Paying Seller in Russia

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kootenay joe
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Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

I just 'committed' to buy a knife on ebay from a person in Ukraine. Thought i could use PP but this is not an option. Seller says to use Western Union, MoneyGram or Swift.
Does anyone here have experience with any of these payment services ?
Seller is legit. Good FB on his knives.
kj
ea42
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by ea42 »

Roland I've used Western Union twice with no problems. The only caveat is the honesty of the seller, but you seem to have that question resolved.

Eric
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big monk
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by big monk »

If the seller won't take pay-pal -- buy another knife and let him keep that one -- just to EZ to loose your money on that deal -- good luck ::tu::
I'm not young enough,____to know everything !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Gunsil
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by Gunsil »

Roland, I know paypal won't send money to Ukraine and I purchased a special stainless steel beach scoop from a fellow in Ukraine who makes some of the best. I paid him through Western Union as he had requested and the deal went flawlessly. Took a while for it to get here but it did.
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

I would never even consider buying a knife from someone in the Ukraine. There's a lot of great stuff closer to home than that.
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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bestgear
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by bestgear »

Gunsil wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 10:07 pm Roland, I know paypal won't send money to Ukraine and I purchased a special stainless steel beach scoop from a fellow in Ukraine who makes some of the best. I paid him through Western Union as he had requested and the deal went flawlessly. Took a while for it to get here but it did.
Gene - could you kindly post a pic of the beach scoop? I’m in the market for a new one. Thanks, Tom
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deo-pa
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by deo-pa »

There’s a lot of great stuff closer to home than that.
Knowing the quality of knives Roland collects, I can’t wait to see the knife that prompted him to make a purchase 5,000 miles away. I bet it’s not one he could have found close to home.

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richard
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by richard »

i would not buy, unless they accept paypal.
is there a pic of the said knife?
just curious.
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Knife is a puukko. I will show it here when i get it, which i guess will be in about 3 weeks time(with luck).
I tried to pay with "MoneyGram", spent hours trying to get it to work. Terrible website and no agent for 'chat box' or phone help. This company wants all sorts of info like "Recipient Tax ID" and claimed the city in Ukraine does not exist, etc. Also they will only pay seller in Ukraine currency, not Euros. Eventually after getting extremely frustrated, i gave up. The only good thing about MoneyGram is the cost which is only $5.
Then i tried Western Union but their fee is $20 or $25 which is exorbitant, so i backed off.
Then i tried "Ria" which i had never heard of but registration and payment to seller's bank account in Vyshhorod, Ukraine was straight forward and i was able to pay in Euros.
Now i am waiting to hear from seller that he has received the money.
I have bought custom knives from Bulgaria and was able to use PP. What is different about Ukraine, other than Vlad Putin does not like them ?
There are many highly skilled, artistic knife makers active in what used to be called "Eastern Europe", countries that were under control of USSR. These countries are having a Renaissance of craftsmanship.
kj
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richard
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by richard »

here in australia all overseas flights, have been stopped for 2 months at least.i dont know about the ukraine.
but i would . not buy any thing shipped bye air. worldwide.
cancel if you can joe, just saying
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by Gunsil »

Hi Tom, here's my beach scoop. It is a Stavro Evroexcavator V.2 . I got it from Ruslan Stavros, he designed and made a lot of fine scoops and still does, although many are copied today in Ukraine and the USA. Ruslan's are still regarded as some of the best made. Many of the knock-offs are not made from as thick steel. You can google him for more info, he does have a brochure, at least you can see them online. He is also on Treasure Net forum. Gotta click on the photo to make it upright for some reason. Naturally they don't come with a handle, I got a hollow fiberglass post hole digger handle and fit it to the scoop.
IMG_0360.jpg
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

