Attention Pay Pal Users!!

The other day a friend and I were discussing how many sellers who accept Pay Pal, put in their ads that you must include 3% to cover Pay Pals charges. Well, guess what?? This is ILLEGAL! Plain and simple, Federal law says merchants can not charge consumers for credit card or online payment type services (Pay Pal, Bid Pay etc) fees. It is the seller who is wanting payment by these convenient methods, they are 100% resposible for the fees involved. So, next time you consider making a purchase from a seller wanting these fees, enlighten them to the legality of their request. Just say NO!

I have to admit that not a lot turns me off on an ad faster than that last line saying "PayPal, add 3%". I see it in ads from all types of sellers. I have seen ads for animals that took my interest, from respectable breeders, and as soon as I see that surcharge, I lose interest. I realize that there are costs involved with PayPal. The are also costs involved in any payment type you take. Some costs are more obvious than others. In any case it is called "The cost of doing business".
  In case anyone was wondering, even though I am not a large scale dealer, the occasional times I do deal over the net, I prefer to take PayPal. I see the money right away, and it is relatively simple for me to access that money. I consider that 3% (or whatever it works out to) as a convenience fee for that ease of receiving payment.
 I have a hard time understanding someone risking losing a $250 sale for the sake of another $7.50. If you are cutting your margins that close, ask $260 for the animal. Personally, from a psychological standpoint, I find that less offensive than the PayPal surcharge.

I personally love PAYPAL and accept it all the time. One thing, yes it is illegal to charge a customer for using paypal, but the law allows for the seller to impose a surcharge of up to but not more than the fees charged by the credit card company or processing company.  I do not charge my customers this charge as I think it is the sellers responsibility and not the customers.  The reason I know about the legality of charging a surcharge is I went around and around with the credit card companies and PAYPAL about this and they all agreed that a surcharge is legal.  I know it is kind of a grey area and the sellers charging the fees should stop.  When I purchase something from someone that says they charge the fee, I never add the fee. I only send them the selling price.

how about the nice people that dont mention the fee until youve sent the monies or purchase price and then all of a sudden they ask..how about the extra 3 percent..?<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>?
i HATE HATE HATE seeing ads begging for the extra charge..
and yes..i will avoid buying from those that ask for it.
i think it stinks..
not much can get to me as fast as an ad that requires 3percent surcharge and i believe it says on the paypals agreement you agree NOT to do it.

Guys.... you're missing a point here.... it's not that the 3% is "illegal".... it's that not charging for the 3% is part of the "contract" you signed with PayPal when you first signed up??? Didn't you guys READ THE RULES??? lmao
If I'm interested in an animal from a dealer that has that in his ad.... I basically tell him that I'll buy his animal, but he can take that surcharge fee and, well, you know!....

....Neil

This has been a hot topic many times. spam_Take a look at past conversations.

paypal talk #1

Chat #2

Adding the 3% actually isn't a violation of Federal law- the sun had set on that staute several years ago. It is however, a violation of various state laws, as well as the TOS that PayPal sellers are obligated to abide by.

As Ken pointed out it is state laws. The part that will get most people is that it is either state. For example I live in CA. If you charge the fee to a resident here you are violating the law even if you are in another state. And I feel that it is a safe assumption that most peolpe do not know the laws of states they do not live.

Neil, what the hell are you talking about rules? &nbsp;Do those apply to me TOO!! &nbsp;I thought that was for everybody else.

Anyway, charging 3% is flat out ass-in-ine (is that the spelling). &nbsp;There have been times I've forgotten my money and only had my PayPal card that when I left home was at a zero balance. &nbsp;I've already just tried it on a long shot and it's worked from an auction payment or something I just got.

Point is, the main one that enjoys the ease of use is the seller. &nbsp;If you can't take the 3% hit for that don't offer it. &nbsp;Plus, if you use your PayPal card you get 1.5% of that back.

Well, it takes all types to makes a world so I guess they're just doing their part

Adam Block

PS I wouldn't do business with anybody surcharging me either..