Do sellers have any protection whatsoever?

[Vimto]

So I sold an item on Ebay. A vintage t-shirt for $60.

I told the buyer that I would be posting this to him via recorded delivery as it was of high value. I told him there might be a delay in me dispatching it as I can only get to the post office once this coming week.

So anyway, yesterday the impatient b**tard decides to raise a paypal dispute and file a non claim. Before I have a chance to respond, he escalates it.

OK I thought, I won't panic, I'll just enter the tracking number once I've sent it and a paypal representative will have a look at this, and settle the dispute in my favour.

I enter the tracking number, and I get this automated reply:

We shared this postal information with the buyer and asked whether they would like to continue with this claim

Why on earth is the outcome of all this in the buyers hands? So he has the t-shirt which is confirmed with a tracking number, yet he can STILL say he's unhappy and continue with the claim and get his money back? THIS IS RIDICULOUS! Absolutely ridiculous.

[aspkin]

That's PayPal for you... it's tough I know. :(

[yaw1800]

you should of just refunded the buyer after s/he opened that dispute .. Paypal is unpredictable and you can end up losing both the money and your shirt

[TMiles]

I agree with yaw. The best way to win a PayPal dispute is not to fight it. I get idiot buyers who demand I pay there shipping to return an item, and as always they threaten a dispute. I simply agree, then Paypal makes them send back to you. Otherwise, Paypal has been known to destroy items and refund buyer. All this without proof.

Its all a game, you just need to learn the rules...

[GreenBean]

Sadly, a seller has to learn quickly to play paypal better than they play us.
Our best protection is ourselves. Trust only yourself.
When there is a problem, I find the best thing is to rant rave & scream at the monitor.LOL.I calm down & then look at what is involved. OK, means a few meals of humble pie (which I choke on, tbh) but being sensible prevents problems. Even had a naffin' customer buy another item AFTER they contacted me to say sorry.
buyers-->prats<--paypal









*11

[Savannah]

Humble pie...even with Cool WWWWWHip makes ya gag! I find with my new accounts I'm eating alot of it to keep the peace. And keep the accounts. Just don't throw anything at your monitor other than your loud voice! Been there....replaced that.

[TMiles]

I think the quote that sums it up "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.....

[sycore]

The only way to use paypal is to get your money out of their hands before you ship and make sure they have no way of reversing it. ATM, dummy account, "insurance payment", purchase something from your own merchant account, etc. There are many ways. In the old days, before knew all the tricks, I would even use it to buy fast selling merchandise I knew I could always resell easily. As soon as I got tracking number for the stuff I purchased, I would send the buyer his stuff.

[mantisinc]

I have never heard of that happening. All of my non-receipt disputes have been closed when I've given them a tracking number.

Even if they are digital items, I just post a blank evelope recorded delivery, enter the tracking number, and put it in paypal. Never ceased to work before.