payment for item has been reversed but item sent to seller - what to do?

[maxmissie]

I received payment via Paypal for an item and sent it off the next day - yesterday Paypal sent me an email saying payment has been reversed and today they have asked me for proof of postage. Don't think I have the proof they require - I have receipt from Post Office with house number and postcode written on. Item was only sold for £2.99 so not a massive problem if money gets taken from my account.

BUT
the seller has presumably now got the item and hasn't contacted me about this reversing of payment. So what do I do? Should I contact them to ask them what is going on or open a dispute with them as well?

Thanks.

have you contacted the buyer to ask them why it has been reversed? That is what I would do, and ask them to pay you again, cheque or postal order maybe?

You can scan in the post office receipt - apparently paypal do accept this as proof in certain cases.

The payment bounced.

Your buyer used bank funding to fund the payment and when the direct debit hit their bank account it was refused.

You are not covered for a bounced payment proof of postage or not.

Think I am going to email buyer and ask if they have received item. Will see what they say. Presumably I can open a dispute to get the payment if the reversed payment goes through, as they'll have the item and I won't have been paid for it.

no you won't be able to open a non payer dispute because they did pay

you need to email them and ask them to pay you your money or return your item

otherwise it is royal mail to claim for lost parcel or small claims court to recover your money

Thanks for the replies. This has never happened to me before so this is all new!

But they won't have paid if the money gets reversed. Am presuming that the likelihood of them paying up or returning the item is pretty slim. My only option if I don't get it back or don't get the money another way is to leave negative feedback but then that leaves the potential for them to leave it for me I guess. Also seems strange to me that they haven't had the courtesy to contact me about this.

Seems likely that I am going to lose out from this even though have not done anything wrong as far as I can tell other than not sending it by trackable post, which is not what most people would do for a low value item. At least I will only have really the lost the postage cost.

Have just checked ebay account - the buyer has received the item as she has left positive feedback! Have emailed her about the payment, asked if she knows what has happened and said if I don't get to keep money will expect item back or payment again.

no you can't leave negative feedback for a buyer either and if you leave a neg comment on a positive rating it will be removed and you will get your knuckles rapped by eBay

you can't open a non performing buyer report against a buyer if they have paid, even if the payment has since been reversed

have you emailed the buyer yet and asked them to pay you for the item?

yes have emailed buyer, will see what they say. Had forgotten can't leave neg feedback for a buyer. If not sorted only thing it appears I can do is not leave feedback at all but that doesn't really say anything to anyone as plenty of people don't leave feedback even when a sale has been positive.

Not really sure what i can do to avoid this again either other than stop selling stuff or send everything via trackable post.

Thanks for all the advice.

have you sent paypal a scan of your receipt? If not, do so.
Despite what fabbychic keeps insisting paypal do accept a scan of the proof of posting and you may get to keep the money. (I did)

yes will be sending paypal scan of receipt, just don't think it has enough info on to meet their requirements, as it only has date, house no. and postcode. We shall see what happens, can only try all options and take it on the chin if don't get to keep money or don't get money from buyer.

All very bizarre, have now had email from Paypal saying this has been resolved in my favour and thanking me for uploading proof of postage. Thing is I haven't uploaded my receipt yet as dh has taken it to work today to scan it in! Haven't heard from buyer either.

Thanks again for all advice and replies.

I did not say they did not accept a scan of the postal receipt, they do that is what they want, however they do not reimburse you for a BOUNCED payment, they never will and never have.

Until they investigate further they do not know it was a bounced payment, PayPal only cover you for a chargeback via a credit card in the case of you providing a proof of postage for items below £150 and a signature showing online for items above £150.00.

PayPal are a law unto themselves and in most cases only help if you can prove delivery via an online signature.

I posted on eBay forums for over five years, I also post on PayPal Forums and am a Supervisor on their. So I do know what I am talking about.

you could leave feedback along the lines of

"after a long long wait for payment this transaction was finally ok"

.... as you say she has left feedback for you already you have 30 days at least to leave feedback, if she pays well and good hopefully she will

Got a reply from the buyer to say she had paid but Paypal had picked up something from one of her payments so it had put a hold on all of them when there never had been a problem and she always had the funds. Anyway all sorted as have got payment and will now be leaving positive feedback.

Thanks again everyone.

glad it's all good for both of you, panic over you will need