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eBay Terminates Checks and Money Orders
By Chris Crum - Wed, 09/24/2008 - 19:00
Claims To Have Done So for Security Reasons
Today eBay announced via FAQ that starting in late October, the only acceptable payment methods to use when purchasing items on the auction site will be:
- PayPal
- Credit or debit card payment to seller
- ProPay, or
- Payment upon pickup
That basically means no checks or money orders. They claim they're doing this to provide users with a more "secure checkout experience". Ironically, I know some people that won't even use eBay or PayPal because they don't want to provide credit/debit card information for security purposes. Valleywag suggests an ulterior motive anyhow:
Now you must used one of the approved electronic methods, especially PayPal and certainly not Google Checkout or Checkout by Amazon. Makes business sense: Mail transactions are probably a sink on customer service resources, as payments don't arrive or bounce when they do. And eBay earns no vigorish from check or money order transactions as it does with PayPal, marginally increasing per-transaction profit...
As Valleywag subtly points out, there are some exceptions to eBay's payment policy rule. Items like automobiles, heavy machinery, real estate, and "mature audiences" items will be excluded from the new requirements.
Most sellers are probably fine with the new rules so they can receive faster payments. eBay suggests that buyers will be more confident in their purchases this way as well. In the long run, it's going to piss some people off, but it's also going to make some people feel better. You can't please everyone, and the people that have a problem will have to get over it. That is unless, there is enough uproar to make eBay backtrack on its decision like with the whole PayPal-only in Australia thing.
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59 Comments
well that explains why i
well that explains why i havent seen the check/money order option. i didnt know about that until now. this sucks, now i cant buy ANYTHING and i really want an item on there! ebay sucks now, not everyone has a f*cken credit card for god sakes!!! its not fair, i been using ebay since 2006 and have always bought with money orders! i hope they know that they took something away from alot of people, like me. it was the only site i could buy from...i dont know of any other sites that accept checks/money orders. f*ck you ebay!! :|
Bite Me Ebay!
I can Buy Porn and vibrators with a money order but not my medical supplies?
EBAY can BITE ME SIDEWAYS!
Good Bye
I just now found out about the no money order policy from E-bay. I closed my account. Good Bye E-bay!
EBAY X OTHERS
ANTERNATIVE TRY IT FOR FREE NO LISTING FEES
HTTP://WWW.BARNBID.COM
reply
No More E-Bay.
I have been a buyer on E-Bay for many years. I have over 800 99.9% positive feedback rating.
I only sold on E-Bay for a brief time. I quickly figured out the math and realized that after listing fees, packing materials, etc., that I was not making enough money to merit the work.
Selling on E-Bay is hard work. There was only one bad transaction out of over 800, thus the 99.9 rating.
Most sellers go out of their way to be gracious to customers.
I have purchased daughter's nursing shoes, my shoes, computer games, books, sewing supplies, and on and on.
Now I am done.
I had a PayPal account which I canceled a year ago. I lost over $130.00 with the PayPal system. The PayPal system kept debiting my checking account, even though I noted I wanted payments taken from the PayPal account. What a mess.
To all of the wonderful sellers on E-bay I bid a fond and heartsick farewell.
Your hard work has made my life easier. I have been able to purchase usable items for family and friends at greatly reduced prices.
Last summer when gas prices were so high it was nice to be able to stay at home and shop online.
I always paid with a postal money order and never had a problem.
E-Bay is the bully on the playground. They need a comeuppance.
Pheba.
What about international orders and lack of seller protection??
Technically sellers can still accept checks and money orders but the buyer must request it, you can't mention that in your listing. CRAZY?!?!?
"A seller can accept check and money order payment from a buyer if (and only if) the buyer requests it. We will not take action against a seller who is trying to accommodate their buyer, complete a sale and be in compliance with the policy. Sellers cannot in any way solicit check or money order payment from a buyer. " WHAT IS THIS- ASK, DON'T TELL?
Now I have to answer a million emails about accepting checks and money orders because I can't darn well mention that in my listing. Absurd, isn't it?
What about INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS from countries like China? When I sell to them I am not covered under Paypal seller protection policy- "The transaction must be between a US, UK or Canadian buyer and a US, UK or Canadian seller."
WHAT!?!?! Normally I would demand international buyers send an international money order or Western Union for expensive purchases so I don't get a chargeback from Paypal if they are unscrupulous. But now I must accept Paypal and cross my fingers I don't lose my money and the goods.
