@jane-de-cluttering wrote:
Well! I'll tell you the rest of hte story now. The buyer contacted me & asked what's happening. Told her the story and she said as far as she knew she'd paid via paypal in the usual way and she's never used an eCheque before.
Messaged Paypal but their agents were busy for the 'next few hours' due to the virus. [Surely all these people work from home, or if they don't, why don't they!]
Tried to cancel the transaction, so as I could re-list & she could buy them again. But it wouldn't let me do that. Said: 'try again later. No hurry. You've got 30 days' or words to that effect.
Anyway she must have really wanted the shoes becasue she paid me again, and then I posted them. Of course as soon as I got home from the Post Office, Paypal had cleared the chq! So just refunded her the money.
In future, I would advise you to wait. E cheques are notoriously slow to clear or can be, and aren't a chosen method of payment as such, simply not enough money in paypal when the payment is made. Paypal then source the money from the buyer's bank account which can take up to 10 days.
If you and/or the buyer aren't familiar with that process, it causes anxiety and speculation over the validity of the payment. But in my experience, they clear eventually. As has been said, if it bounces, paypal keep trying.
Even if it does bounce, keep in mind people have more than one bank account and juggle money around, I do, so the nominated account might not have the necessary funds at the time they try to access the money. But you are safe because you don't post until the payment has cleared and your handling time commences from the date of payment (I think). Communicating with the buyer was a good thing to do.
But in a nutshell, the buyer doesn't knowingly choose to pay by e cheque, quite simply not enough money in their paypal account to make an instant payment and many buyers wouldn't be aware of the delay to clear
