@cobwebcottage wrote:
Are you sure?
Just double checked on line and it says you can.
Yes, you can potentially open a Section 75 claim for an eBay purchase made with a credit card, but it depends on how the payment was processed and whether the seller qualifies as the “supplier” under the law.
Direct credit card payment to the seller: If you paid the seller directly using your credit card (through eBay’s managed payments system), Section 75 protection usually applies.
Payment via PayPal: If you used PayPal and funded it with your credit card, Section 75 often does not apply. This is because PayPal acts as an intermediary, breaking the “direct link” between you and the seller. In that case, you’d rely on PayPal’s Buyer Protection instead.
Seller type matters: Section 75 applies when the seller is acting as a business. If the seller is a private individual, the protection may not cover you, since the law is designed for consumer-to-business transactions
Which site is that information taken from or is it an AI response? Paying by credit card through eBay's managed payments system certainly doesn't constitute a direct payment to the seller so that bit is definitely misleading.
I purposely stated 'generally' as it can be a bit if a grey area and open to interpretation. However, in most cases purchasing through a third party such as a marketplace will be considered as breaking the direct link that is required for a purchase to be covered by Section 75.
The MoneySavingExpert website gives the following advice:
When does Section 75 apply?
For your purchase to be protected by Section 75, there has to be a direct link between you ('the debtor'), the credit card issuer ('the creditor'), and the place you bought it from ('the supplier'). This is sometimes called a 'DCS' link.
What is – and isn't – covered by Section 75?
You're COVERED by Section 75 if you... |
Purchased something with either a store card or store instalment credit. |
Bought something with PayPal Credit – see our full PayPal & Section 75 guide. |
Used your credit card through Apple Pay / Google Pay. |
Used credit to buy something that's arrived but it's not as described (online, in a catalogue, or over the phone). |
Used credit to buy something that turned out to be faulty (though do check if it's under warranty first, as you may be able to get the manufacturer to fix it). |
Used credit to buy something that never arrived. |
Bought something on credit from a seller that's gone bust. |
Used your credit card to buy something from another country online, by mail order, over the phone, or while on holiday. |
Used your credit card to buy from a ticket site that’s the sole vendor of the tickets (for example, direct from a concert venue). |
Had other costs associated with a cancelled event (for example, a hotel or train tickets). |
It's a GREY AREA if you... |
Bought an item as a secondary cardholder or purchased something in the name of someone other than the primary cardholder (for example, a gift subscription). |
You're NOT COVERED by Section 75 if you... |
Bought multiple single items that only add up to between £100 and £30,000 when combined. |
Bought something from a third party seller. This includes things like buying a ticket from a travel agent or something through Amazon Marketplace, as these are also treated as third party sellers. But you may be able to use chargeback. |
Made your purchase using a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service. Complain to the BNPL provider instead. Failing that, try a chargeback claim. |
Paid for something on your debit card, or with a 'pay by bank app' option (though you might still be able to use chargeback). |
Paid for something with cash you've withdrawn with a credit card. |
Used hire purchase to pay for something, such as a car – this has its own protection scheme. |
More on third party sellers
Buying something through a third party, such as booking plane tickets from a travel agent rather than from the airline, breaks the ‘direct link’ between you and the supplier that's necessary for your purchase to be covered by Section 75.
For example, there have been recent cases where people buying goods from a third party seller on Amazon Marketplace have been turned down for Section 75 claims by credit card companies, because Amazon acted as a go-between and therefore broke that vital 'direct link' between the buyer, the seller, and the credit provider.
Watch out for this, when you're buying from places like:
Amazon Marketplace
Alibaba
Asos Marketplace
Travel agents (both in person, and online)
Third party ticket vendors (for things like concerts or theatre performances)
