eBay and PayPal today launched an expansion of its Buyer Protection programme for the UK. PayPal Buyer Protection, which is provided at no additional cost to eBay users using PayPal to pay for their item from a qualified seller, now offers up to £500 for the non-delivery of items bought on eBay.co.uk, and for the delivery of items that are significantly not as described.
The launch comes as research conducted by YouGov for eBay found that despite the internet’s increasing ubiquity, many shoppers still lack basic confidence when shopping online:
- Just under half of online shoppers (45%) who have hesitations about ordering online are concerned that goods bought online will not arrive, whilst 51% are worried that they won’t be protected if there’s a problem
- 42% think that goods may arrive damaged, whilst 41% believe that the items may be different from what they ordered
- In an average month, men spend £51 on goods online (not including groceries) compared to £36 for women
- 13% of 18-24 year olds say they don’t shop online at all, whilst 35-44 year olds spend the most (£50 in an average month)
From today, when a shopper on eBay.co.uk buys an item from a qualified seller using PayPal, they are protected up to £500. For all other purchases, they will be protected up to £150. For an eBay seller in the UK to become a ‘qualified seller’ they must maintain a 98 percent positive feedback rating and having at least 50 feedback points.
Garreth Griffith, head of Trust & Safety for eBay.co.uk, commented: “Knowing you’re protected if things go wrong should be a basic requirement when shopping online.
The introduction of enhanced Buyer Protection allows users to shop with even more confidence than ever before on eBay. Using PayPal will not only offer buyers the reassurance that their financial details will never be shared with anyone, but now they’ll also be able to rest safe in the knowledge that protection is available in the rare instance something goes wrong.”
These changes are part of an ongoing effort to provide users with an even more secure trading platform. eBay will also highlight whether an item qualifies for protection and the amount of protection available (£150 or £500) on the item page of every listing, so that users can make an informed decision on whether to bid for or buy an item.
Survey carried out online by YouGov plc, among 2,182 UK adult internet users aged 18+. Data is weighted to be representative of the UK adult internet population (aged 18+). Fieldwork ran from 20th to 22nd August 2007. How does someone qualify for PayPal buyer protection? In order to qualify for greater protection of up to £500, the eligible items typically need to be purchased from an eBay seller who has a proven track record and good standing on eBay (at least 50 Feedback comments left for them by customers and with 98 percent of those comments being positive). For sellers who are less well known to the eBay community (i.e. having under 50 Feedback) most items bought from these members, paid for using PayPal, are eligible for up to £150. Buyers can see exactly how much purchase protection their item qualifies for by looking in the “Buy Safely” and “Payment Details” sections of an eBay item page. What type of items does the new protection cover? PayPal buyer protection covers tangible or physical goods that can be shipped. It doesn’t cover intangibles, services, licences and other access to digital content, cars, motorbikes, boats, watercraft, other vehicles, airline tickets airline tickets and items prohibited in the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy. For further information on PayPal’s Buyer Protection Programme, please visit the Buyer Protection link accessible at the bottom of every page on www.paypal.co.uk