Q: My daughter purchased an iPod Touch via eBay and paid via PayPal with a debit card. The iPod never arrived, and eBay acknowledged it was a problem seller. Her bank refunded the money, then rescinded it, saying PayPal wouldn’t honor it. Should we fight it, or is this just an expensive lesson?Chris Kennedy, Denver
A: As good as eBay has been for commerce — and cleaning out your garage — it’s not sheltered from the scammers that prey on the trusting.
And there is much to trust with an online auction.
That’s why eBay established Pay- Pal, to make it a more secure transaction for both sides. The folks at Pay- Pal tell me their buyer-protection policy is especially catered to customers whose purchase is “significantly not as described.”
That pretty much sums up your daughter’s situation. She has 45 days from the date of a transaction to file a claim with PayPal, which then reviews the issue. If found in the buyer’s favor, PayPal will reimburse the full purchase price and all the original shipping costs.
And — get this — there’s no cap on how high they’ll go.
I can’t tell whether your daughter ever filed a claim, though it appears she addressed the issue with eBay. But the online auctioneer can only address those items it has responsibility over, and that’s the integrity of the sale itself. EBay is in a position to sanction a seller that abuses the privilege, but the financial aspect of the sale is between the parties.
Your note indicates the bank wouldn’t honor the refund request. If PayPal didn’t receive a claim, then it can’t pay the bank. Telling the bank alone merely starts the charge-back process, but if it’s not completed — PayPal must agree, too, and refund the money — then it all reverses. The card issuer determines the chargeback result.
Next time, consider using escrow services offered on eBay and PayPal. Money isn’t released until the deal is good.
