eBay

blazeaglory714 · ‎09-23-2022

Several times now Ebay has essentially "double charged" as some people have been calling it. It's actually a pre authorization charge like gas stations do, or used to do, but hotels do it for non fixed payments.

Anyways this is really hurting me because my account goes negative every time and I'm charged multiple fees. Luckily my bank waves them. Not only that but my cash is held up for a week when I need it the most it seems. I've been selling/ buying from Ebay since early 2000s and this has only been happening recently. I forget that Ebay does this but I need to try and remember so I can go somewhere else and not get stuck with a negative account. Not everyone has tons of cash in their accounts.

This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl.

donsdetour · ‎09-23-2022

@blazeaglory714 wrote:
Several times now Ebay has essentially "double charged" as some people have been calling it. It's actually a pre authorization charge like gas stations do, or used to do, but hotels do it for non fixed payments.

Anyways this is really hurting me because my account goes negative every time and I'm charged multiple fees. Luckily my bank waves them. Not only that but my cash is held up for a week when I need it the most it seems. I've been selling/ buying from Ebay since early 2000s and this has only been happening recently. I forget that Ebay does this but I need to try and remember so I can go somewhere else and not get stuck with a negative account. Not everyone has tons of cash in their accounts.

This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl.

Yet this was done to stop non paying buyers. It has helped.

See all of this from the seller side as well.

I see your point as well.

kathiec · ‎09-23-2022

Preauthorizations are a fact of life at a growing number of online retailers. Every week when I order my groceries online the store does a preauthorization on my credit card for about 15% more than the order. So it's not just eBay adopting the practice.

If you're using a debit card you might consider using a credit card instead, then pay the card balance in full at the end of the month to avoid interest. Credit card preauthorizations don't actually tie up your funds, they only impact your credit limit.

richard1rst · ‎09-23-2022

@blazeaglory714 wrote:
Several times now Ebay has essentially "double charged" as some people have been calling it. It's actually a pre authorization charge like gas stations do, or used to do, but hotels do it for non fixed payments.

Anyways this is really hurting me because my account goes negative every time and I'm charged multiple fees. Luckily my bank waves them. Not only that but my cash is held up for a week when I need it the most it seems. I've been selling/ buying from Ebay since early 2000s and this has only been happening recently. I forget that Ebay does this but I need to try and remember so I can go somewhere else and not get stuck with a negative account. Not everyone has tons of cash in their accounts.

This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl.

I’m sorry I don’t understand.

You are complaining that a preauthorization is causing you to fall into a negative cash balance.

Suppose instead of a preauthorization eBay simply charged you outright for the purchase? Wouldn’t that still push you into a negative balance?

It appears that you are buying things without the cash on hand to pay for it in the first place. Or did you intend to buy it and then make the seller wait until you got around to paying it? Trust me - sellers do not like that and will get you on their BBL..

This is your fault not eBay’s.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎09-23-2022

@richard1rst wrote:
@blazeaglory714 wrote:
Several times now Ebay has essentially "double charged" as some people have been calling it. It's actually a pre authorization charge like gas stations do, or used to do, but hotels do it for non fixed payments.

Anyways this is really hurting me because my account goes negative every time and I'm charged multiple fees. Luckily my bank waves them. Not only that but my cash is held up for a week when I need it the most it seems. I've been selling/ buying from Ebay since early 2000s and this has only been happening recently. I forget that Ebay does this but I need to try and remember so I can go somewhere else and not get stuck with a negative account. Not everyone has tons of cash in their accounts.

This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl.

I’m sorry I don’t understand.

You are complaining that a preauthorization is causing you to fall into a negative cash balance.

Suppose instead of a preauthorization eBay simply charged you outright for the purchase? Wouldn’t that still push you into a negative balance?

It appears that you are buying things without the cash on hand to pay for it in the first place. Or did you intend to buy it and then make the seller wait until you got around to paying it? Trust me - sellers do not like that and will get you on their BBL..

