Paid via PayPal,but not handing item over as funds on hold

[norwestcc123]

Hi guys,

Just purchased an item for Christmas and paid via PayPal at sellers request.

Seller has funds in their account but funds are apparently on hold for 21 days and they don’t wish to hand over item until funds are cleared.

Where do we go from here?

[countessalmirena]

@norwestcc123,

Your seller is probably telling the truth about the funds being on hold. It's apparently intended to reduce fraud, but very frustrating for the occasional or new seller just selling things around the house, etc.

However, you as the buyer should not have to wait that long; the listing would have had a handling time with an estimated delivery date range.

Hmm... you say "hand over item" ... Is this for a pick-up item? If so, there's an easy solution. Request that the PayPal payment be refunded, get the seller's address, and go over there and pay cash on pick-up. It's by far the best way for buyers to pay when it's a pick-up item. The sale is still through eBay; the seller will mark the item as paid once s/he has the cash payment, and you'll have the chance to inspect the item before handing over the cash. (If the seller has some sort of idea that PayPal is the "best" or "safest" payment for a pick-up item, it definitely isn't!)

[kopenhagen5]

Instruct the seller to send the item immediately as they are obligated to.

The 21 day hold on funds is because it's a new selling account and has nothing to do with you or your payment clearing.

The payment has cleared from your end but PayPal hold the funds to ensure you receive them and they are as described.

So instruct the seller you have been advised that a seller is required to send an item immediately regardless of a 21 day hold.

This hold is completely different to an echeque which may require clearance of 5-7 days.

[norwestcc123]

Thanks.

Chatted with PayPal who confirms the same thing.

Puchased numerous items and paid via PayPal and never had a seller say he wants funds cleared before handing item over.

Always like to pay COD on items like this but as seller requested we pay via PayPal we did so.

Strange how we also purchased an item worth twice as much the week before and that seller had no problem in us picking up the item before their payment was cleared

[kopenhagen5]

Being a new seller they probably don't know how eBay n PayPal work.

You obviously realize to pay COP for pick up items which always the best.

Better for the seller as well, no PayPal fee and no risk of a chargeback but they are new so they don't know.

Next time you could explain that there are more risks for the seller with PayPal on pick up items if you come across a seller not wanting COP.

[enigmabear]

If it is a brand new seller they may have no clue how it works until they are told

Or they may have been put off *if* you mentioned COD to them as that is a different thing to paying cash on pickup