General
Sellers
Buyers
General
What is this new payment option you're offering?
Immediate Payment is a free option that can be applied to listings with a Buy It Now offering, including auction-type listings and Stores items. By choosing this option, the seller requires immediate payment through PayPal before the listing can end. Once the payment is confirmed, the listing will officially end. That is, until the buyer completes the payment, the listing will continue to run. This feature initially appeared in the Tickets & Experiences categories and in the Media categories: Books, Movies & Television, and Music. It will soon be available in all categories on eBay.com, as well as in Parts & Accessories and Everything Else on eBay Motors.
So it can be applied to an auction-type listing that offers a Buy It Now price? What if the listing becomes a pure auction-type listing?
Yes, the option can be applied to this type of listing. Just as with a traditional Buy It Now price associated with an auction-type listing, the Buy It Now price disappears once a bid is placed (assuming the reserve price, if there is one, has been met). Once the Buy It Now price disappears, the seller's "immediate payment" requirement disappears too.
How does it differ from a traditional Buy It Now option, then?
The traditional Buy It Now option, which will still be available, does not require immediate payment from the buyer. Traditionally, the buyer indicates that he or she wants the item at the Buy It Now price, the listing ends, and the buyer and seller make payment arrangements. If the seller decides to use this immediate-payment option, the buyer must pay through PayPal. Once payment is confirmed, the listing ends and the seller is instructed to send the item. Until payment is confirmed, the listing will still be available to other buyers.
Can a seller require immediate payment on a pure auction-type listing (i.e., one that doesn't have a Buy It Now price)?
Not at this time.
Are immediate-payment listings identified in Search results?
No. This is a seller option for the existing Buy It Now listing type so there is no special icon. Rather, these listings also have a Buy It Now icon. However, it is clearly marked on the View Item page next to the Buy It Now button.
How will I know it when I see it?
Next to the Buy It Now button in a listing where the seller has chosen the immediate-payment option, you'll see a notation that says the "seller requires immediate payment." Upon clicking the Buy It Now button, you'll be instructed to continue through to PayPal to complete your payment. To see what this looks like, click here.
Will all Buy It Now listings work this way?
No. There will be no change to Buy It Now listings unless the seller chooses to use this option in his or her listing.
So the Buy It Now button will still appear to other buyers while I'm trying to complete payment when the seller requires immediate payment? What happens if another buyer comes along and pays before I finish?
Even after you click the Buy It Now button to begin the payment process, the button will still appear when other buyers view the item. Only after your payment is confirmed will the listing end. Multiple buyers can be trying to pay at the same time, and whoever confirms their payment first will get the item.
Sellers
Does it cost extra to use this option?
No. There is no additional fee for this option. You must pay the current Buy It Now rate (e.g., $0.05 for an auction-type listing with a Buy It Now price) but there is no additional charge if you choose to require immediate payment.
Why must I be signed up with PayPal before requiring immediate payment?
When you use this option, you are requiring that the buyer complete payment before the listing ends. At this time, PayPal is the only method of payment where we can confirm that the payment was successful. Unless you are set up to accept a PayPal payment, no one will be able to purchase your item.
Why must I have a PayPal Premier or Business account?
Buyers must be able to purchase your item with an immediate form of payment. While this can be via a PayPal funds transfer or an instant transfer from the buyer's bank account, it may also be via a credit card. To accept credit card payments through PayPal, you must have a Premier or a Business account.
What if I want to accept an eCheck?
Because immediate payment is required, an eCheck is not an acceptable form of payment for these listings since it takes some time to clear.
What if I don't want to accept credit cards?
You must accept credit card payment through PayPal in order to use this option.
What if I don't know my shipping amount?
You must specify the shipping/handling amount and other fees, including insurance and applicable taxes, while listing the item because the buyer must know exactly what to pay without having to wait for instructions. If you have variable rates, you can specify them with the eBay Shipping Calculator.
Can I still offer insurance at the buyer's choice?
Yes, you can still offer optional insurance as long as you specify the cost. That way, if the buyer chooses to take your insurance option, he or she will know exactly what to pay.
Can I revise my item to remove the immediate-payment option?
Yes, as long as at least 12 hours remain before the listing is scheduled to end. Likewise, as long as at least 12 hours remain and there are no bids (or no purchases on a multiple-item Buy It Now listing), you can revise your listing to add the immediate-payment option.
Buyers
Do I have to be registered with PayPal to buy an item where the seller is requiring immediate payment?
Yes, but if you're not registered at the time you click the Buy It Now button and continue to PayPal, you'll be asked to register before you can proceed with your payment. It's beneficial to register for PayPal ahead of time, because if the item you're trying to buy is a hot item, someone else may buy it before you complete your registration and payment.
If I'm in the PayPal payment flow, is it possible that someone can buy it or place a bid on the item?
Yes, the first buyer to complete payment is the one who gets the item. If you are in the PayPal payment flow and someone buys the item before you do, you will not get the item and, naturally, will not be charged. Likewise, if someone places a bid on the item while you are in the PayPal payment flow, causing the Buy It Now option to disappear, you will not be able to purchase the item and your account will not be charged. As you can see, if the item is one for which the seller requires immediate payment and it is likely to attract a lot of potential buyers, it's to your advantage to already be registered with PayPal so that your account is set up when you go to purchase the item.
If the item ends while you are in the PayPal payment flow (e.g., the listing duration expires, the seller ends the item, someone else buys it), you will not get the item and you will not be charged. This is similar to a traditional Buy It Now item that might end before you confirm the Buy It Now purchase.
Does it cost anything to register and pay through PayPal?
No. Registering with PayPal, as well as paying through PayPal, is absolutely free. To learn more, go to http://www.paypal.com.
I don't have a PayPal Premier or Business account. Can I use a PayPal Personal account?
Yes, as a buyer, you can use a PayPal Personal, Premier, or Business account. Only sellers are required to have a Premier or Business account.
What payment methods can I use?
You can use all immediate forms of payment offered to you in the PayPal flow, including PayPal funds transfers, instant bank transfers, and credit card payments. eCheck payments are not immediate forms of payment because they take a few days to process.
Why can't I pay with an eCheck?
An eCheck is the electronic version of writing a check against your checking account. As such, it can take several days for the eCheck to clear. Since an eCheck is not a form of immediate payment, it is not an acceptable payment method for this option.
What if I want to pay by money order?
A money order can take several days to arrive in the mail. Even money orders initiated online must often be sent through the mail. Because these are not immediate-payment methods that can be facilitated through PayPal, they cannot be used as a means of payment for immediate-payment listings.
Can I bid on these auctions rather than using the Buy It Now and immediate-payment option?
As long as the item is not a Fixed Price listing, the listing is just like a traditional auction-style listing. Once a buyer places a bid on the item (assuming the reserve price, if any, is met), the Buy It Now and immediate-payment option disappear.
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