William LipovskyThough credit card payments are most common online, several web-based retailers accept checks as a form of payment. Usually, you’ll have to mail in your personal check, but some sites let you pay with an electronic check (eCheck). Alternatively, you can use PayPal to pay with your checking account at hundreds of sites. Below, we list the sites that do and do not accept checks for online purchases.
Table of Contents
The List
The following stores accept personal checks by mail or eChecks via PayPal or bank transfer; some accept both physical checks and eChecks.
Amazon
- Check types accepted: eCheck (bank transfer)[1]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: At the Shipping & Payment stage of the checkout process, select “add a checking account.” You’ll then be prompted to enter your routing number, account number, name, address, and driver’s license or state ID number.[1]
- Start shopping
Appliances Connection
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[2]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Select PayPal at checkout or call (800) 299-9470 to set up a payment by personal check. Once the check clears (which typically takes about a week), the order will ship.[2]
- Start shopping
B&H
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[3]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Select PayPal at checkout or call B&H’s customer service phone line at (800) 952-3386 to pay by personal check. When you call, B&H will create a quote and provide instructions on how to write your quote number on the check and mail it to them, so they can reference the payment with the transaction.)[3][4]
- Start shopping
Brandy Melville
- Check types accepted: eCheck (bank transfer or PayPal)[5]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: See our related research for instructions to pay via PayPal or bank transfer online at Brandy Melville.
- Start shopping
Cabela’s
- Check types accepted: Physical check or eCheck[6][7]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Call Cabela’s customer service at (800) 237-4444 to set up an electronic check payment or mail your order to Cabela’s at the following address along with a paper check:
Cabela’s Order Processing
2500 E Kearney St.
Springfield, MO 65898[6][7] - Start shopping
Eastbay
- Check types accepted: Physical check[8]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Our article explains how to pay online at Eastbay using PayPal or a physical check.
- Start shopping
eBay
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[9]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Varies by the seller; if the seller has opted to accept personal checks, you’ll see this as a payment option after making a successful bid on an auction item or checking out for fixed-price items.[10]
- Start shopping
Fry’s Electronics
- Check types accepted: Physical check[11]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Call (408) 350-1484 to place the order by phone and pay with a physical check. If the items in your order are in stock, Fry’s will ship your order after it receives your check and after a minimum 10-business-day waiting period. Mail your personal check to:
Fry’s Electronics
Dept #33521
P.O. Box 39000
San Francisco, CA 94139[11] - Start shopping
Milanoo
- Check types accepted: eCheck (PayPal or bank transfer)[12]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Our related research explains how to pay using PayPal or a bank transfer online at Milanoo.
- Start shopping
Oriental Trading
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[13][14]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Select PayPal at checkout or download, print, and fill out and mail in the Oriental Trading order form (along with your check). Note that your current address must be printed on your check; if there is a P.O. Box printed on your check, you should write your physical address on the check as well. If your check is returned for non-sufficient funds, Oriental Trading will assess a service charge of $20. Mail the check to:
ORIENTAL TRADING CO., INC.
P.O. Box 2308
Omaha, Nebraska 68103-2308[14] - Start shopping
QVC
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[15]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: At check out, select the option for ‘“PayPal” or “check/money order.” If using a check, select continue, and then “place order” on the final screen. Once you’ve placed the order online, QVC will give you the address to mail your check, and an order number, which you must write on your check. Note that you must check out using your password to pay by check. If QVC does not receive the check within 10 days, it will cancel the order.[15]
- Start shopping
Vistaprint
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[16]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: At checkout, on the payments page, select “PayPal” or “mail a paper check.” Payments by paper check are available for orders over $10; your order will process and ship after the check clears. Make the check payable to Vistaprint Netherlands B.V., write your order number on the check, then mail it to:
Vistaprint Netherlands B.V.
PO Box 842882
Boston, MA 02284-2882, USA[16] - Start shopping
Walmart
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck (PayPal)[17]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: You can select PayPal at checkout or use the Pay With Cash program. When placing an order online, choose “Pay With Cash” at checkout, then visit your local Walmart to pay with a personal check. The order will ship after payment is made at the register. Note that Pay With Cash is not available for every item.[17]
- Start shopping
Wayfair
- Check types accepted: Physical check, eCheck, PayPal[18]
- How to pay by check/eCheck: Select PayPal at checkout or request a quote for your order. Once you have a quote, you can place your order and opt to pay by check or bank transfer. Wayfair holds orders paid by check for 15 days from the time the check is received to allow for the check to clear.[19]
- Start shopping
More Options: Stores That Accept PayPal
Several of the sites above accept eChecks through PayPal. PayPal allows you to pay directly with your checking account by linking your account and routing numbers to your PayPal account. Once your account is verified, you’ll be able to select PayPal at checkout and pay with an eCheck at any online retailer that accepts PayPal. Our research has the list of stores — both online and brick-and-mortar — that accept PayPal.
Stores That Don’t Accept Personal Checks, eChecks, or PayPal
In the course of our research, we found several e-commerce sites that don’t accept eChecks, personal checks, or PayPal. Typically, these sites only accept payments from major debit and credit cards:
- AliExpress[20]
- BigLots.com[21]
- Costco.com[22]
- FootLocker.com[23][24]
- Kohls.com[25]
- Staples.com[26] (Note: While its website FAQ states that it takes checks online, this information is out-of-date; customer service representatives confirm that Staples.com does not accept checks.)
- TigerDirect.com[27]
- Williams-Sonoma.com[28]
If you prefer to pay by check when shopping in-person, too, see our article with the list of stores that take personal checks.
Kait Scirri
Erika Crawford
Cathy Desmet
Lindsey Desmet
Loren Eaton
Joseph Cho
Maria R. Riegger, Esq.
Thank you for featuring B&H Photo among your retailers. We do accept Paypal for orders submitted via our website. We cannot accept Paypal for an order submitted via a telephone call. For checks, when a customer telephones us we create a quote and instruct the customer to mail the check to us with the quote number written on the check so we can reference the payment with the transaction. We cannot accept a check as payment over the phone. — Henry Posner / B&H Photo-Video
Thanks for the specifics, Henry! We’ve updated the article to make the information on how to pay by check at B&H more specific, and added you to the PayPal list! Your comment is much appreciated.
Nice to know now there aren’t many problems with doing this.