Pay Pal "ethics" question

As a rescue, we rarely ship animals. Most rehomes are done face-to-face, so if a rehome fee is paid through PayPal, the animal has changed hands at the same time.
However we are shipping an animal out-of-state. Payment has been confirmed through PayPal and purchaser has sent a FedEx label. At what point is it appropriate to transfer the PayPal funds? Upon shipment? Upon confirmation of live receipt? As soon as you get the confirmation from PayPal?

We generally sweep our account once a week (unless we hit out monthly limit), so not a big deal here, but as we grow, I can see more shipping in our future.

Thanks for your input.

Under your TOS how long after the shipment is received does the buyer have to contact you about a problem?

Originally Posted by bcr229

Under your TOS how long after the shipment is received does the buyer have to contact you about a problem?

24 hours after receipt of the animal.

My thoughts are, I always keep enough in paypal to cover my last transaction or two. That way my bank would never be involved if any dispute was claimed. I also will not (unless its a person I trust) use PayPal for a face to face transaction, the seller has no protection at all. The buyer could claim never receiving the goods, if there is no paper trail.

I suppose things are somewhat different for a rescue.

Originally Posted by Herps Alive!

24 hours after receipt of the animal.

The cynic in me says move the money at 25 hours.

The pragmatist says leave enough to cover the last transaction or so.

The realist says get a merchant processor so you can take credit cards directly - PlusByEMS has lower fees than PP anyway even for remote processing and there's no monthly nut.

Originally Posted by bcr229

The cynic in me says move the money at 25 hours.

The pragmatist says leave enough to cover the last transaction or so.

The realist says get a merchant processor so you can take credit cards directly - PlusByEMS has lower fees than PP anyway even for remote processing and there's no monthly nut.

Yes - working on this. 100% spot on.

Make sure you ship to a confirmed address. Do not mark the shipment as leave at the Fed Ex hub for pickup.
I got scammed by a buyer once by shipping an animal to the hub. Right after he got the animal he filed a claim with paypal saying it was not received.
Even though I provided proof showing he received it, that he emailed me saying he received it and photos showing off the new arrival, paypal took the money and refunded it. The reason they did it is because it was not shipped to a confirmed address. Hold at hub voids the transaction.
Some people know how to work the system and screw sellers.

i start the transfer from paypal as soon as it arrives... I want to make sure it is out of paypal because there are a lot of scams where people can get it to post and it won't clear 5 days later and paypal sticks you with the bad situation. I do not however spend the money.... In order for a refund to be issued you don't have to transfer it back to paypal wait, then refund anyways paypal refunds go back to the buyer a direct route so it doesn't matter. I will always get it out asap and hold in my bank account until the buyer says they are happy.

Originally Posted by SPJ

Make sure you ship to a confirmed address. Do not mark the shipment as leave at the Fed Ex hub for pickup.
I got scammed by a buyer once by shipping an animal to the hub. Right after he got the animal he filed a claim with paypal saying it was not received.
Even though I provided proof showing he received it, that he emailed me saying he received it and photos showing off the new arrival, paypal took the money and refunded it. The reason they did it is because it was not shipped to a confirmed address. Hold at hub voids the transaction.
Some people know how to work the system and screw sellers.

Interesting....
I spoke with PayPal, once upon a time, and was told that having the shipment held for pickup was acceptable because a) a signature is required for pickup, and b) if anybody other than the addressee tries to sign, FedEx is supposed to require written authorization (from the addressee)

Originally Posted by SPJ

Make sure you ship to a confirmed address. Do not mark the shipment as leave at the Fed Ex hub for pickup.
I got scammed by a buyer once by shipping an animal to the hub. Right after he got the animal he filed a claim with paypal saying it was not received.
Even though I provided proof showing he received it, that he emailed me saying he received it and photos showing off the new arrival, paypal took the money and refunded it. The reason they did it is because it was not shipped to a confirmed address. Hold at hub voids the transaction.
Some people know how to work the system and screw sellers.

this is the kind of stuff i'm talking about ^ i sell a lot of luxury watches ($4-10,000) in value mostly and there are WAY more buyers scamming than sellers out there. I get the paypal money out immediately and even unlink my bank so paypal can't get to it sometimes until I hear the buyer received and is not a scammer. Like I said I don't spend it, I just want it out of paypals reach as quick as possible because they don't always rule correctly.