Can someone help me with paypal please

[FurryFox]

I brought an item off ebay on Friday 29th and paid straight away using paypal.

I received a confirmation email from paypal but have just logged in and it says payment uncleared, expected cleared date 11th March.

What does this mean? Do I have to transfer money from my bank account into my paypal account before the seller will receive it?

[Niecie]

Were you trying to pay by credit card and accidentally paid by e-cheque? They take ages to clear.

Have you bought anything off ebay? Sometimes people's accounts aren't set up properly at the beginning.

[FurryFox]

I thought I paid using my bank account which is attached to paypal iyswim? I thought it would just take the money directly from there. The email confirmation just says it confirms payment has been sent, doesn't say how.

Am just concerned the seller hasn't received the money.

I've never used paypal before but have brought and sold on ebay a couple of times before but used postal orders and cheques.

[Niecie]

It sounds like you have sent an e-cheque to me. The seller will know that the money is coming but it really does take a long time to clear.

Go into your Paypal account and have a look at the summary page. It should show you the transaction and then that the payment is pending. Try clicking on it to see what it says. It might tell you if it has sent an e-cheque. I think you have to have money in your paypal account to pay by cash but I could be wrong.

Sorry, I would have a look at mine for you but I have to go and get DS2 from nursery so I don't have the time.

Hopefully somebody else will come along in a min.

[sixlostmonkeys]

it will be an echeque, which do take a long time to clear.

[FurryFox]

Yep have checked again and it says payment type is e-cheque.

I didn't even know there was such a thing as an e-cheque .

How do I in future make sure I pay using Paypal but not by e-cheque? Do I need to set something else up or transfer money into my paypal account from my bank account?

Thanks

[sixlostmonkeys]

just keep some money in your paypal account for future transactions

[FurryFox]

Lovely thanks. I didn't realise you actually had to have money in your paypal account. Doh.

[Niecie]

If you don't want to keep money in your Paypal account you can use a credit card which is an instant way of paying.

You have to remember to put money into your Paypal account in advance of wanting to use it as a transfer will still take several days to clear, moving money from your personal account to your Paypal account, in the same way as a cheque would.

Or you could sell something, collect the payment via Paypal and use the proceeds to pay for something else.

[madamez]

The seller probably won't mind the e-cheque, but if he/she seems to be taking a rather long time to send the item, make sure your e-cheque has cleared before sending the seller even the politest of enquiring emails... I get paid by e-cheques sometimes and basically I don't post the item till the cheque has cleared.