Paypal buyer protection - buying an item from abroad (sport parachute) advertised on Facebook

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sky_rat
sky_rat Posts: 226 Forumite
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in Consumer rights
I have a personal UK paypal account - I would like to know what protection paypal provides if I purchase a used item (sport parachute) that someone has advertised on a Facebook sales group (private sale).

The item is based in Cagliari (Sardinia) and priced at 1500 EUROS.

I don't know the seller and the item costs a lot of money, so I would like to know what protection paypal provides if the item doesn't turn up, or not as described, or damaged etc.
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  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
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    Of all the things I wouldn't buy second hand and sight unseen a parachute is pretty near the top of the list!
  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,521 Forumite
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    Bit too late for any claim after you've jumped and found out its faulty.
  • sky_rat
    sky_rat Posts: 226 Forumite
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    powerful_Rogue wrote: »
    Bit too late for any claim after you've jumped and found out its faulty.

    Thats not the issue - it would be inspected and fitted by a professional rigger before I jump it... and I also have a reserve parachute !

    My concern is financial loss if the item doesn't arrive, or isn't as described or faulty etc
  • theonlywayisup
    theonlywayisup Posts: 16,031 Forumite
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    sky_rat wrote: »
    Thats not the issue - it would be inspected and fitted by a professional rigger before I jump it... and I also have a reserve parachute !

    My concern is financial loss if the item doesn't arrive, or isn't as described or faulty etc

    If the buyer claims it doesn't arrive and the seller cannot give online tracking showing delivery then the funds are protected for the buyer.

    If it isn't as described or is faulty, the buyer has to send the item back to the seller with an online trackable method of delivery. That will be expensive.

    https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/useragreement-full?locale.x=en_GB Section 13 for buyer protection.

    These are not consumer rights but protection from paypal.
  • bris
    bris Posts: 10,548 Forumite
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    For £1500 Paypal will refuse your claim if they can't get it back from the seller. In theory they are good in practice they don't like paying out of their own pockets.


    They are likely to put a hold on the seller withdrawn that high a value though so it should be stuck in their account for a while to see if anything happens.
  • theonlywayisup
    theonlywayisup Posts: 16,031 Forumite
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    bris wrote: »
    For £1500 Paypal will refuse your claim if they can't get it back from the seller. In theory they are good in practice they don't like paying out of their own pockets.


    They are likely to put a hold on the seller withdrawn that high a value though so it should be stuck in their account for a while to see if anything happens.

    Paypal don't refuse a claim because there is no money in the sellers account - if that is what you are suggesting. Paypal protection is irrespective of funds in any account.

    Paypal protection is for 180 days after purchase, if they relied on funds being held sellers would have cash flow problems!
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 72,207 Ambassador
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    bris wrote: »
    For £1500 Paypal will refuse your claim if they can't get it back from the seller. In theory they are good in practice they don't like paying out of their own pockets.


    They are likely to put a hold on the seller withdrawn that high a value though so it should be stuck in their account for a while to see if anything happens.
    theonlywayisup wrote: »
    Paypal don't refuse a claim because there is no money in the sellers account - if that is what you are suggesting. Paypal protection is irrespective of funds in any account.

    Paypal protection is for 180 days after purchase, if they relied on funds being held sellers would have cash flow problems!

    Theonlywayisup is correct here, there is no restriction on seller funds if buyer invokes the PayPal protection guarantee. Your only worry, is as above, the returns costs if item turns out to be not as described.

    OP Just be careful to pay for named goods as a proper transaction, and don't be lured into sending a friends and family payment, or just paying for something that is not specifically named in the description.
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  • gettingtheresometime
    gettingtheresometime Posts: 6,911 Forumite
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    agrinnall wrote: »
    Of all the things I wouldn't buy second hand and sight unseen a parachute is pretty near the top of the list!

    I think I'm with you on this one
  • sky_rat
    sky_rat Posts: 226 Forumite
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    edited 6 July 2018 at 5:49PM
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    agrinnall wrote: »
    Of all the things I wouldn't buy second hand and sight unseen a parachute is pretty near the top of the list!

    In terms of loosing out financially yes (hence the reason for my post) but in terms of the canopy resulting in injury or death its much less of an issue. The canopy will be inspected and fitted to my rig by a professional qualified rigger. In the worse case, if a main canopy malfunctions (which can happen but usually about 1 in 1000 jumps) there is a reserve parachute. I've had two malfunctions and have done 900 jumps over the last 14 years, but I've never had an injury. Statistically you are more likely to be involved in a road accident than a skydiving accident - travelling to and from the airfield is the most dangerous part !

    I called paypal who told me I would be covered providing I transfer the money as a goods/service (not friends/family) - the buyer has to pay a 3.5% fee. They also advised to copy and paste the advert word for word in the note section of the transaction.

    I know people who buy and sell skydiving gear all over the world but it still worries me paying so much money to a stranger in a different country.

    I am waiting for the seller to tell me the shipping costs, he estimates it will be less than 30 EUROS (it will be a small and light package).
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,655 Forumite
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    Facebook is not a medium to use for reliable transactions. End of.
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