Ebay and New World Order
Three years with 100% feedback, buying and selling on ebay with mostly money orders.
It looks like ebay has sold out to the coming one world monetary system. It is one step closer by doing this.
I am guessing they think anybody who deals in money orders and not in their system is not privy enough to be on their site. Wow!
Guess its time to find another auction site who accepts all forms of payment. Paypal is greedy and google is selling us all out in the name of terrorism.
Check out www.prisonplanet.com and see how these companies and others like them are slowly taking away our options to buy and sell.
BUYERS' STRIKE!!! SELLERS'
BUYERS' STRIKE!!! SELLERS' STRIKE!!! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!
ebay
amen
Currently, I'm still able to
Currently, I'm still able to do business with sellers who are willing to accept money orders. Once that stops, I'm done spending money with eBay sellers forever, although I'm already avoiding ebay for holiday shopping because of the unnecessary hassle of having to contact each and every seller I may want to use to clear payment plans in advance. Sellers who want to keep long-time ebay shoppers would be wise to challenge this policy change via group action directly against ebay and should seek intervention from the Better Business Bureau (with whom ebay enjoys endorsement) and from Federal Trade Commission on grounds of anti-trust. Authorities in Australia struck down ebay's PayPal policy on similar grounds and it could happen here, but it's going to be up to sellers to take action before they lose customers.
LETS HAVE A SELLERS STRIKE
LETS HAVE A SELLERS STRIKE AND BRING EBAY TO A REASONABLE LEVEL. ONE WEEK WORLD WIDE SHOULD DO IT
EBAY
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU I HAVE NOT BEEN ON EBAY SINCE NOVEMBER 08
Money Order payment
I just started with e bay a few months back, and I feel better if I was paying with a money order. I do not care for people to go into my account and take anything out of my account. It's my account, and my business to choose how I'm going to pay for my bills, items I've won, whatever. I think this is an control issue, and I can control my spending a lot better if I was using money order only. I'm going to hunt around for another place that does something like ebay, and If I find it.. I will make sure it's money order, and other options as well. I know this is all about an trust issue, but who can trust anyone these days. You have to trust the seller and well as the buyer. We all need to be protected, and I feel better off leaving ebay after this goes into effect, because. This isn't fair to a person who does pay on time with money order options. I won't pay with a personal check, so what makes them think I am going to pay with a paypal account. Do I have to pay fees to use a paypal account, and will the seller be honest about getting there payment? Every seller I've came across on ebay has been nothing nice, and I like to keep it as an option to pay how you choose to pay. The world is full of dishonest people, and I know I am not one of those dishonest people. If I won and item.. Then it's my business on how I pay for that item. I think ebay has no say so in how you choose to do business with these buyer's at all. That the way I feel about this whole issue..
Im a buyer
and i was a seller and went to website only. I HATE ebay and paypal. paypal is tyrannical and getting worse. They dont like that we dont sell on ebay apparently.
now ANY upcoming or fast catching on payment method other than paypal just gets BOUGHT up by ebay/paypal.
this is illegal and i dont care about technicalities. it is an illuminati type approach to NO competition so you can charge what you want and KEEP the poeple as slaves to the system.
thats why i left ebay. we were slaves to the insane monthly payments just to ebay. $800.00 + a month and this was over years ago.
im sick of them.
civil disobediance people THAT is the only thing that will stop tyrants.
no one likes this but ebay/paypal. IF i dont have a paypal account, well screw EBAY, and their merch. I dont NEED them. there are PLENTY of websites and the ... competition... like BRICK AND MORTAR STORES! i will pay less. for now.
final answer.
LEAVING EBAY FOR WEBSITE
I have been a powerseller with ebay for over 6 years. I have done millions of dollars with them. I like many are getting sick and tired of being screwed as a seller. I would love it if anyone could help me in the direction of making my website successful. I can't seem to get the traffic to my site. I would love to leave ebay all together but I need help! Anyone that could help I would appreciate it. My email address is smiilee@charter.net.
Thanks!
Ebay Government IRS to Track Transactions
This policy was pushed by the U.S. Government with help of Senator Christopher Dodd. The government wants all electronic transactions tracked, and if you have over 200 transactions a year and or $10,000 in sales the information will now be turned over to the IRS starting Jan. 2010. Paper payments throw a wrench in there new plan, so just decided to do away with them. This will be the kiss of death for all involved. And the 200 transactions will include all transactions including shipping services you purchase with Pay Pal.
