eBay and PayPal in Australia

[ozover50]

I don't know what the situation is or will be in other countries but as of May 21st all advertisers on Australian eBay MUST offer PayPal as a payment method. As from June some time PayPal will be the sole payment method available to buyers - direct deposits and money orders will be banned.

eBay management is using security as the reason but cynical old me reckons it's just a further grab for cash from a virtual monopoly. What do you think?

[johnallg]

Yup, I'm with you. Interesting the only approved money handler is owned by them.

[jimk]

eBay management is using security as the reason but cynical old me reckons it's just a further grab for cash from a virtual monopoly. What do you think?

Yup, I'm with you. Interesting the only approved money handler is owned by them.

Sounds more than plausible to me. I admit freely that I'm a cynic. That doesn't mean it ain't true.

JimK

[bails]

I've been blacklisted by Paypal for using my credit card company to retrieve funds that Paypal wouldn't.

I guess my eBay buying and selling days are numbered...

Will the ACCC have anything to say?

P.S. As far as I'm concerned, Paypal is an extremely unsecure (or is in insecure?) method of payment. If the deal goes sour, Paypal keeps the money themselves. They "investigate" the incident for 180 days, after which time your credit card company's investigation time limit will have expired, so you're on your own. Long story short, nobody ends up winning except Paypal. They've got lossless business plan, in addition to a monopoly - that's a pretty sweet deal.

Rant over.

[jingle_jangle]

I'm a curmudgeon and inclined to give these bastards two fingers--up!!!

I suppose Australian banking laws somehow permit this. I wonder about the USA now...I know that there was an uproar here because at first Paypal was considered to be an unregulated banking scheme..somehow this got resolved, and they go on hanging onto peoples' money without justification and messing with their bank accounts--and in some cases, lives...it's all in the agreement most people never bother to read when they sign up.

This would make me livid were it to begin in the USA.

[ozover50]

I'm with you, Mark. The news article has been revamped and it now states that cash on delivery will be allowed as well as PayPal so I guess that might give eBay an out if the ACCC got involved. How practical is COD, though????

I guess one could always mention in the ad that you reserve the right to pull the item bacause it's being offered elsewhere, invite 'enquiries' about the item, pull the auction and sell outside ebay to one of the 'enquirers'. No doubt eBay would then insist on sole listings, remove the ability to pull auctions and scrutinize 'enquiries' more thoroughly. No doubt they scan messages through eBay for 'keywords' already.

[antipodean]

I'm with you, Mark. The news article has been revamped and it now states that cash on delivery will be allowed as well as PayPal so I guess that might give eBay an out if the ACCC got involved. How practical is COD, though????

I guess one could always mention in the ad that you reserve the right to pull the item bacause it's being offered elsewhere, invite 'enquiries' about the item, pull the auction and sell outside ebay to one of the 'enquirers'. No doubt eBay would then insist on sole listings, remove the ability to pull auctions and scrutinize 'enquiries' more thoroughly. No doubt they scan messages through eBay for 'keywords' already.

Whilst I've never had a problem with Paypal, the thought of an enforced monopoly really gets my goat. There's nothing I hate more than the big guy throwing his weight around... I wonder if the chumps who thought this up realise that they are holding a door wide open for some competition to move in....

[headbanger]

Well, I don't use paypal, only bank deposit which for most transactions is seamless. In most cases you don't even have to email the buyer or seller as all the detail you use are already available. Bank transfer seems to be the most popular method in Australia which in turn has probably limited the uptake of paypal. I won't be coerced into getting a paypal account and I don't see how they can force it on us. Maybe when ebay's revenue dips in Australia they might change their minds. Surely this must be covered somewhere in the Trade Practises Act?

[ozover50]

Surely this must be covered somewhere in the Trade Practises Act?

I'm thinking that way myself, Gerry, but by offering an alternate method (COD), eBay may be covering its butt. No doubt the wimpy, toothless ACCC will see that as reasonable and then perhaps eBay will start offering a national COD delivery service - at top rates plus a commission on the amount collected at the destination and justify it as 'handling and lodgement fees'.

I wouldn't put it past them................

[wj350]

[wints]

Sounds like more monopolistic banking derived BS...

Hopefully, it'll be a miserable failure...

[gregga41]

I'm so dismayed that this can be allowed!
It's a case of "double-dipping" in it's worst form! Not only does the seller have to pay the "final-price" seller fee, he's also slugged with paypal fees as well!
BUT..... to not allow any other form of payment apart from COD is ludicrous!
Ebays(and therefore,Paypals) reasoning, is that it makes "My" selling experience safer!!!
They forgot to mention, it also makes their pockets FULLER!

[weemac]

Excuse the spoonerism but.... the situation is shucken fite! I will certianly be selling less stuff on the bay.
Perhaps an alternitive auction site will pop up sooner or later and bring back some fairness into the system..
emac.

[doctorwho]

I think that if eBay were to try this in the U.S., they'd immediately be slapped with legal action, both civil and criminal.

[gregga41]

Gary, i'm hoping there will be enough outcry down here that ebayOZ will be slapped with some legal action! Just 1 option (theirs!! ) for payment surely will upset the majority of sellers! And don't forget, many buyers aren't too keen to go with paypal, and expose their own accounts and credit cards!
Is this a test case before they try it on the entire global ebay community??
Shuckin Fite.... sums it up for me as well!