echeque - refund to allow instant payment advice?

[MRGee]

A buyer has paid by echeque for an expensive ebay purchase. They are happy to wait for dispatch of the item until after the echeque is cleared or has given me the option of cancelling so they can make an instant ebay/paypal purchase instead. What advice would you offer - is there any fee I will incur for cancelling for example? Is the buyer protection impacted by using an echeque? Am I at more risk for a late refund claim for accepting an echeque

[kernowlass]

@MRGee

An echeque is just a paypal payment. Normally paypal credit the seller when a buyer pays and paypal takes the wait for the funds to transfer from the buyers funding source.

BUT they normally only take that risk if a buyer has a back up card linked to their paypal account, if they don't or if that card has expired then its the seller and the buyer that have to take the wait for the funds to transfer.

If you cancel it the buyers payment will still transfer to paypal as funds can't do a u-turn but if its been cancelled it will be credited to the buyers paypal account for them to withdraw again.

Also if they don't have a back up card the same thing may happen again and even if they add a card it will mean both payments will leave their funding source before 1 of them being credited to their paypal balance.

[MRGee]

@kernowlass - many thanks for your speedy response.

So it looks as though the simplest thing is to wait for the echeque to clear unless the buyer is confident he can ensure instant payment by ensuring there is a back up card.

I also presume from your reply that in terms of late refund claim risks, the payment type makes no difference. Finally, what about a charge for cancelling the echeque if he is able to reassure me about an instant payment and I go that way - which I don't think I will!

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@MRGee

So it looks as though the simplest thing is to wait for the echeque to clear unless the buyer is confident he can ensure instant payment by ensuring there is a back up card.

Well  I would, especially if the buyer is happy to wait as well.

in terms of late refund claim risks, the payment type makes no difference.

As long as you wait for it to clear first then you are at no more risk than any other paypal payment, in fact less risk as they can't do a chargeback via their card issuer.

Finally, what about a charge for cancelling the echeque if he is able to reassure me about an instant payment and I go that way -

>>

No charge and you do it this way >>

Go to Account Overview > History > Find the relevant payment > Details > Cancel Payment under ‘Cancel this eCheque payment’ > Review the information and include a message to buyer > Cancel Payment.

Need to go feed hubby now, will look back later if anymore queries.

[MRGee]

Perfect - thank you! Hope hubby enjoys his meal - just off for mine now