Ebay / Selling Items Online - Is there a downside to the Paypal Invoice alternative?

[key 2 life]

I know alot of you guys sell items online. I've recently started selling on ebay alot more and I get alot of messages asking if I'd want to go the paypal invoice route.

I know the upside is that i could save on ebay fees depending on the offer. But what are downsides to it from a sellers perspective?

Offers I've been getting make sense at face value, but I want to make sure i dont open the door for any funny business.

 

[blastercombo]

PayPal = too easy to scam.

 

[stuntman mike]

rampant chargebacks. you'll win those cases if you follow the right steps but it's a headache. currently opted to sell something locally for much less rather than deal with the crap that can come with an ebay/paypal sale.

 

[you go boy]

i have got scammed on paypal just 1 time out of 1000 transactions as a seller and that was either because the seller did a chargeback for no reason or the item just got lost through usps.... with that being said all you have to do to prevent getting scammed is either save your receipt for the shipping the items to the buyer or do signature confirmation or insure your package and your pretty much straight...

 

[scarsorscabs]

rampant chargebacks. you'll win those cases if you follow the right steps but it's a headache. currently opted to sell something locally for much less rather than deal with the crap that can come with an ebay/paypal sale.

What are the proper steps to follow from the seller or buyer's side?

eBay's fees alone are ridiculous and the fact that they've monopolized the market with Paypal and the additional fees through that service is a killer.  Considering how little actual protection it actual provides for the seller it just sems unfair but if everything didn't favor the buyer I feel like the costs would be more justifiable.  It'd be great if a similar auction site came along, competition is necessary but eBay is such a giant.