This guide contained redudant information regarding eBay & paypal being taking to the ACCC when they attempted to force eBay users to use ONLY paypal as a payment method.  Fortunately the masses won!!!

Many of you may not be aware that eBay has applied to ACCC to change the way it is currently trading insofar as it is attempting to ban ALL forms of currently acceptable payments (Bank Deposit, Money Orders, cash on collect) from being acceptable forms of payment.

What does this mean to you if eBay are allowed to proceed:

(a) as a seller you will no longer be able to trade on eBay unless you are willing to accept Paypal payments (and nothing else) for every item sold.  Should you try to manipulate the system & accept other forms of payment you stand the risk of being suspended from eBay.  In addition, if a buyer requests you to accept bank deposit, money order as they refuse to use paypal, you will be required to CANCEL the sale and, of course, run the risk of a negative feedback, which, under the new changes, you will not be able to reciprocate.

(b) as a buyer you will no be able to purchase items on ebay unless you are prepared to give your personal details to a third party, namely, Paypal, and be willing to use their service for every purchase.  Personally I find the thought of that abhorrent, but that is my personal opinion.

A search on the www of paypal will reveal many websites whereby members have posted their various experiences in utilising the services of Paypal, and I believe each & every proposed user of this service should fully appraise themselves before opening an account. 

I have operated a paypal account for many years and it has certainly not been without its trials and tribulations ... the level of protection afforded is, I believe, inadequate insofar as buyers are only allowed to claim for 3 "failed" transactions per annum.  ie if you purchase, say, $30 worth of craft goods & they do not arrive, a $29 bottle of something that is smashed on arrival and a $50 dress that is advertised as a size 10 but when it arrives it's more like a 6, paypal will certainly compensate you to an extent.  However, what happens when you then purchase an item worth several $100's ... hmmm, you've made your limit of claims, you're on your own bucko!  Buyers beware, just as sellers have had to beware (and suffer) the fraudulent buyers' claims over the years, many amounting to $1K's.

If you feel strongly that this proposed move is UNAUSTRALIAN and that you would prefer to have a choice as to how you pay your sellers for their goods or, as a seller, that you prefer to give your buyers a wide ranging choice of payment options, then please forward an email entitled "Submission eBay & Papal" to adjudication at accc dot com dot au  BEFORE 2nd MAY, 2008.

You may also like visit the online petition - search petitiononline dot com and then search ebay

Happy trading.