PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

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PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

posted @ Friday, January 09, 2009 7:41 PM | 126 Comments

I wish to tell you a story. A while back I purchased a Nokia E71 mobile phone. It’s one of the latest from Nokia and has been given rave reviews for a smart phone. I ultimately didn’t like it as it wasn’t for me. After a few weeks, I listed it on eBay as I’ve done approximately 100 times before with other items around the house. Now the item sold quickly and sold for roughly USD $490. I demand in my eBay listings that the buyers use PayPal and that they have a verified PayPal account and a verified PayPal address. I figure this is the safest route for both parties.

The transaction was completed as it was many times before. I received the funds in my PayPal account, got the notice, and promptly used the PayPal UPS shipping service to print a label and have the shipping fees deducted from my account. The process took about < 5 minutes and I was happy…again, as I’ve been many times before…never an issue. Remember this was a $400+ item and in a category that usually has a lot of fraud (electronics). This was 29 NOV 2008 when this all happened. Transaction complete, funds immediately available, shipped, UPS deducted fees…all fine.

Fast forward (but only about a month and a week).

Every month we try to go around our house and look for things we don’t use and either donate them locally or if we think we can sell them, we list them on eBay. This is a practice I generally recommend. I sold Dell computer manuals for $25 one time. Just the manuals that come with your computer (which are worthless mostly)…amazing. This time around I had a Russian replica submarine clock that I had bought about 11 years ago. A quick check on eBay showed they were getting bought, so what the heck. Here was my listing: Russian Submarine Clock Vostok Hammer/Sickle RARE (note: this link might not be available in 60 days). It’s a clock. Not even an automatic one, it requires being wound every 4 days or so. Something substantially less “valuable” than modern day sought-after electronics I’d argue. Keep this in mind for later reading.

It sold and the buyer paid via PayPal and was a verified buyer and a verified/confirmed address. Note that both of these are required for seller/buyer protection for PayPal transactions – again, following the guidelines set forth. I went through my normal process and began printing out the label. While the screen said this:

The error message read this:

So I was thinking What gives? and called support. As I was talking to them I noticed the header of the “details” page of the transaction:

Payment review?! First time I’ve ever heard of it. At first I was thinking this was a good thing and PayPal just protected me from fraud. Then I read the link which details out the reasons why something would be “on hold”:

You have been an eBay member for less than 6 months, and you sell an item for more than $100
You have an eBay feedback score of less than 100, and you sell an item for more than $100
You have a buyer dissatisfaction percentage* greater than 5%
You have an average DSR of less than 4.5
You have received fewer than 20 Detailed Seller Ratings in the last 12 months
You are listing your item in a high-risk category such as gift certificates, video games, cell phones, computers, or consumer electronics.

None of which applied to me. I was now livid and let the customer service supervisor (I had asked to escalate), Marie 6168, know how unappreciative I was of this and explained that even *if* I fell into one of those buckets why did my November transaction (which fell into the last bucket of electronics) give me no problems and was for an amount significantly greater? Her answer then moved from explaining that I was “in review” because of one of the above to “it’s random.” Great. Warm feelings all around now. I was also then told that my hand-crank wall clock with no electronics was flagged because it is a high-risk category. LMAO!

NOTE: I’m curious if the actual flag was because of the word “Russian” in the title. I’ve had problems with dealing with legitimate commerce with anything Russian related in the past because financial institutions are leery. Even if this is the case, the buyer and seller followed all rules for verification for all systems (eBay and PayPal) and therefore doesn’t seem like the title of the item should throw a flag!

At this point I’m pretty pissed. I was told by Marie 6168 that I wasn’t being forced into doing anything and didn’t have to ship the item. WHAT?! How is that? By not shipping the item (or waiting for the hold to be released), the buyer gets screwed and leaves negative feedback and my eBay reputation takes a hit (something very important in eBay land). I felt like my eBay reputation was being held hostage.

So at this point I’ve been informed:

I’ve sold something and the verified buyer has sent funds to the verified seller.
The funds have been put on hold and I don’t have access to them.
The funds will be released sometime within 21 days
That I should ship the item.

That’s right. PayPal, as the broker of the funds, has received money for an item I sold. Then they are asking me to go ahead and ship that item to the buyer. WTF?! How is this protection for me? It seems the buyer is the only one protected. They will ultimately get the goods and if there were any issues with the funds, I’d be out the goods. How is that protection on my end AT ALL?

It looks like I’m not alone either based on a conversation at Get Satisfaction. I was not afforded any opportunity to escalate any further beyond Marie 6168 despite my best attempts. All I could get was an email address I was told to be the executive offices – crme@paypal.com. I hope their reading this.

I feel as a verified/Premier customer of PayPal since 2000 and a customer of eBay since 1998 (with a 100% rating) that some discretion should have been made here and the funds should be available. This idea of PayPal managing when I get funds based on their rules versus standard commerce is ridiculous.

The problem is that the eBay/PayPal relationship is almost a requirement for online auction commerce. Where else are you going to go for a world of buyers and a broker, which up until now, helped put a protective wall between the money? Craigslist? Sure that’s fine, but I knew that my local market wasn’t big enough for a Russian Sub clock!

PayPal – you currently are on my suck list. Whatever systems in place that automate this payment holding process need revisiting. You’ve made a verified/premier/long-term customer who follows the rules very angry.

Win me back.

UPDATE 1: I shipped the item from my local UPS store. Cost me $7 more than if I would have used my UPS account tied to my PayPal account. So this process has cost me additional money in addition to not receiving funds for my item yet.

tags: paypal, ebay, getsatisfaction

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution By license.

Comments

Robert McLaws

1/9/2009 8:02 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

That's why I use CraigsList now. No fees, and I don't use PayPal. eBay is just trying to screw everyone. That ship is going down hard.
Josh Stodola

1/9/2009 9:24 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Oh, come on. Paypal is a legitimate company, for which we all should be grateful. You should the item and not lose any sleep over it because there is no way you were going to get screwed. This is routine, and unless you're dying for the cash, you should just let it go.

What I would like to know is what is the BUYER's history with eBay and PayPal. Know anything about that? Perhaps he's gotten screwed before in the past, and therefore they are looking out for his best interest. The whole market is scandalous, and they really HAVE TO do stuff like this because they get audited ridiculously. These types of seemingly meaningless inquisitions ensure that they are keeping their nose clean.

I do agree though that it's a shame eBay and PayPal have a practically unstoppable enterprise, with no competition. CraigsList is not even in the same league. You won't find what you are looking for on there as a buyer, and you won't make as much money as you would on eBay as a seller.

Oh, by the way, it had nothing to do with the word "Russian" in the title. Are you serious? It's because of the word <shout>RARE</shout>.

Regards...
Daniel Aguayo

1/9/2009 9:46 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I have never used Pay Pal because of many bad stories I have heard about Pay Pal and all the ways sellers and buyers can cheat. Now I am even less likely to use Pay Pal. I think I would rather use CraigsList based on what other people have told me. Sometimes when business/companies get too popular they go bad like Quest.
Michael

1/9/2009 11:16 PM | # You have an eBay feedback score of less than 100, and you sell an item for more than $100

That's the condition that you met. Looking at your listing, your feedback score is 96 and the item sold for $104.50 (got this from your listing that you provided the link to.)
Alex

1/10/2009 1:49 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yes this type of stupid thing do happened there.Also They are not available in number of country that's why i stop using it
timheuer

1/10/2009 11:17 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Josh: I agree -- they are legitimate companies. That's why I use them. And that's why I've abided by all their rules (use verified/confirmed buyers and addresses). And when you do follow the rules and this happens, it sucks for loyal customers.

Michael: Explain to me then why in November, less than 40 days prior, I was able to do this *with* a high risk item (mobile phone in high demand) and for an item 4x the cost ($400) and the funds were available immediately and I had no issue? And I've done this in the past with other electronics, watches, etc. of high value and never had the problem.
Kevin Miller

1/10/2009 11:22 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal has recently screwed me also so don't feel like your the only one, I sold a digital product for $20 which the buyer has already recieved and also sent me several emails about operating the product. The funds were "once" available in my account but then a week later I got an email from paypal stating that the buyer says the product was an "un-authroized" purchase. And has placed my funds on hold until the investigation is over.

I have since sent them email snippets of this person asking me questions about the product thus showing proof that the person actually acknowledge's recieving and purchasing the product. And it's been over a week and still the money is not available in my paypal account.

This sucks but I have made so much money selling digital products via paypal so compared to the other 100's of transactions Ive successfully sold, I take this with a grain of salt. While $20 won't make me or break me, it would be nice to actually have the funds since the fraud buyer has the product.

So Im not going to boycott paypal or anything I'll just make a mental note that I could possibly have a few transactions that might get delayed due to fraud buyers.
Patricia013

1/10/2009 3:21 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm also a 10 year plus seller and I have 100 percent feedback and 5.0 DSR's - yet I've been watching my feedback go down and down due to a complete lack of sales on Ebay. Every once in awhile I'll come back and try listing again with poor results. 2007 almost a powerseller - 2008/2009 nothing! I'll tell you...the first time they say ship the item, we're holding your money I'll tell them just where to put their failing hapless site! I'll take the negative and they can keep my 10 year reputation because I won't need it there anymore! MY POLICY: nothing leaves here that isn't paid for with the money in my account! I feel sorry for whoever falls for this crap its plain to see Ebay is so obviously making money (and a LOT of it) off the float!
Patricia013

1/10/2009 3:26 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'd like to add something to my post. I have a website that's been operating since 1996 and for the past 4 years or more its had a Paypal shopping cart system. In that setting, Paypal works perfectly. I have never had a problem with reversals, or funds being held or anything else! Only when Ebay is directly involved does Paypal become an entirely different animal!
Speednet

1/10/2009 11:37 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

That's PayPal for ya! I use PayPal myself to accept payments, and I've been really screwed in the past, which is why every time I get a payment, the very first thing I do is to withdraw it. I won't leave one red cent in my PayPal balance.

Even though the withdrawals seem to purposefully be delayed for a couple days, at least that's only two days of payments at risk. I used to leave money in there a couple of weeks, and I've had PayPal arbitrarily decide to freeze large amounts of money.

According to their T&C, they have god-like authority, and you have no rights. Be cautious.
Michael

1/11/2009 10:25 AM | # Software Changes Over Time

Tim: I simply pointed out the condition that applied for your payment to be held. You asked why payment was not held on the phone you sold in October. The obvious answer is that software changes. The software that decided to hold your payment in December is definitely the exact same software that did not put a hold on it in October. There could be other reasons, too. As you and others have pointed out, metadata about the buyer could be a factor, or metadata about the item (more likely) could be a factor.
Gene

1/11/2009 2:11 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yeah... Same issue here. (Almost to the letter except mine was a video camera in November and a cell phone last week ) I'm FURIOUS about this practice. No results at all from their "Customer Service Rep".I called them with proof from USPS tracking that the cell phone had indeed been received and asked that the funds be released."Mike" just kept reading over and over again what I could already see on my computer screen. At least I think that's what he was doing as I had trouble getting past his middle eastern accent.He explained to me that this gives the buyer time to dispute the sale. So if they do, the funds can be returned to them. So, how do I get my item back? I CAN'T!! And what if the buyer disputes the sale AFTER the funds are released? They simply withdraw the amount of the sale from my attached bank account.EASY PEASY.If they can simply withdraw money from my account, why the need for this holding funds practice? So WHY are they "HOLDING" our money? Not to "Protect the buyer and seller" as they state. They're investing it! They make money from the interest the account where our funds are being held incures. That on top of the fees they already charge you to process everything. What a crock!

