Payments on Hold til item delivered.

[peakxv]

Hi I am a 21-year member and they have put a hold on payments til after the items have been delivered. I contacted customer service and they said that it is new policy and the same for all members - new or old? Is this correct? Thanks in advance for your information. 

[peakxv]

To be honest, I was "away" from for most of the pandemic, but always kept listings. Those listings were not gaining hardly any views at all - "dead" would be a kind way to describe it.   I doubt I could have even "dumped" anything at all (within reason) to meet any clandestine/perceived monthly quota expectations brought on by the advent of the new MP standardizations.  So, to table the fact that I have had no sales  during the pandemic is a bit unfair and really speaks more to the state of the world economy then to my own performance rating (NB we are not "employees of Ebay so really shouldn't have a software flag monitoring our sales performance to further determine if  we should be granted the right to have, at the very least, the shipping and handling fees directly deposited.  I spent $170 on shipping/handling/insurance/fuel charges yesterday and expect to advance this "new ebay process" over $400 in the next week in sales.  That's fine but unprecedented and totally unnecessary in this day and age.  

[peakxv]

On the same matter, I now feel a bit uncertain checking the "Handling Time" box. By definition as per Ebay - Handling time is defined as the number of business days between when you receive payment for an item and when your package is scanned by your shipping carrier.  Since I've never actually received the payment before the item is scanned by the shipping carrier, the right answer is infinity.  Handling Time should  (for those on probation) really have an asterisk information box that has the disclaimer explaining that "You" will not actually receive the shipping/handling payment in an account you can access before shipping is required but you can infer that it will be transferred to an account that you can access should the shipping of the item meet our expectations.  I asked a lawyer friend at lunch today about this and she in turn asked me if I was guaranteed to get that shipping/handling/gas payment for my time and effort regardless of what the results of the shipping/sale are?  And I replied "I don't believe that there is any " 100% guarantee" in place.

[peakxv]

On another matter Ebay's new "payment" system inadvertently debited my bank account in error and I have been attempting to get a refund now for 17 days now, with no luck. This from a week ago .. 

10:47:48 UTC peakxv

They said it would take 3-4 days ... a week ago.

10:49:11 UTC Maribel

Normally the process is 3-5 business days but for some reason in our system, it can be delayed . I understand the situation and I will be taking note of all our conversation for it to be expidited as much as as possible.

So. I now have over $800 sitting in escrow with a less than certain TBD transfer date, and my ebay bank account is showing a negative balance with only several "promises" that they are working on it (for 16 days now, they extracted it within 24 hours  because they though it was owed to them and they desperatedly need money).   A rather dubious start to their "improved" payment system.

[reallynicestamps]

the fact that I have had no sales during the pandemic is a bit unfair

But most sellers found their sales increased during the pandemic and there was  surge in online shopping well above the already slowly rising percentage since the turn of the millennium.

. Since I've never actually received the payment before the item is scanned by the shipping carrier,

Once eBay confirms that your customer's payment has cleared and is in their hands, you are required to ship.

There is a certain amount of trust in this, but your customer sent you, a stranger many kilometers away and perhaps in a different country, money for an item they trust you will send.

FWIW- Managed Payments thoroughly messed up my received payments on two different accounts over the entire summer.

But once the problems were solved (and at least one was eBay's entire fault) all the Held funds were promptly transferred to my bank accounts.

I trusted them and was selling through the whole time.

YMMV

[peakxv]

the fact that I have had no sales during the pandemic is a bit unfair

"But most sellers found their sales increased during the pandemic and there was  surge in online shopping well above the already slowly rising percentage since the turn of the millennium."

Certain items moved well.  I sell mostly niche items that are not otherwise listed on ebay and 95% of my sales are international. I can tell you that there were hardly any views at all on these items over the height of the lockdown period. Hard to sell something if nobody is "in the shop" looking. Masks, TP, and sanitizer sales must have been going through the roof, though. Different strokes, for different folks and a bit presumptive/unfair to paint all sellers under the same pandemic sales quota bracket. 

[peakxv]

Customer service has hung up the chat twice today already.  I think the growing history/content over the past 2 weeks scares off the majority of their remote call center employees. Even the manager in Ireland, hang up the conversation after being nothing but firm,  clear and concise. That's not a very value-added member experience, I can assure you. Accountability is everything in this day and age .... and they should well know that time is money.   I encourage any employee and/or employee/moderator under the guise of a "community member" to reach out to me in private mail and help me to solve these issues. 

[reallynicestamps]

Masks, TP, and sanitizer sales must have been going through the roof, though.

EBay restricted sales of those to sellers who had been carrying them before the pandemic. Most of them were a temporary blip until panic cooled and local stores got more supplies.

I sell to stamp collectors but on other accounts sell books and sewing patterns. The only falloff I've seen was the continuing one in books- which has been going on for over a decade.

Even the manager in Ireland,

Ireland?

How did you end up phoning Ireland? They work under EU rules as I understand it.

