How does Ebay and Paypal work?

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Forums › Finance and wealth management › How does Ebay and Paypal work?

Finch

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#172020 8-May-2015 14:37

Hello.

I am looking into buying a few things off Ebay. It seems like the most common payment method that sellers accept is Paypal. So how exactly does it work? Do I input my bank account details into Paypal and then when I want to pay for something I just transfer it like that?

I guess the main thing I am worried about something going wrong and losing everything that is in my account, that's not really possible is it unless Ebay/Paypal gets hacked?

Is it better just to go to my bank, open a new account and deposit money into that account and just use that for Ebay/Online purchases?

So yeah, Do you have any positive/negatives experiences?

Thanks for all the help.

khull

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#1300739 8-May-2015 14:45

eBay and Paypal is one of the same - the parent is eBay which bought them over. Assuming you have created a Paypal account, you can link a bank account or credit card. This is kept separate from your eBay account.

Buying items off eBay only works if you have a US address or the Ebay seller is willing to send it overseas.

Paypal will keep your payment details and you just log in from eBay to authorise the transaction on your winning purchase.

I've had more trades gone wrong with Trademe vs eBay but I am more of the exception.

timmmay

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#1300746 8-May-2015 14:50

You give PayPal your credit card number, it acts like a proxy. Alternately you can probably create a paypal account and load money manually into it from your bank account, but I've never tried that and can't be sure. I'd never give PayPal access to my bank account.

keewee01

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#1300803 8-May-2015 15:25

You use your credit card to setup PayPal; when you win something on eBay you then authorise the payment from your PayPal account and PayPal debit your credit card; all very easy.

As far as I am aware, it is not possible to move money into a PayPal account from an New Zealand bank account - in the US, maybe Australia, and other countries which have localised eBay, you can tie PayPal to your bank account - and it is certainly possible to move money from your PayPal account to a NZ bank account (I've been selling on eBay for years and if I don't spend what is in my PayPal account, I move it to my bank account - have bought and sold thousands of items).

It is very safe and very secure; PayPal is an escrow service and you have 45 days from payment to make a claim if the item does not arrive.

richms

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#1300856 8-May-2015 16:29

I would sooner trust paypal with my card details than any US merchant.

Richard rich.ms

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#1300867 8-May-2015 16:47

khull: eBay and Paypal is one of the same

True at present, but eBay and PayPal will be separate companies soon, according to the latest e-mail regarding updates to the eBay user agreement and privacy notice.