I Hate PayPal - Unbelievable

[gamex]

I purchased an auction script a year or two ago and received resell rights, so I put it on a site and sold a few copies.

This guy from the Dominican Republic purchased it in mid June. A few days ago (178 days after the purchase), I get a notification of an unauthorized transaction from this guy. Most CC companies give the buyer 180 days to file this, right?

I called paypal because I was so @#$&in pissed off. And all the guy I talked to could say was "Wow" (at the fact it took 178 days to file this) and that "there is nothing I could really do since it is an intangible item". I asked him if I would be able to mail a copy on a CD and provide the tracking number and he said to do that, but do you guys think this would work? I mean, I am selling this thing for a measly $7, and now, if the buyer wins, I loose the $7 and a $10 for no freakin reason. Its not even like I can refund the $7 since its been over 2 months

How is the seller suppose to know if a purchase is unauthorized? I think its paypals responsibility to make sure all that crap is taken care of. Its amazing how they have all of this buyer protection, but they cant do anything to protect the seller.

I purchase intangible items all the time on paypal, and I bet you, I could have paid, gotten the item via download or email, and then filed a complaint and gotten all of my money back AND kept my items because there is no way to prove the buyer received the item. (I'd never do that, just trying to prove a point)

PayPal is equally concerned about both its buyers and sellers. That’s why, should a buyer file a dispute, we will act as a mediator between both parties often resolving the situation before a chargeback is filed. If mediation fails and the buyer files a chargeback, PayPal will use evidence provided by the seller to fight fraudulent chargebacks. In these ways, PayPal offers a uniquely comprehensive level of protection for sellers.

All I can say to that is... BS!

You’re much more likely to win a fraudulent chargeback dispute with PayPal’s team of experts on your side.

The first time this happened to me, I lost. Where were these experts when I needed them???


Ahh, sorry for all this venting, but I am really pissed. Id use stormpay or e-gold, but it seems people are skeptical about using them because they arent as known as Paypal

 

[Humdizzy]

My friend's father did a chargeback on all his sons purchases (including one from me). When he did a charge back on me paypal didn't email me or anything they just took the money and said sorry literally. Luckily it was only 2 dollars.

 

[dgridley]

I can sympathize with you.. Paypal can be great when it's working in your favor and h*ll when it's not..

 

[gamex]

My friend's father did a chargeback on all his sons purchases (including one from me). When he did a charge back on me paypal didn't email me or anything they just took the money and said sorry literally. Luckily it was only 2 dollars.

I didnt even get an email. I just happened to log in and see I had a dispute.

dgridley, I know what you mean. My only problem with paypal are buyers trying to rip me off.

To top things all off, I cant even log into e-gold, the other payment processor I use, sites been down for a few days now.

 

[labrocca]

All this over $7?

 

[dgridley]

Two points.. to some people, believe or not, $7 is a lot of money, and 2) it's not the $7, I'm sure.. it's the principle of the thing.

All this over $7?

 

[Kira4fire]

ya paypal doesnt got everything sorted out they need to actually stop and figure it all out at most times and there staff is just retarted most the time
--

 

[labrocca]

As a seller of intangible items using paypal as your processor don't you think it's important to know the rules and regulations of their service? You should understand the risks you are taking and if you don't like the risk then don't use the service.

 

[dgridley]

For every rule, there is someone who will find a way around it, there are alot of bad people out there..

As for risks, at least the greater part of the risk should be assumed by the service provider in my opinion, not the consumers. They're offering a service where they collect a fee, they should be the ones to provide sufficient safeguards so you can feel comfortable and secure using the service.

As a seller of intangible items using paypal as your processor don't you think it's important to know the rules and regulations of their service? You should understand the risks you are taking and if you don't like the risk then don't use the service.

 

[CrazyTech]

I must add to this thread.

Recently I sold a site and the buyer turned out to be a fraud who had hijacked some accounts. Paypal froze the money 3 days after the transaction was completed without warning and it left me with a negative account balance and several bills were due in the coming days.

I suppose I should always try and think ahead, but the site had sold and all was well so I didn't have any other funds in the account besides what had been paid.

What really got me about Paypal was that there was no notification about what happened. I logged in today to check the status of the funds and they had been reversed without any form of notification stating why and at least letting me know that the funds that had been witheld were now reversed. Not to mention it took them to the very last few hours of their 5 day limit to get it done.

Very poor service IMHO - I'd at least like some sort of notification for the latter. I don't think that's asking too much. I can definitely sympathize with you.

 

[labrocca]

Check your notification preferences. Also paypal does assume a fair amount of risk except for non-tangible items. They need proof that a real item was sent. It's a balance between protecting buyers and protecting sellers.

 

[CrazyTech]

It's not anything to do with notification preferences in this case. I was sent an email when the funds were witheld stating that they were witheld and for me to send any additional information I might have about the person. It explicitly said at the bottom that I'd receive an email about what their final actions were finished to let me know what happened and I never received that email - day 5 has come and passed and the action was performed by Paypal.

 

[dgridley]

I've gone thru similar.. I've sent emails thru their contact form with no confirmation email from them so you have no idea if they've even received it.. I'm waiting on a $97 credit myself for about a week.. and it was thru no fault of my own. I was double charged for an item, showed proof it was already paid, and STILL have to wait til they sort it out, and over the Holidays no less... they still required I mail in a signed affadavit before they'd even proceed with an investigation.

It's not anything to do with notification preferences in this case. I was sent an email when the funds were witheld stating that they were witheld and for me to send any additional information I might have about the person. It explicitly said at the bottom that I'd receive an email about what their final actions were finished to let me know what happened and I never received that email - day 5 has come and passed and the action was performed by Paypal.

 

[gamex]

All this over $7?

labrocca, like dgridley said, its the principle behind it, as well as the fact that I am also going to be changed fees for this whole process.

I know its only $7, but what if it was $700, it wouldn't make a difference to paypal.

It would be nice if paypal had some sort of service for non-tangible items, like where users could upload (assuming they were selling a script, ebook, etc) the item and paypal could track when the buyer went to the page and downloaded it to verify they actually bought the item.

Getting back to my original question, should I try mailing the buyer the script on CD and providing paypal with a tracking number? Think it would work? I was not sure because of the fact that it was filed as an unauthorized purchase and not because the user didnt get the item.

 

[dgridley]

With an unauthorized purchase I don't think mailing the item will make a difference.. unfortunately you're out $7..

 

[gamex]

Thats what I was figuring, good thing I didnt listen to the guy from paypal

 

[Epic]

All this over $7?

Hey man..$7 is a domain...a domain that could be worth hundreds of dollars..