topic PayPal payment successful but eBay say it failed in Member To Member Support

PayPal payment successful but eBay say it failed

kevin-1911 — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:57:34 GMT

Hi all,

I won an auction for a PC - the total was £152 including postage. On Saturday morning, I paid on the eBay app with my £12.18 eBay balance and the rest from PayPal pay in 3.

I got confirmation from PayPal that the payment was successful and an immediate "thanks for your purchase" notification on the eBay app. But I also got an immediate email from eBay to say that the transaction failed. And sure enough when I go into my eBay account is still saying that I've not paid. On the PayPal side it all looks fine, and the payment has clearly been sent. There a transaction id and everything. eBay insist it's a PayPal issue and PayPal insist it's an eBay issue. I've raised a dispute with PayPal and they say they're waiting on eBay to get back to them.

Since then, eBay have cancelled the order saying I didn't pay for it in time (even though I did). The £12.18 from my eBay balance has disappeared, indicating the payment did go through, but eBay seem to have not associated the payment with the item. I'm kind of stuck. I tried emailing the eBay complaints team and they just replying saying they only help sellers not buyers. There doesn't seem to be any sort of escalation route for buyers.

Anyone seen this before?

Re: PayPal payment successful but eBay say it failed

red_magpie — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:38:03 GMT

There doesn't seem to be any sort of escalation route for buyers.

If you don't get your £12.18 balance back, as eBay's handling of customer payments and monies is regulated by the Financial Contact Authority you could as a last resort refer this to the Financial Ombudsman. eBay will be very anxious to avoid this so even the threat of doing so - in writing to their address in the user agreement - is likely to achieve results.

(This option is not available for disputes under eBay's money back guarantee, which is not reglated by the FCA - or anyone!)

Re: PayPal payment successful but eBay say it failed

*vyolla* — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:41:44 GMT

I don't think that you can do a split eBay balance and Klarna payment.

Contact PayPal and ask them if that payment is going to be refunded.