Help! Is this a scam or a glitch?

[mumand1_123]

I purchased something from the US tonight, quantity of 3.

Sent message to seller asking to adjust the invoice to combine post.

Seller replied quickly, asked if I wanted a direct paypal invoice by providing my email. I said NO WAY!! Seller said, No problem and combined the invoice with the post at $19.50. 
I proceeded through ebay checkout and paid via paypal as usual.

Went back to ebay, and noticed the paypal payment was pending, so logged back into paypal and a message next to pending transaction said 'unclaimed' from seller.
I messaged back via ebay and seller said don't worry, I'll figure it out. 

Now the transaction has cleared in paypal, HOWEVER not only is it still pending in ebay almost an hour later, BUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT ON THE INVOICE HAS NOW CHANGED AFTER I'VE ALRREADY PAID with shipping now stating $39. The only way I can now see the original invoice is in my email account, or in the paypal transaction that clearly shows $19.50 shipping. When I click 'view order details' in ebay, it's the higher post cost!!??

Any thoughts on what is going on? The seller has not been in contact since our last message an hour or so ago - I understand it is the middle of the night in the US, but conversation was going back and forth and suddenly stopped.

[maconii]

Have you checked the seller's feedbacks? Are they a trusted seller?

[mumand1_123]

The seller has no previous ID's, and been registered since the beginning of 2012 with 100% feedback and less than 50 transactions, all positive.

[6508.froggy]

Maybe they are using the new method of shipping which a lot of sellers are now using in the US - The shipping funds would go to the third party therefore that could be the reason it is pending as they have not received the full amount - Just a thought - did the listing say that shipping includes customs and tracking - if that is the case they are using the third party - which means they send the item to the shipping company in the US who then repackage (poorly I might add) and then ship to the purchaser - I no longer purchase from the US for any using this system - (needless to say Ebay and Paypal are tied up in it - and reap the profits)

[mumand1_123]

On closer inspection of their feedback, it seems this is the first time they have sold anything - all the feedback is as a buyer, so therefore perhaps their accounts (ebay and paypal) were not linked corectly to receive payments? This still does not explain why the invoice which still says it's pending, has increased in price 😞

[phorum_junkie*]

Seller replied quickly, asked if I wanted a direct paypal invoice by providing my email. I said NO WAY!!

That would probably have been a better option, if you were buying on the US site then it would come under ebay buyer protection which is not always to the buyer's advantage, had they sent you a direct Paypal invoice you would have had Paypal buyer protection at the same level as you would have if it was through ebay and would have had a much easier time going through a Paypal dispute if there was a problem