I receive quite a few echeques and my buyers become very confused when they have not received their purchases after a couple of days. I don't think things are explained enough so I thought I would write a little guide informing people of what Echeques are and how they work

What is an Echeque?

An Echeque is basically a cheque that is sent electronically over the internet, such as into a paypal account. The consumer purchases an item and then makes payment through Paypal, instead of making paying on a credit or debit card or from there paypal funds it gets sent directly from their bank account. An Echeque takes between 7 to 10 days to clear and this is the reason Sellers do not send the consumers purchases instantly. An Echeque works in the exact way a normal cheque does, so if the consumer does not have the funds in their bank account, the cheque will bounce

Why Use Echeques?

Echeques can be handy for consumers who do not have a credit card or debit card, they are very secure and you cannot get into debt. You must have the funds in your bank account for an Echeque to clear. However, you cannot send Echeques from all countries, If you live in the UK or the US then you should not have a problem

How do I pay by Echeque?

  Log into your paypal account and click Send Funds, enter the required information and then click continue, then click change under the payment method and click on echeque, continue then send

Do all ebay sellers accept ECheques?

Any ebay seller who uses a paypal account must accept echeques under eBay's and paypal terms and conditions.

Is it worth it?

Echeques are more secure than sending personal cheques, however, as a payment method they are still very slow to clear. This means that the consumer has to wait until the funds have cleared before they will receive their purchases. Sellers are warned by paypal when they receive an echeque, not to send any items until the funds are cleared. I have had many echeques bounce and this is the exact reason that paypal send this warning out.

In my experience, echeques are very handy for people who have limited access to banking facilities and credit cards, as they can still make payments without costly charges for postal orders or bankers drafts. However, the waiting time for the consumer can be annoying, and its very easy to forget about the payment, therefore if the funds are not held in the bank account, the cheque will bounce.

I don't mind accepting echeques as they do not make any difference to me, but I thought I would try and solve a little confusion to some of the buyers and sellers who do not understand how the process works

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