Need help understanding this message from buyer

[pnc75]

Hi all. 4 days ago on another Id I accepted an offer & sold an item. It is unpaid & I was preparing to open an upaid item case. However, this morning I received this message from the buyer:

'I will buy a $50 eBay gift card tomorrow or Sunday to pay off this item.'

I have no idea what this means? And I'm unsure how to respond politely to the message. 

I would really appreciate any help to understand it - I hope he doesn't want to send me an ebay gift card as I certainly don't want one- and if he can afford the $50 why doesn't he just pay me the $27 that he owes me? 

(BTW,sorry if these are silly questions, but I've never come across anything like this before.)

TIA

[lyndal1838]

It is pretty obvious to me....he is going to buy an ebay gift card over the weekend and use it to pay you.

Why is anyone's guess, but there is no need to panic.

[curraone]

I think I would do nothing as yet.    I would not reply either.    You have nothing to lose by waiting until Monday, maybe he will sort it out by then.

[pnc75]

Thanks Lyndal.  I was hoping that's what it meant, but it seems a very convoluted way to go around things. 

Just out of curiosity, how does he use it to pay? Through paypal? Direct to ebay? (Again, sorry if these are silly questions).

[pnc75]

Thanks curra, yes I thought I'd do something like that, but just want to make sure he's above board. Cheers.

[twyngwyn]

https://www.ebay.com.au/help/buying/paying-items/ebay-gift-cards?id=4640&st=12&pos=2&query=eBay%20gi...

[oz-e-seller]

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@pnc75 wrote:

Thanks Lyndal.  I was hoping that's what it meant, but it seems a very convoluted way to go around things. 

Just out of curiosity, how does he use it to pay? Through paypal? Direct to ebay? (Again, sorry if these are silly questions).

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When you go to Checkout there is a line to enter code for gift card or coupon, you type the code from the gift card in that space and it applies the balance (or up to the balance if purchase is higher) to the amount owing. Some people don't have paypal accounts and don't feel comfortable typing their credit card info into websites so gift cards work for them.

[pnc75]

Ahh yes, I understand. Many thanks. 

[kopenhagen5]

Maybe he doesn't have PayPal and thinks this is the only way for him to pay.

[pnc75]

Buyer has paid. Thank you all for helping through this minor panic. It's a case of,'You learn something new everyday'.