Need some paypal explaining. New to it & confused./

[MainFramed]

when im looking at my overveiw of the paypal account ( i setup a premeir account w/ my checking) there is that yellow box with the balance in it. and it says $0.00 im confused, my checking account has money it, not 0.00 dollars. so how come it says that?

and on the withdrawing, what exactly is transerfing funds to my bank account?

then on the add funds page, whats with transfering funds from a bank account in the us.

im 16, new to checking accounts and everything so please dont hurt me. just wondering here. i have no idea on these things.

 

[jpeyton]

1) Your PayPal balance is not your checking account balance, nor does PayPal keep track of your checking account balance. If you are sent money through PayPal, or you transfer money to your PayPal account from your bank, then your balance will increase.

2) PayPal sends the money to your bank account via ACH transfer.

3) Add money to your PayPal account so you can pay someone via PayPal.

My advice is to be careful, read up, and use PayPal only for sending payments to Verified sellers who have good feedback/ratings.

 

[MustISO]

The 0 balance is your paypal account, I don't think it shows your checking balance.
Withdrawal will move funds from your PP account to your checking acct.
Add funds would be moving from checking acct. to your PP acct.

 

[KarenMarie]

ok. not sure what you mean but... your account balance says $0.00 cause you have no money in it. You need to transfer it from you bank account. It is like your wallet. You have to take money out of the bank and put it in your wallet before you can go shopping.

withdrawing means that you are taking the money from your paypal account and moving it to your bank account. if you move it all over, your paypal account will be $0.00 again.

add funds means just that.... you take money from your bank account and put it into your paypal account as opposed to going from your bank account directly to pay for something.

you can PM me if you want, and i will try to explain it better.

 

[MainFramed]

Nice thanks a ton people. And as i was just reading, im also wondering like i can request a pay pal check. what would really be the purpose of that? money from my paypal account sent to me? and the whole paypal debit card thing, so this paypal account is like another bank account, but mainly for the internet? haha hope im not making a fool of myself...

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: MainFramed
Nice thanks a ton people. And as i was just reading, im also wondering like i can request a pay pal check. what would really be the purpose of that? money from my paypal account sent to me? and the whole paypal debit card thing, so this paypal account is like another bank account, but mainly for the internet? haha hope im not making a fool of myself...

What are you going to use PayPal for? The only foolish thing you can do is not know all your rights and limitations about using their services.

 

[MainFramed]

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: MainFramed
Nice thanks a ton people. And as i was just reading, im also wondering like i can request a pay pal check. what would really be the purpose of that? money from my paypal account sent to me? and the whole paypal debit card thing, so this paypal account is like another bank account, but mainly for the internet? haha hope im not making a fool of myself...

What are you going to use PayPal for? The only foolish thing you can do is not know all your rights and limitations about using their services.

Im using it to recieve payments on ebay, as well as pay for things there. and eslewhere on the itnernet

 

[MainFramed]

im just wondering about all these other things

 

[KarenMarie]

the check thing is for ppl who do not want to link a bank account to their paypal account. they pay with a credit card and get their payment by check from paypal via snail mail.

 

[MainFramed]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
the check thing is for ppl who do not want to link a bank account to their paypal account. they pay with a credit card and get their payment by check from paypal via snail mail.

oh ok thank you

 

[jpeyton]

Originally posted by: MainFramed

Originally posted by: jpeyton

Originally posted by: MainFramed
Nice thanks a ton people. And as i was just reading, im also wondering like i can request a pay pal check. what would really be the purpose of that? money from my paypal account sent to me? and the whole paypal debit card thing, so this paypal account is like another bank account, but mainly for the internet? haha hope im not making a fool of myself...

What are you going to use PayPal for? The only foolish thing you can do is not know all your rights and limitations about using their services.

Im using it to recieve payments on ebay, as well as pay for things there. and eslewhere on the itnernet

Proceed with caution. Also read this excellent FAQ from tlaxson on FW:

Now that Colebert?s excellent PayPal FAQ is no more, this will be an attempt at recreating some of the information that sellers who accept PayPal need. It is a work in progress, and suggestions for improvement are requested and appreciated.

Links and screenshots to relevant information and graphics, as well as more detailed info on several sections, will be added soon.

Please note that this FAQ does not address the World Seller Program. It is available to some international sellers, but I am not familiar enough with it to do more than direct you to the PayPal help files about it.



Acronyms:
PP= PayPal
SPP = PayPal Seller Protection Policy
INR= Item not received
SNAD=Significantly not as described
CC=credit card



Contents:
I. PayPal Seller Protection Policy
II. Reversals and Chargebacks on PayPal payments
III. How to fight reversals and chargebacks
IV. Important measures to take to protect yourself
V. Important dates/Timeline
VI. FAQs



I. PayPal?s Seller Protection Policy:

The SPP is a policy that provides some protection against claims of nonreceipt. It WILL NOT protect you against SNAD claims.

