Does buyer know sellers real name and address?

[kareeba]

I am still hesitant to sell on ebay because I am worried about too much privacy being given out.  If I sell something is the buyer told my real name and address in anyway via ebay or paypal? I don't care if ebay and Paypal know all the info about me, as they would need to in case of a dispute from the buyer of some sort. I want to start selling and get rid of some stuff but have a bad feeling if complete strangers I am dealing with are going  to know my name and right where I live.  Is that information protected in any way?

[kobe0007]

First, I wouldn't be as paranoid as you are trying to make this.  eBay is not Craigslist.  You are not going to deal with the person in person.  You are dealing with them through a computer and shipping.  Most of the time you are seperated by hundreds of miles from a buyer.

If you are still worried, this should reassure you.  An ebay buyer does not know your name or address at all.  On ebay they know you as an username.  When a buyer send payment, the payment comes back with a receipt that just has your username again.

The only time your name and address are exposed is in shiping that package because you have to have a return address, especially if you add delivery confirmation (which I would recommend).

[surplusdealdude]

I agree with kobe on this - there's really no danger.  In almost 4 years on discussion boards for ebay and paypal, I've only heard of 3 cases where someone obsessed on a seller ( and the police are good at dealing with that).

If it really bothers you, though, rent a post office box for the duration and put that information in as your Primary shipping address in your preferences on ebay here;

http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBay&CurrentPage=MyeBayAddresses&ssPageName=STRK:ME:LNLK

Then the buyer just gets the PO Box.

You can also buy one of those disposable phones and use that for a phone number if you wish.