Problem with paying for eBay item in Italy with PayPal linked to US bank account

[Fernando_Pessoa]

Hi there,

I just tried to purchase an item on eBay, and the seller was unable to receive my funds through PayPal. He said he received a message stating that the payment would be on hold for 21-30 days, and that this was confirmed to him by telephone when he inquired with "eBay and PayPal." He was told that this was because this is in an international payment. Yet I was recently able to make a payment from my PayPal account to another seller outside the country of my bank. So I have two questions: Is PayPal really holding international payments for this time period, and if so, is there a way to get authorization to make this payment? I am a bit confused, as I've never had this problem through eBay or PayPal.

I understand that the two companies are no longer one, so I am inquiring about PayPal and also its relation to eBay.

Thank you.

[kernowlass]

It's nothing to do with you. The payment hold is for all new sellers. If it's marked as completed in your account then you have paid and if he doesn't send raise a dispute for non receipt of item.

[Fernando_Pessoa]

Well, I let him cancel the sale, because I understand very well why he didn't want to wait three weeks for payment on a $500 item. Would you happen to know if there is some way around this restriction, or if PayPal makes exceptions to it? I would like to buy the item, and he would like to sell it to me, but doing the transaction outside eBay isn't a good option because we've never done business before.

[kernowlass]

@Fernando_Pessoa

The sooner he sent the item then the sooner the payment would have been released.

Once tracking shows delivery of the item to you + 3 days then the funds are released, the longest he would have to wait is 21 days if he did not send trackable.

The new seller hold is for all new sellers and everyone on ebay etc has to go through it. Its for buyer protection and to make sure the seller builds up a good reputation first.

If he keeps cancelling sales and not goes through it then he won't be allowed to sell anymore.

EVERY single seller on ebay has gone through it myself included. It does not last long and I rarely waited longer than a week for payment as i sent promptly and trackable.

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/security/ebay-payments-learn-more

[Fernando_Pessoa]

Thanks very much for the thorough explanation. Do you know if it could in fact be true that the hold is only applying in this particular case because the transaction is international? He seemed to think that if I had an eBay account in Europe that he wouldn't be subject to the hold. At any rate, I am looking for a solution, because I want to buy the item, and the seller is not being very creative. 😉

[kernowlass]

@Fernando_Pessoa

No that type of hold has nothing to do with international transactions.

Has he got much feedback as a seller?

If you click on feedback and then select "seller" rather than all or buyer you will see if he is new or not.

Also check his star ratings as sometimes you are put back in the hold if the those "dip".

[Fernando_Pessoa]

He has only good feedback, but it looks like most of it is from 2012 and before. I'm guessing that the hiatus he took from selling is getting him treated as a "new seller," unless something else was a matter in the past. At any rate, I'm just looking for a way to buy from this guy... It's very funny that neither eBay nor PayPal offers obvious routes toward making this kind of thing easier, since it's in their interest. But I suppose the seller could also just relent and wait to get paid for what you suggest is a much shorter period than 21 days.

If you have any other suggestions, I'd be very happy to hear them!

[kernowlass]

@Fernando_Pessoa

Yes if he stopped selling for a while then re-started he would have to go through the hold again.

What obvious routes do you want paypal / ebay to give you?

Most new sellers are happy to go via the hold > send the items promptly and get their funds within about a week, simple and easy.

He has 0 choice if he wants to continue selling on ebay.

If a new seller refused to send me my item after my funds had completed in my paypal account then i would be filing an unpaid item dispute and leaving appropriate feedback but that is your call.

Good luck.