posted on March 13, 2003 10:54:04 AM new
Latest PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
This Policy was last modified on March 13, 2003.
The Acceptable Use Policies below cover items bought and sold using PayPal, as well as any items sold or advertised on a website listed in PayPal Shops. Any Shops found to be violating these policies will be removed from the PayPal Shops directory. In addition, violation of these policies may result in your account access being limited or your account being closed under the terms of the PayPal User Agreement, regardless of whether the violation takes place through eBay or another online marketplace, through the seller's own website, or through any other forum. In all transactions, sellers must clearly and accurately describe the goods or services they are selling. If you encounter violations of the Acceptable Use Policy, please report them to PayPal immediately.
* Academic Software
* Aggregators
* Alcohol
* Animal and Wildlife Products
* Artifacts, Grave-Related, and Native American Crafts
* Authenticity Disclaimers
* Autographed Items
* Automobiles
* Batteries
* Bootleg Recordings
* Contracts and Tickets
* Counterfeit Currency and Stamps
* Counterfeit Items
* Credit Cards
* Drug and Drug Paraphernalia
* Electronics Equipment
* Embargoed Goods, Prohibited Countries
* Event Tickets
* Faces, Names, and Signatures
* Firearms, Ammunition, Replicas, and Militaria
* Fireworks
* Food
* Freon and Other Refrigerants
* Games Software: Sony, Sega, and Nintendo
* Government IDs and Licenses
* Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Items
* Human Parts and Remains
* Industrial Solvents
* Importation of Goods Into the United States
* International Trading - Buyers
* International Trading - Sellers
* Lock-Picking Devices
* Lottery Tickets
* Mailing Lists and Personal Information
* Mature Audiences
* Medical Devices
* Mod Chips
* Money Transfer Companies
* OEM Software
* Offensive Material
* Pesticides
* Plants and Seeds
* Police-Related Items
* Postage Meters
* Precious Metals
* Pre-Paid Debit Cards
* Pre-Selling Products
* Prescription Drugs and Devices
* Promotional Items
* Pyramid, Multi-Level Marketing, and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes
* Real Estate
* Recalled Items
* Satellite and Cable TV Descramblers
* Slot Machines
* Stocks, Bonds, Securities, and Related Certificates
posted on March 13, 2003 11:58:01 AM new
I don't see anything wrong with this. Some of this is "law" and they are covering their business. I don't sell or think of selling anything illegal which would then take the domino effect...and I would lose my PayPal account. I read the PayPal statement and double checked things that could be questionable to me.
posted on March 13, 2003 12:16:31 PM new
Once again Paypal has shown me more great reasons why I am so glad I do not subscribe to their service!!! It is miserable how Paypal can choose to change their terms at any point in time. While many of these restrictions are just re-iterations of current state & federal law.... there is a lot of garbage thrown in as well!!! For example.... check out their Authenticity Disclaimer!!! Now... couple that with the Autograph section.
Let's create an entirely possible scenario. Joe ThriftShop is browsing around at the local goodwill and finds a book signed by the author. Alright! It's a bonus find... sure to bring in more bucks than an unsigned copy! Oooppps... but we can't accept Paypal for the sale because we can't guarantee the signature... plus we can't even tell people we can't guarantee the signature because that would be a violation as well! I'm sorry... but I don't see anything wrong with someone trying to sell an item like this!
Another interesting thing I noticed was that you can't sell any "adult items" UNLESS you list it on eBay's mature audience site! What about all the websites that use Paypal to accept payments for their merchandise?!?! Boy... talk about limiting commerce! Either sell it on eBay w/ Paypal... or no Paypal. hmmm.... do we see where this is going???
Glad I jumped off the bandwagon early on! To the rest of you... best of luck. Just make sure you have some sort of contingency plan in affect!
posted on March 13, 2003 01:21:07 PM new
BTW - did you notice that although PayPal offers foeign currency exchange service, you can no longer buy or sell to international members?
posted on March 13, 2003 01:22:12 PM new
And just yesterday I told someone I didn't need a merchant account because I use PayPal. Better call him back.
posted on March 13, 2003 01:35:17 PM new
Before you get all worked up about the video games, log into your paypal account and take a closer look. It does not allow you to sell backup copies (i.e. a Sony CD which can be copied) - There are also illegal nintendo games out there that I've seen that have several games in in cartridge. This policy basically says that if you sell these games, they have to be the original games.