1. Have the right kind of account, and live in the right country.

a. Account type

Sellers must have a business or premier account to qualify for the seller protection policy. Users with personal accounts will automatically lose all claims of non-receipt. As of August 18, all eBay sellers must either have a biz/premier account or be willing to upgrade to one.

How do you tell what kind if account you have? Log into your PayPal account. As you can see on a screenshot of my account, the account type is listed right under the nav bar at the top of the page.

You must have a verified account to qualify for the SPP. You can verify your account by linking a checking account to your PayPal account. Some people prefer to use a checking account that is not their primary account. A free account with a low balance works quite well for many sellers.

b. Seller?s location/Buyer?s location

All U.K., Canadian, and U.S. sellers are covered when shipping to U.S., Canadian, or U.K. buyers (as long as all other requirements are met). This is new as of June 28, 2005.

Buyers in Puerto Rico can be covered under the SPP. Buyers with APO/FPO addresses cannot. See the next section for details.

2. Ship to a confirmed address

Confirmed addresses are those at which a buyer receives his credit card statement. Do not confuse a confirmed address with a verified account. Addresses can also be confirmed through other means, but most buyers use the CC method.

To be SPP-eligible, PayPal requires you ship to confirmed addresses only. This is new as of June 28, 2005. Shipping to any other address voids the SPP.

If your buyer indicates a confirmed address on the transaction details, but then requests you ship to another address, and you do it, you will lose an INR complaint automatically.

How do I know if the buyer's address is confirmed? Look at the transaction details page. Below the shipping address, you should see "Confirmed" in green letters (like in this screenshot).

3. Online-trackable proof of delivery

PayPal requires you obtain online-trackable proof of delivery. If you ship via the USPS, get Delivery Confirmation (DC). If you ship via UPS/DHL/FedEx, you?ll get tracking automatically.

DC is confirmation of delivery only. It is not tracking.

If the total combined payment (item price + shipping + handling + insurance) is $250 or more, you MUST get a signature upon delivery. If not, you WILL lose an INR claim. For shipping via USPS, get Signature Confirmation (SC). For the other 3 carriers, request a signature.

If you allow pickups, you will not have online trackable proof of delivery. You WILL lose all INR claims. A receipt signed by the buyer in DNA-typable blood will not satisfy PayPal.

4. Ship within 7 days of payment

You must ship with 7 days of payment if you want any SPP-coverage. For eChecks, the clock starts the day PayPal clears the payment into your PayPal account. For all other payment types, the clock starts as soon as the payment hits your PayPal account.

5. Accept ONE payment for all items shipped.

If you split payments, you lose protection. If a buyer wins 3 auctions and pays in 3 separate transactions, but wants you to put everything in one box, you have trouble. You would only have ONE DC or tracking number. The buyer can file an INR on the other two and win.

If the buyer tries to pay with two (or more) separate payments (such as in installments), for one item, you have trouble. You are required to accept one payment. Refund both (or all) payments and submit an invoice for one payment.

6. Item must be tangible

Services do not qualify for SPP protection. Intangible goods (such as digital goods) do not qualify for SPP protection. if you're selling something that is not tangible, you get zero protection. This means WoW codes, gift codes, prepaid cell phone minutes, eBooks, or anything you might email, etc are not covered. You can help protect yourself by shipping a physical item. No shipping means you violate the requirement for online-trackable proof of delivery. If you want to sell a gift card, you can email the code to your buyer but you had better also ship that physical card. If you want to sell a St@ples discount code, you will not be SPP-eligible.



II. Reversals and Chargebacks on PayPal payments

Reversal vs Chargebacks:

A reversal is done via PayPal. It may be done in response to an INR or a SNAD claim, or because the funds used in a payment were fraudulent, etc. A chargeback is done through a CC company, which yankes back the payment from PayPal, which in turns tries to yank it back from you. We often talk about these processes loosely at FW, but they are distinctly different and each has different implications for sellers.

<more to be added here>



III. How to fight reversals and chargebacks
1. Take a deep breathe. Refuse the urge to scream or cry. A reversal/chargeback will come to every seller given enough time and enough sales.
2. Gather together your side of the story. Locate your DC/tracking number. If it's a SNAD complaint, locate all of your photos and the item description.
3. If it's a PayPal reversal, log into your PayPal Dispute Console and enter all the info requested. You must do this by the stated deadline (usually 3-10 days after the complaint is filed) or you automatically lose.

<If you have experienced a reversal or chargeback claim, and can elaborate on the process and provide any tips for handling them, please PM me or post below. I've only done it from the buyer's perspective>

<to be expanded>



IV. Important measures to take to protect yourself
In no particular order:

?Refuse PayPal from most international buyers. It's just too risky. You can set your PayPal account to block them automatically. US, UK, and Canada sellers may sell to US, UK, and Canada buyers under SPP eligibility if they also meet the rest of the SPP requirements.
?Ship only to confirmed addresses. You can set your PayPal account to require confirmed addresses.
?Make sure you ALWAYS have DC/tracking on EVERY package. Gets sigs when necessary.
?Have clear, concise, and precise Terms of Sale. A FAQ may be forthcoming on recommendations for TOS.
?Clearly and accurately describe your items, and take very good, clear photos. This is your best defense against a SNAD claim.