Every PayPal payment defaults to bank debit, not credit card.
Why is it I never hear mention of PayPal's quasi-fraudulent policy of attempting to debit your bank account on EVERY payment you make--even though your credit card is registered with them?
I've been using PayPal for some years, and unless my account is set up wrong or something, every payment defaults to bank debit, and you cannot change that default. So every time, you must remember to change the method of payment from direct debit to credit card. On top of that, eBay then throws up a pathetic nuisance screen, righteously asking, "Are you SURE you want to pay by credit card? Bank debit is so much more convenient; it's secure; it makes us more profit; quack quack."
Forget to override this sickening default (as I've done at least once), and your payment is deducted electronically from your bank account instead of your credit card. You'd better happen to have enough in the bank to cover it. (There are other dawn-of-the-computing-era faults with the PayPal interface. If you recall, until just a couple of years ago, the Cretins didn't even verify the identity of the merchant after you made a payment; all they said was, "You've just made a payment!")
So I add my voice to that of the other thousands: let the increasing stench of eBay's business practices drive more and more people off.
And if it is true that eBay tried to ram a PayPal-only policy down Australia's gullet, then goddamn eBay and good for the Aussies.
***
WTF??
wow.....ebay really has crapped on its sellers....and I hope they crash and burn for all the shit they are doing to others
Paypal is unfair!
I have a 100% feedback. My daughter was in bad standing on her account with paypal. She purchased an item and used my compuuter to pay for iy on my account. They suspended my account and wanted me to pay the 600.00 she owed paypal before they would reinstate my account. They interlinked us as one person! Even though me telling them this was npy me that owed them moneu. So fior the last 2 yrs i have had to purchase with moneu orders and cashiers check. They don't value custmers! They think they are above evryone else and their_______ don't stink! Maybe not but they do!
Not good for sellers
My mother has been buying collectibles on eBay for about 7 years now to the tune of $200 a month. Every month. And every single purchase has been with a money order. She or the sellers have never had a single problem. Now, I guess she won't be purchasing ANYTHING via eBay anymore. Pretty elitist, considering that many, many people do not or will not maintain a credit card or PayPal account due to not trusting those types of institutions. I don't think many big wigs realize that a large proportion of our economy is a cash one. So many people cash their paychecks and pay all of their bills with money orders.
CASH PAYMENTS
You are right. Because of the Check system banks uses it is hard for anyone who have no less than good credit to get a bank account now days. That leaves a great deal of those who have no choice but to use money orders for their purchases.
Things are getting worse for the banks because of their policies. The number of bank robberies have gone up. The number of forged checks are on the rize. Things are getting worse everyday and the ones who will suffer the most is the small business owners.
Another one bites the dust
Former ebay power seller with 1000's of sales. The continuing trend of squeezing fees forced us to leave ebay this year. We now sell on several other auction sites as well as through our refined web store. they don't seem to get it, ebay addresses their declining revenue by increasing fees and angering their formerly loyal seller base. A few years from now, people will wonder what happened to ebay similiar to other former business giants.
good riddance.
ebay change
I worked hard as a buyer,making sure my 1200+ feedbacks were carried out,payed! as a buyer I always felt ebay favored the seller,till I sold stuff an saw how I was bound to rules an regulations,but I stuck it out,realized that as a buyer knew some sellers might be shady,but most wernt,and some are dam good,I was shocked when I heard the news now I have to be forced to support a system I dont like or believe in banks!!I hope someone smart out there restores the fun an freedoms I have enjoyed of buying items the way I choose,money order,(start a new site) an give ebay something to think about,it took 6 years to get back into my pay pal account,no password access till recently,a new site is needed!!!
Paypal is fighting against
Paypal is fighting against fraud, sure try to resolve a problem they close your account and thats it it dosn't matter how much was in it once they declare you as a unresoved account they classify you as a fraud and keep your money end of story.
Paypal is not a bank , fdic approved ,secure ,or any help in most resolutions and will not accept legitimate information or documents to prove otherwise .
