New Payout Rules for Business Accounts

[mutley2695]

I have business account and Ebay in their infinite wisdom, have changed the way I'm paid out to 3 days after delivery has been confirmed. Apparently this is being rolled out to everyone via email. Anyone else experienced this?

[rockertron-toys]

There is on mine! ebay will be creeping this in for all accounts. I'm long standing with an exemplarily account without any issues whatsoever so if they've done it to me they'll do it to everybody. I've gone to the ombudsman today its my last hope. Oh and guess who bags the interest on these held funds? If ebay carry on like this they're going to lose a lot of customers. 

[rockertron-toys]

It's true! Read my other posts. G

[rockertron-toys]

CS lie to you. You cannot talk to the team that implemented this-they are a bunch cowards and leave it to the agents who just give you lip service.  I was told the restriction would last for 30 days [lie] as nothing happened. Contacted again and was told 60 days [another lie] as still nothing has happened.  Guess what I'm now at 75 days-nothing is going to happen & the agents just keep lying stringing you along. They just want you to suck it up and get used it-simple. I'd rather they just told the truth and said "hey this is what we're doing if you don't like it too bad!"  Trust me, with the conversations I've had with CS this isn't going away and eventually all accounts will be at ebay's ransom. Watch this space!

[the_retro_club]

I sell furniture on ebay and this new payout system has caused havoc with my business. I can not deliver a sofa with royal mail, yodel etc so can not prove delivery. I deliver all over the country and in order to make it work I have to build up several sales as customer postage for 1 item no where near covers the cost of fuel, my wage, food, accomodation etc. As they won't pay upfront I can't afford to deliver the items which I was then going to have to then post a letter using the shipping label with a note saying thank you for your purchase in order to receive payment as I have no other way they will accept proof. However as they dont pay upfront I can't even deliver as dont have cash flow as they are holding on to all my money from sales. So now customers are opening cases  asking where there item is, but to make matters worse they won't even allow me to refund the customers because it states I dont have enough funds because it won't allow to refund from the money they have on hold from the initial sale, they expect me to refund out my money when i havent ever received the money from the sale in the first place! They won't take the money off hold because I have cases open against me but they are the reason I am getting cases opened. My hands are completely tied and this is actually now detrimental to my business. They also have now stopped me listing (not that I can deliver now anyway unless local). I have no idea what they are playing at not paying. So 3 issues here, not paying upfront means I can't afford to carry out deliveries, having to prove delivery with a scanned royal mail label when I can hardly post a sofa or chest of drawers, wardrobe etc and won't allow me to refund customers because they have my funds on hold and wont refund out the money from the actual sale. Like times aren't hard enough already! Ive spoken to them several times and all they say is you need to not have cases open in order to have money released but can't deliver without payment and can't refund and so every sale I did make since this new system I have lost (basically an entire month worth of sales and probably destroyed my 100% positive feedback all because of this new system, when 3 -4 weeks ago I had a small but functioning business, now ground to a holt. 

[typo_lee]

I now have a case open with the ombudsman who seem quite interested in the case tbf. Time will tell. Ebay are holding £1000s of our money and we are not getting a single penny released up to now which is some 30 days since we were put on this so called new restriction/policy. The interest they must be making on the held money is huge. BTW we had zero warning this would be applied to our account. No time to prepare for the severe cashflow issues this would cause etc. I cannot believe ebay have done this.

[rockertron-toys]

I've also gone to the ombudsman.

[typo_lee]

So far the financial ombudsman have said that ebay are regulated as they are a 'payments processor' and they can certainly look at our complaint. So fingers crossed something can be done about this. Albeit it wont be quick!

[typo_lee]

Just been on the phone to a chap from Dublin CS. Great bloke to be fair. Only agent have had some sense out of. On the phone for 40 mins! He checked our account. Went through everything. Risk check, Account standard (which is above standard we havent been TRS for years now) etc etc. He cant see zilch as to why this has happened. He has confirmed business sellers most definitely would not have payouts held for 30 days like ours. He said even private sellers get their funds that have been sent untracked within 48 hour now! Hes supposedly raised a case to get a risk review done within 72 hours as he cannot see any red flags whatsoever. He said what can happen is if you get a lot of repeat custom it can cause a flag. I replied saying surely if your getting repeat custom that shows your products a good. He agreed. All very odd and convoluted. I said it is now with the financial ombudsman but he couldnt comment on an open case with the ombudsman. I will keep everyone posted.

