So, You’re Hogtied To One Payment System?
And one of the first few thoughts are whether or not that is fair, legal, greedy or monopolistic?
Down under, they are concerned with eBay Australia’s requirement that sellers only offer PayPal as a payment processor for their auctions.
eBay Australia Sellers React to PayPal-Only Policy
“eBay Australia made a decision to remove direct deposit, money orders and checks as payment options”
Are eBay Australia’s New Payment Restrictions Fair Trade?
“eBay Australia’s decision to restrict payments for transactions to its own PayPal service has resulted in a hue and cry from buyers and sellers alike”
eBay asks permission from the governing body, the ACCC;
“One day after announcing the policy, eBay filed an exclusive dealing notification with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which administers Australia’s Trade Practices Act 1974 and other acts.”
Ina Steiner offers discussion at the AuctionBytes Blog and there are more than a couple of PO’d folks in the eBay forum.
Somehow, by simple reason, it just doesn’t seem equitable that the company providing the online space for your sales, posting quarterly revenue of $2.19 Billion, ought to reach for more while angering (and harming financially) so many. I would personally hope that the efforts to look into the anti-trust issues were successful. Seeking immunity from prosecution (where have we heard that before?) screams out loud that something is way wrong!
Oh, and make it clear that if this is successful there – it will be implemented here!!!
There is a lawsuit against ebay/paypal over this very thing here in the US. so would seem paypal if going to try and get it to succeed in Ausgtralia and United Kingdom and then move to argue the lawsuit here in the US. that it has done so in other countries with no issues and no lawsuits. Ebay says sellers are responsible for their own listings, then the payment method should be up to the seller, unless ebay can clearly demonstrate that the type of payment method accepted is putting the security of their system at risk. Before the US lawsuit was initated, ebay allowed bidpay to be listed as a payment option. Then ebay did away with buyer protection other than through paypal, and lawsuit was filed. then bidpay closed shop (uh… did ebay/payapl or associate company buy them out???) and then ebay says only paypal for united kingdom and then added australia. They are on a mission.. the mission to require that only paypal be allowed as a payment method. violation of the fair trade act.