Years ago the paypal /ebay system worked now it is cheaper to have a website at least you can fix a problem with a customer not be dragged around and fee'd to death.
google checkout much better option and more reliable than paypal
www.blujay.com nice free auction getting good response so far and sales
www.bidsplash.com nice free auction a little smaller
both are catching on
I never even thought of Ebay
I never even thought of Ebay as an option. I am a college student and I prefer to use other sites like skoolboy.com that allow me to list my books for free. They use paypal but at least they have a reasonable 4% flat fee. Its a pretty new site but I think they have the right idea. Ebay is becoming just like other public companies, whatever it takes to satisfy shareholders and beat last quarter and beat estimates.
PayPal only????
Why would anybody think PayPal only payments are more secure than personal checks? If the check doesn't clear---you don't ship. Simple as that. PayPal only benefits only on place EBAY AND EBAY alone--more money in their pocket since they own PayPal. They have everything messed up bad enough already---more non paying buyers than ever before. I just spent a week looking at listings with no bids--wondered what the devil was wrong. Come to find out my listings never showed up in the parent catagory like they should. You could only find my listings if you went to "refined search". Buyers only look there as a last resort if the don't find what they want in the main catagory. So little or no income for me this week. Oh yeah, Ebay is giving me a credit--big deal. Had to close all my listings and relist for next week. That's a big help--didn't even give me an apology. Been two days--still no credit either.The business of not giving bad buyers a neg is driving me nutty.
Learned A Long Time Ago
that when anyone or any company tells you this is good for YOU, a red flag should go up!
In this economic time, limits to how items are paid for, shouldn't even be considered!
Sellers should have an option instead of Ebay, making the decisions. So as a seller, I have the option to leave, as a Buyer, I will go someplace else.
Ebay is losing business, but they still think that they are the BIG Gorilla and can do what they want.
Sure hope the other sites take off, and take off soon!
Ebay is getting outrageous!
Ebay is getting outrageous in every way. Most people don't accept checks or money oders as it is, but that should be up to the seller if they want to take that chance. Their fees have been getting more and more outrageous that as a seller you get 8.75% up to 15% taken from your selling price on top of the insertion fees. I cancelled my Ebay store a few years ago when they jumped the listing fees in that from 2 cents up to 35 cents per item (sorry, it's been awhile so i'm not 100% positive on the price, but it's pretty close if not). Back on track... As a seller you are also having to pay the PayPal fees (which any payment merchant WILL charge). By the time a seller has finished an auction - You've lost your insertion fee, final value fee, any additional upgrade fees, and the paypal fees which leaves many sellers to loose money and filling up the pockets of Ebay as well. As most other I have been looking into other options to sell out side of Ebay to avoid this financial disaster. Anyone with an Ebay store should check out ecrater.com - FREE online store and no listing fees. They have been around for awhile now. Ebay needs to seriously re-think their fees as everyone is looking for other places to go. Now with loosing the option to use checks or money orders it is going to hurt buyers and seller alike.
eBay/PayPal
CJ78 is right on. I cancelled my eBay store several years ago as fees ate up profits and you could not sell anything in my field unless it was cost or below. Not much profit in that.
I just took the PayPal pay option off our commercial web site after having them disable our service through an error on their part. It took over a month to get the problem taken care of which involved over 50 phone calls to people who speak poor or very poor English. Everyone wanted to blame the problem on my site and customers. The problem was they had somehow for unknown reasons changed our email address in their records to my site so an order notification from them bounced back as undelivered. They refused to take responsibility for their actions in spite of the service working fine for years then all of a sudden not working at all.
Their customer service consists of making phone numbers hard to find if at all, making the customer service toll free number almost impossible to find, blaming it on everyone but them and wanting to do nothing to fix the problem.
They could not even correctly identify email as real or fraud. I sent them several emails I received from PayPal, each one regarding an order a customer attempted to place using PayPal as the pay option. Since they had disabled our service the email I received from them was inviting me to join PayPal and get paid for the order placed on our site with PayPal as the pay method. PayPal kept insisting the emails were fraudulent when I sent copied to their fraud address. On one hand they were asking me to join PayPal even though I already had an account and on the other hand they claimed the invites to join were fraud emails and the links were to bad sites. What dumb, stupid boobs in their fraud department. They should also take a real class in speaking English.
eBay/PayPal is a joke as far as I am concerned, interested in nothing but their profits. Anyone know of other good on-line payment companies?
Bye bye eBay
I'm done with eBay. This is the last straw. There is no seller protection. It is far too easy for buyers to defraud sellers and do chargebacks. With all the fees we currently pay ebay and paypal it is just not worth it anymore.
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