PayPal Buyer Protection Policy:
This Policy was last modified on June 4, 2004.
General. PayPal Buyer Protection is designed to help buyers recover funds from eBay sellers who do not deliver the promised goods, or who deliver goods that are 'significantly not as described' in the listing. As defined in more detail in section 4.a.2, below, an item is 'significantly not as described' if the seller clearly misrepresented the details of the item in a way that affects its value or usability. Please note that this does not include cases where the buyer is merely disappointed with the item or where the item did not meet all the buyer's expectations. If you file a claim for a 'significantly not as described' item, you will generally be required to return the item to the seller at your expense.
Amount of Coverage. If your PayPal Buyer Protection claim is granted, PayPal will reimburse you for losses up to the amount shown below. Your reimbursement will be paid in the currency of the original PayPal payment, up to the maximum payout listed in the table below:
Currency of Original PayPal Payment Maximum Payout
U.S. Dollars
$500 USD
Canadian Dollars
$625 CAD
Euros
€ 400 EUR
Pounds Sterling
£ 250 GBP
Yen
¥ 56,000 JPY
If you make a single payment for multiple listings, each listing will be eligible for up to $500.00 USD (or the applicable currency limit) in coverage, up to two listings per single payment, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements in section 3 below. If you purchase multiple quantities of an item from a single listing, you are only eligible for $500.00 USD (or the applicable limit in other currencies ) in coverage. For items worth more than the maximum payout as listed above, if the case is decided in the buyer's favor, PayPal will reimburse the buyer up to the $500.00 USD maximum amount of coverage. In addition, PayPal will make reasonable efforts to recover the remainder of the refund from the seller. However, recovery of funds greater than the maximum coverage is not guaranteed.
If an item is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection and your purchase is made with PayPal Buyer Credit, you may be eligible for additional coverage in addition to what PayPal Buyer Protection offers. To review the PayPal Buyer Credit Policy, click here.
If you purchase Money Back Guarantee protection on the transaction, your claim will go through the Money Back Guarantee claim process instead of the PayPal Buyer Protection process. The Money Back Guarantee has a higher limit of $1,000.00 USD and covers all goods whether or not they are as described. The Money Back Guarantee is only available to U.S. buyers and only on selected transactions.
Eligibility. PayPal Buyer Protection will be offered on the eBay listings of sellers who meet the qualification requirements at the time of posting the listing. If a listing is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection, a PayPal Buyer Protection Seal will be inserted on the listing.
Seller Qualification Requirements. A seller's eBay listings are eligible to qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection coverage if the following conditions are met:
The seller's eBay feedback rating is at least 50;
At least 98% of the seller's eBay feedback is positive;
The seller is a member of PayPal in one of the following countries:
U.S.
Canada
Germany
U.K.
The seller has a Verified Premier or Business PayPal account;
The seller's PayPal account is in good standing.
A seller may check whether he or she might be eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection from the "Seller Eligibility for PayPal Buyer Protection" page. The "Seller Eligibility for PayPal Buyer Protection" page is available from the Profile subtab of the My Account tab of the seller's PayPal account. This page is only accessible by sellers in countries where PayPal Buyer Protection eligibility is available. However, because a seller's eligibility status may change, the final eligibility decision will be made by eBay at the time of listing.
Eligibility for PayPal Buyer Protection is automatic, based on the above guidelines. Sellers may contact PayPal by telephone to request to opt out of PayPal Buyer Protection. Any request will be evaluated by PayPal. To contact PayPal about your PayPal Buyer Protection eligibility, log in to your PayPal account and click on the Help link in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Go to the "Contact Us" link, and then choose "Help By Phone" link.
Listing Qualification Requirements. For an individual listing to qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection, the seller must:
List the item on one of the following eligible eBay sites:
www.eBay.com
www.eBay.ca
www.eBay.co.uk
www.eBay.de
Select PayPal as an accepted payment method during the eBay listing process and provide his or her PayPal email address. If the seller is listing the item through the Sell Your Item form, this information is entered in Step 4: Payment & Shipping. Sellers can also list with bulk listing tools or 3rd party listing services, but it is the seller's responsibility to ensure that PayPal is selected as an accepted payment method.
The item sold in the listing must be a tangible, physical item or good which can be shipped. All other items are ineligible for PayPal Buyer Protection coverage, including but not limited to intangible goods, services, quasi-cash, gift certificates, and downloadable or streaming content. Motor vehicles (including cars, boats, and planes), and Live Auctions will not be covered. In addition, items prohibited in the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy are ineligible for coverage. If an item does not meet the above requirements, it is ineligible for PayPal Buyer Protection coverage, even if the PayPal Buyer Protection Seal is displayed in the item listing.
Buyer Qualification Requirements. To qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection on a qualified listing, the buyer must:
File the claim within 30 days of the date of the payment, as described in 4.e below.
