Ebay forcing Paypal on American users – Cash & checks scrapped
Will eBay ever learn? It seems that despite failing to have the scheme accepted in Australia, the company is pushing forward with its plans to force Paypal on every one of its customers, with the US being the next target on its list. Will America concede where Australia stayed firm?
Ebay’s plans to make Paypal compulsory for all its customers first came to light in May when it was revealed that Australia was being used a guinea pig to see if the strategy would work. Luckily for Australian eBay users, a combination of user complaints and the intervention of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made eBay shelve the plans.
It was assumed that this withdrawing of the scheme in Australia would mean other countries would be safe from the efforts, but that’s now not the case. The Inquirer has discovered that the eBay.com FAQs have been updated to reflect the changes to the payment methods allowed on the site.
From October onwards, eBay will no longer be allowing its customers to pay for items using cash, checks, or any alternative electronic payment apart from Paypal and ProPay. What’s more, Google Checkout, Checkout by Amazon, and Amazon Flexible Payment Services are all mentioned specifically as not being allowed. This is because:
Google’s and Amazon’s products and services compete with eBay on a number of levels, so we are not going to allow them on eBay.
Is it just me or is that going against some sort of anti-competition law? I confess to knowing nothing about this side of the law but common sense would suggest that barring the competition from being used on your service is surely not fair.
So, why is this move being undertaken in the first place? Ebay is insisting that it is all to do with security, buyer protection, and customer satisfaction. So the fact that eBay owns Paypal and makes money every time a transaction takes place using the online banking service has nothing to do with it? Amazing.
Australians eBay users didn’t buy this reasoning and I’m hoping American eBay users will also object in their millions and reject this ludicrous move. Electronic payment methods are very handy and a boon to both customers and companies who operate on the Web. But cash and checks have been with us for a lot longer and offer just as viable a payment method as Paypal ever will. So why the ban?
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September 24th, 2008
My name is Brandon Crotts, I am the product manager at ProPay and I know that many people are upset about the changes that eBay is making but we are really excited about being selected as a payment option. We hope that we can be a highlight to what eBay has been doing.
September 28th, 2008
Who owns ProPay?
September 29th, 2008
I hate PayPal….why can’t we use credit cards? A lot of what is on that site are commercial companies so they should all use credit cards from various entities.
October 15th, 2008
I just got screwed by PayPal. I entered a different credit card (my business cc) and bought a $2750 item for my business. Instead of charging the newly added cc, PayPal charged the $2750 to my older debit card, which has cost me hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees. PP cust srv says they can do nothing to help me.
Their site is so confusing to me it was almost impossible.
I will NEVER buy anything on EBAY again!
!
November 14th, 2008
Ebay and Paypal are the world’s largest facilitaors, perpetrators and accessories to international crime, the majority of which is generated internally.
While I’ve enjoyed buying and selling on eBay, I will not be forced into submitting my personal finances to the whims and greed of some first semester law clerk drop out.
January 5th, 2009
DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO. PAY-PAL CAUGHT A BUNCH OF IT’S OWN EMPLOYEES, SELLING PEOPLES PERSONAL INFORMATION? THAT’S CALLED IDENITY THEFT. HOW ABOUT PEOPLE WHO NEED, THEIR MONEY TO BUY ANTIQUES, OUTSIDE OF E-BAY, LIKE AT ANTIQUE SHOWS? HOW ABOUT IF YOU NEED YOUR MONEY TO BUY FOOD? OR PAY A WATER BILL? OR PUT GAS IN YOUR CAR? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ASK THESE PEOPLE, DO YOU TAKE PAY-PAL? THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST E-BAY. I WILL NOT BE TOLD, HOW TO PAY FOR SOMETHING.
April 11th, 2009
Mike I agree,THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST E-BAY and PayPal (one and the same) they are double f%$#^&g you to death with their fee’s. It is the same company charging you twice on the same dollar amount.That can’t be right. But you know no one will do anything about it. We’re the little guy’s and we always get it. Don’t forget the rich get richer and the poor get F%^$#D! Pardon my french.
June 3rd, 2009
How about choosing your own payment method?
These days there are choices that Sellers can decide whatever payment method suits them.
At the new international auctions site http://www.auctions8.com, we have 16 different payment methods available.
Surely there is one that suits each sellers best.
Thanks everyone
October 21st, 2009
I am a buyer & seller on Ebay and I’ve had it with the new rule pertaining to being forced to using Ebay owned payment methods and NOT being allowed to mention, let alone not accept money orders. I would like to see if there is interest in starting a Class Action Law Suit over this issue. If you’re an Ebay member and object to this policy, please contact me at Larnus@aol.com and let me know if you’re also interested AND include your contact information. Any possible class action suit will be limited to USA buyers and sellers only.
December 10th, 2009
This pay-pal BS is less than honorable. Ebay is putting itself in the banking business at the expense of it’s customers. It’s apparently no longer good enough to be filthy rich, one must now be filthier and richer. How much is enough ebay? Onerous.