French Ebay sellers
Discussion
Just had a French Ebay seller refund a perfectly good debit card payment and I've noticed in his listings that he wants a cheque, bank payment or PayPal 'between relatives'. Obviously the cheeky sod can f
k off.
Looking for an alternative seller I see that a lot of them are requesting payment by cheque. I take it this is common over here. Everyone's on the black, Like it's the 1970s.
Why are the French such skinflints that they don't just accept that it's the 21st century and factor fees and taxes it into their selling prices?
k off. Looking for an alternative seller I see that a lot of them are requesting payment by cheque. I take it this is common over here. Everyone's on the black, Like it's the 1970s.
Why are the French such skinflints that they don't just accept that it's the 21st century and factor fees and taxes it into their selling prices?
Cheque usage in France is a routine, everyday occurrence. Online banking does exist, but it can be really frustrating and does not have general credibility versus cheques.
Don't get me started about PINs and the like. yes you can change your PIN, only problem is once you do, your card will no longer work......
On the other hand I do have a dedicated bank advisor who understands my position and will do almost anything that is legal on the back of a phone call. I pay for my accounts and I get service. Much like things were in the UK rather more than 30 years ago. IT is a generally conservative society (small c). Read the conditions and you'll get on much better!
Don't get me started about PINs and the like. yes you can change your PIN, only problem is once you do, your card will no longer work......
On the other hand I do have a dedicated bank advisor who understands my position and will do almost anything that is legal on the back of a phone call. I pay for my accounts and I get service. Much like things were in the UK rather more than 30 years ago. IT is a generally conservative society (small c). Read the conditions and you'll get on much better!
Terryg4 said:
It’s the same on leboncoin.
It’s just normal in France, never mind 10 years behind it’s 30 years behind.
I must admit that's one of the attractions that I love about being here.It’s just normal in France, never mind 10 years behind it’s 30 years behind.
'Let's do the deal in front of the motor mate'
Spanish chap drove from Madrid to buy my camping car and wanted to do an electronic transfer to pay once he had seen it.
Oh how we laughed!
In the end we had to march him to our bank,there he did the transfer,then the bank chap said it would come through in a few days once all security checks were done!
We let him take the camper but kept his passport until all was well. Brilliant!
Thank you for indulging me in my mini-rant.
Yes, the banks are part of the problem. Still dishing out cheque books and charging the earth for cards. Maybe they need to swap that round. Not least so the lady in front of me in Intermarché pays for her shopping quicker. :-D
Especially post-covid, carrying cash seems like a throwback from the past too. I got used to never carrying anything more than a debit card, phone and keys in London.
Yes, the banks are part of the problem. Still dishing out cheque books and charging the earth for cards. Maybe they need to swap that round. Not least so the lady in front of me in Intermarché pays for her shopping quicker. :-D
Especially post-covid, carrying cash seems like a throwback from the past too. I got used to never carrying anything more than a debit card, phone and keys in London.
Magooagain said:
Spanish chap drove from Madrid to buy my camping car and wanted to do an electronic transfer to pay once he had seen it.
Oh how we laughed!
In the end we had to march him to our bank,there he did the transfer,then the bank chap said it would come through in a few days once all security checks were done!
We let him take the camper but kept his passport until all was well. Brilliant!
Joe, our funniest one was I put the space saver wheel on for our old BMW, we had someone phone and ask if it was available and that they lived in Bordeaux. We said yes, next thing we know was a knock at the door with a person with a BMW on runflats (with one with a puncture) needing a spare wheel!Oh how we laughed!
In the end we had to march him to our bank,there he did the transfer,then the bank chap said it would come through in a few days once all security checks were done!
We let him take the camper but kept his passport until all was well. Brilliant!
All the best for Christmas
Terry
A man got my attention from outside our gate.
"Hello," he said, "we've come about the lute"
"not here" says I, "what name or address are you looking for?"
Calls his daughter, 14ish from the car
"we phoned about the lute" she says. Me: "what address?"
She shows me on her phone, 3 rue des Sapins. This sort of thing happens a lot, the tone is always quite accusing as if we're selling a lute (in this case) but don't want them to have it.
