BEWARE OF PAYPAL IN SOUTH AFRICA - What is FNB Involvement? PAYPAL IN SOUTH AFRICA I have had a PayPal account for many years. I have been trading as a seller for about 1 year. I was contacted a few months ago apparently my sales/orders where $10 000.00 a month and the caller wanted to know why? Asked for bank statements etc. Told me they may be a (security) limit of 15-20% to protect sellers. I did not have a problem and emailed all requested documentation. Note: Up until then I had never been accused in any way of anything remotely fraudulent or immoral. Not one of my customers had ever gone without a shipment or in cases of stock shortage or delay a full refund. I actually went far out of my way I basically did more, much more than even expected. I on Monday morning found a message from PayPal basically my average sales for the month I think according to the agent where about 2-3000USD it was just the holiday season that it apparently was 1000USD. But I suddenly without explanation or a chance to discuss the issue had to raise 7000.00USD as security and was told 20% of each sale would be kept as security. So besides that busy period I have in excess of 5 times my monthly order/sales in bondage. (As security) making it very difficult for a small business to operate. I was also having trouble delivering in my stated period of 12 days. I extended that to a maximum of 30 days. But in some cases after a week or so if a US customer opened a case/claim they were refunded before I had a chance to explain that I only get DHL tracking numbers usually once the shipment is basically at the destination. I am working on this trying to find a new logistics company but currently as per the last purchaser he received a refund within 3-4 days of request even in spite of my explanation of late tracking numbers. He received both, was refunded on Friday and on Monday morning received the shipment. This has happened 3 times but I believe will happen a lot more. I also have purchasers who I have refunded out of goodwill as a shipment was late or they asked me to cancel the shipment receive the shipment in 2 cases fraudulently done but PayPal have not investigated or even replied to me besides the general reply. from PayPal we are the best, the most tech. advanced payment gateway. Please provide proof via etc.etc. I went through a period where the manufacturer due to great demand ran out of stock. I then emailed each customer explaining the situation and offering immediate refunds or an option to wait this happens when dealing with mobile phones etc. Currently Paypal are or have as security over 9500USD if you check my monthly sales/orders this is way beyond normal business practice also the interest on the money should at least come back to me. I am paying the commission but I get no protection. Now I have to refund 2 customers who dont want to wait and about 8 customers on a cheap phone that ran out of stock but I have given the choice to wait for the upgraded phone at the same price. Note; I am not the only seller in other words if I dont have stock it is loud and clear on the website but it can happen that if over 2-5 days some phones are sold and suddenly no more stock. My point is your company are holding nearly 10 000.USD of my money, not giving me interest (especially to protect the customer) but no I try refund a customer and I get (Sorry you have no funds available)!! So what is this 10 000USD hold on my account for (Has it been deemed necessary by the FBI). Anyway I have stopped taking sales until I can find a new payment gateway. Please refund customers if I deem it so. In other words I know if a shipment has been sent and if so will have a tracking number within the period and t&c of the purchase. that is from the legal side but I dont work like that as most or all of my sales come from family, friends or relatives of happy customers. I sell in South Africa as well on a different website. I even had to change banks ie. go to FNB as PayPal only works through FNB. (Thousands of people opened accounts with a new bank to use your service) 1000s of people created websites like me as know according to PayPal and FNB PayPal is 100% in SA. and offering full support. the problem once sites where build and banks changed is I sell based in SA to SA customers but cannot sell my product in ZAR. Now would you purchase a local product in the US from a local website in a different currency? No as a customer purchasing locally I want to purchase in my local currency. I asked PayPal telephonically and the answer was that your company currently does not have the technology to allow SA customers to purchase locally in ZAR. Well OK but then I thought you advertise you are the most advanced tech. payment gateway in the world and other gateways offer payments in ZAR and also I read about PayPal Galactic you guys getting ready or setting up a way to accept payments from space. How many people are there currently in space? I understand we are 00000.1% of your market great thats fine then rather dont come here and advertise full support. I have 2 sites one selling only in SA the other internationally. To get back to international site. I have closed PayPal and as mentioned will find another gateway. But if your company refunds customers especially in the US and they receive the shipment as it in all cases except a few that I am dealing with now refund customers and then shipments arrive 1-2 days later it cost me an extra 150.00USD to return the shipment. That is if the customer decides to return it! Not many do! In this case I will declare the IEMI of the item stolen and make sure the phone will not work on any network. Due to your (security) of over 9000USD on a company that sells on average 20% of that per month I have been financing this little business from my SA sales while your company takes 20% of each order adding to (security) funds. Basically I cannot operate with all my profit being held by your company. I also pay the 3.9% commission but get no seller support and the interest on the money where is that? It sounds very much like an economic act of war against small companies. cc: Local SA newspapers. cc: PayPal cc: Cart Blanch ( A TV program uncovering scams and companies with unjust practise). Anywhere else I can publish. The chances are you will now keep my 10 000USD - well after you have paid or refunded customers that I cannot. but it would still be nice to get the rest of the money back with interest!
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 17:35:36 +0000
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