Selling / payment concerns

[683281]

Although I have been a member of ebay for several years, I have not sold anything to date.

I have spoken with others who say I should be concerned about fraudulent buyers and not receiving funds from ebay for items that actually sell.

I have read the commission and selling fee information. What I would like to know is about safely completing auctions with assurance of receiving the appropriate funds.

I have a Zelle account but no other app such as paypal.  Can funds be directed into a Zelle account?

Also, I have been warned about buyers submitting fraudulent claims causing debits to my account.

I would hope that ebay has safeguard against such unscrupulous activity?

I welcome all insight from the experienced "ebayers".

[kensgiftshop]

@683281 

To be paid, you need to provide a checking account through a real bank and your SSN.

[coastaltechsolution]

You are in the USA?

You will need to sign up for eBay managed payments, paypal and zelle are a no go.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/selling-policies?id=4214 

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/business-policies/business-policies?id=4212 

https://export.ebay.com/en/fees-and-payments/payments/introducing-managed-payments/ 

For being newer to selling chances are greater as to being targeted by scammers

You will want to read over what I posted and come back with any questions, especially before you list anything for sale. 

[monica-sells]

Lots of misinformation going around with you...but it is good that you are doing your due diligence to assess your own tolerance levels for online business and setbacks...I will only address this one incorrect statement.

(emphasis by me)

"...and not receiving funds from ebay for items that actually sell..."

"...What I would like to know is about safely completing auctions with assurance of receiving the appropriate funds..."

You make the sale, and follow the appropriate protocols/steps/fullfillment you will get paid according to the terms you are familiarizing yourself with....first time, everytime...

ebay does NOT steal your money

[lakefor94]

@683281 

Your only possible safeguard is allowing Free Returns to get the option of doing up to 50% deductions on refunds if a buyer returns a "compromised" item back to you.

Don't list anything for sale that you are not willing to lose. Simple as that.

[12345jamesstamps]

I wonder what you are using to buy on eBay...not thinking it is 'Zelle'.

So if one is using a credit card one has to pay the credit bill with I would assume a checking account.

I don't think we can pay a credit card bill with another credit card bill...or can we?

[toysaver]

"I have spoken with others who say I should be concerned about fraudulent buyers and not receiving funds from ebay for items that actually sell."

Were these other people actually regular sellers on eBay?  If you list in the auction format versus buy it now pricing the buyer may never pay but you still have your item.   The issue with funds not going through are credit card chargebacks.  I've had 2 in 20 years.   

If you're going to start selling on eBay learn by doing and sell lower value items from around the house.  Selling on eBay is not a get rich quick scheme.   As a new seller you may be targeted by scammers if you sell high value items.

[ittybitnot]

@683281 

If you are thinking of selling, there are some basic things you need to know.  You can find out about them on the forums here if you use the SEARCH feature, but make note of the DATE.  Some of the information you find may be OLD and no longer applicable.  I would acquaint myself with the following terms, and know what they are.  As a newbie seller you are possibly going to be a scam magnet if you rush out the door with expensive items.  Once you are approved to sell, start out small.  Learn:

what a text me scammer communication looks like

what a change of address scammer scenario entails

what are the "Buyer Rules" and what they do

what is a freight forwarder, and what to do if one is used and a claim is filed against you
what is a credit card chargeback

what to do if a buyer complains to you and refuses to file a claim

how to handle a return when a claim is filed

how to handle a return when the buyer is just "fishing for a partial refund"
how to handle a return request when the buyer is lying

Recommendations: 
Take clear uncluttered pictures of your items.  Avoid stock photos.

Make clear concise written descriptions, avoid "see photos", or such nonsense as "nice spoon" in favor of addressing SIZE, MATERIAL, CONDITION (anything that makes it not mint) and avoid the nonsense word salad generated by the eBay AI generator. 
Know that the regular eBay CS that you get in a call back or chat should never be relied upon to tell you the truth. 

Know above all that just about ANY item on eBay can be had at your expense with the right kind of phony claim.  Know your risk tolerance going in, and educate yourself as best you can.  You can always come here for advice if you are uncertain about something.  There are many posters here of long standing and experience that likely have "been there, done that, and got the t-shirt (and perhaps burned it) so to speak.  You may even be presented with different views on the same topic so you can decide what is best for you. 

Good luck, READ, and come back often. 

[gloryglorygifts]

As someone contemplating selling on here I think there are a few things that you should be aware of, so good for you for asking the community! There are many seasoned sellers on here to help you.

I think that it depends on what you sell and how you sell it, if you will experience more fraudulent buyers than others. I've been an online retail seller for 25 years now and have rarely had problems, and I sell religious items. I've done it on many marketplaces over the years and on our own website as well. New sellers usually attract the fraudsters, so I would stay away from auctions and use the buy it now option. I think that electronics and tech stuff and trending items will attract them too (just mho). My advice? Stay away from them until you are established. 

