I'm sure that there are a few people like me who believed that Paypal actually protects you when making purchases, especially from overseas sellers who can be flat out ripoffs.
I recently negotiated the sale of a gt1 clone with a hard drive for a t42 laptop. The hard drive was supposed to be loaded with DIS, SSS, and DAS and you select the boot by F1,F2,F3. The problem is when I received the package there was no hdd. I contacted the seller who says they don't "know the products they are selling" and that should not have been promised. After starting a dispute with Paypal they stopped emailing me. I never received the hdd and the $650.00 I spent for the crappy clone was far too much. I escalated the dispute to a claim with Paypal. It was immediately declined and an email sent to me and the seller as such. I contacted Paypal on the phone as I was very angry and was told that if the item was not purchased through Paypal you are only covered if they send nothing at all. They cover "Item not received", not "item significantly different than described". An example they give is, "Such as an empty box". So if the guy in China takes a crap in a box and sends it to you, you are not covered as you received your item, it's just not what you ordered. You received an item, not the item. I'm out $650.00 for a crappy clone unless this seller miraculously sends it to me. If I ordered it with my credit card I would have much better protection. What is the point of using Paypal?
Here's the definition from their User Agreement of Significantly not as described.
13.8 SNAD Definition. An item is Significantly Not as Described if it is materially different than what the Seller described in the item listing. Here are some examples:
- You received a completely different item. Example: You purchased a book and received a DVD or an empty box.
- The condition of the item was misrepresented. Example: The listing said "new" and the item was used.
- The item was advertised as authentic but is not authentic.
- The item is missing major parts or features which were not disclosed in the listing.
- You purchased three items from a Seller but only received two.
- The item was damaged during shipment.
An item is not Significantly Not as Described if it is materially similar to the Seller’s item listing description. Here are some examples:
- The defect in the item was correctly described by the Seller.
- The item was properly described but you didn't want it after you received it.
- The item was properly described but did not meet your expectations.
- The item has minor scratches and was listed as used condition.
Here's the definition of Item Not Received
“Item Not Received” means a challenge to a payment from a User claiming that the item purchased was not received.
And as long as they can provide a tracking number, you received "your item" even if it was not the Item you purchased, but something completely different. That is now, "the item you purchased" and you received it. So it is now significantly not as described.