This is your fault not eBay’s.

With a pre-authorization there are two charges for the same item temporarily that can cause this issue.

I know many of us regulars said for years if eBay started doing this we'd quit buying. So far I haven't had this happen but if it does I'll be out too.

To clarify I'll be out on anything that I can't afford a double charge on which is going to limit what I buy.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

richard1rst · ‎09-23-2022

With a pre-authorization there are two charges for the same item temporarily that can cause this issue.

Well, first of all IF that is true with your bank (and the OP's) then the OPs complaint should be with his bank NOT eBay. (This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl. )

Heavy emphasis on the IF

On those occasions when a vendor has entered a preauthorization to my account they eventually send the final bill.

BUT my company automatically cancels the preauthorization as soon as the final bill comes in.

So, lets say the amount is $100.00 The bank sets the money aside when the preauth comes in. Then the final bill comes in. The bank cancels the preauth and returns the $100 to my account and then immediately takes out whatever the final bill calls for. BUT since step 2 and 3 are done simultaneously my account is only reduced by a maximum of $100 at any given time. Now a quick glance at the account does show 2 debits - but look closer and you will see a credit at the same time. Therefore, only ONE net charge.

myangelandmyprincess · ‎09-23-2022

I thought that was generally how they are handled too. However buyers have been having both the charges show on bank accounts and I doubt all these buyers reporting this use the same bank so I'd say it's something on eBays end that ultimately causes it ?

I just know buyers will show two charges on their account many arent even realizing one is a pre-authorization as it will just show two charges. This is often done with best offers but some have been reporting it in other situations. Anyhow the amount is put on hold with the pre-authorization then another charge actually for the item will come through before the hold is falling off.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown

kensgiftshop · ‎09-23-2022

@richard1rst wrote:
@blazeaglory714 wrote:
Several times now Ebay has essentially "double charged" as some people have been calling it. It's actually a pre authorization charge like gas stations do, or used to do, but hotels do it for non fixed payments.

Anyways this is really hurting me because my account goes negative every time and I'm charged multiple fees. Luckily my bank waves them. Not only that but my cash is held up for a week when I need it the most it seems. I've been selling/ buying from Ebay since early 2000s and this has only been happening recently. I forget that Ebay does this but I need to try and remember so I can go somewhere else and not get stuck with a negative account. Not everyone has tons of cash in their accounts.

This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl.

I’m sorry I don’t understand.

You are complaining that a preauthorization is causing you to fall into a negative cash balance.

Suppose instead of a preauthorization eBay simply charged you outright for the purchase? Wouldn’t that still push you into a negative balance?

It appears that you are buying things without the cash on hand to pay for it in the first place. Or did you intend to buy it and then make the seller wait until you got around to paying it? Trust me - sellers do not like that and will get you on their BBL..

This is your fault not eBay’s.

No, because they put a hold the same amount as the purchase.

If you pay $20, they put $20 on hold plus the $20 payment.

Once the payment clears, the hold is released.

Have a great day

valueaddedresource · ‎09-23-2022

devon@ebay during the Spring Seller Update discussion, seller_update@ebay said that funds should no longer be pre-authorized or held on offers that require a payment method.

While there was an issue with that occurring several months ago, this should no longer be the case at all. We do not perform pre-authorization holds. A Buyer's card or PayPal account will be charged only if a Seller accepts. If a Buyer has chosen PayPal, there would be a "pending" order on their account but no money is held (regardless of if the funding source was via credit card or checking account).

https://community.ebay.com/t5/2022-Spring-Seller-Update/Question-thread-Expanding-efforts-to-reduce-...

However, reports kept coming in that people were still seeing preauthorizations. So I asked Velvet about it back in May and she said

We aren't pre-authorizing payments for offers. You should not see a charge of any kind unless the seller accepts your offer and at that time, the payment will go through immediately.

If you are seeing otherwise, then I would encourage you to contact Customer Support to get that reported. They'll most likely need the item numbers and screen shots showing where we pre-authorized/held funds for these offers. You can black out account/private info in the screen shots, but the tech team will need to see where we actually held the funds on the offers you made.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Buying/I-got-charged-immediately-for-a-quot-make-an-offer-quot-that-wa...

And yet, here we are in September and people are still seeing pre-authorizations so....what's going on here?

Were the answers previously given incorrect and buyers should expect to see preauthorizations or is this *still* an ongoing technical issue?

stainlessenginecovers · ‎09-23-2022

Using debit cards when you are living on a shoestring is BEST to NOT use them.

Period.

Credit Cards or lotsa money or not at all.

Best way to handle this situation.

kensgiftshop · ‎09-23-2022

@richard1rst wrote:
With a pre-authorization there are two charges for the same item temporarily that can cause this issue.

Well, first of all IF that is true with your bank (and the OP's) then the OPs complaint should be with his bank NOT eBay. (This is just one more thing Ebay has done to alienate ppl. )

Heavy emphasis on the IF

On those occasions when a vendor has entered a preauthorization to my account they eventually send the final bill.

BUT my company automatically cancels the preauthorization as soon as the final bill comes in.

So, lets say the amount is $100.00 The bank sets the money aside when the preauth comes in. Then the final bill comes in. The bank cancels the preauth and returns the $100 to my account and then immediately takes out whatever the final bill calls for. BUT since step 2 and 3 are done simultaneously my account is only reduced by a maximum of $100 at any given time. Now a quick glance at the account does show 2 debits - but look closer and you will see a credit at the same time. Therefore, only ONE net charge.

When I get gas using my debit card, they automatically put $300 on hold, not including the regular payment.

That hold isn't released until after the original payment has been processed and cleared.

So, if I want $10 in gas, I have to have the extra $300 to cover the hold and it could be a week until the hold is released.

Have a great day

kensgiftshop · ‎09-23-2022

@stainlessenginecovers wrote:
Using debit cards when you are living on a shoestring is BEST to NOT use them.

Period.

Credit Cards or lotsa money or not at all.
Best way to handle this situation.

What do you do if you don't have a credit card and don't want one?

I use my debit card for everything and if I don't have the funds, I don't buy it.

Have a great day

richard1rst · ‎09-23-2022

When I get gas using my debit card, they automatically put $300 on hold, not including the regular payment.

That hold isn't released until after the original payment has been processed and cleared.

So, if I want $10 in gas, I have to have the extra $300 to cover the hold and it could be a week until the hold is released

Then quite frankly you may be using the wrong bank.

This is what I see from a recent purchase at a Shell station:

CC detail.jpg

It is clear that my hold is released at the same time the final charge comes in. There is no delay, there is no double billing and at no time am I out any more than what I am actually spending.

It's your bank's fault if you are being hoisted (and frankly yours for going along with it instead of shopping around and asking pertinent questions).

myangelandmyprincess · ‎09-23-2022

@richard1rst wrote:
When I get gas using my debit card, they automatically put $300 on hold, not including the regular payment.
That hold isn't released until after the original payment has been processed and cleared.
So, if I want $10 in gas, I have to have the extra $300 to cover the hold and it could be a week until the hold is released

Then quite frankly you may be using the wrong bank.

This is what I see from a recent purchase at a Shell station:
It is clear that my hold is released at the same time the final charge comes in. There is no delay, there is no double billing and at no time am I out any more than what I am actually spending.

It's your bank's fault if you are being hoisted (and frankly yours for going along with it instead of shopping around and asking pertinent questions).

Actually this one gets based on the gas station...I only know this because it was a local news story about a gas station that was constantly doing $500 holds. If you used a cc and didn't have $500 left in your limit it would automatically decline too.

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.” -Unknown