Overstock.com and PayPal

Roger Kemp · Post by **Roger Kemp** » 27 Dec 2007 1:29 am

http://www.paypalwarning.com/paypal_phone_number
Same thing happened to me. "Ebay" is in on it also they are paypal. I purchased a razor off ebay from a power seller Item descripton stated it was the worlds sharpest and it would never go dull. When I recived the razor I tried it out. It wouldnt cut soft butter. I contacted the buyer and told them that the razor was dull and wouldnt work I asked for a replacement or refund and I was told that they were sorry that I must have tougher hair than the average person! since the item had been used it was now a health risk and they would do nothing. I sent them a reply that I didnt have tough hairs that a 10 pack of .99 wal-mart razors shaved my fully grown beard with one swipe I got the same responce. so I contacted ebay buy phone since they sent me a special direct number for being a good customer LOL

not to be given out yea right

anyways the rep agreed that the razor discription was diceptive and she told me to contact paypal. I did and got an auto response. after three weeks I got a reply that the product was not grosly misrepresented hensforth the dispute went in the favor of the seller. I contacted paypal via phone and may have acted like legal council

politly told them that they the seller and ebay would all be listed as defendants in an upcoming case. The paypal rep advised me thay there was no need for that, since my client "ME" was a good customer and had'nt filed other claims they would refund the monies. However the seller would still be found in the right. Tell me if that isnt insult to innjury. I did get my money back tho less shipping. I think that if everybody that had bad dealings with ebay and paypal would contact their att general and fed att general maby we could get somthing done to these big proffit machines. Better if we all could get a high profile law firm to do a class action suite against them and all of us join maby ebay would pay more att to us and not their proffits so much. Why does ebay raise their fees when they are making record number proffits. Just like the oil industry. "BUSH"

only agreeing to sign a bill to raise mpg standards for autos to 35 mpg for all cars and lite trucks if they include a 10 billion tax break in the bill for him and other oil industry holders makes me so mad

wish there was another civil war with all of us holding the GOV accountable. sorry got off the topic Im done ranting now.

Tom Zielinski · Post by **Tom Zielinski** » 27 Dec 2007 6:09 am

I would never use my bank account with paypal. I got burned by paypal a few years ago for $30 and I was using my credit card. I never got my money from paypal, but my credit card company backed me up.

After going through all the steps with paypal, and contacting them several times, they "closed" my paypal account (they locked my password) and stated that the only way I could use paypal again is if I faxed them my bank account statement and use my bank account. I couldn't believe it. Thay shafted me on $30 and expected me to give them bank access.

Since then I have had 100% success using money orders, which isn't quite failsafe either.

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 27 Dec 2007 6:52 am

It seems to me that there must be a clear audit trail that will show the truth of the matter. There is a record of all such transactions and the record represents the facts. This isn't a matter of opinion...

The two key questions are:

Has your PayPal account been credited by Overstock.com?
Has your bank account been credited by PayPal?

Antolina · Post by **Antolina** » 27 Dec 2007 7:13 am

In a recent dispute with paypal I learned that their much touted "protection" is only valid for ebay purchases and nothing more. They will offer to act as mediator but that's as worthless an edeavor as the guy who might have ripped you off.

I also learned (through bitter expeience) that if you send a payment in error to another paypal member, you're also on your own. In my case the individual involved was honest and authorized a refund. However, they weren't obligated to refund the money.

Caveat Emptor

Jude Reinhardt · Post by **Jude Reinhardt** » 27 Dec 2007 9:11 am

RC Antolina wrote:In a recent dispute with paypal I learned that their much touted "protection" is only valid for ebay purchases and nothing more. They will offer to act as mediator but that's as worthless an edeavor as the guy who might have ripped you off.

I also learned (through bitter expeience) that if you send a payment in error to another paypal member, you're also on your own. In my case the individual involved was honest and authorized a refund. However, they weren't obligated to refund the money. Caveat Emptor

Paypal's a part of ebay. Why would they protect you if you bought from someone else? I buy from forum members and most of the time pay with Paypal. If they stiffed me I wouldn't expect paypal to go to bat for me no more than I'd expect the post office to go after someone if I sent them a M.O. and they reneged on the deal.

