This information is for all the hardworking sellers on Ebay

This guide is in response to a recent event in our selling history.  Hopefully, this helps you in your quest for justice.  In the past few months, we've experienced a couple of incidents regarding Paypal's Buyer Protection Policy.  This policy was created to protect buyers from fraudulent sellers.  Basically, if a buyer doesn't receive an item, they can file a claim with Paypal.  Paypal can then put a "hold" on the funds paid to the seller by the buyer until proof is provided that the item was recieved...the credit lingo is called a "chargeback". The burden of proof lies totally on the seller!  The majority of these cases can be closed with the tracking number of the carrier...in our case, the United Stated Postal Service.  The small fraction of cases that aren't as easily closed can be prevented very easily. 

First off, we're Power Sellers, so we know a thing or two about "Seller Ethics".  Our feedback rating is stellar...100% Positive to be exact.  So, it always comes as a surprise when we get a complaint from a buyer.

Here's the 1st scenario:  We recently sold to an international buyer, no big deal...we do it all the time.  After a month or so, the buyer contacts us demanding a refund because he didn't get his shirt.  We tell him to chillax and be patient due to the slow mailing system of his country.  I won't say which middle eastern destination but let's just say it starts with an "I", ends with an "L" and has "SRAE" in the middle.  Another week passes and we see the notorious "hold" notice in place of the "completed" notice in our Paypal account regarding his transaction.  Hmmmm, what to do, what to do.  We check the USPS tracking, and sure enough, the following information was at the USPS website:  "The U.S. Postal Service was electronically notified by the shipper on [fill in date] to expect your package for mailing.  This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date...yada yada yada."  

            

What just happened?!  Our local post office, whom we love dearly, didn't scan in our package(we printed the label online and were just gonna drop it off).  So they threw it in the "expedited" mail bin and it went on its way.  They do this routinely, because it saves time and, in our case, we didn't wait for the receipt because we were in a rush.  Big mistake, because now we have no proof of delivery or any kind of tracking.  Buyer wins case due to lack of evidence.  Hard lesson learned.  ALWAYS WAIT FOR THE RECEIPT!

2nd scenario:  A buyer puts a "hold" on his payment after recieving his item.  This was a sneaky thing to do, especially since the tracking information was in full effect.  We checked the tracking # and it stated that it was delivered on so an so date to his zip code.  One quick phone call to Paypal's customer service hotline and the case was closed, the "hold" was lifted and we got paid.   The flaw in Paypal's dispute and hold policy is that, if we don't respond to the claim filed by the buyer within 10 days...he gets his money back and gets to keep your goods.  For a smaller operation like ours, we caught it right away.  If it was a gynormous ebay business dealing with 1000's of transactions a month...the claim would have slipped through the cracks after the allotted time period needed to respond. 

SELLER TIPS TO AVOIDING CLAIMS AGAINST YOUR ACCOUNT

1. Get a receipt for ALL transactions from your delivery service.

2. ALWAYS use "Delivery Confirmation"

3. Check your Paypal account from time to time for any discrepancies

4. INSURE all items over $50.  Add it to the cost of shipping...you never know!

5. ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT FOR ALL TRANSACTIONS FROM YOUR DELIVERY SERVICE!

6. TO RESTRICT CERTAIN BIDDERS(ex. countries with an unreliable delivery service), you can change your eBay settings to do this! 
   

    CLICK HERE TO RESTRICT CERTAIN DIFFICULT BIDDERS

We hope this was helpful to you and yours.  Please be kind and click "YES" below so we can better serve the ebay community with our experience.