Send a single PayPal payment for the full price of the item to the PayPal account specified by the seller in the listing. A buyer may send the payment to any email address associated with the seller's PayPal account. If the buyer sends payment to a different PayPal account, even at the seller's request, the transaction will not be covered by PayPal Buyer Protection. If PayPal discovers sellers requesting payment be sent to a different PayPal account than the one originally used in the listing in order to avoid Buyer Protection coverage, that seller's account access may be limited.
Associate the PayPal payment with the eBay listing. For example, when paying through the Send Money tab, the buyer must select "eBay Item" as the payment type and must enter the correct Item Number before making the payment.
To be sure you meet the above requirements, PayPal suggests paying via the gray "Pay Now" button on the closed eBay listing. This will ensure the payment is sent to the correct PayPal account and associated with the listing in question.
Note: PayPal Buyer Protection is only available to registered PayPal members.
Combined Payments. If a buyer makes a combined payment (paying for multiple listings with a single PayPal payment) to a seller and one of the items is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection, all of the items will be considered eligible, provided they meet the Listing Qualification Requirements in section 3.b above.
Final Decision. The decision to offer PayPal Buyer Protection on a given listing is at the sole discretion of eBay.com and PayPal. If PayPal Buyer Protection is not offered at the time the seller posts the listing, the decision cannot be appealed.
Claims.
Reasons to File a Claim. A buyer may file a PayPal Buyer Protection Claim for one of the following reasons:
The seller did not deliver the promised goods. If the buyer does not receive the goods purchased, he or she is eligible for coverage. Buyers should wait a reasonable amount of time - at least a week - to receive the item, and should first attempt to contact the seller and resolve the dispute before filing a claim.
The item delivered by the seller is 'significantly not-as-described' in the item listing. An item is 'significantly not-as-described' if the seller clearly misrepresented the details of the item in a way that affects its value or usability. Please note that this does not include cases where you are merely disappointed with the item or where the item did not meet your expectations. Reasons that an item may be considered 'significantly not-as-described' include, but are not limited to, the following:
The item is a completely different item than that which was presented by the seller in the listing, e.g. an audio book instead of a printed book, a desktop computer instead of a laptop, a picture of an item instead of the actual item; or an empty box;
The condition of the item is significantly different. For example, if the item has clearly been used multiple times rather than 'almost new' or 'still in box' or is obviously repackaged rather than 'mint';
The item is unusable and was not disclosed as such. For example, if there are missing major parts or components, will not function or turn on, or spoiled or past a relevant date. (NOTE: this applies to the item in its received state, no matter what the condition when it was shipped.);
The item is not authentic and was not disclosed as such. For example, if a fake or knock-off item that was advertised as authentic or a completely different or inferior brand of a similar product; or
The item is missing a major portion or quantity. For example, if the buyer ordered 4 dozen golf balls but only received 1 dozen or 4 golf balls or the item is missing a primary component, like a blender missing a top or coffee maker missing the bottom plate.
An item is not considered 'significantly not-as-described' if:
The item fits into one of the 'significantly not-as-described' categories but was reasonably and prominently described in the listing as such. For example, if the listing states one of the following: "Item is being sold as is," "Item may not work properly," "Item is missing some parts," or "See picture for scratches or damages";
The item is not wanted by the buyer after s/he sees it in person but was properly described in the listing;
The description could have been reasonably misinterpreted by the buyer or the seller. For example, if the item is a different color than advertised (e.g. the item is aqua-marine but was advertised as teal);
The item did not meet your expectations; or
Item has minor scratches but was listed as 'in used condition'.
Please note that these are representative examples. There may be times when the characteristics of the item or the situation do not render the items 'significantly not-as-described.' PayPal encourages all buyers and sellers to communicate with each other before and after the transaction to prevent these issues from occurring. For items that do not qualify as 'significantly not-as-described', we still encourage the buyer and seller to find an equitable solution. PayPal will reserve the right to make a decision on 'significantly not-as-described' if the buyer and seller cannot agree. Once PayPal has made a decision on a 'significantly not-as-described' item, that decision is final and cannot be appealed.
No More Than Two Claims Awarded Per Year. Buyers are limited to receiving no more than two PayPal Buyer Protection claim payouts per calendar year. Each listing in a multiple-item payment is considered a separate claim award. After a buyer reaches the two award limit, he or she may file additional claims under PayPal's standard Buyer Complaint Process. Recovery of funds, however, will not be guaranteed under the Buyer Complaint Process and 'significantly not-as-described' items will not be covered.
If a buyer reaches the two award limit while another PayPal Buyer Protection claim remains pending, that claim will automatically revert to coverage under the standard Buyer Complaint Process.
One Claim Award Per Listing. You may only receive one PayPal Buyer Protection award per eBay listing. For multiple-item PayPal payments, each qualified listing is eligible for up to $500 in coverage.
One Claim Per Payment. You may only file one PayPal Buyer Protection claim per PayPal payment. If you purchased multiple qualified items with a single PayPal payment, you must identify all the items on which you are claiming PayPal Buyer Protection in a single claim. A PayPal Buyer Protection claim may not be edited or changed after it has been filed.
