Ebay / Paypal Concern

[Scorpion]

Sorry to bring up Ebay again but I would value your opinions on this. I won an item on Tuesday the 10th of March 2009, and as always paid immediately by Paypal. I heard nothing for a couple of days so sent off an email to the seller, stil no reply. I don't know why, but I had a bad feeling about this deal.

I then checked my Paypal account today and found that the sellers email address was a university address, the account was unconfirmed and the payment was still unclaimed. Alarm bells started to ring so I cancelled the payment and sent the message below to the seller.

I won and paid for this item 5 days ago. I paid immediately by Paypal but have heard nothing from you, despite emailing you for details of when you would be sending the item. Having checked with my Paypal account today I found that you had still not claimed the payment and that you have an unconfirmed Paypal account. I have therefore cancelled the payment as a matter of concern. If I have not heard from you by Tuesday the 17th of March 2009, I will consider the deal to be cancelled. I cannot afford to lose £77.00 in this manner, I hope you understand my caution.
Regards. James.

I believe I have taken the right steps as a precautionary measure. The person had a 100% feedback as a buyer but none as a seller.

Would you lot have acted the same?

[Mikethecamera]

Yup would have done exactly the same, recently bought a handsfree for the rangie, same as you paid immediatley, no goods after a week, so emailed the seller, he replied saying his pc had been down and goods had now been sent, waited another week and emailed again. No reply this time so put dispute in with paypal, waited a week then made a claim, again with paypal. Got money back 8 days after.

Guy had 100% feedback, although he hadnt sold a great deal of items.

I left bad feedback, followed by about 10 others who obviously had same probs!!

Some people

Mike

[TonyN]

my paypal is unconfirmed, it dosn't mean much, just can't be arsed to jump through their hoops.

5 days quite a long time to wait, but there maybe reasons, especially over a weekend.

[Scorpion]

It wasn't so much the unconfirmed address, it was all the other points added to that. University email, money not claimed, no reply to emails etc. You're right of course, 5 days isn't long, but I'd rather hold onto my money until I'm sure everything will be okay.

[Apache]

my paypal is unconfirmed, it dosn't mean much, just can't be arsed to jump through their hoops.

5 days quite a long time to wait, but there maybe reasons, especially over a weekend.

When Vicki was running her business, we found out the hard way that sending stuff to an unconfirmed address meant PayPal would not refund you if there was a problem.

She had people say their stuff hadn't arrived, and PayPal tended to side with them, when we knew damn well (and had proof!) they'd received their stuff. In the end she just stated in her listings that she wouldn't send to an unconfirmed address, after that she didn't have any more problems with disputes. I dont pretend to understand why...

eBay / PayPal procedures are questionable, mainly because they inevitably use the easiest / most profitable option in all of their dealings whether fair or not.

[logey79]

probably turn out to be genuine and if at a uni, then maybe they were off last week for a half term or something and obviously not about at the weekend. i'll bet you'll hear from them today.

[Albannach]

I'd be more concerned if they'd claimed the money but didn't send the item, looks like they've not checked their e-mail for a few days. I'm with Logey, probably a genuine reason for not claiming the money and sending the item, holiday, illness etc..

Don't worry too much.

[Scorpion]

Right, I'll give you an update. Had an email from the seller today to say they couldn't claim the money as their Paypal account wasn't verified? He / she has now asked if I can pay into a different Paypal account (not keen on this at all). This means the transaction will take place outside of Ebay.

I've written back and said if we both agree to cancel the original sale then he / she won't have to pay Ebays fees. I've also said that if they relist it with a Buy It Now price the same as I originally bid I would complete the sale that way.

A bit long winded, but I'm buying the item for a mate and he's already given me the money. It's quite possible that this is just a genuine mistake or misunderstanding on their behalf, I just don't want to take the risk.

[kevinturner100]

bet youve spent the cash aswell eh jim?

[Scorpion]

bet youve spent the cash aswell eh jim?

Nah, it's hidden under the mattress!

Oops! Now all you lot know my hiding place I'd better move it!

[darkdezigns]

id do it the way u described,also ask for a contact number(landline)at least u have sum sort of trace then,once u have rung and confirmed its them