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Ebay's classifieds platform: If there is no agreement, there should be an arbitration
Photo: Monika Skolimowska / dpa
With the new "Pay safely" function, Ebay classifieds introduces its own payment method.
Buyers get the purchase price back if the item does not match the description or does not arrive at all.
The costs for this additional service depend on the agreed purchase price and are borne by the buyer.
For this purpose, sellers have to send the article demonstrably insured.
So far, the company advised that items purchased on Ebay classifieds should be picked up directly from the seller.
Shipping could be arranged individually, but posed a risk. Fraudsters repeatedly exploited the inadequate buyer protection, failed to ship goods or sent counterfeit items.
On the other hand, sellers repeatedly reported unjustified complaints.
New method is not mandatory
With the new function, the amount paid by the buyer no longer goes directly to the seller, but is held in trust for up to 14 days.
Only when the buyer confirms receipt of the item does the seller receive his money.
Significant deviations from the item description should also be secured, according to a press release from the company.
Should both parties not come to an agreement, there is even the possibility of arbitration.
"The possibility of processing the payment via the platform offers a plus in security for both buyers and sellers," says Ebay classifieds manager Paul Heimann.
For the payment function according to the fiduciary principle, Ebay classifieds relies on the Dutch company Online Payment Platform, which has been responsible for the payment processing and buyer protection of the sister portal "Marktplaats" since 2017.
The new payment method is an option, i.e. not mandatory, and can be selected for offer prices up to 1000 euros.
Initially, it is only available for articles in selected categories, including "Toys", "Cell Phones", and "PCs" and "Notebooks".
A gradual expansion has been announced.
The day before the new function was announced, the online trading platform published its quarterly figures.
Despite or because of the corona pandemic, sales in the third quarter grew by a quarter compared to the previous year to 2.6 billion dollars.
The sales forecast for the current year was then raised.
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