Zelle isn't going to cut it. You will have to have a checking account with the same name as your registered ebay name, will have to provide your ssn or business id and everything has to match, including your photo id info. You will be asked to load all that info onto ebay and they will verify it before you can use it. They may ask for additional information too, so don't be surprised at that. THAT is your safeguard against anyone using your account but you.

As far as "claims causing debits to my account" those are called chargebacks. It's when a customer goes to their bank or credit card and disputes the charge. I've only had one in all my years of biz, but yes, ebay will hold funds until it is resolved. Same with a return. Ebay will hold those funds too, until the return is resolved either in your favor or the customer. You get the money back if it is in your favor. The customer gets the refund if it is in their favor. So yes, there are safeguards in place to protect you as a seller in those cases. 

As a new seller, though, ebay will hold your payments until you establish yourself with a few sales. They will then release the funds to you, so don't expect an instant payout. I believe it is held for up to 30 days, but someone else might know that specifically. I LOVE the way that the payments are now handled. SO much easier. My account is set up for a weekly payout on Tuesdays, but I can also get payouts on demand for a $2 fee. 

I hope this allays some of your fears. I want to see some other tips from our fellow members here. Good luck to you! 

[bashort]

One thing to remember, sellers do not come here as a rule and tell about sales where everything went as planned which in my experience is the vast majority of times.

While I have had the occasional time where a buyer falsely claims a item is defective out of 34,000 sales I have only had  one actual outright scammer who sent back a bubble mailer with a facemask in it.

[luckythewinner]

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@683281 wrote:

I welcome all insight from the experienced "ebayers".

---

There are almost 20 million active sellers on eBay.

If eBay was not paying sellers, they would be out of business. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

”…have been warned about buyers submitting fraudulent claims causing debits to my account.

I would hope that ebay has safeguard against such unscrupulous activity?”

eBay offers one of the best retail buyer protection programs, guarding the buyer’s best interests thru their Money Back Guarantee. The terms of this policy can override a seller’s terms. This creates the primary risk of shrinkage that all seller’s accept if they choose to use the eBay platform. 

A buyer can lie and file a Not As Described case, which invokes the Money Back Guarantee. Buyers do not have to prove their case. eBay will side with the buyer 99% of the time. There is no way to fight this buyer-centric policy.

Sellers have a few ways to mitigate risk. Here are three:

1) If a buyer makes a false claim, after the buyer receives a ruling in their favor, a seller can appeal and provide evidence and it will be reviewed. Occasionally rulings are overturned, but one needs compelling evidence, persuasively presented.

2) Know what you are doing as an eBay seller and learn all the policies that govern the site before listing your first item. Sellers must be experts on eBay procedure in order to make informed decisions to best protect their interests. 

3) Prepare a plan for dealing with shrinkage, a fact of retail life. My choice was to create a suspense fund. A few cents of every sale supports it. After 15 years, it has grown to now fully fund my Free Return refunds. 

Scammers like to target new sellers with high dollar goods. They are also more attracted to some categories over others, like gaming items, small electrics, tech items like PCs, smartphones and such devices, and luxury designer goods, to name a few.

So be smart about what you list until you build up some feedback. Evaluate your risk tolerance on each item because canceling orders can undermine your selling account and erode your standing on eBay. Read the policies, paying extra attention to the Money Back Guarantee and the eBay User Agreement.

Your other concern was about payouts. New sellers sometimes are subject to payout holds. See link below for details. But eBay has never failed to fully disperse my funds to me, according to its stated rules.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/getting-paid-items-youve-sold/payments-hold?id=4816

In closing, i’d like to add that i’ve been fortunate enough to have never been defrauded by a buyer, nor had a policy violation or other serious trouble here. The extent of my concerns were limited to non-paying auction winners. So it is entirely possible to make eBay work for you, even tho it is not easy or simple.

Wish you much good luck in your selling journey. Come back anytime. Always someone here to help.

[683281]

Thank you for the reply and you input. I was not concerned about ebay stealing any funds but I have been warned about fraudulent buyers who make false claims about the condition or none receipt of their item. Apparently from what others have stated, paypal is the only way to receive payment for successful sales so I would need to set up an account.

[683281]

That sounds like a good approach and that's why I won't be selling on ebay. I've heard too many horror stories of sellers getting "taken' for their good intentions.

[toysaver]

 "paypal is the only way to receive payment for successful sales so I would need to set up an account."

That is incorrect.  PayPal and eBay divorced years ago.   Ebay handles the money now.  You have to register as a seller and provide banking details for payments to be deposited and your ss# for the IRS.  

Registering as a seller | eBay