Update shipping info to get funds sooner <-- this isn't working any more

[wetfromage]

Hi - this is not another 'why is my payment on hold' question.  I'm a seasoned paypal user and familiar with hold policy for he first few months of a new account.

My question has to do with the ability to get the funds released sooner when you add tracking/shipping information.  In the past when I did this, it shortened the hold time from three weeks to just one week.  This time, a message came up saying that I'll get my money sooner (in one week), but when I went back to the payment details it still shows the funds on hold for three weeks.  The two screens are contradicting each other.

Here's the first screen, after I add the tracking info:

Bur when I click on 'see transaction details at the bottom of that message, I am taken to this screen which shows the hold time is still about three weeks:

And it still says I can get the money sooner by updating the shipping info, which I just did!  If I click on 'get your money sooner' in that last image above, here's what I see:

This is a screen I've never seen before.  Well it's too late to print the shipping label but I tried 'add tracking info' and got this:

I click on 'item shipped without tracking number' and then I get this:

HAHAHA oh what fun!

It's worth noting at this point that t here is no way to get back to the main page or details screen. All the 'cancel' and 'x' links just keep circling me around these shipping info and "oops" pages.  The only way to get back to the main page is exit and come back in again new.

So, to sum up, here's what's happening:

PayPal: your funds are on hold for three weeks.

Me: OK.

PayPal: If you update shipping info you can get the funds sooner.

Me: [updates shipping info]

PayPal: Hahaha just kidding, you still have to wait three weeks!

[sharpiemarker]

@wetfromage 

Are you selling a digital item? I would recommend selecting “Order Processed” for that. Shipped with “item shipped without tracking” is for sending physical items without tracking number.

Try clearing browser cache and PayPal cookies. If no change after that, expect the funds to be released by Apr 7, if not by then, then by Apr 21, if not earlier than the 21st.

[wetfromage]

---

@sharpiemarker wrote:

@wetfromage 

Are you selling a digital item? I would recommend selecting “Order Processed” for that.

---

@sharpiemarker Yes, sort of... consulting services and document mark-up stuff.  No physical item sent. 

Okay, where can I find this option?  I don't think I've ever seen that under 'edit tracking info'.  It's not there now, I guess because I've already set the orders to 'shipping info not required'.  Had there been a better option to choose from, I think I would have seen it.  I will be sure to check under every rock next time and post back here if I can't find it.

[edit] I searched google and found an image of this option in the drop-down list.  Maybe I didn't choose that because I felt the "order" was complete.  "In process" didn't seem like a fitting status because the transaction was basically complete by that point.

But the bottom line is, this worked before and it's just not working now. 

[sharpiemarker]

@wetfromage 

Click Edit Tracking info.

Click the Order Status menu.

Select Order Processed.

I was able to go into an order I already marked Shipped and I have the option:

[wetfromage]

Here's an interesting update.

I received another small payment, so I was going to check to see if this 'order processed' status makes any difference in the hold time.

I log into PayPal and discover - the funds are not on hold!  Not only that, but all the others funds that were on hold until the 21st (with one exception) are also no longer on hold!  This is even sooner than the April 7th hold release date that I saw when I used to set the shipping status to 'tracking info not required':

Only one of my received payments is still on hold until the 21st, and it's the biggest one (although at $150, really not that big at all).  I wonder when that one will be released?

Just when you think you know how PayPal works, something like this happens.  Maybe my "new" account (opened in January) suddenly became not new and there won't be any more holds?

Although I'm not complaining at all, thanks PayPal!