Looking for some advice about purchasing items but seller won't ship until PayPal released amount

[ivansnow19630]

Hi, 

Looking for some advice in dealing with this issue happened to me. 

I never had such shopping experience at eBay, and so have no idea what is the right thing to do.

I purchased 2 lenses through 2 auctions from the same seller at 25th Oct, he stated post by Australia Parcel Post and 2 business days for handling at his listings as well as accepting PayPal, Bank Transfer and local Pick up.

After winning both auctions I sent messages to the seller to ask if he could combine postage as I checked it would only cost $63 with full extra cover to my area but seller charged $130 for two.

He refused and told me he would post by courier instead of PO, while, I had nothing to say about that so I paid through PayPal, at that night, 25 th, probably within an hour.

The next thing in the morning of 26th seller sent me an message told me he won't post until PayPal release the amount I paid for (Showed Pending) and he asked me to better use bank transfer or local pick up. He also claimed I set up something in my PayPal account which makes him not available to access the funds. It is ABSOULUTELY NOT TRUE because I paid 4 items at that night from 3 sellers, the other two sellers said they received funds without a problem. I also confirmed with PayPal representitive that there is nothing wrong with my account.

Here comes the thing, this seller refused to post items to me and so I can't open a case at eBay becasue there is no estimate delivery date if he doen't marked as shipped at eBay. However, at 27th, I find one of PayPal transfers showed this seller marked one lens as shipped (without tracking information) AT 25TH NIGHT, the night I paid, about 10:30, how is that possible? Is there a courier works that late? I sent a message to him to ask for tracking info for the one he marked shipped at PayPal but haven't receive anything from him yet.   (attached a pic for this)

Two lenses cost me about $3100.

What should I do? 

Thanks

[springyzone · Accepted solution]

1, Check your paypal account. It will show if a payment has gone through or not or if it is pending. If it has gone through, do not let anything this seller has to say convince you otherwise.

2. On no account pay by bank transfer. DO.. NOT .. PAY.. WITH .. BANK... TRANSFER.

3. Sellers can mark an item as posted but it doesn't mean it actually has been & if the seller can't show you the tracking numbers then I would not believe they have been sent, myself.

4. The seller can't change the estimated arrival dates. If you go to 'my ebay' section & look at the sale, it will show the estimated arrival date. I know that if you actually open that ad, the arrival date seems to change. The system seems to think it is a current ad & will update it. But the original sale in the my ebay section should show you the correct date. The fact a seller doesn't send anything or doesn't mark as sent won't change that date.

5. You have spent a huge amount of money. If the estimated arrival date passes & you can see that in your paypal account that the money has in fact gone through, open an item not received claim & get all your money back.

6. Just for future reference. If you ever want combined postage it is better to ask before a sale as a seller is not obliged to offer it. He is only obliged to honour the original terms of the sale.

7. If there is nothing wrong with your paypal (and you seem to have confirmed that there is not) & your payment hasn't gone through, then it means that there is something wrong with the seller's paypal account. Just message the seller & say you have confirmed there is nothing wrong with yours so he needs to fix his as you will not be paying any other way.

I hate to say it but some sellers will claim they have paypal problems & will ask you to pay into their bank instead & then they don't post the items. Don't get caught.

8. If the seller refuses to fix his paypal, if the payment hasn't gone through, just cancel it at your end. If the seller tries to claim an unpaid item dispute, you ring ebay and explain, ask them to read your messages, tell them the seller hasn't got a working paypal (if that is the case). It might be a blessing in disguise if the sale cannot go through to be honest!

[ivansnow19630]

Thank you in advance for quick reply, and suggestions. 

Both of my PayPal account and bank account showed these two transfers had gone through yesterday.

And Yes, you are truely hit the point! PayPal representitive told me there is nothing wrong with my account but the seller's has limition or being limited. I  tried to ask him refund me and cancel orders since he said "PayPal isnt acceptable" at 26th morning but he refused. 

I just start to use eBay last year and from the bottom of my heart so greatful that eBay provide me a place to purchase something rare to get in daily life but I did face scammes, the first time is a Leica M-P through Auction, 2nd time is Canon 5D Mark iv body along with two other lenses but they didn't get me becasue they both marked as shipped. 

The only time truely being scamed is by bank transfer, with an eBay account with over 500 postive feedbacks, so I thought it would be good. While at last I made friends with other victims, from then I learned my lesson  and refused to use bank transfer.

This is a bit different. I don't think it is another bad time because this seller actually has pick up option but anyway, I will call eBay and PayPal to get money back if I am wrong. 

In addition, that 5%, 10% off voucher truely get me every time. 

Spoiler

[davewil1964]

Due to the amount, the seller probably has a 21 day hold on the money. Paypal won't release it until that time or he can prove the item is delivered. It is not uncommon, and has been around for a couple of years.

The hold is not your problem. If he can't afford to post without the funds being released, that is his problem.

If it was me, I wouldn't be buying such expensive items online.

It is up to you. You have up to 32(?) days from the transaction date to open a dispute. If you don't want to wait until he deigns to post your lenses, which will eat up a fair chunk of that time, open an Item Not Received dispute when you can. Unless he can provide a valid tracking number, you will get your money back, and he will get a defect against him. Of which he can have very few before it affects his selling.

[phorum_junkie*]

 You can open an item not received dispute in Paypal at any time, you do not have to wait until after the expected delivery date.  If the seller failed to provide valid tracking within a couple of days of their handling time I would open the PP dispute

If the seller realises you are not going to budge and use bank deposit they may just refund your Paypal payment, if they do I would go and buy locally or from a reputable and well known on line trader. I would also leave a factual neg without mentioning the dispute, something like: Refused to accept Paypal.