I have bought multiple items including a Challenger - I always send a check and when it clears, they send the item. No problem to date but I make sure the seller has been around awhile.
Hi Walt,
If you don't plan on starting to sell a lot of stuff, I can't really see the point in messing around with more bank accounts, PayPal accounts, etc., etc., ad nausea, choke, barf, puke, etc. I sure wouldn't waste my time with all that extra work, as little as I sell/buy.
As far as I'm concerned, you have every right to wait until you KNOW the money is good before you ship. You can tell the buyer that up front, and don't worry the least about it. If the buyer doesn't like that, then tell them to stuff it and go find it somewhere else. Too many con-artists in the world to worry about hurting their felonious little feelings.
Do NOT ship until the check or Postal money order is cashed and/or guaranteed safe in your account or pocket. As soon as you're satisfied (and not one second before), then go ahead and ship the item as soon as possible. Send your buyer an e-mail upon sending it, letting them know the item has been shipped, the carrier (Fed-Ex, UPS, Post Office, carrier pigeon, etc. etc.), and give them the tracking number, which you should get from the carrier. They should be thankful, and you will have a clear conscience knowing that you did the best you could possibly do. I think your buyer will be more than happy once they receive the merchandise. 
Extra work? It takes all of five minutes to set up a PayPal account.
Don't forget that the seller gets none of your information, so the transaction is safer with Paypal. I just don't get the people that think they deserve to have it both ways and won't accept it with fees. All the money spent on trains, and added financial security isn't worth 3%.
PayPal or Venmo works for me but I do prefer PayPal as they are very helpful should an issue arise. Instant Payment directly to you PayPal Account - Lots of options
I have been buying and selling on the forum for many years and feel right here is a good place to sell. I accept USPS money orders and personal checks (but no other type of bank check or money order). I like USPS money orders because I can cash MO and ship at same place. Even at a small PO like the one in my town, if you wait till the later part of the day, they usually have funds to cover most amounts. Only twice in the last 12 years were they not able to cash MO.
I also wait for the personal checks to clear the bank unless it is someone I am familiar with.
I do also have Paypal but find about 50 percent of my sales and purchases are done using USPS money order or personal check.
Good luck with your sales,
Don
When you pay by check you are handing over your routing number, big mistake. Most fraud is still perpetuated through the use of paper.
When you pay with a money order you have no recourse if the seller decides not to ship. When you use PayPal there are checks and balances. If you do not receive the goods as described, PayPal will step in and arbitrate, usually in defense of the buyer. Of course this requires paying the 3%, cheap insurance. I have never understood the use of friends and family because this negates your protection. By the way I think it takes less than 5 minutes to open up a PayPal account.
@Keith k posted:When you pay by check you are handing over your routing number, big mistake. Most fraud is still perpetuated through the use of paper.
Your account number is also on that check! This is why no one uses checks any more. Times have changed.
Every bill in our household (rent, electricity, gas, water, internet, cable, and a few others) is automatically paid each month, on line. No checks to write. No stamps to lick. No visits to the post office. No hassle. They just get paid...automatically. It probably took me a total of 20 minutes to set all that up.
As for setting up a new and separate bank account for selling things, that's another five minutes after the five minutes it takes to set up your new PayPal account. Ten minutes and you're done.
You folks who insist on doing things the old-fashioned way (going to the post office to cash a money order, for example) are just making extra work for yourselves! And this is not some young buck telling you this. I'm seventy-three years old!
I sell non-train things once in a while on Ebay. When a sale is completed, Ebay sets up the shipping label so I can print it, and one click puts the money in my PayPal account. One more click and it's in the bank. 30 seconds at best. Done.
@Keith k posted:
When you pay with a money order you have no recourse if the seller decides not to ship.
Really? The US government backs a USPS money order and most people prefer not to get on the wrong side of a potential mail fraud issue.
However, with any other type of money order, I would agree with your comment.
And for me, trying to work with Paypal when there is an issue is worst than dealing with the DMV.
Happy railroading,
Don
The past 3 months I've moved 19k of Modern Marx. 50/50 PayPal and checks. Checks have been from people I know, so I did not wait for them to clear. No issues either method.
Steve
Sounds like many of you are scared of your own shadow. I still write checks. Everything I’ve sold on the forum was done by trust. We all know each other from the forum. I always check the profile to see how long someone I don’t recognize has been a member. If I recognize them I’ll ship before I receive their money order or check. Please don’t call me foolish. I like to think the forum members are trustworthy
I pay for everything with Traveler's Checks. Remember them? 
During these 'self-isolation', 'stay home' and particularly (unfortunately) 'social distancing' times, and because there could be a 2nd wave of COVID-19, shouldn't unnecessary interaction with others be avoided? Thus, PayPal wins out on this count.
Take care everyone - we're in unchartered waters.
WOW, I expected maybe 5 responses tops. Your responses are MUCH appreciated.
Here's the main thing to me: as was mentioned "if you don't plan on selling anything else, don't use PAYPAL". This I'm 99.9% sure this will be the only thing that I try to sell (no, I'm not selling my Blue Comet ). That's why I never considered PayPal in the 1st place.
Whether it's easy or not doesn't matter. I don't want to set it up for ONE transaction and then delete it. Doesn't seem to make sense to me.
I still write an occassional check: real estate taxes, county taxes, and some other things even though all of my utilities are auto-pay.
I especially appreciate the responses given that make it clear that waiting for a check to clear is perfectly acceptable - And as advised, I will make sure to mention that in my sell post - which I will do on this forum's Buy/Sell forum. I hope it will matter to prospective buyers that I am one of the original Forum members from way back and many here in a sense 'know' me. I think that sets people's mind at ease.
thank you all. I will list it today.
- walt
Rich, Don't say that no one uses checks anymore, that is not true. I pay everything by check and Paypal.
We pay most of our bills from our bank website, but there are plenty of places still that don't accept it,some businesses don't for example, and more than a few things like the sewer and water authorities in my area don't.
