Have you ever passed on a deal because of the "Postal Money Order" requirement?

[natedawg1604]

I've bought a lot of stuff online, I've never even heard of someone asking for a money order. I've almost always used PayPal and haven't had a lot of issues (almost zero).

I feel like a money order is something more appropriate when you buy stuff in-person, maybe for very large amounts, and perhaps 10+ years ago.

Today a lot of people I know use Venmo or Zelle to transfer money back and forth. For a seller, I would think they wouldn't know for certain if a money order is valid until it clears their bank.

Regardless of the method of payment, when I'm buying online I'm more interested in the seller than the product itself; if someone is selling an APX 8000 on Fleabay and it's his first or second item for sale they call that a clue....

 

[Omega-TI]

Or Worse. They wait to hear the total, and then start rummaging through their purse to find the check book. And then rummaging for a pen.

When I used to write checks, I would have everything filled out except the total, and be waiting with checkbook and pen in hand.

My pet peeve is when I get into the shortest line, and the woman ahead of me waits for the cashier to ring everything up then starts sorting through 10,000 coupons and then gets into an argument with the cashier when some of them are not accepted, so then starts rummaging around all the sacks pulling out items because she no longer want them if the coupons are not valid.

 

[CrabbyMilton]

My pet peeve is when I get into the shortest line, and the woman ahead of me waits for the cashier to ring everything up then starts sorting through 10,000 coupons and then gets into an argument with the cashier when some of them are not accepted, so then starts rummaging around all the sacks pulling out items because she no longer want them if the coupons are not valid.

Like the old saying goes...For that there should be tar and feathers. Then if you say something, they come back and say that it's none of your business. Well it is because you lady are holding up me and everyone else in line because you are a rude and inconsiderate bat.

 

[bearcatrp]

Do you folks want some cheese with your whine? You folks whine more than a bunch of old ladies.

 

[CrabbyMilton]

HEHE but I'm not the one holding up the line either.

 

[Omega-TI]

Do you folks want some cheese with your whine? You folks whine more than a bunch of old ladies.

Hey, it's what old men do equality and all. Some like to whine about whiners. (Ahem).

 

[bearcatrp]

Hey, it's what old men do equality and all. Some like to whine about whiners. (Ahem).

I'm in my 60's and don't whine half as much as you guys do.

 

[bearcatrp]

HEHE but I'm not the one holding up the line either.

You probably hold up the line just as much as those old ladies do and don't realize it.

 

[west-pac]

Money Orders hit their peak in the year 2000, according to the USPS. PayPal was formed in 1998. In that time period of the early 2000's I bought and used store-issued money orders for documentation and paying rent, before I had a checking account. I had also used USPS money orders for purchasing radio equipment. The USPS Money Orders had some buyer protections included as well. Once again Money Orders peaked in the early 2000's, and since then I haven't seen any online sellers that only accept Money Orders, so I'm curious how this discussion is relevant in 2022.

 

[Omega-TI]

Once again Money Orders peaked in the early 2000's, and since then I haven't seen any online sellers that only accept Money Orders, so I'm curious how this discussion is relevant in 2022.

I was recently (as in this month) made aware of an apparently nice radio that I'd love to have, where a MO was the only option being offered at the time, I believe a personal cheque was added later. It's nothing personal against the seller, but these days with so many scammers and cheats out there, people are always on-guard, and employ personal protective measures when they can. No one wants to risk being out a large sum of money doing business with someone they really don't know. Again it's nothing personal, and I hope the party realizes that.

 

[bearcatrp]

It sucks getting burned. I always give the interested party my cell number plus references if they want with folks I have done business with using the MO's. Everyone has there own way of doing business though.

 

[buddrousa]

I have bought from 3 in the last 12 months off of the RR CLASSIFIEDS that only took money orders
I have bought several things from a moderator here with money orders

 

[cfsimmont]

Back in the 90's when I started this hobby I used money orders to pay for many scanners on Ebay. With electronic payments there is no longer a need. If I see something on Ebay or the RR Classifieds that I want and a MO is the only method of payment I simply pass. I have never had an issue getting burned using Paypal, however I have using a money order. On a side note thanks to all of the thieves out there "porch pirates" I have a Post Office box that I can have all of my deliveries sent to. Used to be that you couldn't receive UPS or Fedex packages to a PO Box, but that is not the case anymore. The PO has taken a page from the Mailbox stores and now you can use the Post Offices physical address and use your PO Box # as a suite #. The Post Office will hold the package until your ready to come pick it up, and no more worrying about getting home before somebody notices you got a delivery at your door.

 

[Fast1eddie]

Oh jeez, just do the postal money order and be done with it.

 

[CrabbyMilton]

You probably hold up the line just as much as those old ladies do and don't realize it.

I pay with cash if at all possible so I count the bills in my hand as the clerk is scanning the items. I have no tolerance for people who want to poddle because they want to feel self important by being inconsiderate jerks. I don’t want to hold up the line plus I want to get out of there anyway.

 

[GB46]

I pay with cash if at all possible so I count the bills in my hand as the clerk is scanning the items. I have no tolerance for people who want to poddle because they want to feel self important by being inconsiderate jerks. I don’t want to hold up the line plus I want to get out of there anyway.

I used to pay for groceries by cash, but now I only shop every two weeks instead of every couple of days, and use my debit card to avoid carrying a lot of cash with me. When the pandemic started, many stores were reluctant to handle cash. Our finance minister pleaded with the stores to accept cash, because too much of it was going out of circulation.

Which reminds me: Do travellers cheques even exist anymore, or did they get phased out due to the widespread use of debit cards?

As for shoppers who hold up the line, it gives me a chance to see what kinds of food people buy. I've often seen entire conveyor belts loaded with junk food. What's really comical is all the fattening stuff that they think they can compensate for by drinking diet coke.

BTW, as a 75-year-old, I kind of resent the suggestion that all old people are whiners. That's not the case, but if we do have a legitimate complaint, perhaps it should be taken seriously.

Like a professor of mine was fond of saying, "He who generalizes lies, generally."

 

[GB46]

The PO has taken a page from the Mailbox stores and now you can use the Post Offices physical address and use your PO Box # as a suite #. The Post Office will hold the package until your ready to come pick it up, and no more worrying about getting home before somebody notices you got a delivery at your door.

When I order something online from a Canadian firm, I always choose Canada Post for delivery. They've recently started putting parcel lockers in apartment building lobbies. It's a smart move, because that way they can deliver the parcel even if the recipient isn't home. They leave the key to one of the compartments in his/her mailbox. Before they started doing that, the postal employee would leave the parcel outside my apartment door, knock to alert me, and would already be way down the hall when I opened the door. This not only maintained physical distancing, but also sped things up considerably.

 

[N4DJC]

With PayPal reporting $600 in transactions on a 1099K, going through the process to prove to the IRS I didn’t make a profit on a personal radio I sold is crazy.

 

[buddrousa]

Well you do have to admit there are a bunch of home run businesses on ebay that make good money and if the truth was known pay no taxes.

 

[N4DJC]

Well you do have to admit there are a bunch of home run businesses on ebay that make good money and if the truth was known pay no taxes.

That’s their target, but $600 in total transactions in a year is a little extreme.