Only supports chrome as default browser on android

[alfindlay]

Hi all, does anyone have a solution yet to the default browser issues. I've basically had to stop using ebay on mobile because the checkout only works if chrome is set to the default browser. I use opera as my browser and it works fine for everything else including PayPal.

This has been an issue for several years. 

Would anyone from ebay app development like any info from me about the fault? Seems to be affecting others too. 

Cheers

Al

[eburtonlab]

You can set your default browser to Chrome and continue to use Opera or any other browser for your browsing.

The default browser setting only comes into play when another app needs to automatically open a browser window.

[alfindlay]

Thanks for the suggestion but sadly that isn't a satisfactory solution.  For ebay checkout to work with paypal I need to have chrome set as the default browser.  But I use Opera as my default.  If chrome is default then if I click on links in my mail app, zoom, chat, or anything else they then open in chrome which doesn't have my saved logins and cookies and other browsing settings.  I don't wish to use chrome as I use Opera. 

This looks to be a really old ongoing problem, lots of people mentioning it for some months or years even.

[eburtonlab · Accepted solution]

If chrome is default then if I click on links in my mail app, zoom, chat, or anything else they then open in chrome which doesn't have my saved logins and cookies and other browsing settings. I don't wish to use chrome as I use Opera.

You could change your default browser to Chrome, complete checkout, then the change the default back to Opera. Takes about ten extra taps per checkout. Annoying, but certainly doable.

Or you could check out using a browser (even Opera) rather than the eBay app.

Or pay using a different payment method not involving PayPal, I think.

Or you can wait for eBay to make Opera a "supported" browser in the app.

[alfindlay]

Thanks again for the ideas.

I don't see it as practical to change the default browser each time I make a purchase, but I will consider that an option in an urgent purchase.

How do you mean to complete the checkout in a browser? Do you mean to exit the eBay app and make the full purchase experience in the browser?   Again I would consider this to be a real pain because the ebay website is hell-bent on launching the app every time you do anything.  I could turn on desktop mode but then the experience is very poor... zoom, unzoom, click on the tiny text, etc, etc.

I don't see that ebay need to make opera a supported browser, they just need to correctly implement the chrome hand-off.  Maybe they need their own setting within the eBay app to choose which browser to use for the checkout hand-off and use that rather that the system default. Or... maybe go back to using a in-app experience, why do we even need to offload the checkout flow to the browser. A very backwards step.

How do I escalate this to eBay?

Thanks, 

Al

[mkaczorsee]

Does not work on safari either. 

reported twice a week since 12/14. 

frustrated beyond words. 

[eburtonlab]

How do you mean to complete the checkout in a browser? Do you mean to exit the eBay app and make the full purchase experience in the browser?

You could do that. Or just put the item in the cart using the app, then when you are ready to check out, open a browser, go to your cart and check out from there.

Again I would consider this to be a real pain because the ebay website is hell-bent on launching the app every time you do anything.

You can disable the feature that opens eBay links in the app automatically by going to your device's Settings and choosing Apps: eBay: Open by default: Open supported links: "Don't open in this app".

There are eBay folks that read this board, but if you want to get more attention to this issue, you may want to participate in the weekly chat.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Weekly-Discussion-with-eBay/bd-p/weekly-chat

[alfindlay]

This has given me some really good direction, thanks eburton lab.

I was always under the impression that ebay forced the use of paypal, but following your message i investigated loading my debit card details into ebay and this now completes the checkout process without offloading to the browser for paypal login. hurrah!

this does surprise me as it seems that ebay are less interested in promoting paypal as their preferred payment method.  This seems odd considering their close history.

But, for now, my problem is solved thankyou!  I can make a purchase on the ebay app, pay with my stored debit card and never have to use the offloaded checkout process.

Thanks again. 

[eburtonlab]

You are very welcome -- glad to hear you were able to find something that works for you.

eBay and PayPal became separate companies several years ago, and since then eBay has started  giving users an alternative way to pay that does not involve PayPal, and has lately been requiring sellers to be paid outside of PayPal entirely.

[adsma35]

It's not helpful and neither should any company dictate what browser someone uses.  Samsung browser is allowed as well as Chrome but it frustrating that a person has to use a predetermined browser that is not of their choice. This is a freedom of choice/speech issue more than eBay trying to play big brother and dictate everything that they have no right to control someone's personal browser choice. It's not a security thing as much as it's eBay and Android attempting to force someone to use a unwanted preinstalled app