[the_retro_club]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I too have been promised my money after lengthy phone calls, similar to you had the issue raised and escalated internally, told they'd respond within 24 hours, nothing. Chased got told something different again. Each time they find a different excuse not to pay, not of which make any sense and this has now gone on for around 3 -4 weeks and still non the wiser. Each agent tells you something completely different, some very sympathetic, some promise payments, some promise deadlines etc etc but not one despite multiple phone calls has rectified this impossible situation. 

[typo_lee]

Have you not had any money after 30 days from date of order even?

[typo_lee]

I notice your still selling on here. Your items are live. Surely if your not being paid at all you should pull the plug and stop selling as it looks like ebay are going to keep your money indefinitely from what your saying.

[honeymonster007]

The only way you get paid after 48hours for an untracked item is if the buyer leaves positive feedback otherwise its still 14 days. 

[the_retro_club]

This isn't necessarily the case. I was informed this but 14 days passed and still no payment. I had positive feedback left and no payment. Only way I've managed to get paid was after delivery (of the couple of items I managed to deliver before my money ran dry) was to post a tracked letter to the buyer saying thank you for your purchase and that is my proof of delivery. I sell furniture so have to drive sofa/wardrobe/drawers etc in my van and then post a letter as I have no other way to prove delivery. No one seems.to really understand what is going on or why.

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@honeymonster007 wrote:

The only way you get paid after 48hours for an untracked item is if the buyer leaves positive feedback otherwise its still 14 days. 

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[typo_lee]

Not for us. All ours are 2nd class letters (labels purchased through ebay) as they are small personalised stickers. It been 30 days and counting with no release of funds. I have been forced now to go to the Financial Ombudsman as my business will go down the pan. If no money is coming in a business cannot function obviously.

[the_retro_club]

Yes, unfortunately despite ebay providing a label because it is not tracked it seems this is not an accepted way of proof of delivery.  

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Why would an untracked item without proof of delivery, no matter where it was bought from, be proof of delivery?

[typo_lee]

Financial Ombudsman have asked me to file an official complaint first with ebay commerce Ltd and then wait 15 days for ebays response. Will report back here.

[rockertron-toys]

My problem is that they are holding payments until delivery is confirmed and then another 72 hours. 80% of my business is overseas & deliveries take 3-4 weeks due to the brexit debacle. So instead of being paid out within 24 hours I have to wait up to a month. They can hold payments for 30 days despite good feedback being left and orders that have been delivered but not showing on their system. This is common for Australian orders as they are mostly PO addresses.  For the last 3 months I have been paid out for everything but have to wait for payment until they decide. Today they sent me a message;

"This restriction is not appealable. The team did recommend that some sellers in the same situation use you lend option to give some extra working capital if needed whilst waiting for items to be delivered, and funds released"

So they hold funds for up to 30 days, earn the interest and then want to loan me money via You Lend who they are partnered with. Ermm?

My business has been focused on regular monthly auction format sales-it works very well for me and is my main source of income so I can't just pull the plug-ebay know this. I have to wait for my money or I loose a massive income. 

[the-layer-laboratory]

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@rockertron-toys wrote:

"This restriction is not appealable. The team did recommend that some sellers in the same situation use you lend option to give some extra working capital if needed whilst waiting for items to be delivered, and funds released"

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This predatory behaviour is absolutely disgraceful! I'm raging internally having read it. Every time I think ebay has reached an all-time low, they go and prove me wrong and show me how far they are prepared to sink.

[mikilee]

Hi Kat,

My business account has had every sales payout held until after delivery confirmation for the past month, it doesn't look like my account has any performance issues though.

Thanks,

Miki