And to JOSH: Did you know that sellers cannot leave Negative feedback for buyers on Ebay. Not even Neutral feedback. So if a buyer stiffs a seller, waits ages to pay, or files a untrue claim with paypal(Getting their money back AND keeping the merchandise)they still get a positive rating. Ebay bought PayPal in 2002 and it appears they are doing everything to protect buyers but nothing to insure a good experience for sellers. It's probably NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSSINEES if someone is "desperate for the money"! The point is that, if you sell something, and the purchaser has that something, you want paid. If you went to a store and paid for something you saw on the shelf, the store took your money,and told you they would hold the item for 21 days then you could have it, YOU'D BE PISSED!!! I'm guessing you must work for Ebay or PayPal? If not, you should. Yes, "Paypal is a legitimate company". Al Capone was also legitimate... A legitimate THIEF!
timheuer

1/11/2009 4:01 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Michael as you're an employee of the eBay/PayPal organization I appreciate your commenting here on the issue. Ultimately though software should not get in the way of customer service. When given the opportunity to examine the situation/software-decision, nobody was willing to take the moment and examine the transaction, the customers involved, the rules they followed, etc. When we leave customer service discretion up to software, we fail.
timheuer

1/11/2009 4:03 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Great points Gene -- especially that of the 'if disputed' timeframe -- we're directed to ship the item, but if disputed, we're screwed. Even *if* the buyer is honest enough to ship it back, they'll want that paid for as well.
Gene

1/12/2009 4:45 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Tim

I don't remember where I read it but I did read that if you do a partial refund for the lowest amount possible ( $.01 ) that your funds will immediately become available! So I tried it this morning and IT WORKED! The funds I had "On Hold" became available and I immediately transfered those to my checking account associated with PayPal. A penny is a small price to pay to get what's mine, I guess. Now just another 3-4 days (Bank Proceesing)and I should have my cash. This may be an option for you if you dont want to wait 21 days for your cash.

This experience has really soured me on EBay and PayPal. Somewhere, they have gone wrong. Though they don't seem anxiuos to admit it. I'm considering closing both accounts but am unsure of how else to pay for items I purchase online. I don't want my anger to cause me larger problems in the future but hate the idea of supporting a company that takes advantage of their customers like this.

So, it has become obvious to me that you were right. The software IS winning out over the human decision making at PayPal. It's too bad that people and COMMON SENSE get overruled by what the computer thinks. Sure hope the people who designed PayPals software aren't and never will be involved in our National Defense computer software. HAVE YOU SEEN THE TERMINATOR MOVIES? :>)
Iphone

1/15/2009 11:11 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

The same thing has just occurred to me while selling an iphone. I no whave over 600 dollars being held by paypal and i have received positive feedback as well as a confirmation of delivery. Im currently on the phone with CS trying to get my funds released.
wonderment

1/19/2009 12:37 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Is paypal paying you (and everyone else) interest? If not, it seems like a pretty simple ruse to be able to float a large share of the (highest value sales) on ebay through their acounts where the money sits for 20+ days and collects interest. If you take $100 times a million transactions a week that would quickly add up to a lot of money sitting there earning interest for paypal. No idea if this is the case, but terms of payment are a primary way many electronics manufacturers make money, so why not paypal.
meep meep

1/19/2009 2:39 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm so annoyed. I sold something for 135.95. The item has been shipped and delivered. I classified it in the health category, so it's not a high risk item or anything. My account has 100 percent positive feedback and funds have never been held before. I read that funds will be given before 21 days are over if delivery is confirmed. Delivery has been confirmed but paypal isn't acknowledging it. I haven't heard anything from the buyer at all, which is pretty annoying. No emails and no feedback, good or bad, so I'm starting to think that I'll never hear from them again. I'm frustrated because while they're already using the product, I don't have money that is rightfully mine. The stupid 21 days policy only benefits the buyer and leaves sellers out. The item I sold originally retails at 190 dollars. It was brand new and never removed from the original packaging and I sold it 50 dollars cheaper than normal retail price, because I got it as a gift. Not to mention I shipped the damn thing for free. I feel completely ripped off.
Shalamar

1/22/2009 5:58 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

does this only happen when your dealing with both ebay and paypal both in one transaction? and is using paypal's shopping cart ok?
it doesnt matter if its "$.01" to me its a scam and they know what their doing. once there was a guy going around taking 1 penny out of everyone's bank account at washington mutual i think. and he became a millionaire off of it. of course he got cought. i always say he couldve gotten away with it if he had a self employed job...lol. but back to the topic...
i personally think ebay is a waist. and anyone with common scence should know that. why would they go through a hastle like this with high priced items when they can make more from them. so why not bullsh!t people out of the cheap one's. but why go through that when you can just make your own website for free!!!! and sell from there using a paypal shopping cart...no ebay...no bullsh!t. its all you. you make the rules!
once you involve ebay you have problems. sure setting up a website will take a few hours AND A FEW COMMENTS OR BULLETINS ON MYSPACE AND FACEBOOK TO LET YOUR FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOUR SELLING ON YOUR WEBSITE. but i'd rather do that then have someone holding money thats mines anyday! rather than not having the item or the money....thats just a set up waiting to happen for their so called "$.01" (1 PENNY!) UGH! KISS @SS EBAY! LOL
damian

1/22/2009 6:38 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hi there if you are like me and have just sold an item on EBAY and been told that PAYPAL are holding the money until you get feedback or 21 days etc ( WHAT A JOKE)..I have found a way that these scammers will release your money . All you have to do is partial refund the buyer 1p and hey presto the money is there in your paypal account so you can withdraw to your bank. I found it hard having to post items out of my own pocket and sometimes got scammed by people saying they never received items . SO IF YOU WANT THE MONEY YOU DESERVE NOW JUST FOLLOW THE ABOVE INSTUCTIONS .

To thank me i would be gratefull if you visited my website www.ps3pro.co.uk
User

1/23/2009 5:40 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm having problems with ebay right now also. I have two accounts through them, one that's used for my checking account and one for my savings. I should also comment that I have seperate email accounts for each paypal account. I sold several parts back in August of 08 that totaled about $1500. At the time I was able to remove the funds immediately, shipped the products (all went to the same buyer), no problems at all. I haven't sold anything on ebay for a while now and just recently sold something over an internet forum and had them send the money to my checking paypal account ($2000). Paypal puts a hold on my funds until the item is shipped. I didn't have a problem with this. I shipped the item and provided tracking. The item was delivered and so I called paypal to have the funds released. I was then informed that I had outstanding claims on my "other paypal account, the one I used back in August". I then log onto my account and see that the buyer filed claims AFTER receiving the items and also AFTER he told me he got them and was satisfied, he even wrote an email to me thanking me. Having not sold anything on ebay and never thought to check the paypal account or the email account attached to it. Therefore I had no idea a claim had been made. Since I was unaware of the claim paypal refunded his money and put my account in the negatives for $1500. So the person got the items I shipped him and also got his money refunded through paypal. Now, paypal refuses to release the funds that I just receieved until I pay the $1500 from the other account. I contacted paypal and was on the phone/on hold for 4 hours, YES 4 hours. I told them I could provide tracking info proving he received the items but I was told it was too late to do so. So paypal wants me to use $1500 of the $2000 I just received to pay on the other account, so basically I would be getting screwed out of $1500. However, I came up with an idea. I called the buyer of the product I just sold and explained the situation to him. I refunded him the $2000 and had him resend it to a friend's paypal account, and I was able to get my money. So that's my way of saying fuck you paypal!
catherine

1/28/2009 4:45 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Tim, Your situation sounds oh so familiar to me....what did I sell that is deemed "risky transaction"? Vintage Cowboy boots! Yeah, PayPal risks getting kicked by one if I ever get them back! I never had money held before and am seriously thinking this has got to be the last sale on eBay because of this policy. Oh ya, forgot to mention on this sale that they are holding the funds on PayPal sent me an email telling me it sold, was paid for and to ship the item and had typos where the buyers address should be! Two sales ago that buyer hasn't left any feedback on sellers since '06 hopefully this guy is not so lazy so I can get my money. I am going to try the 1 cent thingy! Thanks for your article. PS Tell that "Michael" eBay PayPal employee guy to buzz off you don't have 96% approval rating...doh! You have 100% approval rating just like me and my buyer. "Michael" time to get back to work putting in typos where buyers address should be.
Marvin

1/30/2009 12:45 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yes I agree the GOD figure attitude of PAYPAL and EBAY needs to end. Unlike Tim's mis-adventure mine falls kinda on the GOD issue. Here in Maryland Giant Eagle sells Gift Cards were the consumer recieves Fuel Perks (discount for gas based on amount of money spent in the store)On 1/24/09 I purchased $2,500.00 of EBAY Gift Cards from Giant Eagle, on 1/25/09 I attempted to use those cards and purchase 2 itmes from the same seller on EBAY. Got a notification to update my already verified PAYPAL account, completed the update as instructed and was notified of a suspension of activity for further verification of account. Contacted PAYPAL via phone after long delays and was never told as to why other than to verify the account. I was told 3 - 5 days for this. So I waited, when the account became verified I contacted the seller and told him I was doing it again to watch for it. By this time recieving the items was very important seeing I needed to finish this project for my company. So the seller and I was on the phone and on EBAY at the same time as I entered all the info of the product and payment, put in all the gift card info and even printed a Verification form from EBAY and PAYPAL. Seeing all was good we hung up from each other. Phone rings and PAYPAL is on the line confirming the transaction I gave my info and verbal OK to the transaction. 10 minutes goes by and the seller calls and informs me he will not ship the items because PAYPAL suspended my account and reversed funds from his account to them. I call PAYPAL for an explaination, this is the funny part if there is any humor to be had. The PAYPAL agent TODD4737 could figure out who was the buyer and who was the seller. Aftr informing him as to who I was he informed me that he suspended the account due to possible fraud issues. I asked why he stated because of the use of a gift card. I asked why, he studered, and said I needed to read the agrement to opening an account and PAYPAL can enact their own will at any time. I said that the cards were gift cards from EBAY why is it PAYPAL is in the middle. His comment was read the agreement. He said then that if I could fax the reciepts over to him he would take it to someone higher for a answer. At 9:30 AM 1/30/09 I sent the fax including the recipt from paying cash to the store and the activation codes given to the store from EBAY itself. Effective 2:15 PM 1/30/09 I recieved a e-mail from PAYPAL ACCOUNTS, Dear Marvin XXXXXX we are sorry for any delay or problems this has caused, due to the fact of possible high risk activities we are suspending your account and hold all funds due you or the seller for the period of 180 days. Furthermore any charges or fees in relation to this forwarded by the seller will be placed against these funds and deducted from your account. At the end of 180 days you may contact us for details on how to apply for a refund of any remaining amount. Please accept our deepest appologises for any inconvience this may have caused. Calling PAYPAL immediately I was told by the very first operator that notes on the account restricted her from disclosing any additional information and that she would send a e-mail instructing me have to remedy the suspension. She did alright READ THE AGREEMENT. So I did, funny thing no where does it say anything about Gift Cards. So now I'm out $2,500.00 in cards but I have no product to continue my project and could face lossing it. EBAY PAYPAL, GOD's my ass.
chubbz

2/1/2009 10:59 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

hey im new to the paypal thing but i sold some game account for $230.50 about 2 days ago i didnt give him the account till paypal sent me the comfimation email..they said id recive my money within 24 hours still see no money in my account what could of went wrong???
rhys

2/20/2009 5:52 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

For all the people who keep saying Paypal-Ebay are legitimate companies blah blah blah... and to stop moaning about Ebay's fee hikes and Paypal's tyranical hold on sellers funds.................. well how bad does it need to get before people should moan about being taken advantage of?
You are the people who deserve every thing thats coming to you!!!
anna

3/2/2009 1:25 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Please read my blog on Paypal. I agree with you....
Bobby Green

