automatic checkout

[mikew307]

how to stop automatic checkout

[eburtonlab]

Automatic checkout happens when a buyer makes an offer that is accepted or places a bid on an item from a seller that requires a payment method in advance.

To avoid that as a buyer, use the "Buy it now" option or find a different seller that does not require a payment method in advance for offers or auctions.

[woodland_gnome]

Allowing buyers to opt out of pre-authorization of payment when they make an offer or bid would defeat the purpose of the program (which is NOT to make checkout "smoother" or whatever else the PR types are trying to spin it as this week).

eBay had been "experimenting" with requiring pre-authorization of payment for Best Offers for over a year and a half (started prior to Halloween 2021), adding more and more users into the test group required to do so (sellers can opt their listings out of it which some do who depend on attracting buyers by offering a discount for combined shipping). Too many users were making offers and then not paying when it was accepted, and too many of those were scammers who would try to get the seller to text or email them to get their number/email address to send fake payment messages to.

In Fall 2023 they made it permanent and all buyers are now required to pre-authorize automatic payment for Best Offers they make on listings for sellers who have not opted out of the program. They started trying it out on auction bids (with a smaller group of buyers that is growing) in Spring or early Summer 2023 and that is ongoing with more and more auctions and bidders becoming subject to it.

You can try to find a seller who opted his/her listings out of the pre-authorization requirement for offers/bids. Unless s/he says s/he has in the item description you'd need to actually try to make an offer and if it goes through without you having to add or confirm (with links to edit) your shipping address and payment method then s/he has opted out (or if a bid then you haven't been put into the group of buyers required to pre-authorize to bid).