other options like Letter of Credit, or shipping CAD.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

4. 
   forestgirl | Apr 17, 2008 06:17pm | #7

   I'll second Rick's cautionary reply, Bob.  Is this a big-ticket item, or something relatively small?  International scams are quite prevalent with internet dealings, I know from first-hand experience.

   Both PayPal and credit card payments can be challenged after the item is shipped.  If you use PayPal, be sure the recipient is a verified buyer and uses the registered PayPal address.  If he doesn't already have a PayPal account, this'll take time.  I wouldn't do credit card in your situation, since you'd have to set up an account with a processing company for this one sale and might not use it again for awhile.

   A wire transfer to your bank might be the safest way, check with your bank manager.  No cashier's checks or other paper -- to easy to be a scam.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
5. 
   Dorsett | Apr 17, 2008 06:39pm | #8

   If you don't know the customer do not accept any type of check, even a cashier's check. Chaeck's are not what they used to be.

   If you accept a wire transfer have your bank create a new seperate account. Once the funds arrive, transfer them to an existing account and close the new account.

   PayPal will work for small transactions. They have to join PayPal to send the funds.

   If the dollar amount is large have the buyer send you a letter of credit. Make sure the issuing bank is either domestic, a foregin bank with US operations and the US bank issues the LOC, or a well known foreign bank that is AAA rated by S&P or Moodys (virtually all well known foreign banks with excellent ratings have US operations). You draw on the LOC upon delivery to the shipping agent in the US.

   You can never be too careful with foregin transactions.

1. 
   RickL | Apr 17, 2008 07:17pm | #9

   "They have to join PayPal to send the funds."

   This is false. The seller can set up an account with Paypal and the  buyer just uses their credit card. I've bought stuff and didn't find out until later it was through Paypal. No extra cost to me, just the seller so they don't have to set up a credit card processing  thing.  Not sure what the limit is but have done $200 max in buying in a single purchase so far.

6. 
   RickL | Apr 17, 2008 07:19pm | #10

   Curious as to what the buyer is looking at...got a link??

1. 
   bob k | Apr 17, 2008 07:57pm | #11

   Rick: In his initial inquiry he didn't say which item he was looking at. I have asked him and I'm waiting for a reply. My business is custom, relatively small jobs, primarily in Massachusetts, although I have mailed one job to Washington, DC. I don't have a line of furniture, per se, but I find that sometimes, when someone sees some piece in a particular place, they seem to think that that maker is the only one who can make that item. It doesn't make sense, but I've heard it many times. Here's my web address, not sure how to make it a link. I just realized that it's time for an update.http://www.bobkissane.com

1. 
   RickL | Apr 17, 2008 10:57pm | #13

   I'd be suspicious of that person. People are always trying to work scams of money exchanges. I'm sure he could find someone in his neightborhood to make what he wants. The shipping would cost as much as the object.  I'd be very cautious.

1. 
   user-292116 | Apr 17, 2008 11:13pm | #14

   There is an epidemic of scams of this nature. I get these emails all the time. They will ask to send you a cashier's check that is over the amount, ask you to cash it at your bank and it will be bogus. Do be careful.

7. 
   DanCC | Apr 17, 2008 09:15pm | #12

   Guaranteed Letter of Credit on a known Bank, i.e. English or U.S..  Also check into who bears the risk of loss during shipping.  Letters of Credit work by the bank holding the money and paying you when shipping documents are presented.  What shipping documents that are acceptable can vary and when they and to whom they must be presented make a big difference.  Make sure you understand what F.O.B. etc. means before you get into this kind of thing.  It is possible to have it set up where you are paid when you deliver the merchandise to the shipper, and the shipping is pre-paid.  But  you must know just what to ask for in the Letter of Credit and terms like F.O.B. (Free on Board) describe where the risk of loss is during the shipping process.  Letters of Credit are not all that uncommon, so you local bank may be able to help.   Your local bank would have a corresponding arrangement with a Bank in Hong Kong (or where ever) and when the funds are delivered to the Hong Kong Bank, your bank would issue the letter of credit.  Then the goods are shipped and the agreed shipping documents are presented, either to your bank or to the bank in Hong Kong, the funds are released to you and the banks settle up between them.  You can expect fees, insurance costs etc. and those ore the issue you want to agree on before the deal goes forward.

   Dan Carroll

   
   

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   Edited 4/17/2008 2:22 pm by DanCC

8. 
   northhouguy | Apr 17, 2008 11:55pm | #15

   Bob,

   Wire transfer is the way to go.  It's a little expensive, but very secure. 

   My wife and I have an international business.  We buy equipment/material in the US and ship it to Vietnam for sale.  Most of our purchasers are Vietnamese businesses.  We require them to submit payment before we ship anything.  Once the cash is in our account we ship.

   You have to give your customer a bank account and routing number so their bank can send to you.  We set up an account for international use and have not had a problem in the 5 years we have been doing this.  Also, talk with your banker, there is a wire transfer method that takes place bank-to-bank and this is VERY secure, (remember, the bank NEVER loses money...)

   Talk to your banker.  They will help you and make sure you are secure.

   Good luck and welcome to the world of international business!!

   Fred

9. 
   vbwoodworks | Apr 18, 2008 03:41pm | #16

   I would wait for his/her reply as to what item, go with a wire transfer into a newly created account paid and cleared (to the banks satisfaction) before shipping, and don't be suprised if you see a cheap copy of it at walmart in 6 months.

   In this case seller beware. Check them out if possible.

   Darrin 

    

10. 
    tomwalz | Apr 18, 2008 06:27pm | #17

    We were burned a couple times.   Now they wire the full amount, including bank fees, before we ship.    

     

    Scams

    1. They get it and claim they didn’t.
    2. They protest to the credit card company and we get a charge back. 
    3. They are using a stolen card.
    4. They send an amount much larger than the price, ask us to take shipping out and refund the rest.   We send a good check and their original check is no good.   
    5. They just refuse to pay.

     

    We just did this with an outfit in Mexico.  Told them to wire all of it upfront.  Cost us $20 in bank fees. 

     

    Tom

     

    Also ask your bank about taking credit cards.   You can hand write the slips and phone them in.  We do about 5 grand a month that way. 

1. 
   bob k | Apr 18, 2008 11:20pm | #18

   To all of you: Thanks for some great advice. It seems that my customer might have gone away. If he is a scammer, he probably runs at the sight of any questions. Or maybe he's just taking his time. Either way, I will insist on a wire transfer with my bank involved, and receipt in full before I build anything.In the meantime, I will look into using PayPal and will talk to my bank about how I might accept credit card payments domestically in the future. Best of luck to you all.Bob

1. 
   md2453 | Jul 22, 2008 04:48am | #19

   Bob:

   Run the other direction!  We will not do business with any foreign customer unless they walk into the shop and pay with cash, and then I'm very particular who I'll do business with.

   My experience says that the additional time, expense and trouble simply makes these sales non-productive.  Instead, spend the time communicating with a good past client about the new stuff you're doing and make a sale to someone who will tell their friends about you!

   I've got a client who owns a small manufacturing business and he produces laboratory products for the chemical industry.  He owns patents on a number of his designs and twice in the last 5 years has taken orders from foreign "customers" only to find cheap knock-off reproductions coming out of China being sold by his competitors.  And all this in spite of his owning the patent rights.

   Like I said run the other direction man!

   Madison