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Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

Hi,

I've had an online business for a while and have mostly been paid via stripe. Since COVID I had decided to take this to ebay. Sales of gym equipment are massively in demand and my business Paypal account went from £100-£200 a month to about £5k in a few weeks.

Paypal did checks are 3 different points. The first check was identify, the second was for the business documents. A day after the limitations were removed for the second check they asked for invoices, proof of fulfilment etc. I sent all the requested documents expecting there to be no issues as it's a legit selling of gym equipment business. Then to my horror I got an email stating that I was high risk and they were closing my account!?!

How is this even possible? I have no idea what else you could do other than just selling stuff you have. How is that high risk?!

Anyway, I now have loads of gym equipment that I have ordered due to the demand and I need to get them back on Ebay. I have resorted to my personal account which has quickly got up just past the £1800 mark and I've been asked for ID docs. I had another family paypal account which I also used which was limited after a few £100 asking for fulfilment, invoices, purpose of selling the item etc.

So being a newbie to this and just wanting to get back to selling the gym equipment in stock what are my options? Can I continue to sell on my personal account? Is there a limit I should be aware of before they close that to?

Or do I need to go stealth with new Paypals? My ebay is fine and I have just swapped the paypal payment to the different paypal address. Is this ok?

Thanks

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

You will be burning through all of your family & friends accounts at this rate.

Unless your accounts are fully established selling in a lower risk category first, it will be difficult to switch to a high value / high risk category. Paypal will continue to shut down your accounts.

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

Hi, But everything sent out is sent with tracking. And gym equipment is usually bought for the long term. People don't buy and return gym equipment.

So what are my options? I have one account that is not locked that I stopped at £1900 ...Is there a limit like £2000 a week I can get away with or something? Can I use this account to cash out to my bank but use stealth account to accept payments from sales on?

This is all absolutely mad might I add. I can't get my head around it being a problem of...I have an item in my hands to sell...I'll send it to you if you give me money...the payment is made and I send you the item. Job done. How does Paypal even exist if it has a problem with people doing this.

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

No thanks to all the scammers. They have made paypal like this.

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

Who the hell is going to go to the trouble of returning some 25kg dumbells?

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

For the sort items you're selling, you'd have a hard time circumventing PayPal long term.

If you make a good profit and wish to stay in this niche, consider offering Paypal an account reserve: either minimum or rolling. Ask them to set it at whatever they are comfortable with. Tell them you can contribute your funds to the reserve - they won't accept this, but it makes you look serious.
Of course, you can dress this up in some impressive business plan. Get someone from people per hour to stitch it all together for you.

It's a long shot but it's only ink on paper so there isn't much to lose.

Good luck

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

I find it extremely unfair, how either PayPal or eBay can just pull an account, there needs to be an intermediary system in place, it should be considered as illegal.

I know it is all the scammers that have ultimately caused this unfortunate situation, but neither eBay or PayPal, should be able to just ruin someone's business without any "real" appeal process....

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

I think the problem, could be that you grew too quickly.... Unfair situation for a genuine seller.... But it is not unusual for a scammer to build an account up, jump through the hoops, get the higher seller limit, then go on a mass fraud, selling all kinds of products.... Unfair and no real appeal process, something needs to change in the UK with regards to a real right to appeal..

Regardless of ebay and PayPal making their own rules... It should be deemed as illegal to just whip away someone's account.

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

yeah, really annoying when you clearly have a legit business but this amount of money... i cant see it working this quick. maybe if you can get paypal on the phone and ask there opinion if you are doing everything legit.

Re: Legit Business Paypal Closed?! Options?
 

you would be surprised what they return,INAD,Ebay send them a shipping label