Sellers adding for PayPal use is plainly BS

Paypal charges the fees to the seller, as it is the seller who ultimately benefits from the fast and easy payment. If the seller had their own credit card services, the costs would be more. As the previous poster suggested, how would you feel if, while doing business with a retail store, they charged you extra for the priviledge of using your credit or debit card? While these retailers are paying a fee to have these services available to them, they are absorbing the costs themselves. There are other online payment services that charge the buyer. Bidpay charges the buyer for their payment service. Perhaps the buyer who chooses this service should take that fee out of the sellers payment? After all, its not the buyer's fault that the fee is charged, and the seller wants his money. So, the bottom line is that, both the buyer and seller can nickel and dime each other to death. That undermines the goal of the seller, which is to get paid for the item, and for the buyer, who wants the equipment. What you are paying for is supreme convenience. Its honorable to absorb the loss yourself, and miserly to charge it someone else. It all depends on how you want to treat your customers, and what kind of image you want to project for yourself.

I read not that long ago about similar charges being passed on to consumers from retailers using credit cards. If I remember correctly this is illegal? If I'm mistaken surely somebody will supply the correct information.

Anyway, I think the point Eldragon is trying to make is why does the buyer have to pay the fees that are the responsibility of the seller? Bow makes good counterpoints so I guess it just depends on how badly do you want the item up for sale?

I always make the buyer pay the fees and I always expect to pay them when I am the buyer. As the seller, I don't care how you pay me but, I won't release anything until I am paid in full. If you are buying from me and want speedy service then it is your wish and you will pay the paypal fees. It costs the buyer to get a money order and postage to mail the money order, so it makes perfect sense for the buyer to pay the fees.

I put add 3% for paypal but I do it to offer the lowest price possible to the buyer. You are right I could just add it into the price but I look at as why should the buyer pay the extra 3% if he is paying by another method.

I know when I sell something I want X amount for it. From there I try to lower shipping costs and fees as much as possible to get the buyer the lowest price possible. From there the buyer can decide on paypal or 2 day air or whatever they want.

Who pays the fee, buyer or seller, is not a matter of right or wrong. Its simply a matter of negoitation between the parties. If the seller stakes out a position requiring the fee on top of the price the seller runs the risk of either scaring away potential buyers or buyers offering less. A buyer who refuses to pay the fee runs the risk of not getting the item in which they're interested. You negotiate throughout life. Audigon is no different. The comment about the rule in CA simply tells me whoever pushed that through the CA legislature is extremely naieve. The government shouldn't interfere in such matters.