Members seem to find the FaceBook and Twitter reps  very helpful and they have more authority than the subcontractors on the phones.

https://twitter.com/askebay
https://www.facebook.com/eBay/

[peakxv]

Thanks for the links, have proceeded accordingly.  The Ireland Communications was chat not phone. I was transferred there from Mumbai. Not sure how the routing works, but believe it must be related to time zones and work hours. It was early so Toronto was probably not "awake" - if they even have the management level that I had requested.  FYI, the last times I did speak on the phone to Ebay about Selling/accouning - it was definitely routed to Ireland, so not sure about what EU rule specifics you are referring to? 

[peakxv]

The Twitter route was a complete customer service insult  ...... and then they had the audacity to request I rate the experience.  

Hi there - thanks for reaching out and sorry to hear you are having trouble! Due to the sensitive info involved with our Managed Payments program, we aren't able to assist with Payment issues here on Twitter. We would suggest reaching out to our Payments team directly here https://ebay.to/3m9uM80 for further assistance. ~Daniel

Thank you for contacting eBay today, please take a few moments to rate your experience How would you rate your recent service experience with our Social Team?

Hi, I started with that link and have been on a "Goose Chase" for 2 weeks now - I would like to have a "non-remote boiler room" employee review and address my account. I do not appreciate the lack of customer service that I have received and the misinformation that has been provided. I also do not appreciate your hasty request for a "rating" when all you did was provide a generic link that is readily available to anybody with a functional brain. Please put me in contact with an honest employee who has the liberty to provide a full disclosure policy so I can understand on a professional level the account modalities.

Hi! Like I mentioned, we are not able to assist with Payments issues here. The link that I sent you is the Payments help page, which the contact options at the bottom of that page will get you in contact with our Payments team. I double checked the link sent and it is correct. Have a nice day. ~Daniel

[reallynicestamps]

There is no customer centre in Mumbai. The overseas sub-contractor is in the Phillipines. The US one is in Utah.  I hadn't heard of an Irish one before.

[marnotom!]

@peakxv, I'm getting lost here.  I'm no longer clear on what your beef is with eBay, but I'll point out a few things.

In over twenty years on eBay, you've accumulated an overall feedback score of 1055, and over half of that score is for sales where you were the buyer.  Take that 500 or so sales where you were the seller and let me generously assume that for each sale you had where a buyer left feedback, three did not, so that would be 2000 sales over about twenty years, or 100 sales a year, or 8-plus sales a month.  That's not bad, but there are many sellers who do a lot more than 100 sales over the course of a month.

Keep in mind that a computer routine initiated this payments hold.  There's something about your profile as a seller that triggered it.  In effect, you've been "profiled."  Your loyalty to the site is admirable, but you and eBay have a business relationship and eBay hopes that sellers do more than just stick around on the site.  I haven't done any selling for a number of years and even then most of that selling is under my wife's ID, so I'd be in for a world of hurt if I decided to start selling tomorrow, but at least I've done a reasonable job of keeping up with changes to the site and I'd be basing my game plan on those changes rather than getting butthurt about how eBay doesn't seem to love me despite being a presence (some would likely say PITA) on the discussion boards for decades.

The decision to subject sporadic/low-profile sellers like me and you to payment holds upon registration with Managed Payments is based on eBay and Adyen doing some risk-assessment based on data likely mined from cases and claims initated by buyers in the past.  It's not because eBay doesn't love us.  Recognize this as a business decision and decide if it's worth proving to eBay that you can provide the level of service it's now demanding from you.  If you can, perhaps you can get that hold lifted sooner.

eBay is no longer the "online garage sale" that it was when we first started using it.

[peakxv]

It's not "your" business to get lost on anything.  You have no apparent sales on eBay and yet you guard this site like a rabid Mod/Employee guard dog attempting to diffuse/undermine any of us who have had no satisfaction with customer service.  A reputable company does not operate that way, if a "customer" has a complaint then there is an easy, no hassle process for that complaint.  You seem to know everything about eBay's policy  - so here's your chance - please provide a link /email address for eBay complaints. That's an easy one for you and with your insider knowledge and need to uphole the company image. Thanks in advance for your redirection. 

[marnotom!]

Rework your complaint into a suggestion and try here:

https://www.ebay.ca/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/unsolicited-idea-submissions-policy?id=4...

[meridian72]

I have been a member since 2000. I have just sold an item after a long selling pause. Although I understand the payment hold process is to ensure safe transactions, I am appalled that my funds continue to be on hold despite confirmation that my item was delivered to the buyer via tracking number, as well as the buyers positive feedback I received.
eBay had definitely dropped in my esteem and holding my funds hostage has motivated me NOT list in the future!

[reallynicestamps]

ZOMBIE THREAD FROM NOVEMBER 2021

The problem with zombie threads is that the information may be out of date or no longer accurate.

And often the information asked for in the add on question has been answered in the Zombie Thread.

Do you have a Managed Payments account set up for eBay to transfer your payment to your chequing account?

You will need a chequing account in a Canadian bank. Many members choose to set up a new account with an online/low fee bank, unattached to any other household account.

In addition you will need secondary proof of identity. I used my passpost. DH used his driving license.

Part of the confirmation of identity process has been to control the hijacking of unused or abandoned long-term accounts with good but ancient feedback.

[meridian72]

Yes my bank account is confirmed with deposits and withdrawals made by eBay. I just don't understand what the purpose is of holding my funds seeing as how the item is confirmed as received and positive feedback has been give by the buyer.