Different fees for two payments of the same amount, a little confused.

[8obby]

Hello all,

Today I received two payments for items sold on an auction site.  Both of the transactions were for £45.00.

I've just been looking at my Paypal balance and noticed that on one of the sales I paid a fee of  £1.91 but on the other £1.73.

I know it is just pennies but it seems odd for the fees to be different, can anyone explain why?

One of the sales was to the UK, the other to Norway but this shouldn't matter as both payments coming in were exactly £45, I'm stumped.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@8obby

But it does matter as you have a cross border fee added on to the Norway one.

[8obby]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I've just been Googling and looking at a page that talked about a 0.4% fee for Cross Border payments, this would account for the 18 pence discrepancy.

I'm amazed this fee is levied at the payment receiver, been accepting overseas payments for years and always just assumed ALL additional fees resulting from an international sale fell to the buyer, guess I was wrong.

[kernowlass]

@8obby

Sellers always pay the fees, the buyer pays for the item as per cost and postage charges.

[8obby]

The point I was making is International buyers always cover the exchange rate difference (it usually has a little built in compared to the 'real rate') and the seller then receives (in their own currency) the correct amount, it then seems odd to charge the seller for receiving a cross border payment rather than the seller for sending one.  No matter, just the first time I've noticed it - with over 1000 sales to the US I'm amazed I didn't notice it before.

@kernowlass

[kernowlass]

@8obby

The buyer covers the currency conversion fee, you cover the cross border fee as you are the one that accepts the payment.

I can only give you the facts, i don't make paypal policy  

[8obby]

@kernowlass

No probs, don't worry, I'm not huffed.  Just amazed I've never noticed it before.  

I'm a big fan of Paypal, it's the 'auction site' that is sending me to an early grave