Using PayPal on Facebook Marketplace via Payment Request

[SalSS]

Hi,

I am looking to make a purchase on FB marketplace from an individual seller. I linked my PayPal to my FB account. He requested payment through the Messenger on FB Marketplace and I had the option to use PayPal to purchase. My question is, Is this automatically considered a Goods and Services transaction and thus includes Buyer protection or is it possible for them to request a Friends and Family payment. It doesnt say which request it was. 

Thank you,

Sal

[sharpiemarker]

@SalSS 

My gut instinct tells me it's a personal/f&f payment. But select a credit card as funding source during PayPal payment process for chargeback rights at least should the transaction go side ways. Or to be absolutely sure it will be a goods and service payment simply ask for PayPal email address and make a goods and services payment directly with your PayPal account.

[SalSS]

@sharpiemarker 

Ok, thanks. That makes sense. However, I saw a post by @PayPal_AshleyM  that if its in the marketplace then it is considered goods and services if you pay using Paypal within the messenger. I also chatted with a PP rep and he said that it would be protected as if I purchased on a regular online store/website. So, I am a bit confused. I asked the seller to send me a GS invoice from his PayPal and he said that he was scammed once because a buyer claimed he didn't receive the product and thus he lost the money he made. I know that is a red flag, so I just want to make sure before doing anything. 

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

@SalSS 

Yeah, it would be protected if you paid through a PayPal button on FB marketplace store page or shop but through messenger? I dunno. Especially since it doesn't let you choose a payment type (f&f or g&s).

What that seller said convinces me even further that paying through messenger is friends and family because he refuses to send a PayPal invoice. If a buyer claims item not received via PayPal dispute, all a seller does is provide valid tracking number showing delivery and that is damn near iron clad in protecting sellers on a PayPal dispute so I don't know..maybe he shipped with no tracking number or was just unlucky that tracking status didn't say delivered that time.

[SalSS]

Thanks again @sharpiemarker . The fact that he is scared of GS invoice has me worried. I am going to mention that he can protect himself by having a tracking number that will show when it arrived and see what he says. If he is still hesitant, then Ill call off the deal. 

[Frankima]

@SalSS how were you able to choose to use PayPal as a payment option? I am in the same situation as you, a seller sent me a payment request through Messenger on Facebook Marketplace. But I don't see any option to use PayPal as a payment method. It only says I can enter debit card info. I have never paid for anything using Facebook before, so I didn't have any linked payment methods in my settings. I went to my settings and added PayPal, but I still don't see the option to use PayPal showing up when I click on his payment request. Do you know if I had to have PayPal linked before he sent the request? I know absolutely nothing about sending payments through Facebook, only that I want to use PayPal because of its protection, and it gives me the option to use a credit card, which is a further level of protection.

[SalSS]

Hey, @Frankima, I decided that there were too many red flags because the seller was refusing a simple Goods and Services invoice so I pulled out. From what I see, paying for anything using PayPal in Messenger does not offer you protection and is similar to just sending out a payment to a friend or family member. Meaning, the person can just accept the payment and not give you anything. I believe that the protection only kicks in if you are buying from a store front on FB Marketplace. 

Although, if you are meeting in person, it can be convenient if you dont carry cash. The way to do it is to meet up, check the item out, and then pay on the spot using FB Marketplace or through Messenger. If you are having a product shipped, I STRONGLY recommend you ask them to send you a very detailed PayPal Goods and Services invoice with a tracking number, that way both of you are covered. Otherwise, I would not purchase from the person.

In any case, after linking your PayPal as a payment method, it should show up whenever you click on a money request in Messenger. He might have to send the payment again on Messenger. However, unless you are meeting in person and will pay on the spot, I dont recommend using PayPal on Messenger for transactions.

[Frankima]

@SalSS Thanks for the quick response! I figured out in my case I wasn't using the right technology. I don't have Messenger installed on my phone, and I use Facebook on a laptop. I found hidden deep in the Facebook help pages that you can only use PayPal as a payment method via the Messenger app. So I just did it from my husband's phone and signed into my Facebook/Messenger account there. It showed.

However, I'm still not out of the woods. It gets more confusing! I can see the transaction in my PayPal transaction history; it shows that I made a payment to Facebook. But the seller says it didn't go through. I think he has to accept the payment somewhere, that it isn't automatic. In my case, I don't think he's trying to scam. I'm just clumsy trying to use this fancy payment method. In your case though, i think you were right to be wary.

[SalSS]

@Frankima 

No problem! Happy to help. 

If the transaction is showing on your PayPal recent activity page and FB says you made the payment, then it seems like you are all set. Maybe there is a hold on the payment? 

Do you know this seller? Can you trust them? Are you getting this product shipped or are you picking it up? I would wait a few days and see if the payment goes through. If it has been taken from your PayPal balance, or PayPal credit, or Debit or Bank account, then your payment has gone through.

I am not sure, but I think if they sent a money request and you paid it, they dont have to accept anything. I suggest chatting in with PayPal customer support and asking about transactions on FB Marketplace and Messenger. 

[Frankima]

I don't know the seller, but he is relatively local (a couple hours' drive away). I'm not buying something to have shipped, I'll be picking it up. The payment was to put down a deposit because I won't be able to get it for over a week. He didn't require it; I offered because I don't want to come across as someone who shows interest, but is so far away they never follow through. I wanted to show I'm very serious about buying this. I've learned a few things since this all happened:

He sent the money request via Messenger, and not FB Marketplace. I don't know if that affects how money is handled. He does have a PayPal account, so my understanding is there should be no reason if I pay via PayPal that he can't get the funds. (Sometimes there's an extra step or two if the recipient is not a PayPal user.) I also don't know if he did it this way because maybe payments made via Messenger are considered friends/family, and if he went through Marketplace he'd be hit with the fee for goods/services?

I looked around on his profile, and he has many many items listed for sale, and several wanted posts asking for items left behind in storage units and such, so I think this may be his full-time job, or at least a serious pastime. 

I spoke with someone at PayPal who confirmed that my payment did go through, but it was received by Facebook. It is not linked to a particular item, as it would be through FB Marketplace, but it does say "for transfer to [seller's name]". The PayPal representative also told me that if I were to open a claim, it would be denied since 1) Facebook received my payment -- the discrepancy is now between Facebook and the recipient and 2) Facebook has a strict "no refunds" policy, regardless of whether they were at fault, or if there were technical difficulties. I have always chosen PayPal as a payment option when given the chance because I know how they stand buy their users, and have always been very fair whether I'm the buyer OR seller. But I've never dealt with Facebook for money, and I'm learning that Facebook apparently trumps any protection PayPal offers.

I sent a message in to Facebook asking for help, but have not heard back yet. It's only been a day. I also have a direct phone number for Facebook that someone in another forum gave me, so I'll try that on Monday if I don't get a written response before then.

So essentially, my money is gone, out of my bank, Facebook has it... somewhere. But the money has not made its way from Facebook to the seller, and I don't know how to make that happen. I'm hoping Facebook will fill in that missing info for me. Either they can give me instructions for the seller if they are waiting for him to take action to accept the payment, or they can tell me he already accepted the payment and he was lying to me (I really hope that isn't the case!), or, I don't know, something else.