How to Avoid PayPal on eBay

1. Log on to your eBay account and select an item you want to bid on. Scroll down to the bottom of the auction listing, where different payment methods are listed. Although PayPal is typically listed as the preferred method of payment, most (if not all) users accept certified check.
2. If you win the auction or select to pay the purchase asking price, email the seller and state that you are sending a certified check.
3. Go to your local bank or credit union and ask for a certified check. There is typically a processing fee of a few dollars for this check. The check is printed from money in your account and you are given a receipt for the check. However, unlike checks you write from a checking account, the money is already withdrawn from your account, so losing the check means you are out the value of the check (printing another one forces you to withdraw additional funds from your account).
4. Mail the certified check to the seller. You may want to send it certified mail, forcing the recipient to sign upon receipt. This gives you a paper trail and knowledge of the individual receiving your payment.
5. Wait for the seller to receive your check payment. The seller will mail your product after receiving your check.

How to Pay a PayPal Invoice

1. Open your computer's Internet browser and log in to your email account.
2. Open the email message that contains the PayPal invoice you wish to pay.
3. Click on the 'Pay Now' button located on the bottom of the invoice. Your Internet browser will then open a secure web page that contains the same invoice information, within the PayPal website.
4. Confirm the information contained in the invoice is correct and click on the 'Continue' button.
5. Choose your preferred payment method from the options listed on the web page and enter the pertinent information with regard to your debit/credit card or PayPal account. Follow the directions on the web page to submit your payment and check your email for a receipt confirmation of your order.

How to Add a Debit Card to PayPal

1. Launch your internet browser and navigate to the PayPal homepage. Locate the login panel on the left side of the web page. Enter your PayPal email address and your account password. Click the “Log In” button to access your PayPal account.
2. Click the “Profile” link in the “My Account” menu bar. Locate the “Financial Information” menu on the Profile screen and click the “Credit/Debit Cards” link. The Credit and Debit Cards screen will load and will display any credit or debit cards you have already added to your PayPal account.
3. Click the “Add a Card” button. Enter your name exactly as it is printed on your debit card. Select the type of card from the drop-down menu.
4. Enter the card number, expiration date and the verification number printed on the back of your card. Select the billing address for the card and then click the “Add Card” button to add the card to your PayPal account.
5. Return to the Financial Information screen in your profile and click “Credit/Debit Cards” to enter the card management screen. Click “Link and Confirm My Card.” Click the “Save and Continue” button to process the request. PayPal will post a $1.95 charge to your debit card, which it will credit to your PayPal account within 30 days.
6. Locate the four-digit code that is listed with the charge on your card statement. Log into your PayPal account and navigate to the Financial Information screen. Click “Link and Confirm My Card” and enter the code provided with the transaction when it posted. Click the “Submit” button to activate the card on your PayPal account.

How to Get PayPal Service

1. Go to the PayPal official website. PayPal will direct you to a new page with sign-up information.
2. Select the country where you live and the language you speak from the two drop-down boxes at the top of the page.
3. Click on the 'Get Started' yellow button, which is located under the 'Personal' section. If you are operating a small online business, you might want to consider upgrading to a 'Premier' or 'Business' account. Those upgrades are not free.
4. Enter your personal information into the boxes provided on the next page. You'll need to fill in your name, address, phone number and password.
5. Read the PayPal User Agreement by clicking on the blue 'User Agreement' link. Then, click the yellow button labeled 'Agree and Create Account.'

How to Tell Who Buys Something From You in PayPal

1. Open the email account associated with your PayPal account.
2. Look for an email with 'PayPal' in the 'Sender' or 'From column' of your email client. The subject of the email will be 'You have received an authorized payment from...' This subject line may be shortened by your email application.
3. Open the email. The full title of the email will display the payee's name in the 'authorized payment from...' line.
4. Review the email, which will have the buyer's full name in the body of the text. Check the bottom left corner of the email (formatting may vary from one email client to another) for the buyer's name and mailing address.

How to Declare PayPal Income

1. Log in to your PayPal account. Click on the 'History' tab. Click on the 'Payments Received' link to filter your accounts. Change the dates displayed to show the calendar year for which you are paying taxes. Click the 'Print' button to get a hard copy for your records. If you don't have a printer, you can just record the transactions for later viewing.
2. Declare any income that you received through PayPal. If you normally report your income using a W2 form, report the income you received through PayPal there. PayPal functions as a bank account for tax purposes. Even if you transferred funds from your PayPal account to a bank account after the year ended, the funds are considered income on the date they arrived in your account. When declaring received payments as income, the fee that PayPal takes out of transactions can be subtracted from the amount.
3. Declare the PayPal income you received for the year on the IRS's form 1040 if you are self-employed, instead of using a W2.
4. Double-check to ensure that the PayPal income you reported is accurate. You don't need to report income that you transferred from your PayPal account to a bank account twice if you accurately report the PayPal income.

How to Receive Payment Via PayPal for Online Sales

1. Create a PayPal account by clicking the 'Sign Up' link on the top of the PayPal page (see Resources). Select a Premier or Business account and click the associated 'Get Started' button to follow the prompts and complete your registration. Note that the email address you sign up with is the one that you use to log in to PayPal and the one you give out to receive PayPal payments, unless you change this on the Profile Summary page.
2. Add your selling preferences, such as sales tax and shipping costs, by clicking the 'Profile' link under the 'My Account' menu. Click the desired links under the 'Selling Preferences' column to follow the prompts and enter the information.
3. Click the 'Request Money' tab on the PayPal menu to create a money request that you email to your customer. Enter the buyer's valid email address, a purchase amount and click the radio button next to the 'Goods,' 'Auction goods (non-eBay)' or 'Services' choice. Click the 'Continue' button to send the money request. The customer receives a secure login page that allows her to pay the fee and then PayPal notifies you via email that you have received this payment.
4. Create an invoice to send your customer a more formal-looking document that contains your business information. Enter the purchaser's email address, include a note (optional) and enter the details, including quantity and description, in the text fields provided. PayPal also allows you to specify a sales tax rate and shipping fee for the transaction. Click the 'Continue' button when finished to send your invoice. Your customer then receives an email with a secure link that takes her to the customized invoice page where she completes the transaction. If the buyer is not a PayPal user, she can still use the invoice to make a payment on this page. A notification is emailed to you after payment is received.
5. Click the 'Merchant Services' tab on the PayPal menu to add 'Buy Now' or 'Add to Cart' buttons on your website. Generally, if you are selling one item, such as a spa package, you will use the 'Buy Now' button; otherwise, use the 'Add to Cart' button to offer multiple products. Fill in the required information to create your button(s) including item name and price. Additionally, you can specify whether the button should have special features, like a drop-down menu, and you can save the button to reuse it again. Click 'Create Button' when finished to get the HTML code needed to insert the button into your website and watch for emails to notify you that a payment is received.
6. Enter your PayPal email address (the one you used to sign up with) where appropriate to receive payments on seller sites like eBay and Etsy. PayPal applies your instruction, such as sales tax, that you entered for your account (Step 2) to process the transaction. An email notification from both the seller site and PayPal is sent after a payment is made.