I am not worried about honesty of a seller in Ukraine or possible shipping delays. My concern & challenge involved trying to make a payment without using PayPal.
There are a number of companies that are in the money transfer business. The first one i tried "MoneyGram", required info that the others did not, such as "IBAN" ?? a number of about 30 digits, as well as "Receiver's Tax ID" which seller did not provide.
RIA on the other hand required no IBAN or Tax ID, just name and address of recipient and bank location and account number.
At this point it seems to have worked but i am awaiting confirmation from the seller.
What i could not find was a review of the various businesses doing international money transfer. It would be enlightening to know where these businesses are located, along with the possible pitfalls in using them.
kj
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Update: RIA cancelled my money transfer. Even though Ukraine is an option when entering location, RIA will not transfer money to anyone in Ukraine.
The only enemy Ukraine has is Vlad Putin and somehow the money transfer businesses have been told to blacklist Ukraine.
Looks like Western Union MIGHT transfer funds to Ukraine but fee is 25% of what i am transferring.
kj
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by tongueriver »

Roland, I am thinking that there is a 98% chance that I 'bought' the very same puukko that you are talking about. Very nice knife. When I discovered to my amazement that I couldn't pay by paypal (first time in well over a thousand ebay transactions) I had conversations with the seller and he listed me as a non-paying buyer on ebay, which became a bit nasty for awhile. Only time in all these years. I was not willing to step through those unfamiliar hoops as I did not trust any of it. Meanwhile, PM me a pic of the knife, Roland; I might buy it from you!
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Here is the knife.
kj
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tongueriver
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by tongueriver »

That's a good one. ::tu::
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

I am still having trouble trying to pay RIA will not send to Ukraine.
I have registered with Western Union but the place for amount shows $500 and it does not allow me to change the amount. I called their help line: on hold x 1 hr so i hung up. Tried their on line 'chat box', no agent ever came to chat.
Anyone here know how to get correct amount entered on Western Union web page ?
kj
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by Railsplitter »

As much trouble as you're going through to try to pay this guy, he should send you the knife for free out of sheer gratitude.
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by Gunsil »

Roland, when I sent my WU payment to Ukraine I went to a WU agent to do it and they basically filled out the paperwork. They used to have WU agents in supermarkets and pharmacies down here, maybe see if there is an actual agent near you.

I just googled "western union agent in british columbia" and there are over fifty of them. I don't know if any are really close to you but you can easily check.
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Thanks Gunsil. I am shocked. There is a Western Union 'station' in the local Walmart, Nelson, B.C. I had no idea even though i have been in this Walmart many times.
However i am sending him $100 USD in an envelope and mailing it to him. I like livin on the edge ::woot::
Here is this guy's website in Ukraine. He has a few good older puukkos fairly priced: puukko.ltd.ua
kj
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espn77
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by espn77 »

That's a cool knife kj ::tu::
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tongueriver
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by tongueriver »

I call Roland KKKJ (Kool Knife KJ).
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Thank you. This knife was made by Kuusta Lammi who died around 2000 in his nineties. His father and then he were the most revered 'Smiths' in all Finland. "Smith" is how Finnish people speak of a knife maker. Not quite a 'Scagel' but quite special to a puukkophile.
There are quite a few older Finnish knives in parts of Russia, Estonia, Ukraine and likely other nearby countries. Western Europe got their knives mostly from Germany.
kj
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by Gunsil »

Roland, good luck sending cash! You are aware that postal services have cash sniffing dogs aren't you? I hope the seller has no problem cashing a large US note in Ukraine. Dang cool little knife, I must say!!
kootenay joe
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Re: Paying Seller in Russia

Post by kootenay joe »

Really ? Dogs sniffing for cash ! I am glad I read this now as I am about to seal the envelope and mail it. Now I will smear peanut butter on the 2 $50 bills.
But on second thought, dogs like peanut butter, so probably not the best solution. I will wrap the bills with saran wrap ++ and hope this blocks smell, plus I might spray some cologne on the envelope.
Thank you Gunsil.
I will post back here in abut a month's time as to whether or not this fellow received the money.
kj
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