advice re dispute

soolin

I have never ever had a paypal dispute opened against me as I would normally just refund as soon as there was a problem. However I have just got one I sent a smallish item worth £8 to the US to a 2 feedback user and I got the 'my item hasn't arrived and I paid 3 weeks ago' email so I responded saying that she had actually only paid 11 days previously and if she would be patient and wait until day 14 I would refund her in full.

Unfortunately all that occured after I completely cleared my paypal account as I am going on holiday and will not now be selling until after Christmas.

Logged in, saw the dispute and went to check buyer out a bit further to see that she has been suspended, she also has approx 12 other items, some smallish like mine, but also 2 £60 items bought around the time of my item and for which no feedback was left.

What is best to do here, I can't refund as I stupidly forgot that without funds actually available in my paypal account the refund will not go through. If I try and load my account it will be too late as I will be away by the time funds arrive..so i can't refund immediately as I would prefer to do and I can't stop the dispute. I can't do anything through ebay either as user is suspended.

Arghhhhh

RFW

Reply to the dispute by Paypal and let them know. Escalate it if you need to. They probably won't finalise it until after Christmas any way. If buyer is suspended they are likely to find in your favour any way. I've had a dispute from a late paying customer who annoyed at me opening a npb dispute, opened an item not received less than 24 hours after payment! Their item was received and signed for and Paypal were given the details over a week ago and its still open, so they don't deal too quickly.

soolin

I know though that I will lose a paypal chargeback as I self insure so have no tracking...if I escalate it today I might run out of time to deal with it when I get back..but if I delay and let her escalate it to a full chargeback I might gain a few more days when I get back to get funds into my account.

Bother bother bother...will go and see how quickly I can get money into my account...

soolin

I've never had a dispute so I assume I am right in thinking that as soon as it does escalate to a chargeback my account will be frozen, so I can't even sell some stuff as soon as I get back as I'd planned to get funds in. I have a whole load of BIN items just sitting waiting to upload the minute I get back online.

charlottevwa

Soolin i THINK that you can still receive funds into your paypal, so you can carry on selling, you just cant withdraw them until your account is "unfrozen" if that makes any sense? lol. It all depends on the circumstances also though... your paypal account may not be frozen at all.

I once sold an item (about £60), Buyer opened a dispute claiming it was not exactly as described. This dispute went on for over 2 months before Paypal closed it in MY favour (thankgod), but during that 2 months, my account was not frozen, and I continued selling and withdrawing money from the account. HTH! x

missyg_3

I didn't know you can't refund without funds in your Paypal account? Does that mean it won't just come off your credit card if you do a refund, and you actually have to pay funds in first?

I suppose there's no way to set up an automatic payment so it goes through on a certain date in the future? Will there be no internet access available while you're away? (I know it's not exactly ideal to log in while you're on holiday).

Typical this happens at such a bad time for you

RFW

soolin wrote: »

I've never had a dispute so I assume I am right in thinking that as soon as it does escalate to a chargeback my account will be frozen, so I can't even sell some stuff as soon as I get back as I'd planned to get funds in. I have a whole load of BIN items just sitting waiting to upload the minute I get back online.

No, the only part that gets 'frozen' is the disputed amount, nothing else, you are free to sell and to send and receive funds. From what you have said I don't think you have anything to worry about, the worst that will happen is your account could go into a negative balance and they will send you an email giving you a certain amount of time to replenish it. Most of that time will be bank holidays any way and you will be back off your hols by that time.

You can also still withdraw monies too, only the disputed amount is affected. Paypal can freeze accounts differently for other reasons, but these don't apply in this instance.

soolin

Thank you all, as you can tell I'm panicking a bit.

I wouldn't mind but I never refused to refund and I'm not trying to be difficult..I just can't see how to refund before I go away. What I've done so far is made arrangements to transfer funds in from my bank account, and paypal say that will tke 7-9 working days. I have responded to the dispute saying that I will refund as soon as I have funds available, assuming book has still not arrived.

I still think there is something dodgy going on, I'd love to know why buyer has been suspended. Still, it doesn't alter the situation really except that she can't leave me feedback and I can't leave her any either.

soolin

missyg wrote: »

I didn't know you can't refund without funds in your Paypal account? Does that mean it won't just come off your credit card if you do a refund, and you actually have to pay funds in first?

It won't allow me to just refund, it says 'insuffucient funds', so it looks like I need cleared funds available to do a proper refund and I'm not risking sending her a refund any other way.

charlottevwa

Soolin, do you have a partner of friend with a paypal account?? As last time i needed to refund someone (when i had no money in paypal) I just sent the money to my paypal from my husbands paypal account, and then refunded the buyer... then I just sent the money back to my husband via my paypal (debit card)

does that make sense?? lol if it does... it is a good idea, as it worked for me!

dotchas

Good thinking #10