eBay Australia backs down on PayPal
July 3, 2008
eBay Australia have said that other methods of payment may continue to be offered by sellers on the site, though offering PayPal will remain compulsory:
eBay will continue to allow all existing payment methods on eBay.com.au. We have decided to withdraw the notification to stop any further confusion and disruption among the eBay Community. … eBay requires all sellers to offer PayPal as a payment choice on eBay.com.au along with other permitted payment methods of their choosing.
eBay have strenuously denied any plans to make eBay.com PayPal-only; it remains to be seen whether compulsory PayPal will be tried in other markets than Australia and the UK.
PayPal only: eBay vow to fight ACCC draft ruling
June 13, 2008
eBay Australia have issued a press release challenging the ACCC draft notice and vowing to fight on.
They have delayed implementation of the PayPal only policy until 15th July, it was scheduled to go live on the 17th June. The increase in Buyer Protection raising the cover to AU$20,000 will still come into effect on the 17th June for Australian buyers who pay via PayPal.
Whether eBay will succeed is anyone’s guess, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely. The ACCC note that over 600 eBay users, half of them buyers, sent in submissions opposing PayPal only and they themselves have “serious competition concerns” if they allowed an exception.
eBay say they hope to “work with the ACCC and hopes to achieve a final outcome which has the safety and security of eBay’s members as its paramount objective” and that they believe “the consumer benefits of this initiative are worth fighting for”.
PayPal only: Australia says no (for now)
June 12, 2008
The ACCC have requested that eBay delay implementation of the PayPal only policy scheduled to start on June 17th.
In a draft notice issued today the ACCC proposed revoking immunity for eBay’s PayPal only policy on the grounds that it will reduce competition and that they believe “consumers are in the best position to decide which payment method is most suitable for them”.
Noting the benefits that PayPal offer they say the advantages do not outweigh the anti-competitive effect.
Whilst this is a draft notice the ACCC notes eBay have already implemented the policy that PayPal has to be offered, but have asked them to delay making PayPal the only acceptable payment method until the final decision.
Now the draft proposal is published all interested parties can make further submissions so eBay will doubtless respond. It’ll be interesting to see if Google make further waves now that their role has been revealed.
It looks as if eBay Australia users can continue offering and using alternate payment methods, at least in the short term.
eBay must have been pretty certain that they would be granted immunity and allowed to implement the PayPal only policy. Regardless of the outcome it is likely to have an effect in other territories around the world and shape eBay / PayPal policy for some time to come.
Aussie PayPal promo as ACCC about to rule
June 7, 2008
eBay Australia have announced a PayPal promotion in the run up to the ACCC ruling and the site migrating to PayPal only for payments.
Every purchase made on eBay.com.au gets the buyer automatic entry into a draw for 4 x $10,000 and 10 x $1,000 credited to the winners PayPal account.
The competition runs from today until the 21st June 2008, and also encourages buyers to open a PayPal account if they don’t already have one. Not a bad move on eBay’s part to make it attractive for buyers to use PayPal, and the publication of the winners in July should go further to making PayPal appear attractive. I’m not so sure some sellers already averse to offering PayPal will see it in quite the same light though.
PayPal Australia clarifies policy on multiple purchases
May 19, 2008
A little bit of good news for Australian sellers from PayPal today: the User Agreement has been clarified. Paragraph 4.2.4 now reads “The Seller Protection Policy will not apply to a transaction if you combine eBay items purchased through separate PayPal payments into a single shipment”.
The UA used to say “seperate eBay transactions”, so that combining shipping fees for multiple items at least looked like it was against PayPal’s rules. (I don’t know if any seller protection claims were ever refused on this basis? Maybe one of our Australian readers could leave us a comment.)
It’s an important reminder for all sellers though, that if you want to be covered by the Seller Protection Policy, seperate PayPal payments have to have seperate proofs of delivery: bung two orders into one box and you are not covered.
eBay Aus wakes up to new feedback
May 13, 2008
Australians are getting to grips with the new recalculated feedback and inability for sellers to leave non-positive feedback. As can be expected though not everyone is happy.
One buyer laments “My 100% changed to 98% because of one neutral“, asking “Does that mean that sellers will be able to leave neutrals, which will count in the percentage?”. The good news for the buyer is that it doesn’t as sellers are no longer able to leave neutrals.
The downside is that for any buyers (and sellers) who have received a negative or neutral in the past year it will affect their feedback percentage until it drops off after twelve months. The flip side is that any buyers who do leave neutrals will in future affect the feedback percentage of their seller.
Sellers are up in arms, over the new messaging that eBay gives when a buyer leaves feedback. A seller reports “I clicked the “positive” radio button… and up pops a screen that says ‘Buyers can’t get negative or neutral feedback… so be honest about the transaction‘ or words to that effect…”
In reality sellers who do a sterling job have little to worry about, I’ve left feedback on dispatch ever since I started selling on eBay and the number of non-positive feedback I’ve received in that time is tiny compared with the positives buyers have left.
For sellers who have in the past left reciprocal feedback it’s time to start leaving positives - there’s absolutely nothing to gain by waiting for the buyer to leave feedback first and everything to gain from reassuring buyers with a positive that you’re a great seller.
There’s just two days left before the feedback changes hit the UK. Buyers have just two days left to worry about receiving a negative feedback and sellers have two days to prepare for the change. I’d strongly recommend leaving feedback for all outstanding paid transactions, but would suggest it should all be positive.
Recent Comments
- Whirly: #3 you don’t deserve one after having a 1p listing festival you jammy blighter.
- Chris Dawson: #1 I didn’t get a voucher either
If anyone has one and wants to spend it with me... - northumbrian: the only fault with that bling thing is if anything it makes the item look to good
- faculty-x: us techies are honoured at the mo from ebay or the ones that have dropped off ebay the most, us...
- faculty-x: bling looks excellent, must get a copy. been messing around with coral for years, should save ages. so...
- Whirly: No voucher for me which is a pain as I need some stuff I know a buyer who will get one, he likes...
- Whirly: #2 If you build the fee’s into your sale price I think it’s a justifiable expense, we regularly...
- Trish Connolly: I need to dissagree with part of your statement. You say, “I’ve met many buyers who are more...
- J R: if we sell something for £500 there is no way we would be willing to give ebay £50 plus Paypal fees, there...
- Whirly: lmao
