No Paypal for non US Buyers!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Guest]

[robwaddle]

You lot are gonna love this:

1. Win ebay auction.
2. Request Shipping costs.
3. UK buyer pays US seller using Paypal.

4. Seller refunds Paypal payment.
5. Paypal only for US buyers???
6. Seller wants cash?

Nothing on the item description or invoice saying she won't take Paypal. Buyer is baffled, confused, perplexed, FURIOUS 

Watch this space

 

[tialessa]

Auction link please

And I think that's against ebay rules - you ship overseas and accept paypal I think you have to accept paypal from overseas bidders...

That's totally bizarre!

[Nienna]

They either want cash or international money orders ...
Bidpay are no longer running so the option of the IMO is out the window and sending cash anywhere through the post is a big no-no ....

Can we have a link please Rob?

[Roz]

Cash as payment is definitely banned by eBay! Steer clear and find the card elsewhere.

[tialessa]

I think I found it...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7612835351

If this is the right one then NOWHERE does it mention special circumstances for international bidders.  I'd report the seller to ebay!

[robwaddle]

That's the auction . Any advice gratefully accepted 

Rob

[Nienna]

There's nothing anywhere to say they want cash on that auction and nothing to say they don't accept Paypal either!
Rob - your Paypal payment - was it funded from a credit card or from funds in your account?
It could be that this seller has a bog-standard Paypal that only accepts funded payments, for them to accept a credit card payment they would have to upgrade to a premier account and pay fees on any money the receive which might be why they refunded your payment.
That's the only thing which comes to mind ...

[robwaddle]

There's nothing anywhere to say they want cash on that auction and nothing to say they don't accept Paypal either!
Rob - your Paypal payment - was it funded from a credit card or from funds in your account?
It could be that this seller has a bog-standard Paypal that only accepts funded payments, for them to accept a credit card payment they would have to upgrade to a premier account and pay fees on any money the receive which might be why they refunded your payment.
That's the only thing which comes to mind ...

Whatever the reason, she didn't say anywhere that its only paypal in USA. Most Americans sseem to be the opposite. If she doesn't want Paypal, she should say so. I suspect this infringes eBay rules though.

Am waiting on a reply from seller.

R 

[Nienna]

There's something definitely not right going on here Rob.
Keep us posted as and when you hear from them please won't you?

[robwaddle]

I've now filed a complaint via Paypal, which is bizarre, as I'm getting refund. BUT can't see what else I can do

Rob 

[LikORish-Spider]

I don't think that PAYPAL buyer protection works from frreign addresses to the US.
Am I incorrect here?
This seller must have been burned by someone before.
But he sure should say in the listing that he will not accept overseas PAYPAL payments.
Poor practice.

[kbmum]

I think you should file a complaint with eBay, because the seller is changing the terms of the auction after the auction ended.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/index_6.html?item=&topic=index_6&continue=Continue+%3E

[tialessa]

You might also try:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/inr-snad-process.html

"Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described Process

Disputes over items not received or received but significantly not as described can usually be resolved by direct communication between buyers and sellers. eBay provides an online process to help facilitate communication. eBay’s User Agreement state that sellers must deliver the items that buyers purchase from them.

Typically, there are five steps in the Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described process:

Step 1: The buyer opens a dispute.
Step 2: eBay contacts the seller.
Step 3: The seller responds.
Step 4: The buyer and seller communicate.
Step 5: The dispute is closed. "

[robwaddle]

I thought a bit, then raised a Paypal complaint. Couple of hours later, had email from seller  It's all a big misunderstanding. They don't take Paypal from non US addies. However, they'll make an exception fer me 

However, funds are being returned. So, by the time I've taken the return fees/rate and repayed, I'm prolly gonna be out of pocket  So now, I'm waiting to see if there's a response to the complaint, waiting to see how much I get when the funds clear, and therefore, still not happy!

I did suggest seller might cancel refund, but no joy so far  Watch this space!!!

R 

[tialessa]

Rob,  I don't know how it applies to UK accounts because I don't have one, but when paypal is used by me (or by another person) to refund payment no fees are involved (seller is refunded the fee & buyer doesn't get a fee for the refund).

Also, I'm pretty sure there's no way to cancel a refund on either end.

If the seller won't accept paypal from non-US addresses, then they need to STATE THAT IN THEIR AUCTION DESCRIPTION or do US only auctions....  I still don't think you can take paypal from some folks & deny it from others - period.

[Sharon]

Yes unfortunately us UKers have to pay fees on refunds    I paid for insurance on a card  from the US (about $4).  The seller contacted me and said she had looked into insurance and it would actually cost about $20, even though I had only followed what she had offered in her auction  The card was only worth something like $15 so I said send it without insurance.  Yes I know I shouldn't have bothered in the first place but it is habit asking for insurance.  Anyway the long and the short of it was after Paypal fees I actually got back something like $1.50 ( the refund the seller gave me was the full $4) .

[LikORish-Spider]

Cash as payment is definitely banned by eBay! Steer clear and find the card elsewhere.

Roz,
It's obvious that they want everyone to use Paypal. Ebay, as you probably know, owns PAYPAL. They just couldn't stand losing all of those paypal fees. The problem is the laws vary from country to country. Ebay just says you are not protected if you send cash. I don't think ebay has the right to ban anyone from sending cash. They wiil just say too bad if the deal goes sour. I guess the real key is know who you are dealing with. I have accepted cash from buyers myself and from a UK buyer to boot. A whopping $5.00US. 

[blackcat20]

Ive accepeted cash too; from a buyer in Spain. They couldnt figure out paypal so it was the best way, and Im fine with that as long as they accept that there is a risk it might go missing...

[Bogleg]

Although Ebay wants everyone to go the Paypal way, with mix-ups, country restrictions and refunds to "non-receivers  " I'd rather trust cash. Never had a problem apart from one weird seller that said under no circumstances would they ever consider a cash payment  (anyones guess why). It can't be long before Ebay will be Paypal transactions only 

[robwaddle]

Thanks everyone, for all your opinions 

My problem is. I really don't like the sellers attitude. I understand all the arguments for/against Paypal, but the facts are these:

1. No mention of not accepting Paypal from me.
2. Refunded my payment without consulting me.
3. After two days, I'm still waiting for the refund to clear my Paypal axxount. No way am I paying again 'till it does.
4. I keep asking myself, "Why am I being so reasonable about this?"
5. Seller has now told Paypal that she made me a refund. No explanation given, it's almost like she wants me to come across as unreasonable.
6. I send all correspondence via ebay, all her replies come straight via email.. So, she'll deny anything they don't have records of.

The more I consider this, the more I wonder why the hell I should bother. I complied with sellers wishes, SHE refunded without even speaking to me, funds ain't cleared etc etc, etc.

I'm certain I'm within my rights to just give her a neg and move on.

Advice please?

Rob