Bidpay

[Blighty]

Someone has just made a payment to me using Bidpay even though I don't offer that as an option. Will I get charged for cashing this into my bank account? The Bidpay website isn't very clear on this. As far as I can work out I might get charged. Or I might not. Anyone who has had any experience in this I'd appreciate any info? Cheers.

[djr]

I've had several auctions paid for by bidpay (from UK & European buyers), and never incurred a fee to cash them. From what I recall, the buyer pays a flat fee based on the amount they're requesting. The only odd thing I saw on their website was something about a UK Pound Sterling fee, whatever that nonsense is.....

[Blighty]

Cheers chaps. I'm being paid in dollars. Does that matter? I wasn't given the option but as djr mentioned it does state on the bidpay website that it's $5 to be paid in pounds.

The thing that concerns me is that the Bidpay website calls them 'money orders' and when I looked into getting US money orders cashed at my bank (Lloyds TSB) I was told I would be charged to cash it and it would take some time to do so as they use a third party to do this.

Nice CDs btw guys. I listened to both of yours yesterday.

[djr]

Sounds like you're gonna get stuck with some sort of fee somewhere, either your bank to cash a MO on USD or Bidpay. Not sure I understand why the bidpay fee falls on the seller. Shouldn't that $5 fee be paid by the buyer of the money order? Some of these fees from bidpay, paypal, etc., are just ridiculous. They just nickel and dime you to death.

[Blighty]

The buyer pays $5 to use Bidpay for every purchase and then the seller has to front up the cash to convert in pounds. It's all highly confusing. I only used Bidpay once a few years back to buy some records and vowed never to use it again. Maybe this will work out okay and I can offer it as an extra payment option. Appreciate the help once more though. Now if you can just tell me where I can find a decent selection of crisps/kettle chips in Poole everything will be fine. Damn greedy bastards round here have left me with no choice at all.

[theeman]

The thing that concerns me is that the Bidpay website calls them 'money orders' and when I looked into getting US money orders cashed at my bank (Lloyds TSB) I was told I would be charged to cash it and it would take some time to do so as they use a third party to do this.

this is what happened with my bank. apparently it was going to cost 12 quid to accept a single money order of any value and could take 8 weeks to cash. i'd insist on cash in registered airmail instead.

you're right, they're not cheques - they're Western Union money orders. you might be able to cash them through a Western Union outlet in the UK?

[Blighty]

I guess I just have to wait and see what happens. It's on it's way so it's seems the best thing to do. I just wish people would read the payment info before they bid. Or read the info on the invoice. Or just ask. Ah well! Merry Xmas to all.

[A de Vere]

www.auctionpix.co.uk offer a conversion service for USD cheques and money orders (including those sent through bidpay). Once registered with auctionpix you send them the cheques/MOs and they return you a GBP cheque or they can pay the money in GBP directly into your bank a/c if preferred. The rate of exchange is not fantastically generous but it's vastly preferable to a 12.00 GBP bank charge.