3/3/2009 4:43 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Here's my 2 cents......Paypal has become nothing but a problem.If you do a Google search for "paypal problems" or paypal lawsuits" you will see there are alot of others out there that have been 'screwed' or 'scammed' PayPal lost a HUGE lawsuit years ago and thats when ebay stepped in and purchased it.In my book,paypal hasnt got any better.Here's why....they are acting like a bank but holding your money and not letting you have access to it.If you do a wire transfer from bank to bank,does your bank make you wait 21 days or more to put it into your hands? NO...Do they find you as a risk and rate you with a number? NO..If you accept a check from an ebay buyer,you deposit it and wait for it to clear right? RIGHT,..and you do not ship the item before the check clears......or... you accept a Postal Money Order that you can take directly to the Post Office to cash and they will check it first before they give you the money...my favorite option of payment....Was a seller able to leave a negative rating on a buyer if something went wrong,and other sellers were able to at least see any bad trails of not paying or any other warnings so as to at least decide on their own if they would allow this certain buyer to bid? YES and that feedback system worked.....and now that the Post Office is needing money,ebay is opting them out as a payment form and taking the money for their GREEDY selves with paypal's 3% fee.
COME ON PEOPLE WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WAKE ALL OF YOU UP ?
I started using ebay in 1998 and I started out with 0 feedback like any new user and just about EVERY PAYMENT I SENT TO A SELLER WAS A POSTAL MONEY ORDER,I sent a few checks in there if the seller accepted them,and you know what? I RECEIVED EVERY ITEM THAT I EVER WON FROM THOSE SELLERS,EVERY SINGLE ITEM!!!! No stinkin paypal to deal with.Ebay is only pushing paypal because it BENIFITS THEM,THEY MAKE $$$$$ FROM ALL OF YOU USING IT.There has been a BIG hole dug and ebay is filling it in on top of everyone so you cant get out.
Come on people,just think about how much money ebay is really making? The state of California to name 1 and the United States Government 2 ,have extremely LARGE money problems on the table and ebay is just flying as high as air will let them.
Stop feeding the LION that is trying to bite you and it will eventually die.
Bobby Green
Bobby Green

3/4/2009 1:00 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Here's another NEGATIVE issue I just found out today from one of my parts suppliers....
This is an ebay paypal scam or whatever you want to call it.My friend sold 2 old candy machines on ebay to a guy in Ohio.They sold for $1300.00,...the buyer used paypal and the money was transfered.The buyer recieved the candy machines and claimed to my friend that that the machines had some damage to them AFTER he told paypal and paypal REFUNDED THE BUYERS MONEY WITHOUT THE SELLERS KNOWLEDGE until he found the money missing from his account.Paypal told my friend that he needed to get a damaged item report from UPS.A PROBLEM WITH THAT,the buyer did not report any kind of damage to UPS that SUPPOSEDLY occured to the machines,so GOOD OLD PAYPAL could not take any action against the buyer to retrieve the money back.The end result?.......My friend was out the $1300.00 and lost his vintage candy machines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST PAYPAL AND EBAY for this FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY that they are contributing to. Ebay BOASTS that paypal is "the only safe way to pay" but has no guarantees for the seller accepting paypal from CROOKS.If any buyers or sellers that use paypal are reading this STOP USING PAYPAL IMEDIATELY and stop contributing to the CROOKED MONEY SUCKING scammer S.O.B.'s!!!
I also did some more Google research and found a seller can SUE A BUYER for not paying for an auction,and in addition SUE A BUYER for leaving false negative feedback and have it removed.If you read ebay's feedback removal area,they tell you it can be removed by a court.It is time to take them up on that and show ebay we as sellers are tired of being pushed into a corner.We need to start flooding the courts with the bad ebay experiences we are having and maybe then we will be heard,and then eventually,ebay or paypal wont have the time to answer every single complaint filed upon them.The court will have no choice into paying attention to what is really going on.I called a lawyers office to talk to them about a paypal issue and guess what? The receptionist told me she hated paypal and also had bad experiences with them! Make ebays scumbag lawyers work for their money and file multiple small claims cases against them.Remember,an auction is a BINDING CONTRACT and you have the legal right sue the non complying party,be it the buyer or seller.
Do a search on YouTube and you will find some interesting TV segments from Judge Judy and Judge Marilyn Milion (not sure of her name spelling)over some ebay issues and you will be surprised at the end results!!! also other interesting videos having to do with ebays DSR system.
Stop feeding the LION that is trying to bite you and it will eventually die.
Good luck to all in 2009,
Bobby Green
Ricky

3/8/2009 1:54 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I use to believe PayPal was the best, but recently, they've proven just how bad they really are. The sellers just plain get screwed!! To sum up the transaction:

1. i sold a laptop
2. sent laptop to buyer
3. buyer complained that corners were smashed
4. buyer could not/would not provide proof (insured through USPS)
5. laptop sent back in a different box it was shipped in
6. hard drive was not the same that was in laptop when sold
7. paypal refunded seller
8. seller escalated to appeal
9. seller appeal dismissed
10. seller is out sale, not able to file claim with USPS, and PayPal does nothing except send you round and round on what they call a website.

This was absolutely the worst experience I have ever had with PayPal.
Karen

3/9/2009 3:09 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yes! Screwed over by Paypal is right!! My story..Short and sweet..

1. Sold two Barbie dolls to a eBay buyer in France. 1/11/2009 Total $31.60

2. Sent two Barbies to France First Class International on 1/20/2009 due to inclimate weather (Ice and snow storms, up here in Maine).

3. On.. 02/02/2009 I receive an email from the Buyer in french about her problem. (I may be 1/4 french, as I do genealogy. But I DO NOT understand it and made it very clear.)

4. On.. 02/02/2009 Received a message from Paypal that they were putting a hold on my account, due to this buyer saying "Not as described" for $31.60.

5. On..02/03/2009 I snet an email through Paypal stating I do NOT speack french. What is the problem??

6. After going on Babel Fish to translate, she says she only received one doll.

7. Went back on Paypal and explained, I do not speak french. I sent out two dolls and I have the proof. My dolls eigh 5 - 6 ounces, depending on the length of hair. The package weighed wighed 11 ounces. They asked for faxes and files of proof. I sent in the copy of the customs declaration and the post office receipt on 2/6/2009.

8. On 2/08/2009 they said Paypal was reviewing it. Would contact me by 3/06/2009

9. On 3/06/2009 I sent them an email stating "why it it taking so long??

10. On 3/06/2009, they said they contacted buyer. "Awaiting other parties response".

11. On 3/07/2009, They are back to, "Paypal Reviewing the claim".

Meantime, who is collecting the interest on the $31.60. It is over 21 days and now Paypal is saying, they will get back to me on April 6th?? I am fed up with their games. The thing is, they want you to do international. All packages go through customs. Customs can open up ANY package they want to. I told them (eBay and Paypal) that. Maybe they didn't seal it back up all the way and one doll fell out? I KNOW I sent two dolls and I am getting "punished for the total of both dolls? does this make any sence to anyone out there? As it sure doesn't to me. I am very dissatisfied with their "so called" business professionalism. Sincerely, Karen J. Lord of eBay
Ground River

3/12/2009 7:28 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

PayPal is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. PayPal serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as checks and money orders.

A PayPal account can be funded with an electronic debit from a bank account or by a credit card. The recipient of a PayPal transfer can either request a check from PayPal, establish their own PayPal deposit account or request a transfer to their bank account. PayPal is an example of a payment intermediary service that facilitates worldwide e-commerce.
Manny

3/12/2009 7:56 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Grrrrrr this is bull shit
Im having similar problems as stated below!!!!
UPS confirmed deliverey, buyer has not responded to any emails and hasent left no feedback this really sucks ass...

COME ONE is there anything we can do???? WTF

meep meep 1/19/2009 2:39 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding paymentsI'm so annoyed. I sold something for 135.95. The item has been shipped and delivered. I classified it in the health category, so it's not a high risk item or anything. My account has 100 percent positive feedback and funds have never been held before. I read that funds will be given before 21 days are over if delivery is confirmed. Delivery has been confirmed but paypal isn't acknowledging it. I haven't heard anything from the buyer at all, which is pretty annoying. No emails and no feedback, good or bad, so I'm starting to think that I'll never hear from them again. I'm frustrated because while they're already using the product, I don't have money that is rightfully mine. The stupid 21 days policy only benefits the buyer and leaves sellers out. The item I sold originally retails at 190 dollars. It was brand new and never removed from the original packaging and I sold it 50 dollars cheaper than normal retail price, because I got it as a gift. Not to mention I shipped the damn thing for free. I feel completely ripped off.
Bobby Green

3/13/2009 6:19 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Here's what everyone should do.....STOP USING PAYPAL!!!!....and on the other end of things,when paypal obviously is ripping off the seller....TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT!!!! Forget about the BIG lawsuits that involve lawyers.If EVERYONE starts firing,yes FIRING LIKE BULLETS FROM A MACHINE GUN, small claims suits against ebay and paypal they wont be able to keep up with all of the people filing against them,AND THEN MAYBE THEN THEY WILL SEE THE PROBLEM THAT KEEPS RE-ACCURING.The bottom line is to stop using paypal all together.They are owned by ebay and ebay is no better since they are ALLOWING THIS to go on over and over and over without blinking an eye.I just heard today(saw a video online) that ProPay is also offered on ebay and the reason they offer it and not offer "Google check out" is that ProPay costs more than paypal and ebay thinks that is an advantage to THEM so most will choose paypal because its cheaper(BUT STILL TAKES 3%) In this video the guy proceeds to say that Wells Fargo owns ProPay and is ran entirely different that paypal.
I have a business and accept credit cards and there are still chances of fraudulent "charge backs" from people trying to pull a scam but you still have alot more control then a paypal account,BUT...ebay somehow makes your personal merchant account attatched to paypal? I couldnt list my item without putting my email address for a paypal account? SO I do not accept credit cards on ebay unless I talk to the customer on the phone just like I would with my regular business,DONT FALL FOR ANY B.S. about it not being safe to accept a credit card over the phone.I have been doing it that way for over 10 years.Think about it,when you buy something from lets say,Summit Racing,or Speedway Motors or Sears or ANY MAIL ORDER not involving your computer,.... You always give your card info OVER THE PHONE.paypal needs their ass SUED OFF.THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO HOLD YOUR MONEY AFTER THE PERSON PAYS AND RECIEVES THEIR MERCHANDICE.There is NO REASON to hold money for 21 days!!!.Come on,isnt there a SMART LAWYER READING THIS????? Here is your chance to form a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT and WIN.There has to be some laws being broken here by ebay as an accesory to the corruptions of paypal? Ebay is FORCING ALL SELLERS TO USE PAYPAL AND MAKING BUYERS BELIVE ITS THE ONLY SAFE WAY TO PAY.
Ebay is getting worse every week and I heard yesterday that sales have dropped 50 percent? But they dont really care because they are making it up on all the people using paypal? Hmmm....ITS OBVIOUS,STOP USING PAYPAL,READ ALL OF THE THREADS LIKE THIS TO HEAR OF PEOPLES MISFORTUNES and respond to ALL OF THE THREADS LIKE WE ARE DOING HERE and it will eventually make a difference.You will see my responces too,I use the same name everywhere..Did you know there is a website called.."SCREW-PAYPAL.COM" ???? HA!!!! YES there is!!! check it out everyone!!!
The sooner we all stick together,the sooner we all get back at the ebay-paypal NAZIS.
For the lady with the Barbies,YOU HAVE PROOF BY HOW MUCH THAT BOX WEIGHED WHEN IT WAS SHIPPED ON YOUR END.What are they thinking? That you put a CHEESE BURGER in there and someone at CUSTOMS WAS HUNGRY and decided to eat it? FILE A SMALL CLAIMS CASE AGAINST PAYPAL and also sue for damages.Check out "YouTube" and search for ebay lawsuits and you will find cases that were on TV's Judge Judy and the other lady judge.Dont think that its only $31.60. I know you arent in the habit of handing out $31.60 to anyone who asks.
Something else to check out is the 'Ebay Pirate" He has videos on YouTube and Metcafe.Very interesting things he has to say.
Stop feeding the LION that is trying to bite you and it will eventually die.
Bobby Green
Trebor

3/21/2009 8:32 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

This has happened to me on both ends of the spectrum, as seller and as buyer. NOo one should ship anything until it's paid for. When I get a transaction that's "under review" I just cancel it and re-list the item. It truly is random. I will no longer sell high value items through ebay/paypal due to the risk of them stealing my money. Which apparently they now have every right to do. They are following in the footsteps of AIG.
David P

3/23/2009 12:12 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hello,

Just had a similar problem. Have challenged both eBay and PayPal to explain to me how they can qualify the PaylPal is safer. This is the email that I sent to eBay tonight:

Will someone explain to me how eBay can claim the following:
"PayPal is the safer, easier way to receive payments on eBay."
and continue to claim "PayPal will release the hold after 21 days without a buyer dispute, claim, chargeback or other action. The hold may be released earlier if the buyer leaves positive Feedback."
To receive a payment after 21 days is certainly not easier that using my own https and payment processing facility. Furthermore my bank who is cheaper that PayPal. I have passed the neccessary checked to be authorised to take payments on line or large payment from card holders not present.
eBay is asking me to release good before funds are released to me which is not safe and therefore not safer. Indeed it is very easy for any dishonest buyer to create a dispute to enable him or her to, for instance have use of a product purchased for a period of time and then to return it after lets say 6 weeks claiming that it was not as described. I refer for example the case of second hand goods such as a specialised tool that someone would purchase just for using for one job. Neither PayPal or eBay would have any way of proving that buyer was honest or not. Your policy therefore is rendering the transaction unsecured, unjust and depriving seller of all adequate protection. This email is being copied to the UK financial ombudsman, trading standard and to the cssf in Luxembourg. I expect response.

