Ebay….Goodbye to you I guess?

[Mimi]

IMHO — it seems that using a “virtual credit card number” is the only way to be 100% certain of preventing one’s credit card info from being used fraudulently.

[Zelda]

I agree with Kyrin on the upsides of allowing Paypal-only payments through Ebay, but there are some downsides too.

One of the major advantages I’ve found to Paypal payments is in dealing with overseas transactions. Buyers and sellers alike don’t have to bother with money orders (some of which aren’t accepted in certain countries), bank transfer fees, and currency conversion. Paypal ties it neatly into one package and the fees associated with the transaction are minor. I once had to pay nearly $50 in bank transfer fees for an item that only cost me $10!!!

Another big upside to Paypal payments is buyer protection. Much like getting insurance through the shipper, Paypal will step in when there’s an issue to be resolved. Recently I had a seller stop communicating with me when I asked for a refund for a damaged item. I’d purchased insurance, but without her original shipment receipt would never be able to file a claim. She eventually resolved the issue, but if she decided to continue with the vow of silence I’d be in the dark. Since I paid through Paypal, though, they would have weighed my case and refunded me instead of the post office.

I also find that the fees Paypal charges for their services are similar to purchasing and mailing an MO.

That said, I do think consumers should be offered a choice of payment methods. It should be up to the seller to decide what payment forms they feel comfortable accepting. Being someone who uses Paypal exclusively as a buyer, and gets paid that way 99% of the time as a seller, I don’t mind Ebay’s new rule. But I can understand why it would have some people miffed.

Forever seeking: Blackwatch the raffle Old Warrior, Jennifer Miller's pieces, and GB Baby unis!

[Author]

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