I looked at several other categories, it looks like they are doing this because some items are basically just not legal to sell. This isn't anything to get all worked up about.
posted on March 13, 2003 01:48:22 PM new
You may still collect funds through paypal from international buyers. When I noticed the post mentioning new paypal restrictions included was international buyers, and international sellers. I called paypal to verify this and these two restrictions are not part of paypals new policy.
posted on March 13, 2003 01:50:40 PM new
I quickly checked out some of it like batteries, autographs, knives, etc. and most seems to match ebay's list of rules.
This may affect those who sell from websites more than those who use ebay and follow the rules.
Each seller will have to decide for himself whether it is feasible for him to use PayPal.
posted on March 13, 2003 01:56:18 PM new
Here's a biggy--
Precious Metals Policy
Under the Bank Secrecy Act, dealers in precious metals are considered financial institutions and must adopt an anti money laundering program and comply with all appropriate laws and regulations. Dealers of precious metals must pre-register with PayPal and verify their knowledge and compliance with these laws.
posted on March 13, 2003 01:59:54 PM new
Pyramid, Multi Level Marketing, and Get Rich Quick Schemes Policy
To protect our user base and to maintain a safe environment, Pyramid schemes; Multi Level marketing; or Get Rich quick plans are prohibited from using PayPal for payments. Any structure in which the value of the transaction is significantly greater than value of the goods or services traded is prohibited.
This basically means that if someone feels that the transaction is overvalued, it is a scheme ? Good luck with that.
posted on March 13, 2003 04:58:44 PM new
Everyone is getting worked up over nothing.
Unless you are dealing in questionable areas anyway, there is nothing new. And, if you are, you are likely to get suspended from Ebay so it doesn't matter that Paypal picked up on it as well.
I read through the areas I sell in, and nothing new there!
posted on March 13, 2003 05:00:07 PM new
Well said Lindajean, it is amazing how easy it is to get some all worked up here. There is really nothing new here, and only is an issue if you sell unauthorized or illegal items...
posted on March 13, 2003 05:28:10 PM new
Maybe there's nothing new here, but it's new to me! If ebay (and Paypal by extension) is just a venue what diff. should it make to them?
What's wrong with selling batteries, knives, Nintendo, Native Amer. crafts????
What's left?? Books and used shoes and fluffy's cubic zirconia?
posted on March 13, 2003 05:39:46 PM newit is amazing how easy it is to get some all worked up here. There is really nothing new here, and only is an issue if you sell unauthorized or illegal items...
Just because ebay doesen't allow something make it illegal. I saw plenty of things in the list that are perfectly legal to sell but against ebay rules.
posted on March 13, 2003 05:42:35 PM new
Regarding selling batteries:
Pursuant to federal laws, you may not use PayPal to sell batteries containing mercury. The following are examples of mercury-containing batteries:
mercuric oxide button batteries (button-shaped batteries typically used in vintage camera equipment)
alkaline-manganese batteries containing mercury
zinc-carbon batteries containing mercury
Not all batteries are included in the restrictions!
Regarding Nintendo:
Backup and/or Unreleased Games
Pre-release, Promotional and/or Beta games
All Nintendo games are on cartridges and very few have been released with multiple games on one cartridge
Any version of a Nintendo game that is not on a cartridge is an infringing copy
Software emulators that play Nintendo games without Nintendo hardware are infringing items
"ROM" is a tip-off term for infringing copies of Nintendo games (usually on CD or Disks)
And the list goes on.
The items are not "unallowable" just the rip-off, bootleg etc. versions!
posted on March 13, 2003 05:54:33 PM new
What I find extremely Bizzare is, how does pay pal have any idea what has been sold bought or what ever. I can click a button on pay pal that says it has nothing to with any e bay auction and send money for the Hell of it for anything! