Layaway

[emerald40]

This was brought up by another poster asking if a seller could offer layaway.  I believe most told him no, it was not possible to do so.

But I have seen it offered in the fine diamond jewelry categories, and here is one example of how a seller is choosing to handle it.

Layaway Plan

Choose which plan you wish to use from the three below:

1. I just want to delay my payment". Delayed payment (buy it now but take up to two weeks to pay)

2. One Month Plan (payments divided into 2 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

3. Two Month Plan (payments divided into 4 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

We will send you invoices directly to your paypal account. No interest is ever charged and you may pay off as early as you like.

Please note that once you've placed an item on lay-a-way, it is not refundable.

[ittybitnot]

I used to offer this in the way past prior to PayPal.  Paid by checks, money orders etc. over three months.  

Now, accepting more than one payment for the same item voids what little seller protection you may have on PayPal, and you are likely as well to get late shipping dings from ebay. 

Neither ebay nor  the pal are likely going to go for the "not refundable" business. 

[thenobletuckylife]

Afternoon,

Yes and in order to do it this way the seller must mark it as paid or they will not be able to do multiple invoices later on at Paypal.

Granted this would mean that the full FVF would be owing to ebay so they are not out anything.

The problem with this is the only way I can see the loop closing is that the seller must send off something with tracking to complete the requirements sellers have here.

If the item is on layaway...what is in that package?

Then later on an invoice has to be generated by the seller in paypal...how does one do that without first voiding the balance still owing over in PP even though Ebay thinks the funds have been received.

These are questions that seem to be some of the very concerns ebay has for sellers taking things off ebay.

Mr C

[myboardid]

The problem with a plan like that is - it IS refundable!  The buyer can get a refund by just claiming non-delivery, via eBay or via Paypal, or even via his credit card company. 

On the other hand, if the seller doesn't tie the invoices he sends to the purchaser - for example by using friends/family as the payment path, he could keep all the money and not send the item. 

Perhaps I am missing something here, but I don't see it as a good idea for either seller or buyer. 

[myboardid]

I'd also like to know why I cannot see that there are other replies to the OP before I post mine.  Y'all answered much more clearly than I did. 

[loveyourimagination49]

Big Box stores can do what they want. Haven’t a clue as to why they are on eBay. Seems the failing Big Box stores are liquidating in here.
Layaway is coming back?
Sounds like Kmart?

[emerald40]

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@loveyourimagination49 wrote:
Big Box stores can do what they want. Haven’t a clue as to why they are on eBay. Seems the failing Big Box stores are liquidating in here.
Layaway is coming back?
Sounds like Kmart?

___________________________________________________________________________________

This person does not appear to be a big box store.

To me is sounds like he may have had a jewelry store at one point and is getting rid of inventory. 

But that is all that is left in the fine diamond categories now - jewelry stores and drop shippers.

The day of the mom selling her old fine jewelry is far and few between when it comes to the more expensive, higher quality diamond jewelry.

No one wants to take a chance anymore.

[annadryl]

I shutter to think what anything like this would open up for the oh-so-noble iPhone market here...

[fuzzyfurball]

I love the idea!! But as others have said, there are too many loopholes for the bad/scam buyers and bad/scam sellers.  Stores like KMart that I know of in the past had their own dept store credit card and if ebay could develop something like that with paypal and LIMIT it to the good buyers  & good sellers, then that would be great for business.   It would ENCOURAGE more buyers to shop on ebay.  

Everytime the buyer paid, they would just go into the paypal website to pay which would let both parties know when/if the the buyer paid it all up.   Because of the layaway benefit, it could NOT be refundable at all at any time even if SNAD.  Only a proven INR(no tracking number, tracking number for incorrect address, not stated by post office as finally delivered) or proven damaged item(by seller's bad packaging) could justify a refund.  I would give the buyer a loophole to get out if weeks/months later they change their mind.  If they do not want the item later on, then they will only get back a certain percentage of what they deposited, such as 30%. As long as the important rules are UP FRONT with the buyer such as the penalties & limitations, I don't see a problem with it.  In fact, it would give paypal more time to see if their CC is actually good and not just part of an identity thief scam.

[papermoneyforme]

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@emerald40 wrote:

This was brought up by another poster asking if a seller could offer layaway.  I believe most told him no, it was not possible to do so.

But I have seen it offered in the fine diamond jewelry categories, and here is one example of how a seller is choosing to handle it.

Layaway Plan

Choose which plan you wish to use from the three below:

1. I just want to delay my payment". Delayed payment (buy it now but take up to two weeks to pay)

2. One Month Plan (payments divided into 2 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

3. Two Month Plan (payments divided into 4 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

We will send you invoices directly to your paypal account. No interest is ever charged and you may pay off as early as you like.

Please note that once you've placed an item on lay-a-way, it is not refundable.

---

It is called a credit card!

[tev4all]

It would seem ebay is okay with IT. That's probably why they have the partially paid icon on the legend.  

[castlemagicmemories]

Ebay is not ok with this.

Any layaway must be through Paypal Credit as that is the only approved method of layaway approved by Ebay.  It must be done in one payment, Paypal Credit accomplishes this.  Seller is paid immediately in one payment, so shipping can occur.  Seller will not know if the buyer is using Paypal Credit or not.  The transaction is then between the buyer and Paypal; buyer pays Paypal the required amount each month.  Not much different that a buyer using a credit card, if they care to spread out payments on their credit card.  Buyer and seller both lose Ebay protection in the case of a seller providing their own layaway, and the seller is in violation of a very serious Ebay policy.  The seller has no way to actually bill the customer for payments; if they use Friends and Family, that is not for goods and services.  

If the seller diverts the sale off ebay, to have their own layaway, this does both Ebay and Paypal out of fees.  Possibly Ebay will be looking to clamp down on this type of activity in keeping with the desire to make the site safer and to eliminate off ebay transactions.

From a search:

eBay does NOT allow layaway programs. If a customer wants to pay over time, they need to open a paypal credit account. Sellers are not allowed to accept partial payments and keep an item for an extended amount of time. ALL purchases on eBay must be a one-time payment with fast shipping to qualify as a sale and have seller or buyer protection. Any seller that sets up a paypal extended payment plan is in violation of eBay policy and can be sanctioned for that.

A very well known poster recently said and I quote:

Never accept buying an item by using friends and family. Especially, with a foriegn seller.  If your seller has a lot of experience selling on ebay, they knew they were breaking the rules when they told you they would only complete the transaction if you bought off eBay.  Even if they are inexperienced they should know better, since there are two violations, fee avoidance, and using ebay messages to set up an off eBay transaction.  

[thenobletuckylife]

BINGO Castle,

PayPal Credit is the Legit pay over time method.

I see no other options that satisfy Ebay and Paypals requirements...and as far as PP, also complying with the laws that regulate them.

Mr C

[tev4all]

Transaction Icons

I have  not seen any mention of policy regarding for or against a seller offering a layaway.  The partial payment recieved icon would imply layways are acceptable if spelled out in detail of the payment section/dessciption.

Please show me in the policies where IT states not allowed.

I would advise against such payment procedure, unlesss the seller is safe with such risk.

[castlemagicmemories]

Thank you, Mr. C,  and you raised the very important issues and questions that point to WHY Ebay no longer allows a seller to run their own layaway.

Most notably, the shipping factor.  WHAT is being shipped?

SOMETHING has to be shipped to satisfy the shipping metric.   The item is not paid for, if the seller is doing their own layaway.  So item cannot be shipped.  Possibly a contract or letter, just anything that will satisfy that something was shipped.  BUT what about the weight?  It probably won't correspond to the item weight.  In any case, setting up this dupe to satisfy the shipping metric would suggest the seller is aware this is a breach of policy.  This is why Paypal Credit is the only layaway that Ebay allows.  Paypal Credit makes one full payment to the seller, seller ships, buyer then makes payments to Paypal Credit.

I believe there are factors the Ebay can look at to determine if this is being done.   Feedback may not be what it is expected to be, given the time the seller has been selling on ebay.  Possibly cooperation between Ebay and Paypal (which is not so far fetched because it is to their mutual benefit to catch this) 

would help pinpoint this.  Emails may be scrutinized.  Contact info may be found, especially since the bot sensitivity has been strenghtened.

Sadly, sellers who offer this may find their selling privileges in jeopardy.