Ebay is a pain: Funds are held for 21 days???

So I just sold an item for the first time in a few years. Been on ebay for probably 10 years, 100% feedback, score of 51. After a couple days guy finally paypals me the money but it's on hold for like 21 days, here's the message:

Your funds are pending - please process this order

You received a payment from "John doe".

This money is being temporarily held in your pending balance. It will be held for up to 21 days. While it's being held, it won't be available for withdrawal.

We'll move the money to your available balance after 21 days as long as your buyer hasn't reported a problem. It may be available sooner if we can confirm that the item was delivered or, if this is an eBay item, your buyer leaves positive feedback.

To get access to this money more quickly, please process this order right away and communicate with your customers early and often.


I've never seen this before or had funds held like this, did the buyer initiate this? Should I go ahead and ship the item, hoping he will give me positive feedback? Seems like I don't have any recourse if he decides he doesn't like the item, then I'm out the money and my merchandise.

What would you do? Thanks!

 

What a load of crap! Spin the dial for the excuse of the day for why they won't give you your money.

 

Call Paypal Directly

 

Sounds a bit heavy handed. I've only sold one thing on eBay in 5 years of being a member, so I have no clue about your question.

 

Is it for a large amount of $ or something? I hadnt used ebay in a few years myself...just sold a few things a couple weeks ago and never received a message like that.

Seems kind of fishy to me....

 

Yeah, PayPal does that now. It's not buyer-initiated - it's PayPal-initiated, for transactions they view as potentially "risky." There's lots of criteria for determining what constitutes "risky." In your case, this is probably why:

You will get your funds released when the buyer posts positive feedback, or 3 days after proof of delivery, or when 21 days have elapsed, whichever comes first.

 

Thanks for the replies, cost of item in question was $225, not a huge amount IMO. I've bought things regularly throughout the years off ebay but it's been a while since I've sold anything.

With the inability for the seller to leave negative feedback it seems they are really protecting the buyer these days. Oh well....

 

My ebay history includes a personal ebay account with over 250+ (100%) buying and selling and an ebay store. I will say that ebay/paypal is one of the biggest scams and worst businesses I've ever dealt with. I honestly don't see how they are still in business and I wonder why people haven't boycotted them yet. They have re-dic-u-lous fees, policies, virtually no support, and they often take control of your money. I hated dealing with them and havent in over 5 years. I will play the extra money to deal with a local and physical store.

 

Beats the snot out of Craigs List
where gimpy empty pocket people
ask for half off of $5. The last time
was my last CL listing for sale.

Ebay gets is done and done.

 

Was it an international buyer? I've had this happen a few times when I've bought things, and I've used Paypal. Its not an ebay issue as the times its happend to me have been for items bought off forums and such. I believe it happens if the buyer transfers from his bank account directly. Its more expensive for me, but now I only use my credit card as it will transfer the funds right away, rather than place a hold on them.

 

I just got paid via Paypal (non-Ebay transaction) and got no such message.

Granted it was only $12.

 

I sold my 2000 Concours on Craigslist today for $3300. I paid $2800 for it in September of last year and rode it all winter. Sold it to the 2nd guy that looked at it.

I've had my FZR750 on Ebay 4 times in the last 2 months with no sale and still had to pay listing fees.

Craigslist works if you know how to weed out peoples bullshit.

 

Bought some wheels ($1200) last week through PayPal, got a "courtesy call" from PayPal yesterday morning making sure the transaction was legit.

 

i get alot of paypal payments (non-ebay) and it doesnt get put on hold.. must be a ebay/pp combo deal

 

It is initiated by Paypal to protect the consumer. The fact you didn't have a lot of transactions account for why it was held. The good news as long as you ship the item out and have a tracking # Paypal will release the funds.

It sucks but its just another e-bay/paypal seller f*ck over to continue to side on the consumer. Hence why as a seller you can't leave negative feedback anymore

 

I stopped using Ebay to sell a few years ago. They kept raising fees and it just got to where it didn't make sense anymore.

 

i have never had that happen, but I sell and buy regularly using ebay and paypal. sounds like a good way to protect a buyer from a scammer to me, since as you said you havent used paypal to sell anything in several years.

 

I was told they do that now since some many people are geeting screwed buying stuff and doing charge backs on there credit card so pp is losing money. I have a buddy that had $20-30k held by pp for 90 days from his store front and online business he pretty much lost his business from that.

 

Last month was the first time I had sold something on ebay in a year or two, and paypal held my funds for 20 something days. I read that if they get the merchandise and leave positive feedback they will release it early. So I paid extra to ship it next day and the guy never left feedback. I am going to list on Craigslist from now on.

 

Cool, I shipped the item today via FedEx so I have a tracking number. What do I do, contact paypal and provide the tracking number?

This is all so weird, I use paypal all the time to pay for stuff and even receive money when selling stuff on forums. Never had this hold appear. I do think it's an "ebay/paypal" combo deal that throws up the red flag since I haven't sold anything on ebay in quite some time.

We'll see how it goes, the guy is in Cali so no international buyer also.