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THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH EBAY FOR NEW SELLERS IS NOT EBAY IT'S PAYPAL. CASE HISTORY. A FRIEND OF MINE GOT LAID OFF AND NEEDED A WAY TO MAKE SOME EXTRA CASH, SO I HOOKED HIM UP WITH A FEW OF MY DROPSHIP SUPPLIERS, HELPED GET HIS FEEDBACK TO A 10 THEN HELPED HIM LIST ABOUT 500 BUY IT NOWS. AND SURE ENOUGH 25 SALES WITHIN 15 DAYS OR SO, GREAT, RIGHT? NADA BECAUSE ALONG COMES PAYPAL AND FREEZES ALL 25 TRANSACTIONS! NOW MY FRIEND IS ALREADY STRAPPED FOR CASH AND NATURALLY DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR ALL THE ITEMS PLUS SHIPPING AND WAIT FOR PAYPAL TO RELEASE THE FUNDS! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO COUNTLESS NEW SELLERS AND ITS NOT RIGHT! EBAY IS NOW OFFERING OTHER PAYMENT METHODS THAT NO SELLERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF. WHY?

Hey dreamcatcher,

Wow well Paypal has always been shady with that and there really hasn't been a clear answer as to why they do that. Recently I read that Paypal went public with the freezing of payments because they feel it's a measure that will help the seller from chargebacks and fraud! . Tell me that isn't a load of Political business talk. To answer your question as to why sellers are not taking advantage of other payment methods, It's just a matter of Who the buyer has heard of and is well known seeing on ebay. I have Paymate setup as my secondary payment option to buyers BUT the buyer never chooses to use Paymate thats why right now I cannot afford to just take Paypal off all together. It does really stink and I wish Paymate would try and put their name out there more. I hope your friend gets out of that mess and wishing all the best!

Interesting to read you results with the Paymate gateway option included, and not totally unexpected.

Have you actually tried to market the Paymate gateway option to your customers Don, as in pointed out the advantages of the option, and the fact that you have included it for your customer's benefit.

PayPal is a house hold name in the states, and it is seen as the buyers protection through great marketing, even if it is a load of who shot John, but the point being those that want to use other payment options are going to have to market the option to the customer.

If customers think you have included it for your own benefit, they won't touch it with a stick, but if they think it's there for their benefit....then watch them go for it.

All in the marketing mate : )

Hey Marc,

Yeah it sure is interesting. I haven't actually emailed the customer after winning an item but I have put a brief but straight forward statement explaining Paymate in all my listings. Here is what I have in my listings:

NOTE TO BUYERS: EBAY now accepts Paymate as one their newest payment providers. Paymate is secure, hassle-free, fast transactions and the best part-Registration NOT required. Simply choose your payment of choice: and Paymate is built into the ebay checkout for your convenience. See for yourself: Link hidden: Login to view

I also added Paymates Logo's.

I would try something a little more personal.

We are pleased to now be able to offer our customers the secure online payment gateway of Paymate to safely process their transactions.

Paymate allows us to process your payment much quicker, in fact in around 24 hours, and that means your item is shipped quicker with absolutely no unwanted, and frustrating shipping delays due to slow payment processing.

Try sweetening the deal, 5% off Paymate Transactions, add 2.9% to PayPal transactions to cover you cost, delay you PayPal shipping, nothing shipped within 3 working days.....lots of different tools you can choose to press the right button in a customer.

The trick is, they always have them think that it's their own idea. If they get a smell that it will assist you, they'll stay clear!

OK, just something off the top of my head, but the idea is to make them feel like you have added the service for their benefit, and that the service is just as safe as what they are currently using.

At the end of the day a customer wants to use the service that serves them best, you need to make that link for them, otherwise they will just stay with what has been servicing them best in the past.