It you sent a payment in error and the person authorized a refund, how was that a bitter experience?
I'm following this thread fairly closely as I've been with ebay and paypal since 2002 and have not had any problems that weren't of my own doing. Somtimes we shoot ourselves in the foot and don't really want to admit it. Maybe I've just been lucky but with over 900 transactions on ebay in five years you'd think somebody would have screwed me by now. I'm still at 100% positive feedback selling and buying under the user name heyjude45638. You'll find my Feedback here-
feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=heyjude45638

Jude

Antolina · Post by **Antolina** » 27 Dec 2007 9:41 am

Hey Jude,

Easy on me. My reply is to the guy that got stiffed by overstock and ebay gave him a hard time. I was explaining paypal policy as I know it.

I sent a payment in error once to a person and hit a typo. Turned out the guy did the right thing but paypal wouldn't get involved.

I too have a 100% feedback on ebay. Don't be so quick to jump. I have no fight with you.

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 27 Dec 2007 9:52 am

NBC is owned by GE and yet I seem to recall seeing GE ads for just about everything on competing networks. I think it has to do with expanding markets. Likewise, I've used PayPal to buy lots of things online that were not on eBay.

If I ever fail to get satisfaction from PayPal, that will end. That's why they SHOULD care. Everone's experiences are apt to differ.

Like I said, the actual transactions that get booked will represent the facts.

I will say, your experience has added to my apprehension about giving them my bank info and becoming "Verified", which I believe is what you have to do if you sell a lot through PayPal. I think you get something like 6 sell transactions per year before they force you to Verify.

Jude Reinhardt · Post by **Jude Reinhardt** » 27 Dec 2007 11:54 am

My apology RC. I shouldn't have quoted or picked your post to reply to. I'm trying to get my positive feelings about ebay and paypal across and am doing a poor job of it.

Jude

Antolina · Post by **Antolina** » 27 Dec 2007 12:06 pm

No problem Jude.

Paypal is a good way to both send and recieve money and most people are still somewhat integral. However, it comes with some perils outside of ebay that we need to be aware of.

The only problem I ever had on ebay was a banjo I bought. I sent a money order and he never sent the banjo. My bad entirely. Had I used Paypal back then, they would have gone to bat for me and at least curtailed his ebay activity. As it was I left him a negative feedback and kissed it off as a learning experience.

Carl Heatley · Post by **Carl Heatley** » 27 Dec 2007 1:46 pm

I have 4 bank accounts,..2 I use for paypal only.
One acc. is in Norway that I use for E.U transactions
and one in the U.S.A for all my U.S. transactions,
When I buy somthing I wish to pay for useing paypal
I just transfer enough money from one of my other accs into my paypal acc....That way there is nothing
in those acc to steel or get scammed.

The only problems I ever had is when I got a new bank card with a diferent # on it....I had to close one paypal acc and open another.
Its by far the fastest and safest way to send money.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 27 Dec 2007 3:59 pm

For those of you who have never had a problem with Ebay, PayPal, or Overstock.com or Amazon.com , I am very happy for all of you ...However , when you DO finally run into trouble with any one of them, you will fully understand what I am going thru ...When you have MANY dealings with PayPal , I would assume that they will go to bat for you since you are making them big money !!....It stands to reason that it would work that way ...Overstock.com's revenue skyrocketed once they brought in PayPal ...It's all written about ...Overstock.com pays HUGE dividends to PayPal for their service ...If there is a problem , who do you think PayPal is going to honor ?
To those of you who say " there must be proof somewhere in writing that your money never was returned " ...YES there is , and after going thru everything I went thru with Overstock.com, and with PayPal , I copied the exact letter that PayPal sent me earlier in this thread !!...They are basically saying that it is NOT their policy ...READ WHAT I POSTED and you will see what they said ...I DO have the proof, but nobody is doing anything about it ...I went on a live chat today with a person on Overstock.com and they saw the error and appologized for it , and said that it was listed that I now had store credit ...HAHAHAHAAHA !!...WTF ???....I asked him to show me in writing that I had store credit , and please send me the link that said this ...He then replied that I should buy something ,and I would see that the store credit would be in place ...I then told him that I was also told that my PayPal account was reinversed which it wasn't, and was I now going to be fool enough to purchase something AGAIN from the company that has NOT given me back my money ???...I also told this person that my lawyer will be contacting the Attorney General in NY that they are friends , and that Overstock.com will be hearing from them shortly ... There was a long pause in the communication ,and then they wrote that this matter was turned over to a "Special Representitive " and that I would recieve my refund in 1 or 2 business days ...I then asked if he was humoring me , or just pacifying me only to screw me out of the money one more time ....He assured me that the money would be returned ...I will wait until Monday, and we will see what they do ...This has been a long drawn out process, and I am not one bit happy and will NOT give up ....I will be on them like white on rice !!....I will make it my mission to get the word out even if I wear my fingers to the bone typing and getting the word out ...I can't believe that this is even happening ...NOW I have learned that if I do ANYTHING over the internet in the future, that I will do it with a credit card , and at least have the power of the credit card company to cover my butt !!.....THAT was the BIG mistake on my part, but I should not be penalized for being an honest person and using my bank account for payment ...Stupid maybe, but not dishonest ....Jim