You Must File a Claim Within 30 Days. If you pay a seller who does not ship the promised goods, or who ships goods that are 'significantly not-as-described', you should first contact the seller and attempt to resolve the dispute. If you are unable to resolve the dispute in this manner, you should then file a Buyer Claim with PayPal as soon as possible. You can file a Buyer Claim by going to the "Security Center" link in the footer of any page on the PayPal website. Complaints must be filed no later than 30 days from the date of payment.
PayPal will investigate your claim, contact the seller and, if the seller does not present appropriate proof of delivery, a full refund or other evidence of a satisfactory resolution, PayPal will reimburse you up to the maximum amount specified above, and will use reasonable efforts to collect from the seller any additional amount you paid above the maximum. PayPal may also limit the seller's access to his or her PayPal account. If your payment was funded wholly or partly with a credit card, PayPal will reimburse you (up to the maximum) first by issuing a refund to your credit card, and then by crediting any remaining amount to your PayPal balance.
PayPal will seek to resolve the claim within 30 days of the date the complaint is filed, though such time frame may be extended, if appropriate, to accommodate the investigation. This policy applies only to the sale of tangible, physical goods and excludes all other sales and services, pursuant to section 3.b.3 above.
Buyer Responsibilities. You agree to respond to any PayPal inquiries regarding the claim within the time specified. If you fail to respond to PayPal's request for more information, your claim will be cancelled and you will not receive a refund.
If you file a claim for a 'significantly not-as-described' item, you will generally be required to return the item to the seller, at your own expense. Buyers in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom must use an online-trackable shipping method to return the item to the seller, and will be asked to provide the tracking number to PayPal. For transactions equal to $250.00 USD (or the equivalent in the currency of the transaction) or more in value, you will also need to provide an online proof-of-receipt in the form of a signature from the recipient. Buyers outside the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom should use an online-trackable shipping method if one is available. Once PayPal has confirmed that the seller has received the item, your refund will be processed. Additionally, in some instances, the seller may choose to forego having the item returned. In some instances, PayPal may ask the buyer to file a police report on the transaction to support your claim.
In some cases, buyers will be asked to specify the amount of the refund they would find acceptable to settle the dispute. If you specify a partial refund amount that is less than the amount of the original transaction, and the seller agrees to refund the amount you specified, PayPal will consider the claim to be successfully resolved.
Seller Responsibilities. You agree to respond to any PayPal inquiries regarding a claim filed against you within the time specified. If you fail to respond to PayPal's request for more information, you forfeit your right to appeal and the refund will be paid to the buyer from your PayPal account. You must respond to PayPal's inquiries even if you believe the listing does not qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection under the rules listed in 3.b, above. You may only appeal PayPal's decision if the item was no longer in its original condition (more than the normal wear from shipping) when the buyer returned the item to you.
In the event that PayPal grants a buyer's claim against you under this PayPal Buyer Protection Policy, and you do not qualify for the Seller Protection Policy, you agree to hold PayPal harmless for the reversal amount and to reimburse PayPal from either your PayPal account or by other means.
Please note that the PayPal Seller Protection Policy does not cover you for claims on 'significantly not-as-described' items. PayPal recommends that you provide thorough descriptions and photos of the actual item in the eBay listing to protect yourself against 'significantly not-as-described' claims.
In the event that a PayPal Buyer Protection claim is decided in the buyer's favor, you are responsible for reimbursing PayPal for the amount refunded to the buyer. This could mean that your PayPal account balance will go negative. In addition, your PayPal account access may be limited until PayPal has been reimbursed for the full amount of the refund. If a claim is filed against you, we recommend keeping sufficient funds to cover the refund of the payment in your PayPal balance to avoid having your balance become negative.
If you want to opt out of having your listings covered by PayPal Buyer Protection, you may contact PayPal by telephone at 402-935-2050 to request to opt out. Any request will be evaluated by PayPal.
Decisions are final. Once PayPal has closed a claim, it cannot be reopened.
Additional Terms and Conditions.
Availability. PayPal reserves the right to change or discontinue the PayPal Buyer Protection program for any reason, at any time and for any duration at its sole discretion. Pending claims at the time of any such discontinuance will continue to be processed under the existing program rules until a final decision is reached.
Currency. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts in these Terms and Conditions are in U.S. Dollars.
Access to proof of shipment. PayPal may access shipping information from the courier on your behalf to verify shipment status.
Single PayPal or eBay Claim. You may not file a claim with both PayPal and eBay for the same transaction. If your PayPal Buyer Protection claim is paid, any eBay claim will be denied. If your PayPal claim is denied, your eBay claim will also be denied. However, if your PayPal claim is voided because it was filed more than 30 days after the payment was sent or because it was not covered under the PayPal Buyer Protection program (for example, you have already reached your two claims per year limit), you may file a claim under eBay's standard purchase protection program.