Safe Payment Option - 'international' ebay query

[revolver-1966]

I recently purchased an item that was listed on ebay.fr (France).

On attempting to pay for the item, the only payment options were bank deposit and cheque. As far as I am concerned, neither option is 'safe'. I contacted the seller but never received a response.

Ebay has since advised me that the seller has lodged an 'unpaid item' claim. I have once again contacted the seller, advising that I will pay once a 'Paypal' (or other safe option) is made available to me. I am now awaiting a reply (it's only been 18 hours since sending this recent email, so will wait another day).

I am unsure how I stand in relation to my expectation that international Ebay sellers should provide a 'safe payment' option. I realise that Ebay's rules and policies vary from country to country but I had presumed that the provision of at least one  'safe payment option' was a requirement across the board.

Has anyone else had a similar experience; and if so, what was the outcome?

cheers.

[putney32]

I have never purchased from France, but I did use ebay Germany for a lot of buying, and in Germany they do NOT have to offer safe payment options, and very few private sellers in Germany actually have a paypal account.

I'd guess the same is the rules in France, but I am not sure.

you really need to sort out payment methods on international purchases BEFORE buying/bidding.

was PayPal an option on the listing page?

[rosecottagesales]

Hi Putney

May I ask, how did you pay for your purchases in Germany pls? Did all of the sellers you deal with accept paypal? I wanted to buy a rare glassware from a seller in Germany, but unfortunately he/she doesnt accept paypal, only bank transfer 😞

Cheers

Brenton

[thesoulyearns]

I recently purchased an item that was listed on ebay.fr (France).

On attempting to pay for the item, the only payment options were bank deposit and cheque. As far as I am concerned, neither option is 'safe'

Before you bid or paid, did the seller state that PayPal was an option? If so, they are obligated to provide that option to receive payment. If not, there's not much you can do. A seller isn't obligated to use PayPal to accept payment, even if it's generally accepted as the safest method.

[***super_nova***]

What was it?  i cannot see anything that you bought that does not offer PP.  can you give us the exact title of the item?  Was it listed as selling worldwide?  seller would have to be very silly listing without PP if they wish to sell worldwide.

In the past many sellers in Germany did not offer PP, but nowadays I do not even recall seeing one that would not offer it, and in France they always did. 

Remember that Europe is 9 hours behind us.  If the seller runs his eBay as business I would not expect reply before Monday evening our time, that is Monday morning European time.

[putney32]

hi Brenton, this was years ago but for very small purchases, like around E10 I sent cash in an envelope!!

I only made one larger purchase, and I sent a bank draft in Euros which I got at the ANZ or NAB (COSTS ABOUT $20 on top of their outrageous exchange rate!!) and I sent it Registered Airmail

[phorum_junkie*]

If there was no safe payment option when you purchased then you cannot expect the seller to offer one now.

There are many more safe payment sites than Paypal that are used in Europe so unless the listing had Paypal as an option the seller is unlikely to use it.

You should have sorted this out prior to buying if Paypal wasn't offered. You now have to pay by whatever method they stated in the listing, ask them to send a mutual cancellation or accept the unpaid item strike.

[rosecottagesales]

Thanks Putney

Will give the item a miss 😞