Not sure how to block payments from unconfirmed addresses, or from non-U.S. buyers? Log into your PayPal account. Click the Profile tab. Click on Payment Receiving Preferences. Set your prefs to look like mine.

Not sure if your transaction is SPP-eligible? Log into your PayPal account and look at the transaction details. If the transaction is SPP-eligible, you'll about halfway down the page the line "Seller Protection Policy" followed by "Eligible" in green type (see this screenshot for an example).

Not sure how to block payments from countries you don't ship to? If you do not ship worldwide, blocking people registered in countries to which you do not ship will really cut down on problems. You can put this block in place by logging into My eBay. On the left menubar click on "eBay preferences" (under "My Account"). In the "Seller Preferences" section, click the second to last "change" link on the right side (see this screenshot). That brings you to the Buyer Requirements page (looks like this). Choose whatever blocks you like. Mine are shown on that screenshot.



V. Important dates/Timeline
Day 0 ? Payment
Day 7 ? You need to have shipped by today to be covered by the SPP
Day 45 ? All INR and SNAD claims must have been filed by today
Day 46 - You're safe from all PayPal claims if they haven't been filed yet. You're still potentially at risk for CC chargebacks.
Day unknown ? CC chargebacks can be done for potentially months after payment, depending on the CC company



VI. Frequently asked questions:

1. How do I know if I am covered by the SPP?

Once the buyer has sent payment, look at the transaction details page. It will say either ?Seller Protection Policy: Eligible? or ?Seller Protection Policy: Ineligible?.

2. I don?t accept credit cards through PayPal, am I still safe?

If you have a personal account, you get no protection against INR complaints. If you are sure you did not receive a CC-funded payment (with any account type) then 45 days after payment, however, you are safe from any reversal. As of August 18, 2005, all eBay sellers must either use a biz/premier account or be willing to upgrade.

3. How can I tell if my payment was funded with a CC or not?

If your payment was marked an eCheck, then you know it wasn?t a CC. If your buyer does not have a verified account, then he has either paid with existing funds or a CC. If your buyer has a verified account, there is no way to tell.

4. I have a premier/business account and don?t want to accept CCs. What do I do?

You can block CC payments. Directions forthcoming. Be aware that you will still pay fees on all payments. As of August 18, 2025, you will no longer be able top block CC payments. If you accept PayPal on or after this date, you must accept all forms (eCheck, CC, etc). This also applies to personal accounts that may be forced to upgrade.

5. I just received an eCheck and my buyer wants me to ship ASAP. Should I?

NO. PayPal tells you to wait until the eCheck clears. This usually takes 4-5 days, but may take longer. The eCheck can bounce, just like a real check, so you must wait. If your buyer gets pissy about the wait, forward them the payment notice you got from PayPal and point out that PP is telling you to wait.

6. My buyer wants to send the item to his son at school. Am I protected?

Not if it?s not a confirmed address.

7. A buyer wants me to send his item to Nigeria. Am I covered?

No, you are not. Please read the Scam FAQ for additional info on sales to Nigeria.

8. My item sold for $5400, but my buyer?s CC limits are $2000 and $4000 respectively. She wants to pay me in 2 separate payments so she can charge the item. Is this a good idea?

No, it is not. If you allow this, you lose SPP coverage.

9. My item sold for $240, and my shipping/handling fee was $12. Do I need a signature at delivery?

Yes, you do, if you want to be covered by the SPP.

10. My buyer lives just 20 minutes away and wants to pay with PayPal so she can use her CC, but she wants to pick up my item since she?s so close. Should I let her?

You can let her pick it up, but DO NOT accept PP on this sale. You will lose any INR complaint.

11. But I?ll have my buyer sign a receipt. Won?t that work?

NO! PayPal doesn?t care if you have a receipt. PayPal doesn?t care if CNN broadcasts live footage of the buyer accepting her item. PayPal only cares about having online-trackable proof of delivery.

12. Why do you say I have to do this, that, and the other thing? I sell a lot, don?t do what you say I should, and never have any problems.

Good for you. You?ve been lucky. Don?t assume you will continue to be. If you like the level of risk you are exposing yourself too, fine. If you prefer to minimize risk, follow the terms of the SPP.

13. Do you work for PayPal? You sure sound like you love them and think they can do no wrong.

No, I don?t work for PayPal or eBay. PayPal is a tool, nothing more. Used correctly, you can conduct business with minimal risk. Used incorrectly, you can lose your shirt.

14. My buyer's account is verified. Does that mean I have SPP-coverage?

Only if the shipping address is confirmed. A verified account is one that has a checking account linked to it. What you need for SPP coverage is a confirmed shipping address. A transaction with a verified account but an unconfirmed address does you no good as a seller.