Furthermore, does anyone realise that according to the Luxembourg authority PayPal is a registered Bank since July 2007!
Aaron

3/31/2009 9:23 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm actually on the other end of this conversation. For the last 2 months, every transaction I have made, very few being high risk items. Has been put on a temporary hold. Again and again I do what they ask on the site to resolve the issue along with calling them with my issue. The offer little help and in a nut shell tell me to just deal with it. It seems they have no control over this "system" that puts these holds on their customers accounts, which is rediculous. All the time, I'm worried about the seller. I don't want them waiting for payment, even if it's not my falult. It just makes for one big hassle.
Jeff

4/7/2009 6:15 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal should at least release the funds associated with SHIPPING the item. It is BS that I require the buyer to pay for shipping, but now cannot ship the item, because the funds are on hold. And since I have no funds in my Paypal account (not a frequent seller), I have to transfer my OWN funds, which itself takes 3-5 days. So buyer is screwed (having to wait), I am screwed because (1) I have spent my own money to pay for shipping that is buyer's responsibility, in hopes that Paypal will release the money to me, and (2) I may receive negative feedback for shipping delays that I had no notice on in advance.

Personally--at the moment, done with Ebay and Paypal. Time may change.
jim young

4/8/2009 12:34 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal has had so many scams it is sick. I joined a class action law suit against them and got 30$ as part of a large settlement along with thousands of others for their criminal practice. Keep away from paypal, I have never paid a dime to ebay in 5 years of usage. They keep screwing around with banning this and than and I just shut it all down and tell them to fuck off for the $. I have sold items by dealing with buyres direct and screw their money. Paypal I do not ship a dam thing if the $ is not in my bank account first. They are a sacam. Anyone how is saying different is a lying ass hole and most likey works for paypal.
Art Tendler

4/11/2009 2:07 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I think that we should find an attorney that will take on a class action lawsuit against Paypal. First of all there are NO protections for the seller. Second they have our money for 21 days without paying interest. Can you imagine how much money they can generate with the float. Millions!! This crap where you can not leave negative feedback for a deadbeat buyer...but they can say whatever they want. Feedback with ebay should work both ways and as far a paypal goes they should leave the system alone. LETS GET AN ATTORNEY that has the balls to sue them!! I will be #1 plantiff since they have been holding my $220.00 for 3 weeks now!
Salim96

4/12/2009 11:31 AM | # Paypal + ebay sucks,sucks,sucks,sucks,sucks

I thought I was the only one screwed by paypal and ebay.

I sold a mobile phone a month ago and pyapal put a hold on my payment,, I shipped using royal mail first class,,, buyer claimed that he did not receive the item( no way to tell if this it true or not) he opened a dispute,,, paypal closed in his favour,,, and I ended up out of phone and out of my money,

Last week I sold a laptop and described it very well,,, as usual paypal held the payment and the buyer sent me an email that the item was not as described! fortunately he has not filed any dispute or negative feedback!
and I am praying now for the 21 days period to pass by safely.

And the selling fees,,, it is a joke!!! I sold a fragrance for 70 pounds and they tool 6 pounds!
Ex Pay Pal User

4/17/2009 6:18 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Having looking over the post there is a real simple
solution STOP USING PAY PAL!!!! There are other options
IE: Pro Pay I am not saying they are the best, as I came across
this forum looking for info regarding "The Float" I makes me so angry
that all of these SCAM Financial company's always looking to make a $ off of our
Money.I don't have enough time today to tell of almost unbelievable storeys
of Pay Pal Blunders, (that if you or I tried) we would be tossed in Jail.
But in the days of all of the wonders of wall street!! this dose not
surprise,Good luck to all of you in getting your $ Back Thanks for all
of the experiences posted, maybe it will help others seeing the truth!!
uber

4/18/2009 11:34 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

crme@paypal.com spam the shit out of it! maybe get the chans in on it too, for great justice.
Tina Jones

4/21/2009 9:16 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Screw Paypal and Ebay. I have shut down my bank account and will not pay ebay charges. Paypal now holds my money and wants me to ship and wait to see if some tard will make a complaint and I have no options. Now ebay has shut down the seller from being able to give neg. feed back, and we have to wait for our money. Screw eBay. I quit useing it as a buyer or a seller. I am running up my bill on ebay and will screw them for the $. I have over 500$ on hold with paypal and will not ship a god dam thing until funds are released and I get them in my personal bank account. I advise anyone with a brain to not ship until they get funding. If you go along with this crap they will keep screwing you more and more.
semisane

5/1/2009 7:21 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal is a dirty whore.
ray

5/6/2009 3:28 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Art, I agree, but the only damages you would be entitled to is interest.
I would like to see an investigation of some kind done, although it's probly in the TOU for paypal, socked away in all that language.
chicagonature

5/12/2009 4:11 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I used eBay to sell a $300 item to a guy in China.

I shipped the item and he said that he received the box, but that it did not contain the item. He also received a letter confirming tampering from the Chinese post office.

He purchased insurance, which is mandatory for the items I ship, so all he had to do was go to the post office with the letter, file a claim, and he'd have his $300 in a couple of weeks. But, no!!! The ass filed a claim with PayPal.

After months of arguing, PayPal sided with this thief and I was out $300. PayPal said that it didn't matter if he had insurance and don't get involved. WHAT! That's the whole point of insurance.

It's my contention that the guy was simply lying. Now, all he has to do is take the letter to the post office and make an additional $300 from them.

So, here's how to use PayPal to rip someone off:
- Buy something you really like on eBay.
- When the package arrives, take out the item and give it to a friend to hide in his house.
- File a claim with PayPal and they'll back you. You get your money back AND you'll be able to keep the item.

No kidding, it's that easy! I am no longer using eBay and I have hired a programmer from the website RentACoder.com to write an invoicing application for me. I also opened my own VISA/MC merchant account.
geoff

5/16/2009 6:01 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hello all i have to laugh at the above comment. He is just so right. I got ripped off by someone and they even admitted they had they item and paypal refused to give me my money back . LEAVE EBAY NOW BEFORE ITS TO LATE.

Thanks from http://gmrm.co.uk
Drew

5/27/2009 2:29 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I've been selling and developing tools for high-volume sellers for 10+ years now. This holding policy is the best thing that's happened to the system in a long time. I wrote my own article on the policy and why I agree with it. I've seen this new policy save thousands of dollars for my sellers and their buyers, not to mention keep the buyers and sellers happy so they'll continue using eBay.

www.usbswiper.com/.../paypals-ebay-payment-hold...
Bill

5/27/2009 7:55 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Ditto. Same thing happend to me with Paypal/Ebay. Once payment is received. I'm certainly not going to be using Paypal. And may not use Ebay. What ever happened to good customer service... This new policy paypal implemented is like asking Sears to send you an item, and ask Sears to wait on payment until I receive it. Then at my discreation, leave feedback for Sears or else no payment is received. Until final confirmation item was shipped and delivered. Still pending and hoping to get paid. I occasional sell on ebay...and my policy is that I don't ship item until payment has been received and in my account. Otherwise, the seller is going to get hosed at some point. I'm sure Paypal is earning interest off this money while it's sitting pending payment status.
Mark

5/30/2009 2:38 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal has some serious work to do as far as improving customer service. I recently started doing some business on ebay and decided to link one of my bank accounts because it would be easier to make big item payments and would take the hassle out of having to get money orders from the bank and express mailing them. Many sellers ONLY accept Paypal anyways.
What a freaking mistake that was. I bought an item for $490.00 and WTF but the payment said it was pending even though I had plenty of money in the bank. I had already made plenty of other purchases one for $225.00 and the payment immediately went through and I didn't receive a message that it was pending for another week later. I called the next evening and spoke with a lady at Paypal and she indicated that they were waiting on my payment to clear. The next day I went back and checked my bank account. I was livid there was a cleared payment for 490 on 05/29 and the $225.00 payment cleared on 05/27. I was told by the lady that before Paypal would pay the $490 they had to wait on the $225 payment to clear. Well when I checked the next day online, the payment had cleared from my bank days before I spoke to Paypal the first payment. Well long story short I called back and got another Paypal rep and she gave a different story. I AM FED UP WITH PAYPAL. They said they were waiting on the Fed Reserve to pay them because it was an electronic funds payment. I told them that I didnt give a crap that the money already left my bank account and the seller is sitting waiting on the payment to clear even though the money was already taken out of my bank account. As a buyer i feel screwed. Thanks Paypal for crappy customer service and screwing both the buyer and the seller. I wish enough people would band together and boycott Paypal and send them a strong message to shape up or ship out... no pun intended. Ebayers can always send money orders directly from the bank and NOT deal with Paypal.
Vern

6/2/2009 8:00 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

According to this article at CNN, from early last year, perhaps the revenge would be in legally making PayPal pay interest on the money held to PayPal account holders. "PayPal's Pires said accountholders should be aware that they have the power to collect interest for their own use on delayed funds. It's as simple as enrolling in the company's PayPal Money Market Fund, Pires said." [money.cnn.com/.../paypal_float.fsb/] This Money Market Fund information used to be on the main page of your account, along the left side. It's now somewhat hidden down at the bottom of the page. And if you don't see it there, use the Products and Services tab at the top of your account. It's worth a shot, trying to recoup some of your money.
Vern

6/2/2009 8:09 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Here's another thing ... I sold my product Wednesday last week and shipped it as promised on Friday (2 days). Like others here, PayPal held my payment (I didn't know anything about this policy until I checked Wednesday night and saw the buyer had paid).

Long story short, I was annoyed, but shipped, then logged into my eBay account to input the tracking number. Then I logged into PayPal, which was still saying "ship now!", and put in the tracking number. Lastly, once I saw the package had been delivered (using the USPS tracking web site), I logged into eBay, wrote a note to the seller saying I hoped he was happy, saw he had received his package, and asked him to kindly leave positive feedback. Tonight, I checked my PayPal account and saw they had released my funds.

Maybe this series of steps has something to do with getting your PayPal funds released sooner. I'm not sure about that, but it is worth a try.
jeff

6/20/2009 11:05 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

anybody try out pro pay ? Im gonna give it a try, bye bye paypal crooks!!!
Jimmy Neutron

6/22/2009 8:20 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Well I just ran into this issue with a part I was selling. I have perfect feedback and all that and my money was held? Personally I just got off the phone with Paypal and told them to stick it. I refunded the transaction to the buyer immediately and I am closing my account. Screw them.

Fortunately I am a computer genius and I was able to locate the buyer OUTSIDE of Ebay/Paypal and we will finish the transaction there. Paypal just lost my business and I will be telling ALL my clients about this and I am sure they are going to lose 80% of my client base as well. There are other options.
Meduza

6/26/2009 5:57 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

For the record the refunding the penny trick no longer works, nor does any other amount. Funds still on hold.
Biff

6/27/2009 3:44 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

It's amazing now freakin' smug companies get when they get B-I-G!
PayPal is a racket.
eBay is also a racket.
eBay owns PayPal.
NO WHERE in commerce do you get the goods without paying first.
You can't even get an ice cream cone at the drive-up window of a fast food joint, without handing over the cash first.
Ever notice that, PayPal?
You may be big now, but keep up this crap, and you will fall.
Can you spell General Motors? Chrysler?
Nick Norwood

7/3/2009 6:22 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I was majorly screwed over by paypal, I sold a laptop for $800 and shipped it out, it arrived a couple days later then expected and the buyer reported this to paypal so they locked my funds, which is understandable, but when the laptop showed up and the buyer dropped the un-received item claim the funds remained locked despite everything showing up in the "all clear" on paypals end. after a month of the funds remaining locked ebays seller fees didn't go through because paypal wouldn't let the money go, so now paypal sais they can't release the money because of "suspicious activity linking my paypal and ebay accounts" it's been almost a year now and still I can't get anywhere with them, but my account still sais it has funds in it but it's still in lockdown.
Joe

7/9/2009 1:25 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I am in agreement with these complaints. I wish I could sue. I mean out of an item and no money GIVE ME A BREAK ~! I will never sell on ebay again
Same Boat

7/19/2009 12:55 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Same boat here. It's quite a catch-22- put yourself at risk of losing the item and the money if you send it, put yourself at risk of negative feedback if you refund the money and don't.

