quote:I read on the news boards here that a seller revolt in Australia prompted their eBay to retract the Paypal requirement. ...... Paypal gives me automated fast payment, insurance to buyers, and no bounced checks with even higher outrageous fees, and that's worth 2.9% to me, altho I don't like to be told I can't gamble on check and MO's.
It wasn't as much a "Sellers revolt" per se. It was a ruling from ACCC (Australian Consumer and Competition Commission). The "exclusive dealing" breaches the Australian Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA) s46 for what is called "Third Line/Party Forcing" attempted by eBay. IF it doesn't tend to reduce competition then a Co can apply to the ACCC for protection from s46 for engaging in Third Line Forcing - eg eBay forcing everyone to use PP only. The rulings and details can be found here:
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/823668/fromItemId/336311
This is something that could be seen as anti-competitive behaviour in the USA as well (as elsewhere) - an anti-trust issue.
As for PayPal offering "protection" it is another hollow claim. They do nothing of the sort. But first, eBay's average purchase is for about $156 (AUD). It is quite safe to offer a 20,000 in protection when all items that could possibly cost that much is excluded form that "protection" - and then the "protection" is limited to the amount PP can STEAL out of a seller's account. I say STEAL as most people have never agreed to allow PP to draw money for any other purpose than eBay fees from a seller's account. If PP cannot steal the funds from a seller then they buyer can go whistle Dixie!
As for E-cheques via PayPal they can and do bounce sky high! Yet eBay forces even Aussies to accept rubber e-cheques or they pull listings that say "No e-Cheques"! Worse is that PP never informs a seller that an e-Cheque via them has bounced! PP and eBay deliberately MISLEAD people into believing an e-cheque is "payment". It is not.
What is coming to other places is that eBay will sell advertising that is embedded INTO a seller's Listing they have paid for - even when it is direct competition to the sellers listing! They do so in Australia already! They even claim the listing is "sponsored" by the spammers but eBay keeps the money! There is a cure for that - BILL THE SPAMMERS who pay around $10,000 a month for this imposition. Play hardball with the spammers and don't let them off the hook. Also complain to eBay about SPAM being on listings.
There is another good site for sellers from Australia - http://www.oztion.com.au/buy/ - it is a good site for buyers from anywhere in the world (less competition for the items
), but they don't at present accept sellers from outside Australia.Ta-Ta for now.