Auto-pay

[gditt]

Since when does EBay automatically pay for a purchase? It was actually an offer I made that was accepted. Does that matter? This was a purchase in which I preferred to use the credit card, but they made the decision FOR ME to use my PayPal balance. Each purchase is designated BY ME as to which account I prefer to use. This is relatively new, right? I'm **bleep** off about it!!

[ebooksdiva]

This requirement has been in the works for several months. Until recently they made an announcement in Seller Updates. 
Fall Seller Update 

eBay has on the request of many sellers to put into place something that prevents buyers from making offers where the seller accepts and the buyer doesn’t pay.

Sellers have in their buyer requirements the option to require buyers to provide a payment method when making an offer and placing a bid. 

Some sellers are aware of this new requirement and chose to use it or not, some sellers are unaware they have those requirements eBay has those automatically set to require payment method. 

[campanaelia]

Ebay likes to take the money from the sources with no fees first, Paypal balance, bank accounts, etc. Credit cards always charge a percentage so that's their last resort.

I read another post here that said they withdrew the money from a buyers bank account that was for their mortgage payment and was charged $200 in late fees. Then ebay reps told them they would reimburse the fees which turned out to be a lie.

[campanaelia]

I found @profusiac post I was referring to about the bank account withdrawal that was meant for the mortgage payment and other monthly costs. See link below

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/immediate-pay-on-offers/m-p/33990246#M460022

[*lady*madonna*]

@gditt 

You were given the option to choose your funding source when you made the offer.

See this example:

[ed8108]

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@campanaelia wrote:

I read ... ebay reps told them they would reimburse the fees which turned out to be a lie.

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That would fail to encourage confidence & trust in ebay.

[30forever]

Good day all!

I've actually started a conversation on this very topic where we now have to pay for the item before the deal is even made, and any associated fees that you don't even know about yet... Plus the hassel of doing the payment process for something that might not get accepted or countered...  It seems eBay is putting the carriage before the horse with seemingly no reason!!!  I refuse to accept terms to have paypal pay for an item that I don't even own yet, nor know the final price...  I have discarded dozens of purchases due to this new process, and have told the seller why they are not getting a sale...  Can ANYONE tell me what was wrong with the old method?!

[ittybitnot]

Since when does EBay automatically pay for a purchase? 

@gditt 

It is a function of you filling out the form for the "New Smoother Checkout" to set a default payment source for making offers or bidding (you can't proceed unless you comply)  AND the seller's buyer requirements still remaining in the 'default set to yes' mode that eBay gave all sellers. 

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements

Buyer Payment Requirements

*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they place a bid.

*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they make an offer.


Though it does indeed limit a buyer's choices for payment methods, sellers can remove the blocks if they want (if they know that they are there).   This also removes allowing combined shipping on multiple purchases from the same seller, as each accepted offer or winning bid will be paid in full at the time an offer is accepted or an auction ends. 

[ittybitnot]

 Can ANYONE tell me what was wrong with the old method?!

@30forever 

eBay said they initiated this process due to complaints by sellers of too many non-paying bidders.  Unfortunately, eBay refused to just get rid of the non-payers. and chose this method instead.  I suppose eBay figures that the miscreant member might actually buy and pay for something some day, so they chose to inconvenience the buyer pool of people that actually do pay instead. 

A closer look at this process shows that instead of it "being for the buyer's convenience" as they advertise,  eBay stands to make more money this way, especially by prohibiting combined items for one shipping cost and limiting payment options.  Buyers pay more, sellers pay more, and eBay makes more money.   

This does not take in account sales that are lost due to buyer dissatisfaction with the process, but eBay likely makes it up in additional promotional fees paid by sellers who don't understand why they no longer get offers, or have seen a big drop in their bidding results. 

The "old' way allowed payment to be made in 96 hours.  Buyers could request a combined total, and save on shipping. Sellers paid one transaction fee (0.30) .  Buyers got a strike for non-payment where 2 in a 12 month period typically blocked them from buying from sellers who employed the restriction.  Sellers could use Buy it Now with immediate payment required if they did not want to encourage multiple purchases, but at least the buyer could select the payment method of their choice. 

[gditt]

Thank you!

[kensgiftshop]

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@30forever wrote:

Good day all!

I've actually started a conversation on this very topic where we now have to pay for the item before the deal is even made, and any associated fees that you don't even know about yet... Plus the hassel of doing the payment process for something that might not get accepted or countered...  It seems eBay is putting the carriage before the horse with seemingly no reason!!!  I refuse to accept terms to have paypal pay for an item that I don't even own yet, nor know the final price...  I have discarded dozens of purchases due to this new process, and have told the seller why they are not getting a sale...  Can ANYONE tell me what was wrong with the old method?!

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A lot of buyers were not paying, so Ebay is putting a stop to it.

You are not paying for the item before, you're just providing the payment source.

[tinsoldierunderground]

The way it's been explained to me, is that ebay started this by putting selected buyers in a "test group", one member reports they've been in it nearly a year.  I've been in it for over 7 months.  The first indication it's your turn in the barrel, is when you get a "select payment method" pop up when you make an offer.

Many feel ebay used a scorched earth policy here, as it effectively did away with combined shipping, as well as throwing a net over all buyers and not just the miscreants as ittybitnot alludes to.

[ed8108]

Ebay auto pay has payment 

pre approved but pending 

[30forever]

I see why eBay would try this method, but it's mass punishment for the miniscule percentage of non-payers... Additionally, when I look at purchasing an item, I don't just look at the pictures and hit the "bid" or "make offer" button..... I take a look at feedback, if the description is correct, if the item looks like the condition posted, and how long it's been since the last sale for the seller....  The buyer should do the same with the potential buyer! My feedback is solid!! I've never missed paying for an item within 24 hours, and it's usually instant when I get the email... So, some of these non-payers should fall on the sellers not doing their investigation...

Additionally, everyone is stuck on this notion that the buyer is not paying for the item when the offer is made, and that would be a correct statement on the digital part of the transaction.... the electronic "ones and zeros" don't move from one bank to another, but the payment PROCESS must be done by the buyer in order for the offer to reach the seller... If that offer gets countered or rejected, you went thru the payment PROCESS unnecessarily...  it's like walking into a store, swiping your debit card at the door, put in your PIN and then go shopping... WHOOOO does that anywhere, ever? As many "make offer" buttons that use to go thru in a month, I'd be wasting more time to pay for those items (accepted, countered, and rejected) than it took me to type this message out...  If this is the new process, the sellers just won't get my business because I refuse to pay for an item that's not even mine to pay for.....

I'm not mad at anyone for this!! Everyone can accept change or not, without heartburn... And that's my stance... It's a shame I won't be able to use the "make offer" button, but such is life and it's totally fine!! This is sand and it's not first in the jar (Google "two cups of coffee and a mason jar"!!)

Cheers all! 

[profusiac]

Yes this happened to me. I'm going to reply to *lady*madonna* in this thread since I chose Paypal credit for my payment, which was/is in very good standing, and instead it was charged to my personal bank account, triggering insufficient funds and late fees for my mortgage. It is a fact that eBay said they would make this right and that it was an error on eBay's end. But a week later then they deleted my communication history as if it never happened. I'm fighting them over at BBB now, and latest is they're trying to blame it all on PayPal. If they had tested it thoroughly none of this would have happened. There are others this has happened to, and I'm aggregating their stories.