"Ah, rue des Sapins is over there" pointing at the sign (the sapins were chopped down ahortly after the road was named) I said, and, trying to be helpful, "it may be the house on the corner over there, she's a music teacher".
At this point they must have thought I was mad and best avoided. "But that's not number three" I said, are you sure it's a lute? no-one else here would be likely to be selling one" This time they were clearly puzzled at my pronunciation, "loot" she says, "un plafonier" he says. I felt a bit sheepish, " Ah un lustre!".
Fortunately, I didn't try to give them an idea of who would be most likely to be selling a lustre. I know it wouldn't be in the little house behind Bernard's, he didn't have shutters or curtains, and had a bare bulb hanging on a wire for the several years that he was there. "rue des sapins" I said. "Over there".
"Hello," he said, "we've come about the lute"
"not here" says I, "what name or address are you looking for?"
Calls his daughter, 14ish from the car
"we phoned about the lute" she says. Me: "what address?"
She shows me on her phone, 3 rue des Sapins. This sort of thing happens a lot, the tone is always quite accusing as if we're selling a lute (in this case) but don't want them to have it.
"Ah, rue des Sapins is over there" pointing at the sign (the sapins were chopped down ahortly after the road was named) I said, and, trying to be helpful, "it may be the house on the corner over there, she's a music teacher".
At this point they must have thought I was mad and best avoided. "But that's not number three" I said, are you sure it's a lute? no-one else here would be likely to be selling one" This time they were clearly puzzled at my pronunciation, "loot" she says, "un plafonier" he says. I felt a bit sheepish, " Ah un lustre!".
Fortunately, I didn't try to give them an idea of who would be most likely to be selling a lustre. I know it wouldn't be in the little house behind Bernard's, he didn't have shutters or curtains, and had a bare bulb hanging on a wire for the several years that he was there. "rue des sapins" I said. "Over there".
Sebastian Tombs said:
Narcisus said:
Maybe you should have looked at the listing properly before buying !
Thank you, Captain Obvious.Merry Christmas
Terryg4 said:
It’s the same on leboncoin. It’s genuinely difficult to buy something unless you bang on their door with the cash. However if you want the thing you will send the chèque or jump through the hoop.
It’s just normal in France, never mind 10 years behind it’s 30 years behind.
This. If you've not come to terms with France being up to 50 years behind the UK in so many ways then maybe France isn't the place for you. French banks are not the same as UK banks. Most parts of society don't do 'Change' here easily. That's one reason why a lot of us end up going back. It’s just normal in France, never mind 10 years behind it’s 30 years behind.
Oh, and we're in the process of moving back to the UK too.
When I asked our mayor why the new house numbers after all these years? He replied it's because of the forthcoming fibre interweb arriving! So the company know who wants it etc.
Oh says I. Why have you given all my barns seperate numbers then?
Erm because they are on the hamlet plan.
With regard to the outdated banks etc. I suppose it depends on what we all want from a bank really.
Non of thier antiquated nonsense worries me really. Perhaps I'm turning native!
But it's not just the banks,I find the majority of commerce here backwards in comparison to other countries.
Quaint ain't it.
Oh says I. Why have you given all my barns seperate numbers then?
Erm because they are on the hamlet plan.
With regard to the outdated banks etc. I suppose it depends on what we all want from a bank really.
Non of thier antiquated nonsense worries me really. Perhaps I'm turning native!
But it's not just the banks,I find the majority of commerce here backwards in comparison to other countries.
Quaint ain't it.
Pitre said:
This. If you've not come to terms with France being up to 50 years behind the UK in so many ways then maybe France isn't the place for you. French banks are not the same as UK banks. Most parts of society don't do 'Change' here easily. That's one reason why a lot of us end up going back.
Oh, and we're in the process of moving back to the UK too.
Did I say it was a problem? Plenty of problems in the UK to counter a few problems here with banks and paperwork!Oh, and we're in the process of moving back to the UK too.
housen said:
re French banks they close their branches at lunch !
such a backward place
Everything closes for lunch, and not for an hour either, mostly 90mins or two hours! But they do stay open later (mostly).such a backward place
Lunch (and in fact all things 'digestion') is extremely important in France!
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