any paypal experts around please? (bit long, sorry)

[Ponders]

this isn't an ebay issue but is similar.

Last Friday DS1 found 2 gig tickets he wanted on gumtree which I paid for with paypal (he hasn't got it) - £130. I put a note to the seller to send them by registered post & let me know how much to reimburse him (all other comms have been by text with DS1). Actually I should have said special delivery but as it turns out it wouldn't have made any difference.

he said he had added £20 to face value anyway so he would pay postage.

On Sat he texted to say he'd posted them.

They didn't arrive on Mon or Tue, so DS1 asked how he'd sent it - his reply "Royal Mail" . DS1 asked him to track it; he said they would def arrive by 1pm yesterday (the gig was last night....). There have been a lot of texts back & forth; he's only 19 I think (his email address includes 1993) & not very organised...

Anyway they didn't arrive yesterday. DS1 v cross! but he went & hung around outside the MEN & luckily he got some tickets, very late on, for £30 each so that part is ok (apart from us having 3 whole days of fretting about them grrrr)

Seller is also cross (with PO, & himself presumably - it sounds as if he must have sent them 2nd class recorded - idiot) & very apologetic & says he will refund via Paypal, but this is where it gets tricky & I'm not sure how much leeway to give him.

I'm pretty sure he's genuine BUT he hasn't got the funds any more & says he has to register a card, then Paypal will send him 2 small amounts, then the card will work, then he can refund, but it will take 2-3 days???

What I want to know is, should I let him have the 2-3 days or should I start a dispute now?

TIA

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

You have 45 days I think with paypal. The two small aounts thing sounds genuine imo. It's just one of those hoops paypal make you jump through sometimes.

Give him 2-3 days then open a dispute with paypal if he hasn't done it. I didn't know till a couple of years ago when I had a problem with Gumtree, but paypal actually are involved with them in the same way as they're involved with ebay. So they are able to deal with disputes quite easily iyswim - they have access to the original listing/advert and so on.

[SavoyCabbage]

Have they still not arrived? I would be trying to find out if it was his fault or the post offices I think.

PayPal do do that with the small amounts? Who are you going to start a dispute with?

[EmpressOfTheSevenRomanCandles]

He's right about the 2 small amounts, it's a way for Paypal to check he's who he says he is. They put them in his bank account & he then has to tell Paypal the amounts. I'm not sure how long it takes nowadays.

BUT he doesn't have to have a Paypal account to send money through them, just a valid bank card. It works like this.

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

Yes, paypal do this when a seller reaches a certain limit or whatever - it's hard to understand but it's normal, especially if he hasn't been using paypal for very long. It's a verification thing.

It would be odd if he were making it up and it wasn't true, because it's something paypal use and how would he know that iyswim.

You open a dispute by contacting paypal. Not through ebay but through their own website, and your account with them. They are generally very helpful on the phone.

[Ponders]

the post hasn't come yet today, but the seller said yesterday the PO told him it should have arrived by now, & to log his claim with them.

if I do want to start a dispute via paypal I can click through on the transaction itself, but their next page suggests waiting 7 days in cases of non-delivery (not that this applies in this instance as it was time-critical) & yes, I have 45 days to do it, so waiting a few days now isn't a massive problem - I'm just vaguely concerned that he might shut down his paypal account & bugger off with my £130!

it sounds as if you would all give him the benefit of the doubt anyway, so I will

thanks for advice

[fergoose]

I would just open the paypal not received dispute now, escalate it straight away and don't sign for anything from royal mail until you get your refund

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

Good point Fergoose about not signing for anything, as the tickets are useless now and paypal will say you received them if you sign for them.

If he shuts down his account paypal will still pay you the money, I think.

[Ponders]

thanks, fergoose - would that be a black mark against him with Paypal in future though? he hasn't really done anything wrong (apparently...)

[Ponders]

& thanks for not signing advice, if they do come I won't!

[KnickersOnOnesHead]

Royal Mail would of told him he has to wait 15 working days before being able to put a claim in. I'd open a dispute now, to be on the safe side...just in case he is in the process of moving funds across and is trying to put you off claiming.

But that;s just the cynic in me.

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

I don't know how it works outside of ebay, should a seller decide to abscond with the money. I know within ebay you still get it back under the buyer protection scheme.

I think you do outside of ebay as well but I can't swear on it. Best to ring paypal up and have a chat.

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

Oh and if you did open a dispute now as a precaution, they would freeze the funds in his account anyway till it was resolved.

[fergoose]

even if the seller has emptied their paypal you will get a refund, and paypal will pursue the seller for the debt.

I wouldn't hang around - you don't know that he definitely has posted them. Has he given you the tracking number?

[dizzyday07]

I hope you haven't paid personal/gift either as you can't make a claim if you have

[Ponders]

have asked for tracking number but it hasn't come yet - in reply (he seems rather obtuse) he said the PO may contact us to confirm we didn't get the tickets

I paid as a purchase (???), dizzyday - just the £130 charged to me, no extra charge as with a gift

[fergoose]

I wouldn't wait if I were you - just open the dispute and escalate straight away.

[Ponders]

ok, fergoose, thanks, will do