What to do? It's times like this I wish I was Russian mafia, as they always seem to come out ahead on ebay.
David T

7/23/2009 7:44 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I was a power seller on ebay and got my listings shoved to the rear of pages, stupid of ebay with over 100,000 fb, so me and a bunch of ebay sellers/buyers went together and we started a website to give ebay a big slap... we will not list our own items until the site somewhat gets busy, we will have names to sell like eiStuff-Emp-David this will let everyone know it is a employee of eistuff.com.

we even managed to get a couple ex ebay employees ;-) the things we have learned from them is just starting to be put to use... so we started a FREE site eiStuff.com

we were fine with ebay until we as sellers got the slap in the face, i only had 12 negs, out of 100k feedback... pooey

Screw ebay... we were on ebay since the beginning.... what a business blunder.....
Michelle

7/27/2009 1:15 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Do NOT use ebay or paypal at all. Fact they put a lock on your funds and use any excuse to do so. I say EBAY and PAYPAL should be closed down. DO NOT USE either i warn you they have screwed me over too and there doesn't seem to be much that can be done about it.
BrandNubian

7/31/2009 12:39 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Think about the flip side, guys -- I am a buyer who bought from a 0-feedback seller who stiffed me by not including all the items he promised in the auction. When I had to nerve to ask for either a refund or a credit for a fraction of the sale price to offset the missing pieces, he launched a personal attack on me. So, I filed a claim, and I got paid because the money had been held. If it had not, he could have cleaned out his paypal and bank accounts and have been long gone. I know this is not the way most sellers do business, but paypal was able to cover my a$$ due to this policy, which I am now thankful for!
Laurel

8/3/2009 3:27 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

This experience causes me to pause...I appreciate as a buyer being protected, but I can see no reason for this. Someone who has been with the company for years, with 100% feedback? Something is wrong with this system...it does NOT make me want to work with ebay/paypal.
Jean

8/3/2009 10:56 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Tim-
So how long did it take for you to FINALLY get your money? It feels that e-bay/pay-pal has created the ulitmate environment for scam artists. I am now waiting for"released" payment for my items. I am now fearful of selling on e-bay, the buyer can recieve products, wait to see if they really like it or not, or even break it, and then file a complaint and demand a refund? Are they requied to return the items? Who holds them responsible? Where is the seller protection? What about items that are sold as non-refundable? Do the buyers even know that their funds are being held from the seller until they leave positive feedback?

I can tell you exactly what is wrong here. E-bay/Pay-Pal has forgetten where they came from.
They have become TOO BIG FOR THEIR BRITCHES.

It's all about the bottom line, and NOT about customers or even customer service anymore. This always seems to be the case when companies start to outsoruce the most critical service they can provide to the lowest bidder, customer service becomes an issue of quantity and not QUALITY. What better way to send the message of "We don't really want to deal with you".

I know that they have reported a signifigance increase in revenue since last fiscal year, but it would be most interesting to see how thier membership turn-around has changed.............
bruno

8/12/2009 7:39 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Paypal sucks. I am about to write a letter to all major ebay bondholders warning them that Paypal (ebay owns Paypal) may be overstating their books by showing cash on hand that does not even belong to them but to potentially thousnads of sellers who have shipped items and currently have their money held for unknown reasons. Can you guys imagine how much interest Paypal is making daily on sellers' money being held????
Abe

8/23/2009 7:45 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Wow I know what you mean I just sold an old sidekick LX sso I can get the new one now I have to wait a freaking month thats bull crap.Well actually 11 days but whatever Im still pissed.
andrew

8/27/2009 10:03 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I have a situation now with ebay and pa pal. I sold an Item on ebay and I have 100% positive feedback and have been a member since 2007. This is suppose to be the requirements to not have your payments with held. My money is still being with held my customer has received there product sent me an email with positive feedback instead of leaving it in the appropriate place. My money is still being with held. I have a tracking number through USPS that is registered in ebay stating the customer received the product three days ago. My money is still being with held. What is ebay and pay pal doing with my money That it takes this long of a process to get it released I meet all the requirements that it should have been released atleast 2 days ago. I will never sell on there again.
Derrick

8/27/2009 5:52 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

This sound sooo familar, cuz its happening to me RIGHT now, i use craiglist, to sell my item and i had a digital camera for sell for 350 bucks, well as soon as i post it up, i got an email the next morning, a guy was saying he wanted to buy it and only uses paypal, and i said oh great i use paypal and he wanted to pay 470 dollars, i was thinkin ok, he wanted me to ship the item out to his daughter's in africa, im like whatever dude i dont care, so i sent the dude Money request for 470, then i see that he sent it, but its still "PENDING" its already been 3 days so im like ok, well i get an email from paypal, saying this buyer is *approve* and once you give paypal an email of the tracking number of the item you shipped we will fund your money, so i was like ok (now forgive me this was my first time using this) spent about 50 dollars to ship the item then done deal, yay! but couple hour later, a guy from the post office called me on my cell was asking are u wanting me to send this out, i said yea please do, then he got to thinkin did u sold an item and i was like uhh yea i sold it on craiglist, and he said dude im an ebay seller and ive seen scam so many time its happens like 99% out of 100% and he asking me if i had my money and i told him that its still pending but the only way to get my money if i send them the tracking numbers then i would get my money, and he sight and said yea dude, that a scam cuz paypal will automatically credit your money, and i get that email all the time and thats when i know its a scam, so i was lucky to have that guy call me and told me that cuz i told him to send the item back to my house and of course im pissed now im waiting on this so called "buyer" to email me back cuz i dont see why whats the hold up of my money that the seller sent to me and it said i have to wait 24? wtf! i have no idea whats goin on, so im just sitting here waititng to see what happens
Eric

9/1/2009 9:06 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

EBAY and PAYPAL are at it again!!!!!!!!!!! As of August 28th EBAY is improving it's SCREW THE SELLER POLICY(ebay buyer protection)!!! EBAY can now go into you PAYPAL account and return the buyer his money back out of your PAYPAL account and leave your PAYPAL ACCOUNT with a NEGATIVE BALANCE just like PAYPAL can!!!! EBAY owns PAYL now, don't they???? This seems to me this is a monopoly!!! They now control all ways that you the SELLER can receive payments. We, the SELLERS, can no longer get money orders, cashier's checks or personal checks for our items UNLESS WE SEND THE ITEMS TO THE BUYER FIRST!!! Then we can trust the BUYER to pay us!!! SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!! I guess we as the SELLER should trust all BUYERS since EBAY gives them ALL a 100% FEEDBACK because none of the BUYERS can get any NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!! Just us lowly SELLERS get NEGATIVE FEEDBACK!! The sellers apparently have nothing at all to do with making these BILLION DOLLARS corps lots of money. Seems to me without the sellers EBAY and PAYPAL DON'T GET ANYTHING!!! MAYBE WE, AS THE SELLERS, SHOULD ALL BOYCOTT BOTH EBAY AND PAYPAL FOR 1 WEEK. MAYBE THAT WOULD STOP THE INSANITY!! Or maybe we should all just relax because the have everything well under control. After all, I did receive this personal note from EBAY after I got screwed by them. It says, and I quote:"The eBay Feedback Forum is a member-to-member tool that gives people a place to speak freely without worrying about being censored." By the way, they removed my response to the buyer's negative feedback!! Guess I didn't put it in the right words!! BUT THAT'S NOT CENSORSHIP.
SINCERELY,A NEW ProPay user
SaraSTR

9/3/2009 9:10 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hi, I came across this at my first search for answers about this Ebay/Paypal problem. My husband sold a macbook that was NOT working, stated in the description that it was broken, what was wrong with it, what it included, etc...and the person who receieved it now wants their money back. So what happened? They contacted paypal and Paypal has put the 400 dollars on hold, (out of our account, and we are needing money!) and even if it ends up going through eventually it won't be available for at least a month and they don't even have to include us in their decision! The buyer has the PRODUCT AND PAYPAL HAS THE MONEY??? It's awful. This has happened to us 3 times in the last MONTH! We are livid and don't know what to do. How can any business succeed this way? My husband is a good decent hard working person and the stress of this is killing him. It's just not worth it but we have no choice right now since I am fighting a serious illness and we have to do what we can. We are thinking about finding a lawyer who may consider a class action lawsuit, we don't know what else to do. This just can't keep going like this, EBay will lose all the decent hard working honest sellers and apparently we are going about it all wrong. Apparently the only way to make get money out of this is to be a buyer and run a scam of being the HIGH BIDDER, GEtting the Item, then complaining to Paypal, and voila, you get the product and the money! What's that sound like? It sounds like they are letting buyers run theft rings and they don't give a crap about the ebay sellers and stores anymore! I didn't think I could be shocked anymore but this is unbelievable!
B-Rad

9/15/2009 6:46 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Ebay & PayPal Screwed me too I sold 2 book for $50.00 + 12.00 shipping x 2 both payments are on hold I have been an Ebay member since 2002 Shipped the books but no money THANKS PAYPAL!!!!!!
tonester

9/26/2009 9:34 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

PayPal and Ebay=Cosa Nostra...PERIOD! If you think people should just shut up and pay the man or get their nose bloodied, then you will agree with PayPal's fraud control attempts. Trouble is, nobody controls PayPal/Ebay's fraudulent business model.

If you sell a high risk item, and fall into one of their failing categories, (not hard to do), then they keep your buyer's money in THEIR INTEREST EARNING ACCOUNT, and you get BUPKISS! That's right. I sold an item for 1 dollar less than 900 dollars. PayPal placed a hold on payment for 21 days until the item shipped AND a positive feedback was received. You'd have to be pretty stupid or just plain naive to think this is a business partnership that would work on any level. This is what you SHOULD DO when PayPal places a HOLD ON PAYMENT: simply chose to refund the entire payment. Your choices are easy. I am not going to spend my money to ship someone a valuable item and then wait up to 3 weeks for PayPal to release the payment. Read between the lines here people. Why not just buy something on Ebay, use PayPal, send it back for whatever reason, and never worry about the poor schmuck who never will receive payment. This is the epitome of distrust and lack of good faith bargaining. Disavow yourself of using PayPal and attempt to sell on Craigslist.org. That worked for me in this case. And it will drive the PayPal idiots to rethink their wonderful fraud policy. HIt them where it counts. Keep the goods, don't sell out America!
bissenmir

10/3/2009 12:46 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I got screwed two! Sellers get the shaft on ebay anymore…period. I have used ebay since 2001 and never had a problem. I am not anything close to a power seller but I use it every now and then for buying mostly and some selling. Recently I sold two items, a month ago, and have not received one penny. It’s like the buyer knows the policy of two weeks (one week to pay, second week in resolution center) to send money after the auction is closed and they use it big time.

The first buyer took 6 days before sending money to paypal which is slow but not all that bad. Everything went okay until I noticed my money was held by paypal. I had to pay for shipping out of pocket and the UPS tracking on paypal was not showing any tracking information for the item shipped because I used the ups store not regular ups. The buyer disappeared and has not left me feedback. Now ebay has billed me for the sale of the item which I have to pay for out of pocket. So the buyer has and is enjoying the item he won and paid for and I have two bills I had to pay for and still waiting for my money on paypal to be released. How is this fair? I feel I am being penalized for selling on ebay!

The second buyer said they did not have the money for the item they won on the 14th day. I ended this one through ebay’s resolution center and got my Final value fee back but I don’t think that buyer ever received an unpaid item strike like ebay claims they give to non-paying buyers.