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 28 Dec 2007 6:48 am

Good luck, Jim. And thanks for making us aware of this. I'll stick to the credit card even through PayPal. I actually sold something on CraigsList and received payment through PayPal and rather than have it transferred to my bank account I left it with PayPal until I spent it recently.

BTW: Are you related to Milton Quackenbush, former piano player for Mel Tilis?

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 28 Dec 2007 3:18 pm

Ron,
No relation to Milton Quackenbush....

To all who replied, and to all who read this thread ....Don't make the same mistake that I did ..If you are going to make a transaction on the internet, make SURE you use a credit card company that will back you up if you run into a problem like I just did ....

I FINALLY got this situation resolved ...I'm SURE it was the Attorney General threat that sent the wheels in motion ....Just as soon as I mentioned the Attorney General, there was a LONG pause , and then after a few minutes , they got back on the live chat and told me that I would have my money in the next 1 to 2 business days ....I really thought I was sunk, but they FINALLY reinversed my PayPal account .. A couple of good lessons I learned ...

1) Always use a credit card when doing business so you can be protected by the credit card company should something go wrong

2) NEVER EVER think that PayPal is your Pal !!

3) DON'T EVER think that Ebay will back you up !!

4) The company that has the most money , will be taken care of first by all means necessary..You, the customer , does nothing more than fund the BIG MACHINES !!.....

5) If you run into money problems on the web with these BIG MACHINES , mention the Attorney General

Thanks to all for your comments , for your vote of confidence, and for your kindness through this thread ...I've always been very proud to be a member of this forum, and I can say with all certainty that we have a good bunch of folks on this forum without a doubt !!....Thanks again ...Happy Holidays to all !!.... God Bless you all ...Sincerely, Jim

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 28 Dec 2007 3:22 pm

I prefer to use PayPal than give out my credit card number to anyone I buy from, which is what used to happen before PayPal became available. I have a bank account in the US and a bank account in the Channel Islands (UK islands off the coast of France). I can specify with each transaction which account it comes out of. I haven't been defrauded yet (touch wood !)

Don Blood · Post by **Don Blood** » 1 Jan 2008 1:37 am

James,

I'm glad you finally got this resolved. I had a problem a couple years ago, and it was plenty frustrating. I finally got the phone number for pay-pal and talked to 3 or 4 different people before they finally came through. I remember that it sure was hard to find their number!

Hope you have a safe and prosperous new year.

Don Blood

Tommy Helms · Post by **Tommy Helms** » 1 Jan 2008 7:19 am

Jim,
Sorry to see your hassle.

FYI. Luckily I set up separate a checking account and
a separate credit card account for Paypal. Canceling them when fraud ocurred was my purpose and it worked. It might be worth considering in this type situation too.
Tommy

Richard Tasso · Post by **Richard Tasso** » 1 Jan 2008 10:44 am

http://www.paypalwarning.com/paypal_phone_number

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 1 Jan 2008 5:04 pm

Thanks again to all, and also Happy New Year to all of you ....

Richard ,
This is a GREAT link !!.....Now maybe some of the guys who say " I've done 50 transactions with PayPal and never have I had a problem" will be able to see just what PayPal is capable of , and how they deal with folks ...All you need is ONE time for a problem to happen ....This could be YOU !!....God knows I hope not ....Sincerely, Jim

The Steel Guitar Forum

Overstock.com and PayPal

Glad you've finally got this resolved.

paypal phone info