paypal seller protection warning for all sellers

[babyjane62]

I learnt something recently that I was not aware of so thought I would share it as it has cost me $110 which I really am not pleased about.  I sold an item early december, after payment by paypal I signed into the "View Order Details" section of ebay to get address, posted item thinking I had done everything right.  The seller opened a dispute with paypal 3 days after I posted item saying they had not received it yet, mind you, I am in country Victoria and they are in sydney, express post takes 2 days to get anywhere, I sent a copy of the postage receipt to buyer stating they should at least wait a week before disputing but still no reponse.  I replied in the paypal dispute section, the response was I should have sent item to the work address listed with paypal not the home address listed with ebay as the buyer often has parcels go missing from the home address, would have been nice to know this.  To cut this saga short, the dispute was escalated when the buyer didn't receive item (or so we were told), after talking to paypal, they agreed I did have proof of sending item but as it was to the ebay address and not the paypal address they had to find in favour of the buyer and reversed the payment back to the buyer!!!!  I ask, I have proven postage, they know it, the buyer admits that parcels go missing from home address, why are they still using it as ebay registered address, why did they not tell me to make sure item was sent to work, or better still, pay the extra $3 for registered post.  This has left a bad taste in my mouth, christmas day I received a notice from paypal to get my balance out of negative or I may hear from debt collectors, so my warning to you all, PLEASE SEND ITEMS TO PAYPAL REGISTERED ADDRESS NOT EBAY REGISTERED ADDRESS.  Why aren't we told this more often, the little paypal protection icons are everywhere, share the rules more openly please.  I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else because it was a very unpleasant experience after building up nearly 1200 positive feedback responses which went nowhere to help my case.  Sorry for the longwinded post but I am annoyed that I was punished when paypal said they could see I had posted the item, they could see it was the buyers home address, they couldn't prove the buyer was telling the truth, but I am sorry, we have to reverse the payment!!!  I must say in closing, the paypal operators were very easy to contact and talk to, although perhaps velvet sledgehammer is an appropriate term.  Happy New Year everyone and may your ebay experiences be better than this one.

[lyndal1838]

You have sold nearly 800 items and you do not know to send to the address listed in paypal???

Sorry, but you only have yourself to blame for this.

If you ignore the rules you cannot expect paypal protection.

Why would the buyer put their work address as their registered ebay address....they do not live there.

[***super_nova***]

Sorry, but I can assure you we all know that you always have to send to the PP address, which can and often is different to the eBay address.  The postal address can be anything; the buyer's work address or gift address.

As far as complaining that the buyer should have asked for registration.  Why should they?  It is up to you to protect yourself and not up to the buyer to protect you.  There is no way I would give buyer the choice of not registering item over $50 value.  If they would want it express, the would have to ask for express platinum.

If you posted it to the correct address = work, they would have most likely got it.  They may have had good reason why they did not want it delivered to their home address and left sticking out of their mail box or sitting on their doorstep.

[forumfool]

Actually, having had hundreds of sales, I didn't know this until recently - and only because of reading forum posts!!

After a few near postal mistakes I had to start putting on my ebay listings that I would post to the address listed on the ebay contact details.  This resulted in buyers correcting the addresses on file often between initial invoice and payment.

And I've also learnt to cross-check both addresses now, just in case and to confirm if they differ. 

Incidentally, I recently bought an item and for some reason (which I only noticed after paying by Paypal and looking on the receipt, D'oh!) the address defaulted to a friend's address - last on my list of Paypal addresses used for previous purchases.  Luckily I contacted the buyer immediately and they were wonderful in replying and sending it to my address.   So, Paypal is not always the correct address!  (I have NO idea why  it defaulted, hadn't used that address in about 12 months!) 

Anyway, I am sympathetic to the OP's situation, it's a pity the seller didn't update their address to work beforehand knowing items go missing.  Buyers should always make it as clear as possible for the seller, and sellers should always double check  . . . makes me very busy as I am both but it saves quite a lot of awkward situations.  

Thanks for the heads up though guys!

[lyndal1838]

Forum, the OPs buyer did have the correct address in paypal...the address she wanted the item posted to.  Why should/would the buyer keep changing her ebay registered address?  That is only done when you actually move house, not every time you want a parcel delivered to someone else or sent to an address other than your home address.

[motherbear2003]

Unfortunately an expensive lesson has been learnt the hard way:-( 

[forumfool]

Forum, the OPs buyer did have the correct address in paypal...the address she wanted the item posted to.  Why should/would the buyer keep changing her ebay registered address?  That is only done when you actually move house, not every time you want a parcel delivered to someone else or sent to an address other than your home address.

Yes, you see I always used the eBay registered address as my reference - used for Paypal or direct debit purchases because it was the first contact details I'd see directly after the auction when I'd send invoices, often I would quote postage in the invoice based on the postcode given on this page (if it wasn't a satchel item).

I've occasionally had buyers that haven't updated their address at all after moving -even interstate!  I'll be confirming address and using Paypal's contact details when applicable from now on though!

[cezm]

The email from Paypal notifying of a buyer's payment includes the following:

This item is eligible for Seller Protection.

To remain eligible, ship the item to the address confirmed below. We recommend using a shipping method you can track.

Please note, items delivered in person or to a different address are not covered by Seller Protection

... as such, I have always sent items to the address PP provide ...

forumfool - As a buyer I have 6 addresses listed with PP for various uses. As lyndal1838 notes, I shouldn't have to keep changing my address on Ebay to that of my brother, sister, mother, physical address of my post office (for those that won't post to a PO Box) etc!

[babyjane62]

Just to note, when an item is sold, you receive an email from ebay saying congratualtions your item has sold, with the address on that email.

[kopenhagen5]

Does it then mean that selecting "you need to post 1 item" and using that address, it is not covered and can be different to PayPal address?