An eBay first for me

[Megospidey]

I recently purchased a lot of Star Wars figs on eBay. I paid for it via paypal today. I got this email from the seller:

"Hello,
I put a request in for the funds to be transfered to my bank acount. According to PayPal it takes 3-4 days.
As soon as it is completed I will ship your lot.
Thank you."

Something is not right about this. I paid him. He should ship. It is irrelevant what he does with the money, right?

This is the email I sent in return:

"Ummmm....that's fine, I guess. You have the funds in your paypal account which means I paid you. You should ship them regardless of what you do with the funds.

I mean, if you wanted to leave the funds in your paypal account for a year, does that mean you wouldn't ship them for a year until you either spent or deposited them into another account? I don't understand. It doesn't matter what you do with the funds after they are in your paypal account - that's your business. But I paid you - you should ship.

But hey, whatever floats your boat. As long as the figures arrive, that is fine!"

I tried to be nice, but let him know this is not right. Has anyone else ever had this happen to them?

edited to add: The seller's eBay id is aaron2k5roxanne

[Marvelmania]

Never even heard of anyone doing this. He got paid so he should ship your items. Plain and simple.

[Merlyn1976]

Sounds like someone who has been burned by a chargeback to me...

[kingcarm]

He got paid so he should ship your items. Plain and simple.

Yes....what he said.

[Megospidey]

Sounds like someone who has been burned by a chargeback to me...

Maybe. But isn't that why you read eBay feedback? He can clearly see that I have never done that.

According to his logic, he can hold the funds in paypal for as long as he likes and ship AFTER he either deposits it or spends it.

I've sold several things on eBay and once someone pays me, I ship...unless the funds have not cleared paypal (like an echeck).

Paypal is supposed to be the safe go-between for the buyer and the seller. That's one of the reasons why we use it, right?

Anyway...I'm not questioning you Paul so much as I am trying to understand why he would do this.

[Bizarro Amy]

Maybe he's really short on funds and has to wait until he has the actual money in his account to ship. I don't know how much business the seller does on eBay, but he might not have shipping materials on hand (like many of us traders do). If he has to go buy a box, padding, tape, labels, etc plus the actual postage, that adds up, especially if he's awaiting payment on multiple auctions. Unless he keeps drawing this out for an unreasonable amount of time, I think he was just trying to communicate with you.

[Megospidey]

Maybe he's really short on funds and has to wait until he has the actual money in his account to ship. I don't know how much business the seller does on eBay, but he might not have shipping materials on hand (like many of us traders do). If he has to go buy a box, padding, tape, labels, etc plus the actual postage, that adds up, especially if he's awaiting payment on multiple auctions. Unless he keeps drawing this out for an unreasonable amount of time, I think he was just trying to communicate with you.

That's true.

Man, you ladies really know how to make us men think about things we don't think about, don't ya??

It's a good thing you guys (excuse me, gals) are here!!

[theantiquetiger]

Some people don't think they have the money until it is in hand. They don't see paypal as a bank acct, but as something more of along the lines of Western Union. I have the paypal bank card and have access 24 hrs a day. I actually like to keep my hobby money and my real money seperate, so when I buy stuff like a $180 Spiderman car, she cannot say anything!! I have seen this a couple times, I wouldn't sweat it, he is communicating with you.

[Megospidey]

Maybe I need to clarify myself.

I'm not worried that the figures won't make it to me. And I do appreciate his communication.

However, a purchase on eBay is a business transaction, not a personal transaction.

In business, when you send/make payment, you expect a good or service in return. I paid him. I expect him to ship, not wait to ship until the funds are in his bank account. It's the principle of the matter to me.

What if every online retailer you paid with a credit card waited until their check was in hand before they shipped? What if you needed the item really, really fast and paid an ungodly amount for shipping so you could get it fast? Wouldn't you be upset if you found out they waited to ship until they actually had their check in hand??

Maybe others have done this in the past and just haven't told me. If that's the case, I prefer to stay in the dark

Seriously - I'm not upset, it's just something I've never experienced before.

[toys2cool]

Maybe he's really short on funds and has to wait until he has the actual money in his account to ship. I don't know how much business the seller does on eBay, but he might not have shipping materials on hand (like many of us traders do). If he has to go buy a box, padding, tape, labels, etc plus the actual postage, that adds up, especially if he's awaiting payment on multiple auctions. Unless he keeps drawing this out for an unreasonable amount of time, I think he was just trying to communicate with you.

I agree it's probably that,I have had this happened to me a few times already,one told me he didn't have the shipping money and the other was new to ebay and wanted to make sure the money was in his account before he shipped it out,so it's understandable,but it ticks me off when they do it to me