Payment has been on hold after i shipped package?

[sjlennon23]

About a week and a half ago, i shipped a gameboy that i sold on ebay. After about 5 or 6 days, i contacted the person that i sent the gameboy too via ebay mail and they said to me that they got it and would leave feedback. When i shipped the package, i didnt use a printable shiping label, i just went to the post office and wrote down the adress of my buyer. Now even after contacting my buyer, my funds are still being held and i dont know why or what i can do in order to get my money for the gameboy. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[tonib]

The problem is that paypal states it has had many unethical sellers, so they hold the money to make sure buyers actually receive the item & are satisfied, BUT the REAL problem is for sellers who are honest.  They have to wait (policy) 21 days (not 3 not 17)...21 days OR until the BUYER confirms they have received the item AND are satisfied with it by leaving feedback on ebay.

Many buyers (esp. new) don't leave feedback or might not be honest about receiving the item or the condition to try to get their money back which leaves the sellers out in the cold.  Ebay is in it's 3rd quarter loss and has lost tons due to Craigslist and much higher fees than they used to have (I've been an ebayer since 2002 on another acct.). 

Paypal also states they hold the money in case a refund is necessary.

THEY DO NOT ANYWHERE TELL YOU BEFOREHAND YOUR MONEY WILL BE HELD OR PEOPLE WOULDN'T USE EBAY!  Ebay owns paypal so based on fairly new accts. it shouldn't be too hard to tell sellers their money will be held BEFORE they list or decide to use paypal.  Snail mail money order payment would be faster than 21 ridiculous days.

Yet another reason why they're losing money.  I just got an invoice for almost $40 for 3 items!!!! I've never paid $40/month in fees in the last 8 years!

[sandypurins]

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@tonib wrote:

THEY DO NOT ANYWHERE TELL YOU BEFOREHAND YOUR MONEY WILL BE HELD...

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When listing an item, you are warned that your payment may be held. The following text appears on the eBay Sell Your Item form...

PayPal may delay the settlement of funds to ensure smooth transactions.
- Learn more about PayPal's Payment Holds Policy.

[brandonroloff]

Funny!  I wasn't warned when I listed my auction.

[sandypurins]

Here's a screen shot...

[tonib]

No one on this forum is crazy.  That little blurb is designed to NOT deter people from using paypal, while the Paypal icon with Mastercard, Visa, AMEX, Discover, and Bank under Electronic Payment Methods is displayed large and in color so people go on and use it, then find out after they've sold the item, contacted the buyer, and shipped the item.

**Here's the other issue:  The seller doesn't usually see the hold on the funds until AFTER they ship the item.  I didn't.  I saw paypal pmt. received, so I shipped.  After I went back to the acct to use the money, then I found it had a 21 day hold on it & had to contact the buyer to ask ever so politely if they could PLEASE leave feedback as soon as they received the item so I wouldn't have to wait 21 days.  If the buyer didn't care since they got what they wanted, I would still be waiting for my money.

The buyers shouldn't have to be put in the middle of this in order to get our money sooner.

SINCE VAGUE SEEMS TO BE THE GAME PAYPAL IS PLAYING, LET'S BE SPECIFIC SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING......WHAT DETERMINES IF THE PAYMENT WILL BE HELD?!?!?!

HOW LONG DOES ONE HAVE TO HAVE AN EBAY ACCOUNT, HOW MANY POSITIVE FEEDBACKS DOES A PERSON HAVE TO HAVE, DO ANY NEGATIVES WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME DETERMINE IT, DO ANY DISPUTES DETERMINE IT?!!?!?!?  None of those answers are listed anywhere on Ebay or Paypal and since Ebay owns paypal, it doesn't benefit them to do so.

[brandonroloff]

It doesnt matter if you have 100% feedback or if you have been a member for years.  If your selling electronics your funds are subject to be held.   When I first read about the hold i thought it was a mistake because I didn't meet any of the criteria for a hold.

However, the item i was selling was considered to be "High Risk" so they put a hold on my money anyways.

[thebestdriver]

Let's Keep This Simple:  The Customer is ALWAYS Right!

If this new PayPal policy has pissed off a bunch of long-term customers, then PayPal has **bleep**ed up.  They may believe thay provided full disclosure, but if their customers disagree, PayPal can win the battle and lose the war. 

As for me, I will NEVER use eBay and/or PayPal again - unless they reverese this policy.

[todd]

OK lets take our own poll and  ill start.

I have been with Paypal for 9 years..  and ebay for about 8 years

I have 98% feedback on ebay

They just started this hold crap 7 days ago on me..

I have good feedback on ebay and not one claim within the last 4 months on paypal.

But they still have a hold on my items sold ,

[thebestdriver]

I have had the same experience and ratings as Todd - long time with eBay and PayPal, great rating, no problems as buyer or seller - and WHAM, now they hold my money!   Craig's List for me.

[annie2294]

I'm new but i've been around paypal and ebay for years and never wanted to start selling for reasons just of this sort. Now I have started and it's already a mess with 900 dollars worth of holds. I can't believe the way there doing this stuff. Only the bad should be punished.