COVID-19 Refunds without pay pal fee?

[Sonoma1]

How can I refund participants in my workshop without having to pay the pay pal fee?

[sharpiemarker]

@Sonoma1 

Not possible. PayPal no longer refunds the fee. 

Doesn't hurt to ask customer service, no guarantees though:

1. Log on.
2. Click HELP at the top menu.
3. Scroll down and click CONTACT US.
4. Scroll down to click CALL US or other contact options.

Or contacting via social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paypal

Twitter: @AskPayPal

[TSLC]

There needs to be a mechanism for merchants to issue credits for future use.   

[underwatershop]

this is the time during COVID-19 where Paypal should be again refunding the processing fees for any refunds - you are profiteering from the current global disaster

[DanceCommunity]

I have seen this article:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/major-change-to-paypal-refund-policy-processing-fees-wont-be-refunded...

With this quote at the top:  "At PayPal we are here to support you and we know that the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on the global economy has serious implications for your business. We have seen that you have been particularly impacted by recent customer behavior and so we would like to offer a temporary refund policy on your account. This means that from today until April 30th, PayPal will not withhold any of the transaction fees when we process a refund on your behalf."

I have not been given relief of any of my fees for tickets that I have had to refund due to events that are now illegal to hold (over 10 people).  I should not have to pay the refund fees for this.  Please give us a way to follow this policy.  

[thebicyclecafe]

I have a more egregious issue that arose out of this ridiculous policy. 

I sent a request to a family member for a personal payment, and I had no idea that this defaulted to goods and services. 

When the payment came through (it was funded via bank) it got hit with the transaction fee, which I thought was odd and immediately reversed it. Not knowing about this policy change, I was shocked when the fee was not reversed, and on top of that instead of drawing out of my available funds it went as an e-check.

Clearly I was ignorant and didn't know that I had to request the money to be sent as a personal payment instead of generating a Paypal "money request". However, this was funded via bank ACH and should not have incurred any processing cost on Paypal's end. 

I've contacted Paypal and they have thus far been unsympathetic, despite my attempts to request an exception. I'm appalled by the lack of empathy and especially towards someone who does regularly receive eBay payments for the last 19 years. It seems they are more content to profit off of my mistake than to extend what would be a very equitable gesture, and might I add, something that isn't even going the extra mile, to assist in this situation. 

I was also under the impression that they were reversing the fees at this point when the transactions are refunded. Please Paypal, fix this.