All hail the buyer!!!!
WinchesterW

10/4/2009 11:17 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Thank you ALL for the insight on this Paypal/Ebay situation!! As a buyer I was NOT aware fo the delays that sellersexperience and that is SAD in these trying times!! Can anyone tell me if the optin to "transfer funds" directly from my bank is the faster way to pay my buyers or would using a debit card be faster?
I want them to get their money as soon as possible,yet I don'twant to leave my account open to erronious charges either. (I was taken when a seller I don't even buy from sent a bill to paypal for $1200 and I never ordered a thing from them!! Needless to say Paypal paid them which I vehemently disputed of course, and eventually got my money back!!) NOW, my Paypal account must have a letter and/or # combination electronically transferred to me and entered by myself to even log in or complete ANY type of transaction!! I will swear by that little electronic key, even though I couldn't even begin to understand the process it uses to transmit the code & then recognize the 6 digits as I enter them almost immediately afterwards. I have also made it VERY clear that"PAYPAL IS TOTALLY
and 100% LIABLE IF ANY TRANSACTION IS PAID WITHOUT MY CODE BEING USED! In the
last 3 years, there has not been a single instance where they've paid a penny billed without authorization from me-the telephone carries more weight when
they can hear the total disgust, disdain and anger in your voice!! Anyhow, I just wanted to thank you for the insight, and also for your opinions if you
have any, as to the quickest payment method!! I may be rare, but I do like my sellers, and I also appreciate them-so thanks again!!
Bert

10/6/2009 5:19 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yeah, ship now and wait for PayPal to release your money? Never! Just don't ship it and tell them to refund the buyer. Those buyer's will get pissed and eBay will suffer. That's what I just did after receiving the "funds on hold" BS from EB/PP.
K

10/19/2009 10:27 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Here is an email that I just sent PayPal:
Dear PayPal,
Your company is holding $285 of my money and requiring me to go ahead and send out items that are not paid for yet. Can I ask you a question? Do you go into a store and take something and notify the owner of the shop that you won’t be paying for the item until 21 days later?? The answer is... NO!
While I understand that this in effort to make PayPal and eBay a safe trading place. I have mailed out ALL of my items on time and always offered a refund if the customer is unhappy with the purchase for ANY reason. I understand this because I myself have been scammed by 2 buyers that claimed they never received items even though items showed being a confirmed delivery. I not only lost the item, but the money that the buyer paid me for the item, I was out the cost for the item initially… and the fees that I paid to list the item up on ebay! It is not fair what you are doing!! I am not responsible for someone being a THIEF! I have mailed all of my items out and some are showing delivered, with feedback and you are still holding my funds. Please update and release my funds, as you stated you would when you received confirmation of delivery and feedback. Thank you!
If this activity does not stop then I will be choosing another payment option on eBay for ALL of my auction listings and you will lose my business FOREVER. I am also considering closing my eBay account and not using eBay either because you are an eBay company. I have been a happy eBay seller up until you started holding my payments and requiring that I mail out the items before being paid for them.
You should note that once a company loses my trust, I will NEVER do business with them again. I am slowly losing trust in your inability to protect sellers from fraudulent activity. YOU ARE ONLY protecting buyers… WHAT ABOUT SELLERS?? WE ARE THE ONES PAYING YOUR FEES... NOT THE BUYERS! WITHOUT ANY SELLERS SELLING THEIR GOODS ON EBAY AND ACCEPTING PAYMENTS THROUGH YOUR MERCHANT SERVICES WITH PAYPAL… YOU WILL BE OUT OF BUSINESS! It won’t matter how many buyers are buying…. Without us, you are not in business!! It is also unlawful for you to hold my money and not pay me MY interest with the money that you are holding from me. We all know that this is the reason that you are holding money for 21 days. It is STEALING!! I demand you do something to win back my business... this kind of behavior is despicable!
Pat

10/21/2009 6:00 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm done too. eBay AND paypal can both kiss my a$$. I mailed a perfectly wrapped $1500 Louis Richard Rose Skeleton watch, insured with delivery confirmation to a buyer. It was brand new, a college graduation gift that wasn't my taste, and worked perfectly...cert of authentiticy, the works. USPS (or, more likely, the buyer) mishandled it, and then filed a claim AGAINST ME! What for? "Significantly not as described in listing." Claimed I sent a broken item. BS!!! I have over 400 positive feedbacks since 1999 with NO negs EVER! Paypal bastards took back the money, had the buyer return it to me WITHOUT filing a claim against the USPS insurance, so now I'm out the money AND a $1500 watch. Screw em, I'm done. I'll never use paypal for anything. EBAY AND PAYPAL ARE ALL ABOUT BUYERS. Actually, when you thik aboutr it, eBay is a perfect breeding place for scams against sellers. Hell, I could make WAY more money doing that than selling my odds and ends and estate sale finds. Hmmmmmmm???? Idiots...
Steve

10/21/2009 7:41 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

My response to Paypal this morning....

Hi Irene,

Thank you for your response, and in it is my dilemma. Basically it states PayPal have a strategy in place allowing it for a period of time to consider me a fraudster! I have issue with this.
From a consumer point of view I consider it a very untactful business model. During the time PayPal considers me a risk, denying me access to my PayPal funds, PayPal has essentially secured larger deposits in it's bank accounts forcing the accrual of larger interest amounts than it otherwise could generate.
This may be a very small monetary amount for a single account but as PayPal is a global entity with millions of users this freezing mechanism turns into a lucrative revenue stream for PayPal. This is done at my expense, attributed to PayPal determining I am a risk, tarnishing my identity for a short duration.

I have used both PayPal and ebay for years, not a huge amount of transactions mind you but I still believe myself to a long term user of both services. I consider PayPal's policy to freeze funds in my account to be a 'trust breaking' action and it certainly changes my own opinion of the organization.
If PayPal intermittently no longer trust its users and the transactions they are involved in while at the same time PayPal makes money via this policy of mistrust why should I continue to trust PayPal?

Regards,
Stephen
Justin Hill

10/23/2009 6:04 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Since 1st October this year when we fell into this trap, about 95% of our eBay sales transactions have been held by Paypal. We've recovered quite a bit of it but today they are still holding about GBP 2,500 (about 40 sales) of our money for new goods sold on but-it-now. We have proof of shipment and tracking info for all of it, and proof of delivery for some of it. When we receive positive feedback the funds are supposed to be released but all this month we have been having to phone Paypal and get them to manually release funds in these cases. Part of the problem seems to be that neither eBay Powerseller support nor Paypal 'supervisors' can give specific criteria for the hold/release process and each are telling us to call the other. If we continue to list on eBay we will go bust by the end of this month - we are simply running out of money. eBay/Paypal is telling us that shipping without being paid is an acceptable business practice. An accountant would have a very different view of the wisdom of effectively giving at least 21 days credit to everyone we sell to on eBay, regardless of who they are or what country they live in.
lisa

10/24/2009 11:35 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I HATE PayPal. They are currently holding $500 hostage and demanding all sorts of information and pieces of paper and asking for my SSN, then telling me it's wrong. I am spitting mad.
Dave

10/26/2009 12:13 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

They do suck.I sold a Mac Mini which is in great shape but because it has no warranty I sold it as is.The buyer paid within 24 hours and to my dismay PayPal put a hold on the funds for 21 days.I was going to back out of the sale because I only sold the item because I neede3d the money now-but I felt it would be very unfair to the buyer who did everything the right way.Paypal has put me in a spot where I am already low enough on money that I had to see my second computer -and now had to take a payday loan to ship the item -without even getting the money. By the time I get the money from the sale I will have had to pay back this loan with interest -all the while paypal is making money off me not only in the fees it already took but also in the interest it will make from my money.I sold the item to avoid a high interest loan and then had to take one anyway to cover the cost of shipping a item -it kills me and makes me wish I was crazy enough to do the same for them.I think it sucks that we have come to a point in history where large corps can just plain steal from people right in the open and no government entity will even try to help.I am going to file with the California attorney general even though it will probably not do a damn thing.
PayPal Sucks Alot!

10/26/2009 2:04 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm never using PayPal again. They are not my Pal, they suck. Will be happy when a bigger competitor takes them down.
clinton

11/8/2009 10:54 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I just started selling with ebay and i will never use paypal. because of the payment hold. I really dont understand why they did this. Yes, they solved some problems with fraud sellers but they just created a host of new problems. Now the scammers aren't the sellers, but the buyers. I had a couple of instances where a buyer would buy something from me and a couple days later the buyer would send me a fake email saying that the item is ok to ship and that the 21 day hold will be in effect until i shipp the item. Now if i would have shipped the item, i would have basically been giving a high priced item away for free.

I recommend using moneybookers as a payment method through ebay because they put the money directly into your bank account. If you have a feedback of 50 or under it could take 10 days for the funds to transfer. if your feedback of 50-100 it will only take five days, 101-150 3 days and 151 or more only 2 days to transfer the funds. you can also get your own merchant account and link it with ebay and receive funds that way. I think in a couple years though that moneybookers will be the #1 way to receive payment through ebay.
John M

11/9/2009 11:31 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I will never use Paypal again! Been a member for years and years and they still decide to hold my payments! have 100% positive feedback on EBay. I will move to use money orders and cashier checks STAY AWAY FROM PAYPAL!
Formister

11/10/2009 4:24 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

To those people who think paypal are great and this routine is just fine and protects them, You are very naive.
You may think that you operate in a manner that these things will never happen to you. After all your honest, legitimate and paypal only bans people who pose a risk. Thin again.

Thats what I thought until it happened to me. I sold items on ebay like the first post which belong to myself already. I was fully verified and held a premium account. One day I logged in and found my account under review.

I sent all the information to paypal. They required invoices for the items I had sold. I explained to an advisor on the phone that I already owned these item for some while and did not have receipts/invoices/proof of purchase for these. He told me to email paypal and tell them.

I did this and paypal closed my account. Not only did they close my account but they are holding my funds (£256) for 6 months and there is nothing I can do about it.

They do not fall under the financial regulations like banks do. There is no appeal process. Paypal are Judge, Jury and executioner.

So to those of you paypal fans beware, it may just happen to you
Max W

11/12/2009 5:44 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

ABANDON THE SHIP NOW!!!
long story short, 99% similiar situation here.

after i got the email informing me about the hold, i immediately logged on to paypal and called them over the phone. the answer from the rep was, "you should ship the item now..." then i expressed my concerns about scam, he replied ebay instructed paypal the transaction was categorized as risky so they put a hold on the fund. i asked how could i get the money now? he simply read the "three criteria" for getting my fund release.... (i could tell he was reading from the same screen i was looking at...WTF)

right after that, i online chat with ebay. basically the rep was responding the same way, just one thing different. "you will get your fund releaseed AS SOON AS you input the tracking number in the system... so you shouldn't be worrying about the 21 days wait and should ship the item out now..." i told the rep that i didn't have money to ship it out if they didn't release the fund. her reply was, "well...in that case you may want to borrow money from your friend, you should get it back very soon..."

i asked both companies how did they protect the seller in this situation. none of them gave me a direct answer. oh god, i am sure ebay and paypal are backing up the sellers.

now the buyer is getting really pissed because he has already paid through paypal, and i can ship the item out because i don't have the money to pay for shipping.

i wonder if i could ask USPS to "bill me later" for the postage since the money is still on hold with paypal.

i am a loyal ebay member for 10 years with 100% feedback, but i am about to give up my account and reputation if they forced me to send out item without payment in MY account!!!
Nikki vandiver

11/14/2009 1:43 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I have also just sold a phone and my funds are frozen! I have contacted a supervisor with paypal, and she told me it is EBAY who is wanting this new policy in place. I have been forced to ship my phone with no money in my account. ( if it is on hold it is NOT there to me ) now I have to wait at the mercy of the buyer to leave feedback??? what if they dont??? than what?
THIS RULE IS ABSOLUTE CRAP AND I WILL BE DONE WITH EBAY. NOT WORTH IT
T, Keltner

