I can understand protecting the buyer from a fraudulent seller, by holding payment for the item until the item is shipped... and confirmed by the buyer. The shipping costs however, should be payed by the buyer, directly to the post office (ups etc.,) and the label should then be 'accessed' by the seller. The way it is now, paypal not only takes a percentage of the cost of the item, but a percentage of the shipping costs as well. Even the post office gives you a discount for printing labels online. When you sell through a site like ebay you do end up paying the shipping costs up front. I think that should be made VERY clear to a seller before listing an item. I was also confused by this. I figured I would have to front the money for shipping, so I was careful about what I posted, went to the post office to weigh the items and calculated shipping cost, adding handling for packing supplies; I was NOT clear on who the postage was being payed to. It was advertised by ebay and paypal, they had "teamed up" with the USPS to make it "easier," I was not aware that paypal would be taking a percentage of the total cost INCLUDING postage and holding the entire amount. I figured they would hold funds for the cost of the item and the postage would be payed from the balance. Not only is the postage NOT payed from the balance, but the entire amount is charged a fee.
