Sure, it's a bit of a nuisance to not be able to put the word "money order" in your listing. I found that a bit surprising too. Simply don't do that. In the payment types accepted area, just put "contact me for payment instructions" or something like that. People will get it.
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And putting "contact me for payment instructions" in your listing will get your listing bumped off! E-Bay doesn't want "other" forms of payment. That's why they banned checks and money orders. I got away with a few listings that stated that I would accept money orders for items that were picked up. I did get a notice from e-Bay and I argued that their rules ALLOWED money orders on pickups. They left my listings alone, but I later read the rules more carefully and determined that money orders on pickups applied only to certain categories, not model railroading items! On my next listings, I dropped the money order option. Besides, I didn't really want a bunch of strangers dropping by my home! LOL
Another thing I learned by reading the rules carefully is that BUYERS can request to use money orders for payment! I did that just recently with an auction I won from GATCO (EGATCO on e-Bay). Larry (Gatco) HATES PayPal. He has run his e-Bay listings without PayPal for years until e-Bay made it nearly impossible to list items without a PayPal payment option. I have since learned that Larry is closing his business on e-Bay and moving to another site.
E-Bay is making things difficult for us "little" sellers, like me, who sell unwanted or unneeded items for what I call hobby purposes (not running a business). When I have surplus items, I list them on e-Bay, almost always starting out at 99 cents. I'd like them to go to someone who can use them. Many times, if I knew someone who needed something I no longer wanted, I'd GIVE it to them! It's just a HOBBY to me, folks, not a business!!
Eventually I'll start working on my "Dream Layout" and begin using the things I've stockpiled for years in anticipation of that event. When I'm far enough along on it, I'll have determined what items can be considered surplus (track, turnouts, structure kits, rolling stock, locos, whatever). Then I'll list it on e-Bay (if they're still in business or still allowing "little guys" to sell!)
I use e-Bay a lot to determine the "street" value of items I'm interested in. With the big push by e-Bay to encourage large sellers and Buy-It-Now auctions, it isn't difficult to figure out when I can buy something locally for the same price or a few dollars more and not have to wait to get it. Many times, I can find the item of interest locally at a BETTER price than what I see on e-Bay!
Until something else comes along, e-Bay is the "big" game in town when it comes to online auctioning. But it isn't as much fun as it used to be when it was more like a flea market than a big department store!
That's my 2 cents worth, anyway.
Darrell, quiet...for now