THANKS ALOT GUYS, IM NOW GOING TO INCORPERATE PAYMATE INTO MY LISTINGS. I KNOW THAT PAYPAL HAS BEEN A MAINSTAY, BUT I REALLY FEEL ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE!!! AND THE ONLY WAY THIS WILL HAPPEN ,IS IF ALL SELLERS BAN TOGETHER AND KINDA FORCE PAYPAL OUT. I KNOW THAT MAY SOUND HARSH, BUT WAIT UNTILL YOU MAKE A BIG SELL, SAY A 500 DOLLAR ONE, YOU CAN BET PAYPAL WILL FREEZE THAT TRANSACTION! AND THEY HAVE DID THAT COUNTLESS TIMES. AND ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!

Hey thanks for the advice Marc. I guess my wording was a too marketable and not enough personal with pointing out the benefit for the customer. I will take that advice and incorporate it into my listings. I agree dreamcatcher we need more sellers to build up the exposure of Paymate. Im sure they won't push Paypal out but they sure will take a small chunk out of PayPal's business.

Some of us would think about it if we were even given the options. Ebay.ca sucks especially when it comes to payment methods

Hey feellas guess what went to use my pay pal card today to ship some packages and boom declined, i came home to see what was going on and had a freeze on my account well as they politely put it' a restriction' what a joke I WANT MY MONEY

HI JAMESH, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!!!!! THATS EXCACTLY WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT. PAYPAL IS NOT FDIC INSURED AND HAS NO BANKING TIES, BUT THEY SEEM TO THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHTS TO FREEZE FUNDS WICH DO NOT BELONG TO THEM!!!!! THIS SAME THING THAT HAPPEN TO JAMESH IS HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS EVERYDAY. HMMM THAT A LOT OF INTREST IF PAYPAL IS SHIFTING THOS FROZEN FUNDS TO THEIR OWN BANK ACCOUNT??????? IN SHORT GUYS WE HAVE TO STOP THIS SOME HOW SOME WAY!!!!!

No one likes it, but it's standard PayPal operating procedure. Only way to dodge it is to skip PayPal altogether.

Targeted prospects will swarm your site 24/7! Just 5 minutes to set-up, it's automated, 'viral' and proven - and best of all it's FREE! Link hidden: Login to view

I TOTALLY AGREE...PAYPAL IS SO FRUSTRATING BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT YOU NEED TO CALL THEM AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM AND SPEAK TO THE MANAGER...DO NOT SETTLE FOR:'IT WILL TAKE A FEW DAYS FOR US TO INVESTIGATE.' YOU WANT THE RESTRICTION OFF NOW!!! FOR UNAUTHORIZED TRANSACTIONS, IT DOES TAKE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND YOUR MONEY IS FROZEN (COLLECTING PAYPAL INTREST I'M SURE). HOPE THIS HELP SOMEONE...

YES, SKEETER I TOTALLY AGREE, WE ALL SHOULD CALL PAYPAL AND COMPLAIN EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS. INFACT, I BELIVE PAYPAL WOULD STOP ALL THE HOLDS IF ENOUGH SELLRS WOULD COMPLAIN. EVEN IF PAYPAL IS NOT HOLDING ANY OF YOUR FUNDS ,YOU CAN STILL LET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT. I WISH THAT ALL SELLERS ON EBAY HAD A SELLERS UNION OF SORTS. EBAY AND PAYPAL HAVE CONTROLLED SELLERS FOR TO LONG ITS TIME WE HAD A VOICE!!!! AFTER ALL WITHOUT SELLERS THEIR WOULD BE NO EBAY OR PAYPAL!!! WE HAVE TO BAN TOGETHER!!!

Holds normally occur for new accounts. Once you reach 100 FB the holds happen much less.

I had a new account get a hold but it was released within a week without any input from me because I shipped with tracking and got a feedback.

Just be prepared for it.

sellers union? now thats what we need.

PAYPAL HAS NO RIGHT TO HOLD ANY FUNDS FROM ANYONE, WHY DO THEY DO IT, BECAUSE SELLERS LET THEM. ITS YOUR MONEY NOT THEIRS!!!!!! THATS NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND!!!!