eBay/Paypal

[MrFrost]

Anyone ever had their accounts suspended without good reason?

Well we have! My business sells large quantities of spare and refurbished computer equipment. The other day we had an email from these swines to say that we are selling high risk goods and that our account is suspended.

They have also frozen our paypal account which was holding several hundred pounds at the time.

Apparently now we have to fax them invoices to prove we have bought the goods we are selling. That isnt possible, as the stuff we sell is from pcs/laptops that we acquire as damaged or take in as part exchange against new machines.

A quick phone all to them, and they've said \"tough luck!\"

Our solicitor is involved, but i seems its all covered in their terms and conditions. So beware with eay and paypal.

On the other hand, if anyone is in need of any laptop components, let me know, as we've got loads that we now can't shift!

[Redandwhitewhizards]

Don't they just hold payment for 21 days or until you have received feedback from the buyer?

[MrFrost]

No, thats for new ebayers or those with less than brilliant feedback.

This has come completely out of the blue, and has seen our accounts frozen completely.

A quick browse of the web, and it seems this kind of thing happens frequently, especially if you are selling large quantities of electrical goods.

Not impressed to say the least.

[Redandwhitewhizards]

No its not - it is for all ebayers.

I sell quite a lot on eBay, and occasionally some items which are deemed high risk. I get a warning when I upload such items that my payments may be held for upto 21 days. I should say that I have selling feedback of way over a 1,000 at 100% and have been selling for years so its not just for those with less than brilliant feedback or people who are new.

If you aren't impressed, just take your business elsewhere, or read the terms and conditions in future instead of wasting money on solicitors when you don't....

[MrFrost]

We are \"wasting\" money on solictors to get our money back, which legally Paypal do not have a right to. However, they can freeze accounts without warning. Fortunately our this is a sideline for our business, and we do not have to rely on this money, but that is not the point. eBay and Paypal are well known for their rash banning of accounts for absolutely no reason. I wonder what your reaction would be should they do it to yourself.

As for taking business elsewhere, its not something we are desperate to do, and as you probably know, ebay are unique in the sense that they are the only auction site worth using, and they love to abse that power.

Also, paypal states is reasons for holding money for 21 days as:
•You have limited history or selling activity with eBay and PayPal
•You have low Detailed Seller Ratings, negative Feedback or other indication of below-standard performance on eBay
•You have a high rate of customer refunds, disputes, claims or chargebacks

Certainly, our money has NEVER been held for 21 days, and we have sold more than 500 items on ebay.

[LongbridgeMGRover]

i wonder if this is somehow connected to the recent plot to blow up airliners with parcels containing computer parts?? maybe something has triggered this, like sales to Yemen?

i use ebay a lot as a private individual and 99% goes smoothly but issues i have had include

1]someone in malaysia 'buying' my car to import to his country, who then disappeared without paying, leaving me with an unsold car when i had other people previously interested

2] lots of spurious messages about things i didn't sell, asking where the item is.

3] scam messages from paypal wanting confirmation of my bank details


for me, i love this wonderful global car boot sale, but get realy frustrated as it is completely impossible to talk to anyone if a problem arises!!

[mushRTID]

Do you sell 2nd hand laptops or only parts?

[MrFrost]

Both mate.
Refurbed ones aswell.

[Muttley]

Unlucky Alf strikes again.

Does anybody else have a life as shit as Frosty's?

[RobTheRover]

Frosty

Have you got any 512MB PC2700 266Mhz SODIMMs?  I'm after a pair to make an old Sony Vaio laptop (P4 HT, and battleship build quality) to run web-based flash better.  Its got 2x256MB sticks in it, which I'll let you have to flog on if you want.

RTR

[MrFrost]

Afraid not mate. Got some PC2100 but thats it at the min.

[NorthNorfolkRover]

I recently tried to buy the latest Microsoft office on eBay. I had several bids cancelled as all of the sellers accounts were suspended. They do  seem twitchy about pc related stuff of late. Yet brand hand bags etc that could be deemed counterfeit no problem.

[Mike_F]

My wife had her paypal account hacked into at the weekend with 12 transactions for between $0.99 and $3.99 all on electronic widgets ordered to addresses in the far East - perhaps there is a lot of this sort of thing going on at the moment which would explain te sensitivity with thse products. Fortunately, she noticed the hacking on the same day, changed all passwords etc and paypal have blocked/refunded the transactions. The total only came to about $25 but you can imagine how mcuh it could potentially cost paypal/ebay if there are a few hundred thousand such scams.

[who_are_ya]

Muttley wrote:

Unlucky Alf strikes again.

Does anybody else have a life as shit as Frosty's?