"If a vendor is asking to use "gift" on a "new" product, you are losing your consumer protection, similar to credit card chargebacks."
That was presented to me as an option to avoid the fee. I never looked back. That’s even shadier than charging the fee itself.
All that’s says to me is, "look I don't want to pay PayPal and I know you don't, so let’s scam the system and you take a chance that I will send you your item" Fat chance!