Ebay buyer requirement

[JohnPW]

Has anybody had a "Ebay buyer requirement" when trying to bid. It's a page that comes up after you make a bid, in my case it says my bid wasn't accepted because the seller required the buyer to have a Paypal account. I normally pay by credit card via Paypal.

Why isn't there a warning on the auction page? It's bleeding anoying having watched the item for days, working out how much to bid, kept watching it in the last hour or so and then when I make my bid in the last few seconds only to have the bid rejected!

 

[Mike.S]

Yes, I had that on a bid the other day.

My bid was well in advance of the auction end so I contacted the seller to enquire if he/she was aware of this, pointing out that I had a PayPal account but did not intend to link it to my ebay account for security reasons. Response I got was that my bidder ID had been 'excluded' from the linking requirement so that I could now bid.

I didn't resubmit my bid, after all if a seller is going to be party to a practice that limits their potential buyers then they deserve to sell at lower prices. My unsubstantiated theory is that some sellers are on an earner from ebay to try to force bidders to link their Paypal account. Perhaps some of the ebay sellers on this forum can reveal the truth about the situation?

 

[wizard]

I block anyone not paying by paypal there is no way i am going to a bank to cash a cheque

 

[carlb40]

My debit card/ bank account has been linked to PP for - well since i started using ebay 7/8 yrs ago and have never had a security problem. When i sell something i only accept paypal unless it's a cash on collection item, in which case i only accept cash :lol:

So i have never seen that new requirement.

 

[JohnPW]

The first few times it happened to me, I thought it was just Ebay trying to get buyers to sign up for a Paypal account.

I contacted a few sellers, one said they weren't aware of it. Another said they did set the requirement thinking it was more secure but they then either removed it or allowed me to bid, the seller still had lots of items on auction.

It doesn't happen all that often (maybe once a month on average) but having it even once is too much.

Although I am aware the Ebay money back guarantee only applies when you pay with a Paypal account.

 

[JohnPW]

I block anyone not paying by paypal there is no way i am going to a bank to cash a cheque

That's fine, lots of listings only have "Paypal prefered" or "Paypal accepted" as the payment method. Or if the seller states "Paypal only" in the listing. So the bidder knows where they stand.

But the problem is there's two methods to pay with Paypal; pay from a Paypal account and pay with a credit/debit card via Paypal. The listing page doesn't mention that unless the seller put it in the description or in their terms that they've set "pay from Paypal account only", which they never do, IME. The bidder will only know after they've made their bid. I always bid in the last few seconds if possible, so it's a total waste of time and effort.

 

[Mike.S]

For me, the issue isn't whether or not sellers specify Paypal only (that's fine) but that the seller, perhaps unknowingly, has set the requirement for the paypal account to be linked to the buyers ebay account. As has been noted, unless the seller details this in their listing a buyer doesn't find out 'til they attempt to bid - potentially too late.

By linking the two, any hacker has the ability to access your bank account/cards etc just by gaining access to your ebay account - not the most secure set-up imo.

 

[Self Taught]

JohnPW,

I have had that happen to me also, on a bid at the last moment. I now check there payment method. I find it a bit funny that you are selling an object, and wont take a credit card, or ship outside the U.K., I am paying the freight, shouldn't be a problem. I would like some one who sells on EBAY, to explain this to me, I am interested in the old wooden planes, not an anvil, or other large object, Thank You. Jamey

 

[marcros]

JohnPW,

I have had that happen to me also, on a bid at the last moment. I now check there payment method. I find it a bit funny that you are selling an object, and wont take a credit card, or ship outside the U.K., I am paying the freight, shouldn't be a problem. I would like some one who sells on EBAY, to explain this to me, I am interested in the old wooden planes, not an anvil, or other large object, Thank You. Jamey

Hassle, I imagine. Lack of traceability, PayPal firmly on the side of the buyer and risk of damage in transit. It it gets held in customs, PayPal will probably pay out before it is released.

 

[JohnPW]

Listings clearly state where the seller will post to, suffice to say there are all sorts of reason why people don't do it.

The problem is when your bid is rejected without any warning, and the reason is given only after you bid.

 

[Wuffles]

The charge-backs on credit card payments accepted through PayPal leave me cold as a seller. Fees used to be higher for them too, but perhaps not any more.

