PayPal Incident

[Dirk Rösler]

I am a heavy Paypal user as a seller and I can confirm that it is easy to get burned by Paypal as a seller. All they want to know is the tracking number, nothing else counts. I have to say that's somewhat reasonable because every idiot and their dog will come and argue over the item to them, but the risk is with the seller. My buyers have the option to choose non-trackable non-insured shipping with the options clearly explained. They pay very inexpensive shipping, but if something does not arrive then I am the one picking up the tab…

I think it only makes sense if you sell a lot to unknown/untrusted parties, so if one in 100 transactions go awry you have 99 that went well and hopefully they cover the lost one.

Good luck with your sales.

[myoptic]

I have an ancient bank account linked to Paypal. I have only 2 bills come out of it every month for a total of $120, the rest is Paypal. I Never have more than $150 in that account. I physically transfer funds into that account via bank machine deposit from my main account, which Paypal does not have access to and is at a different bank. Not meaning to be paranoid, but limiting potential financial damage just seems prudent. I have only ever had one problem with them, and it was resolved after 2 weeks.

[goamules]

I've used PayPal often and for over a decade without a problem.

However, what I hate is the incremental way Ebay and Paypal are requiring more and more connection between me and my money.

The other day I was posting a camera through Ebay's Turbo Lister. Had not sold on Ebay in about 2 months. Suddenly I got a warning through the Lister, "You can no longer list unless you link your Ebay account to PayPal for the listing/selling fees." This really torqued me because since 1998 I've always paid my seller's fees manually. I let them send me a few nasty grams and then I pay, (via Paypal as a "one time payment"). Now the only way I can continue selling is to link the accounts so that as soon as there is a fee, Ebay/PP can magically grab their reward. The whole system sucks of Metropolis or something, everything is "geared" to protect their profits. No protections for Seller's anymore.

I'm waiting on the day when Ebay will required you to maintain a balance in PP equal to the amount you have sold in, say, the past 6 months. So that any squirrelly buyer can instantly claim a problem and PP can refund them. Without even asking the seller a question. Watch....it will happen.

[eddie]

garrett,

you still have 10 days to pay your e bay charges before they automatically "take" it. they send an invoice saying please pay or in 10 day it will pay automatically.

[goamules]

Thanks, that's a tad better. But I still loath that they suddenly made me do this, after over a decade of being with them.

[footoograaf]

Paypal is not available in Serbia even though we have modern banking system and e-commerce laws, yet allow lawless Somalia in the system! I sincerely don't want to insult anyone but one can't help wandering about their standards!!!

[Cesare Berti]

Just an update.

After 6weeks and a day the camera arrived in Hong Kong the original Canada Post estimate was 4-6 weeks. Once the Can Post web site, via the tracking number, said the package had arrived I called the PayPal resolution center to reopen the claim as the camera arrived at its destination. They said no, the buyer had to physically pick the package up before the claim could be reviewed. After contacting the buyer and PayPal a number of times my account is now finally restored and I got paid for the camera.

My Ebay feedback rating is another matter, apparently you can't get it reviewed after 30 days, mistaken or not, of course the shipping time was 43 days. Frankly I don't think I care.

I greatly appreciated the personal imput of a number of forum members and followed with great interest the comments on this thread. Hopefully I'm a little wiser.

Wishing all prosperous and satisfying 2011.

[lilmsmaggie]

I've used PayPal often and for over a decade without a problem. However, what I hate is the incremental way Ebay and Paypal are requiring more and more connection between me and my money.

I agree. I've had two incidents with PayPal in the past 12 mos., the most recent just 15 days ago, which has forever colored my buying habits involving PayPal whether it be on eBay or anywhere else for that matter. IMHO, PayPal has become inflexible in the extreme. It doesn't seem to matter to PayPal HOW YOU WANT TO PAY for a purchase-- they will invariable insist that it be linked to a SPECIFIC ACCOUNT! at least that has been my experience with this most recent transaction. I won't go into details but needless to say, I'm finished with the PayPal way of doing business.

This annoyance with PayPal revolves around their inability to cancel a transaction, even though they will tell you, that it TAKES THEM 3 BUSINESS DAYS TO COMPLETE ANY TRANSACTION whether you're buying or selling. You also cannot (at least I couldn't) remove a backup funding source, even though that funding source is no longer viable. And although I replaced this source with one that was viable and current, it took me a year to get PayPal to remove the non-viable funding source in question from my account.

Essentially, PayPal refused to allow me ANY option of making a purchase. And to make matters worse, THEY paid for an item WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION and without telling me BEFORE doing so! My only option was/is to force PayPal to complete the transaction the way it should have occurred in the first place.

Bottomline: If a Seller or service requires payment with PayPal and PayPal requires the buyer to have a PayPal account to complete the transaction, I'll just have to do without or find that product or service elsewhere.

[Rick Clark]

The reason I've avoided it like the plague since day 1.

Anyone who thinks paypal is a great thing is kidding themselves and risking the farm.

I'm hearing more and more stories just like this one all the time and I've been predicting it since the beginning.

Bob G.

If they will take a cashiers check I will buy it of the net, but I will never use paypal I don't need something that bad to have them in my life. Just my $.02 worth.

[jnantz]

i have been using paypal to buy and sell things since the 1990s
and never had a problem. i also have a card reader
but the rates are higher than p-pal unless i have the card and swipe it ...