Why is it 'illegal' to charge a paypal fee ?

[jtallon]

I understand why Paypal would want us to not charge a paypal fee when selling something (since it makes the item more expensive to the buyer), but why does the 'For Sale' forum disallow charging a paypal fee ? Is there some legal backing to it, or is it just a silly requirement that Paypal lists that we are supposed to follow ? How can Paypal sway what anandtech does in their 'For Sale' forum ? Opinions ?

Thanks !

 

[Kev]

just change the name to "handling fee" and there you go, problem solved.

 

[Lucky]

because it is in the paypal T+C.

No Surcharges. Under Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express regulations and the laws of several states, including California, merchants may not charge a fee to the buyer for accepting credit card payments (often called a "surcharge"). You agree that you will not impose a surcharge or any other fee for accepting PayPal as payment. This restriction does not prevent you from imposing a handling fee in connection with the sale of goods or services, as long as the handling fee does not operate as a surcharge (in other words, the handling fee for transactions paid through PayPal may not be higher than the handling fee for transactions paid through other payment methods).

 

[Turin39789]

Also for a while paypal charged you a small percentage of the transaction, and after they stopped people continued to use that as an excuse to get more money out of people

 

[edblor]

Interesting:Q

Also if it is illegal as you have stated (from P.P.s own description), then how can P.P. charge this?

Edblor

 

[Lucky]

<< Also for a while paypal charged you a small percentage of the transaction, and after they stopped people continued to use that as an excuse to get more money out of people >>




They still do charge for credit card funded payments, 3% according to their T+C.

 

[Lucky]

<< Interesting:Q

Also if it is illegal as you have stated (from P.P.s own description), then how can P.P. charge this?

Edblor >>




Because paypal is the not the merchant, they are a middleman. They are basically the same as a company who provides merchant accounts that enable vendors to accept Credit cards directly-remember, regular merchants pay 2-5% as well.

 

[Red Dawn]

How about the Moderators concentrate on the Trolls instead of worrying about being PayPals lapdogs? I'm kind of tired of them thinking that they are enforcers of the law and I fail to see why us charging a buyer a surcharge for using PayPal has any bearing on these forums.

 

[woodie1]

<< How about the Moderators concentrate on the Trolls instead of worrying about being PayPals lapdogs? I'm kind of tired of them thinking that they are enforcers of the law and I fail to see why us charging a buyer a surcharge for using PayPal has any bearing on these forums. >>



Very valid point.

 

[Lucky]

<< How about the Moderators concentrate on the Trolls instead of worrying about being PayPals lapdogs? I'm kind of tired of them thinking that they are enforcers of the law and I fail to see why us charging a buyer a surcharge for using PayPal has any bearing on these forums. >>




im not so sure its the moderators who initially wanted to enforce this...there were several complaints from goodie2shoes in forum issues asking why they werent enforcing it, IIRC. I hate it when people post that kind of crap.

 

[Namlemez]

This is offtopic so I fail to see why you are saying we should stop talking

There are laws in place saying the merchant can not charge you for credit card taking fees like that. Whether you agree or not, its the law. They were put into place to get people to use credit cards. In Europe, both ends of the transaction get charged a %. PayPal intends for you to pay, so you do. If someone tries charging me some BS "handling" fee that happens to cover the PayPal charge, I report them.

 

[Lucky]

heres one example, albeit pertaining to the nice people who offer free carfax reports here occasionally:

Bastard

 

[Ns1]

<< How about the Moderators concentrate on the Trolls instead of worrying about being PayPals lapdogs? I'm kind of tired of them thinking that they are enforcers of the law and I fail to see why us charging a buyer a surcharge for using PayPal has any bearing on these forums. >>



if you're really that stingy say something like a dollar discount if you pay via money order ^_^

 

[clarkmo]

So, charging a paypal fee is illegal. So what's the problem with banning illegal activities from the forums? I thought that was a standard. Trolls are banned, once known. Granted it's a bitter pill to swallow with Paypal, considering their operations, but still , they can' t support the charge or pretend they aren't aware that it's abuse doesn't exist on these forums. They may have been contacted, considering paypaldamon's continued prescence on the forums and maybe that's why he's a continued prescence, considering his canned responses. Who needs legal problems? Right or Wrong? So accept it and gravitate toward another pay service. Ecount? 2citi or citi2?

 

[Red Dawn]

<< If someone tries charging me some BS "handling" fee that happens to cover the PayPal charge, I report them. >>

To who, the Moderators? How you not buying it instead. None of us who trade or sale our wares are merchants so it shouldn't pertain to us and even if it does, why should it be a concern of the Mods?



<< if you're really that stingy say something like a dollar discount if you pay via money order ^_^ >>

Hey noob, who says I charge (I don't and never will)? I'm just saying that it isn't ther Mods job to be PayPal suckasses.

Jeez, we get these pissy little Traders like Namlemez sniveling about this and that to the Mods distracting them from their real job, keeping the For Sale Forum free of Stank theives

 

[calibur]

Because the moderators need to feel important. They don't have much else to do considering they probably have no lives, so you might as well let them have their fun.

 

[Ns1]

hey personally i could care less, but who knows, maybe some mod likes watching the for sale forum?

 

[Red Dawn]

<< Because the moderators need to feel important. They don't have much else to do considering they probably have no lives, so you might as well let them have their fun. >>

Hey if we want the opinion of some Bunghole Yodeler you'll be the first we call.

 

[edblor]

Well,

What I fail to see is how the seller gets dinged with the 3% from P.P. Like when I buy something retail, I pay the Tax/Surcharge/whatever you wanna call it.

It does make it difficult for those that sell when they have to "block" certain types of payment.....that in the past were not "taxed"!

That is the point here

Edblor

 

[psteng19]

<< How about the Moderators concentrate on the Trolls instead of worrying about being PayPals lapdogs? I'm kind of tired of them thinking that they are enforcers of the law and I fail to see why us charging a buyer a surcharge for using PayPal has any bearing on these forums. >>



I think it's more than that. Under the legal terms, they (moderators/anand/this site) could get their asses busted by paypal or other authorities if they find out that people on this site are charging paypal fees.
I don't think any of us would want that.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

The way that I understand it is that by accepting a payment through paypal its basically like being a store that is accepting a credit card. The store cannot pass the fee they get charged by the credit card company ( papal in this situation ) on to its customers. Thats why you sometimes see "cash discounts" someplaces. I think the law was basically made to keep the credit card companies happy. Who knows, who cares, I hardly ever use paypal anyways.

 

[calibur]

Red Dawn

And if I want the opinion of an "Elite" member, I'll let you know.

 

[hevnsnt]

get'em RD

 

[edblor]

Anti-Social...I understand that theory.

But up here (in Canada), I have to pay an extra 2-3% if I use a C.C. Again...I am the buyer...not the seller. If the company can charge a % to cover the C.C. service they are paying for, then why does the seller (using P.P.) get the tax, and not the buyer?

It's just not right

 

[Antisocial Virge]

edblor

So when you use a credit card to make the payment you get hit for 3%? and the seller does too? Well I guess paypal is making $$ at both ends. Sorry...don't mess with paypal much.