"Why do some chargebacks occur so long after a seller receives the payment?

Certain laws and credit card issuer policies usually allow buyers to file chargebacks weeks or sometimes months after the initial transaction occurs. If a buyer waits to file a chargeback, a seller may encounter a temporary hold on funds in their PayPal account for a transaction that occurred weeks or months ago."

 

[Self Taught]

marcros, & Wuffles,

I see your point, and agree that it is the sellers right on shipping, as well as method of payment. I purchased several planes from EBAY, each time I received info on hold ups in shipping, from the seller, all the packages arrived in good order, and on time (should arrive on X date). I make it a point not to miss a bid again, by checking on payment requierment's first. Jamey

 

[doorframe]

I block anyone not paying by paypal there is no way i am going to a bank to cash a cheque

Damn. This is the second time this year wizard has said something sensible, and I have had to agree with him!

3 times is out of the question.

 

[henton49er]

For my PayPal account, I use a Vasco Token which generates a six digit "random" number which changes every 60 seconds or so. This is cross linked to an identical algorithm within the PayPal server system and therefore accepts that it is genuinely me. I used a similar system for remote access to secure files for work and was advised that the method is very secure. [I had assumed that all PayPal account holders did likewise, but perhaps I am wrong]. I therefore do not think that anyone who happens to hack into my eBay account is going to get very far with gaining access to my PayPal account - or is this no longer the case?

 

[Wuffles]

For my PayPal account, I use a Vasco Token which generates a six digit "random" number which changes every 60 seconds or so. This is cross linked to an identical algorithm within the PayPal server system and therefore accepts that it is genuinely me. I used a similar system for remote access to secure files for work and was advised that the method is very secure. [I had assumed that all PayPal account holders did likewise, but perhaps I am wrong]. I therefore do not think that anyone who happens to hack into my eBay account is going to get very far with gaining access to my PayPal account - or is this no longer the case?

Is your eBay account linked to your PayPal one? I suspect if it is, all that security goes out of the window for purchases.

It's probably not though. You have to enable it as a feature in eBay.

 

[RogerP]

JohnPW,

I have had that happen to me also, on a bid at the last moment. I now check there payment method. I find it a bit funny that you are selling an object, and wont take a credit card, or ship outside the U.K., I am paying the freight, shouldn't be a problem. I would like some one who sells on EBAY, to explain this to me, I am interested in the old wooden planes, not an anvil, or other large object, Thank You. Jamey

Few private sellers will have the means to take a credit card. Shipping overseas is easy except there's a whole list of things you can't send.

 

[henton49er]

For my PayPal account, I use a Vasco Token which generates a six digit "random" number which changes every 60 seconds or so. This is cross linked to an identical algorithm within the PayPal server system and therefore accepts that it is genuinely me. I used a similar system for remote access to secure files for work and was advised that the method is very secure. [I had assumed that all PayPal account holders did likewise, but perhaps I am wrong]. I therefore do not think that anyone who happens to hack into my eBay account is going to get very far with gaining access to my PayPal account - or is this no longer the case?

Is your eBay account linked to your PayPal one? I suspect if it is, all that security goes out of the window for purchases.

It's probably not though. You have to enable it as a feature in eBay.

I'm not too sure to be honest. All I can say is that every payment I make on PayPal, through eBay or elsewhere, requires me to use my Token to enter this "random" and ever changing six digit code as a means of identifying that it is me that is making the payment.

 

[Wuffles]

Pretty far from linked then

 

[JohnPW]

I've had another bid rejected today, again it's because the buyer needs a (linked) Paypal account. The seller even put collection in person as a payment option.

This time I'm not as annoyed as before as I was outbid anyway.

I haven't sold on Ebay before, but I suspect when sellers do their listings, they will see: ebay recommends setting this requirement because it's safer, more secure etc.

 

[Wuffles]

PayPal is a requirement now for most (perhaps not all) sellers, there's no way to turn it off, even for obvious cash on collection only items. I was told by an eBay rep that the only way to discourage PayPal usage for collection only items - mine was a used CONSERVATORY! - I should put "cash on collection only" in the description. They still forced me to accept PayPal.

This may have changed in the last 5 months or so, but it wouldn't surprise me if they'd also set a default of "linked", which is catching people out.