11/16/2009 4:49 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I am getting fed up with pay pal. I sold a huge lot of my son's Geo Trax 100 pieces plus 3 trains with remotes all working on ebay. I carefully packed and shipped them out to the buyer priority mail(large box), and the very day she received them, went to pay pal and filed a significantly not as described claim. She stated that first of all she only bought all the Geo Trax for the 3 trains and remotes I had listed. She claims that she only received 2 of the trains with remotes, and that both of them didn't work after changing batteries. Well to say the least I was upset by this because I tested and packed everything myself, and there were infact 3 trains (all working) and 3 remotes with several other large Geo track building pieces, tracks, and bridges. They were bubble wrapped and carefully boxed up. Pay pal has put a hold on the entire amount she paid me including shipping of $100.00. She wants a full refund, but I do not want to give her the full amount because she will ship me back 2 broken trains, when I sent her 3 working trains. I don't understand how she can claim to have only bought my lot for the trains only and now they all 3 are either missing or broken. Best part is she never email me to complain, went straight to pay pal to file, and still doesn't respond to her own claim she filed. Pay pal will now hold my money for 20 days, she has my Geo Trax and pay pal has my money. She can ship me back a crayon in a box and as long as pay pal gets a delivery confirmation on a package no matter whats in it, she gets a full refund. I am done with selling on ebay and using pay pal. I have 100% feedback as a seller and get screwed.
John

11/19/2009 12:04 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yea paypal and ebay have the mega scam going on here they really gone off their rockers this time all ready lost 1/2 the stock value and continue adding scammers to screw buyers over just recently I have a buyer buy a product for 277 then he did a charge back on his credit card of course paypal could not do a dam thing about it they said they were investigating (BS) they were helping the guy commit credit card fraud and protecting his information. On top of that he stole the product from me paypal took the money from me and I got screwed. That is how seller protection works. They will not respond to my attorneys letters or phone calls. They are criminals of the worst kind!
PaypalAreNazis

11/23/2009 6:58 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm never selling on Ebay again. I sold 3 items recently only to find out what you posted about. Unfuckingbeleiveable. I'm shocked that Paypal would do this. Fucking nazis.
PaypalAreNazis

11/23/2009 7:02 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

The buyers paid for the shipping, but how can I ship the items out if I can't withdrawal the money, or print a shipping label? I have to borrow money from my father in order to ship the 3 items, and now I'm at the buyers will to leave me positive feedback.

You're penalized by selling on Ebay. Buyers are protected and able to pull scams. Sellers are at the mercy of the buyer and the Nazi's of all companies, Paypal.
Christian

11/27/2009 10:10 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Yup, yup, yup. Seller here with 100% positive feedback. Loyal eBay seller and Paypal user for years. Never had a problem. Then this past week, I decide to sell two Blackberries because I'm strapped for cash (meaning, I need cash fast!). Completely unaware of this completely ridiculous new policy, I put them up on eBay. Score! I sold both of them fast. Then I go to claim my cash and I see that Paypal is holding the funds until I get positive feedback from the buyers. Of course my first reaction is "WTF is this crap?!" I emailed them, angry as hell, because I felt like they were treating me like a bad seller even though I've been a terrific seller with no complaints for years. They email me back with an unhelpful response that was basically just copy-and-pasted from their FAQ page telling me what needed to happen first before I could access the funds. I can't believe this is how they're treating their loyal customers after years of faithful service. Absolutely atrocious. I hate Craigslist (just seems shady to me) but it is starting to look like a walk in the park compared to how eBay/Paypal are operating these days.
jnhks

11/29/2009 4:50 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Advice: 'Do the OPPOSITE of what big corporations want you to do'.
1. Pay with a credit card. You have federal government protections in place if you're defrauded.
2. IMMEDIATELY transfer the money OUT of your PayPal account when it's been received. Then ship the item 72 hours after you started the PayPal transfer---PUT THIS IN YOUR LISTINGS.

Corporations DO NOT operate in the best interest of their customers; they operate in the best interest of their bottom line and their STOCKHOLDERS. We do not live in a nice world people----get off the 'fool train' and wake up.

Why do you think that credit d\card companies want you to sign up for 'paperless' notifications? Because then you receive only 50% of the notifications that your bill is due than if you you are being notified by snail-mail AND email---you're 50% less likely to be 'reminded' your payment is due so you're more likely to be LATE. Using paperless systems companies save money on paper AND generate more late fees. A double-dip bonus for them on the profit side.

Bonus tips:
A. There are companies out there that do operate in the best interest of their clients. They are called NON-PROFIT. Don't feed the vampires.
B. Train yourself to read from small-print /small-font to large-print/large-font when reading contracts, advertisements etc. You will have to read MUCH LESS and waste less of your time before tossing it in the trash.
jnhks

11/29/2009 5:02 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

PS: I forgot to add that you don't ship your item until the funds show in your bank account from the PayPal transfer.....72 hours or not. Notify the buyer if PayPal has not credited the funds to you and you will ship when it clears. You should put ALL of this in your listings. Make PayPal out to be the monster up-front and when everything goes south your seller will be primed to blame PP and not you.
Nothappybeing screwed

12/7/2009 3:10 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Also, with Paypal's holding money rule, they are earning interest on LARGE amounts of money because they are holding it from Ebay sellers across the board. WHAT A FRIGGIN RIP OFF!!! So now, I have to come out of my pocket to ship stuff I sell on Ebay, the buyer gets his product and I may or may not get paid because Paypal has to verify this. It is crap all around. ESPECIALLY when I charge shipping fees to the buyer!!!! I am LIVID with paypals new rule. Paypal and Ebay both suck and are crap sites. I wish there were other sites similar so that I wouldn't be bound to using one. There are a lot of freaks on Craigslist.
mario galiardi

12/11/2009 12:01 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Great to see so many unhappy ebay/paypal users. Driving away the people that made ebay great will produce basically just a bunch of online stores not regular people willing to deal with their fees, games and crap to make a buck. We go to ebay for the occasional good deal not to shop at some crummy ebay store with fake namebrand clothes from Hong Kong (NWT my butt) or broken or flakey electronics. I'd way rather deal with a crook face-to-face that I met on craigslist than deal with the clowns at ebay or paypal that have no address.
DX

12/15/2009 10:13 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Sadly I was hit by this policy today. After selling nearly 50 items in the last 3 months alone and having 100% feedback out of nowhere comes a holding on one of my received payments. What makes it worst is that I have sold 7 of this exact same item recently and have had no problems and received great feedback, it just seems so random and unnecessary. This new policy sucks and will ruin payapal for good if they stick with it.
JD

12/16/2009 12:54 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I just tried the partial payment idea. I refunded a partial payment of $.25 and my funds are STILL on hold. I read the post again and it said to refund $.01 NOT $.25. So I logged out & back in again and refunded the buyer a penny and it still isn't working. Maybe paypal caught on. Why not meet us loyal sellers half way and give us at least half our funds? I have a history of 16 transactions, some buying and some selling, all positive. I don't deserve this!

Word of caution, helpful hint, whatever: If you're using a Visa or MC debit card your purchases are not protected the way the media leads you to beleive! Only the credit card version will give you the protection you deserve. Your bank will tell you how limited you're protected with their debit cards.
Tom

12/18/2009 3:17 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I'm new to Paypal and Ebay. But I did run into a problem with a seller. I contacted the seller to make sure if I won and paid right away that my items would arrive by Christmas (as they are gifts). Well anyway the seller told me know that the items would be sent no less then 90 days after payment. I asked
why. He said paypal holds his money and he won't ship until he gets his money.
Let's see ebay gets fees for listing, then paypal gets fees when money is recieved,then holds money and gets interest on it. So ebay is not double dipping they are triple dipping. Isn't there a law against this. Now who gets the interest on your money they do. They think they are Gods. I have closed my ebay account and am in the process of closing paypal to. I have been told by a friend that there now is a giant law suit started against them. I feel bad for sellers as alot of them this is there only income. BBB has over seven thousand complaints and climbing.Take action go to your local news station let them know.This is so wrong on so many levels.They make over three mil aday just with ebay fees.Have no clue for paypal but I know it is up there.Here is a number for paypal 1-888-221-1161 everybody call. Good luck to everyone.
Tom

12/18/2009 6:18 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I have to add.There are other auction places on line. I have started with a new one called Seeauctions, but there are a lot out there. I like seeauctions as they give the first year free no fees. After a year they only charge 45 a year and can list as much as you want with no fees. Look around and you will find one you like.
Just remember they are small on listings as everyone is on ebay but if we all list there even just a couple of items we can build it up and give ebay a run for their money.Ebay DOES NOT OWN EVERYONE.
paypalisshiz

12/20/2009 11:18 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

paypal is bs i sold an iphone posted it via platinum express and one week later buyer opens a dispute so paypal held my money. i had the receipt and tracking number and a letter from australian post confirming it was delivered to the correct address and signed for. i scanned all of this and uploaded into for the case for paypal to review. with all this information and proof that i cleary sent it and that the person signed for it from that house... paypal still gave back them their money! so i lost my precious phone, couldnt afford to pay rent and was left po! how easy is it for buyers to scam sellers. i had more then enough proof and in the end was left nothing because of paypal!
Mark

1/4/2010 2:13 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I had this with paypal in 2008 sold my new sony phone , Got £180 for it and when i went to transfer the money i could not!money was pending.The customer got their phone next working day. The customer was not happy with the phone. took the customer 18 days say they did not like it! they sent it back and memory card was missing and plastic seal on sceen removed. means the buyer can have a play with the item and say no thanks dont like it and send it back. But its ok for the buyer they got their money back? and i am left with second hand phone worth £60.00 and nective feed back! for sake of paypals 21 days money back gurannatee
Its the seller who gets done over and not the buyer .. What is the point on ebay saying 100% brand new and working no refunds. when paypal will just go and have you over instead?
More like intrest for paypal holding other peoples funds
Lovern Storm

1/13/2010 10:49 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Folks/People;
Would you all - those who read this, and who have posted - PLEASE take a few minutes of your time to write a real-paper-letter to Ebay AND PayPal, asking that they revise their "policy" to at least allow shipping of an item sold on Ebay via PayPal.

I don't like the idea of them 'holding' my money either, but being an honest person, I would be 'somewhat' less irritated if they would at least allow me to go in there and print a label and ship an item without having to go stand in line at a post office for 30 minutes to 2-hours. That's how long it takes to get to a window at my local post office, and I just do NOT have that kind of time on my hands. That was the whole purpose of using Ebay AND PayPal - Convenience!

The way they are doing business now is NOT convenient at all. And did anyone else notice that they remove their "fees" from the "held" amount? That's not even remotely 'fair'. And yes, I realize that they concocted that scheme in order to make money off of 'our' monies which are being 'held'. No, this is not the least bit 'fair', however, they are not regulated by the government, but I think it is time to change that, don't you? If enough of us were to write our congressmen, maybe - just MAYBE, there will be at least ONE who will raise enough of a 'stink' to cause them to conduct business in a less "nazi-like" manner. That is, IF there is at least one Congressman or Senator that Ebay/PayPal cannot buy-off. But I don't know about that either. Because as we all know - money definitely talks...
EK

1/14/2010 11:08 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

This is a total joke and it's obvious why PayPal is doing this. They've always had a guarantee for buyers, but with this new process they're freeing themselves of all risk and liability for that guarantee. If this had happened a decade ago people would have just laughed and PayPal never would have caught on... it's a laughably atrocious policy. Unfortunately eBay has now become a practical monopoly and PayPal has become so tightly ingrained in it that they can get away with anything. It's not a scam, it's just another example of a growing company hog-tying people to a product and then throwing customer service out the window so they can rake in more profit. You can say all you want about going somewhere else, but there's nowhere else to go. PayPal knows this.
Andy Morgan

1/18/2010 10:01 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

This same thing happened to me last week. I've been a member of eBay for 8 years and the same with Paypal. I have 100 percent positive feedback and my DSRs are all above 4.7. I sold three pair of jeans and out of $128, they held $105. I called Paypal and asked why they were holding my money. They regurgitated the funds availability policy and I told them I had read it twice and understood the policy. I said I'm okay with the policy, but I'd like to know what specifically I've done to generate the hold. Nobody could tell me anything. They transfered me to eBay and a girl, whose name I should have got, told me - after putting me on hold four times - that my payment hold would be off in 24 hours. It has been 72 hours and it's still on. I'm going to raise a shitstorm tomorrow at Paypal.
Mary Ellen Buzard

1/19/2010 10:10 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

They did the same to me, and I am a verified PayPal member for 7 years, I have 98.4% positive feedback (that is ONE negative from a person who did not live up to the specified payment date) . Not only do they hold the funds (including shipping fees) for up to 21 days...THEY EARN INTEREST ON THAT MONEY!!!! AND PAY YOU NOTHING!!! I am also livid, and talking with their snotty so called customer service people only made matters worse. EBay has turned into a joke...oh, by the way--PayPal does NOT make up funds when an item is not recieved, they only retrieve funds that are available in the sellers account...if that amounts to $5.00 on a $500.00 purchase...well then you are just out of luck..I KNOW BECAUSE THAT WAS THE AMOUNT REFUNDED TO ME on a purchase that never arrived. I do not see how this can even be legal!
basketaggie

1/25/2010 4:02 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

They got me also! 9 years on Ebay and Paypal. I have 100% feedback. Guess it doesn't matter. I should have cancelled the sale and taken negative feedback, but I was a dummy and mailed it. Praying I have an honest buyer.
azin

1/27/2010 12:38 PM | # NO SELLER PROTECTION

On two occasions they held the pay, the first as soon as I wrote the client and she claimed she had no hold and then complained to eBay, it was only then that they released it and eBay saw no problem. Then they did it again, on one approximately 1600 transaction of my liquidations ALMS project to SOMALIA and they not only called me asking me why am I suddenly selling these amounts and they recorded by asking me to spell where the money was going. Also asked me if I am buying off the street?? which now they also send me a AMOUNT CLEARED when I shipped the antique. Later the client sent me an email that she has all that is fine and now has no claims to see that they still hold the amounts and PAYPAL sends me an email for an "Guest Exit" keys. No answering the content of my email on why my merchandise was shipped in good faith of lies that the "amount is cleared" that is how I trusted to send the item. Later today as it stands I have no payment and my antique is sent the client happy and the money???? well still on hold by Paypal.
I am pending this dispute and they cannot be courteous to send a resolution rather an exit. I feel sorry for the future youth and the bankers who claim ALL.

Happy lives and may god help us all.
Drew

1/30/2010 6:59 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I've been using paypal as my transactions processor for 3 years or so, and have been pretty active the entire time, since I sell a lot of stuff on multiple sites.

Anyways, During January 2010, i sold 150 items for under $20 on ebay... not one single issue and apx 130 of the 150 had already left positive feedback. not a single negative feedback, chargeback, or problem whatsoever.

Everyone's happy. ... Except me.

I wake up Friday morning (January 29, 2010), planning to transfer the funds to my bank account, since all sales for the month had been completed... Low and behold, my Paypal account is frozen.

Paypal is asked for inventory descriptions, vendor invoices, and receipts.

I sent Paypal my vendor invoice (sales agreement), inventory listed of all the details.

Nope.... After providing what they wanted, now they want more, and stuff there is no way I can provide, like written rights for being a reseller of the products by the manufacturer and even copies of my vendors contracts and sale agreements with their supplier (illegal as sin).

What? I don't need rights to resell what i purchased wholesale from a distributor and Paypal sure does NOT have the right to require me to get a copy of my vendors contracts with their supplier.

Needless to say, it's now a paypal horror story on the tune of $2,455.63. It took them 1 whole day to say they will hold my money for 180 days....

Great way to start off 2010.... If you are a merchant and use paypal, this WILL be you soon. AVOID. Paypal is a scam, and is operating a criminal organization.

Me, most likely my online business is going to be annihilated, unless i can get back up to par fast. The entire amount in my paypal is what pays for my vendor balances. If I can't get that paid, i am through. No job, no money, etc. I have signed up for moneybookers as a merchant, but am still awaiting a response for a few days now.
Sonu

2/8/2010 11:35 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I have an account on PayPal and using it from last 6 months. Last month only (last week of the month) I withdrawn around $700 from my account and after spending 12 days I have not received it. Even contacted THRICE to customer support and they said amount will be sent soon, there is some problem with their end. In the mean while I have raised a ticked and received a reply within 24 hours and this time they are saying something else...amount is already released from our side, kindly contact to your bank account, this can be delay due to holiday or festival seasons.

Very frustrated. Not only me but couple of mine friends too are facing similar problem. I will surely look for other option but BIG NO to PAYAPL.
farnsy80

2/10/2010 12:53 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

They are going under. Ebay and paypal are both going down! There is insurance for buyers, if they dont want it, its their own damn fault. I called paypal, they said if I had a problem with them holding our money it was tough. Also if you want to close your paypal account while money is in hold process they donate it to charity!Call and ask if you think I am lying. It takes 3 people for a class action law suite. Who wants to be a millionaire. Bad move ebay! You reap what you sow you greedy bastards!
Jamse

2/13/2010 1:20 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I sold an xbox to a buyer for $300. Two days after receiving, he initiated a dispute. Ebay/paypal immediately put the 300 into hold status. Buyer claims that item didn't match description. It was an xbox, so i am not sure how that is even possible. Now PP asks me to refund them while I wait for the box to be returned.
I am still waiting to get my box back. I have a weird feeling that the buyer is doing a gut-swap on the inernals of the xbox on me. Nothing I can do as a seller but to bend over and take it w/o lube.
JAson

2/20/2010 11:00 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I sell a $250 website script daily. For the last 3 months ive made quite a bit of cash. Now today for no reason at all after 1 guy attempted to frad purchase this item using 4 different accounts, paypal close my account citing highly suspicious activity. Luckily for me, i took most my money out, but now i went from raking it in daily to not being able to. There is not a 6 month period that goes by that paypal dont mess with me over something, and i rarly get refund request, and when i do, i always refund right away. They were making good from me in fees, i guess they dont need it or something. I have yet to know anyone person that has made more than 1 thousand dollars and not had paypal screw with them.

They need an optional service to where you can say i only accept payment from liable verified users. the buyer who gets his account hijacked or paypal shoudl be resposible for this. The govermant backs paypal 100% thats why there is no other out there. The Russian credit card mafia has a new mask, its called paypal
james

2/21/2010 9:17 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Ebay is getting too big and big companies screw the little guy!!!!
Check out ebid.com it's a lot like ebay except it's a hell of alot cheaper.
All listings are free with free extra pics and a whole lot more. Move to ebid.com
Or atleast go check it out.
yvonne

2/22/2010 12:43 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I tried the partial refund, but it only took a penny of the balance the rest is still pending? How do you guys do it
Steph Naylor

2/25/2010 2:51 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Not even going to write my story as it is so like all the others.
CAN WE DO ANYTHING???
frank buxton

2/26/2010 1:11 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

i did not know of this policy until my money was put on hold today. i'm with all of you no more paypal for me. this is crazy i guess i should take a video tape of me putting the items in a box and have it tape the whole time i take it to ups huh?
Brandon

2/27/2010 1:00 AM | # paypal is now on my list

I recently made a sale on ebay, without checking to see why there was a hold on my PP (coming here has made it so clear), and now i'm waiting for $43 while my buyer already has the product this morning.

...$43... what has this world come to?
Rob

2/28/2010 11:28 PM | # bad idea to sell

Lost my job, had to sell some of my electronics. 100% positive feedback in the range of 30-40, account open ~8 years.

Two auctions went for a total of approx. $900 in a "high risk category". This was to be some relief for a maxed out credit card that had defaulted to 30% apr. Instead, the required non-refundable shipping was included in the money held by PayPal. Shipping is now a $100 bill incurred on my bank account (items went out, but barely). I'm not sure where I'll be in 21 days, but I do hope the buyers don't use PayPal to screw me over more than PayPal has already screwed me.
Rob

2/28/2010 11:42 PM | # oh, yeah

Forgot to mention, the buyer of the 1st auction didn't even have funds immediately because she was waiting for PayPal to refund her money from a similar item that "didn't work out."

A smarter person than me might have cancelled both auctions, taken the negative feedback and sold them in person, locally. Unfortunately that wouldn't justify the time I spent listing the items and the decent prices they fetched on eBay.
jake

3/1/2010 7:05 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hey..

How did Paypal get my social security number? I never applied for anything under ebay-paypal for credit card whatsoever.. it asked me to verify more infos in order to lift the 500 dollar limit on a account.

That scared me. I am leaving paypal -ebay because they got my SSN-
J. S.

3/2/2010 3:34 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

If you buy something just record the moment when you get the package, that way you have no way to lie, and uhm yes I got scammed for 700 dollars, later found the same guy, and I scammed him for 1200, he played with me, so did I. Its funny, because Im only fifteen.
Duane

3/8/2010 10:00 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

PayPal is not a merchant service or a credit card company. PayPal is an eBay company and everyone, even scammers can apply for a PayPal account. That's why I don't do business with eBay and PayPal. For my own business and to ensure that I'm running a legal business as a retailer, I apply for a real online merchant account like Authorize.net for one good reason; Only those who holds a business bank and business license and/or reseller's certificate are approved for real online merchant account which requires alot of these informations that has to be sent to them before they can approve it. Furthermore, keep in mind that when you sell on ebay, you're not selling anything for your business or for yourself. You're selling on eBay for eBay because you are paying them to sell something for them. I also feel sorry for PayPal's 21 days hold policy because it's against our policy working here. And that is, we cannot ship anything without confirming the item was paid in full by customer before we create an invoice and before the payment is received by us through the business bank. We create an invoice to confirm we charged the buyer before we ship to them, so therefore the money must be in the bank. I don't care what PayPal's BS Policy is. I don't work for PayPal telling me to ship the item first, then they will pay me for doing it. When the buyer pays for the product, who gets the money first? Me, or PayPal? You guess.
carol

3/15/2010 2:43 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hi, I know its a year later since this posting, but if you go to pay pal feed back form,TODAY the exact same complaints are going on today, I can tell you this, NOTHING EVER WILL BE DONE, UNLESS MANY PEOPLE UNITE AND EITHER PROTEST SO IT GET'S MEDIA COVERAGE OR BOYCOTT PAYPAL. One year from now everyone will still be complaining and nothing will be done, Organize start a group,THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
jASON

3/15/2010 11:26 PM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

I fucked paypal real good, sold a macbook and they put a hold on my 1400 euros for about 2 months. i finally got it in the end. I was real mad so i sold 2 macbook pros that i did not have for 1800 euros each (3600 euros total). I never sent them out and withdrew the money. !!!!!!! A BIG FUCK YOU TO PAYPAL. Thats what you haveto do. I had like 300+feedback. Just before you close your account that has good rating, fuck ebay and paypal with a nice little move like that.

HOOT HOOT
Joe

3/16/2010 4:39 AM | # re: PayPal screws sellers by holding payments

Hell you think that's bad. I sold a iPhone clone on ebay, had got it from craigslist and did not inspect properly before handing over $400 cash. This was around Christmas last year, so I decided to list it on ebay, starting price $325 and $600 Buy it Now with free express shipping. The description was accurate for a dual sim iphone clone, but it said "iphone" in it. The buyer did buy it now in less than ten minutes for $600, and I shipped the next morning.

My funds were on hold for 27 days, fine whatever, hold policy, I felt I had nothing to worry about since my listing was accurate. Well for those that don't know ebays buyer protection is 45 days. On the 46th day she complains that its a fake, and I explain that my listing was accurate, she did not ask any questions, and used a buy it now in less than ten minutes, in addition waited nearly 2 months to complain when the item was received in 3 days.

Well long story short, paypal opened a dispute 2 weeks later, withdrew the funds from my bank account, its now the middle of March and I was just informed paypal sided with her because the word "iphone" is a registered trademark of apple corp and they have verified the product is not made by apple. Paypal either had her destroy the item and send them a fax stating she did, or she shipped them the item and they destroyed it.

Paypal won't answer me about my funds I lost on this, the shipping money, the ebay fees in addition to the money I originally paid for the item. All I get from them is "the inauthentic item was destroyed". Yet I see iphone clones sold all over ebay, but paypal decides to destroy my product and give a stupid buyer her money back because she didn't bother to handle things in a timely manner or even ask questions about a deal too good to be true on ebay. True unlocked apple iphones go for over $1000 on ebay, I had made no statements that this was an apple product, actually gave a clear description that it was a dual sim model and included actual pictures of the item.

I've vowed to never use paypal to sell an item again, paypal is still a necessary evil for purchasing items.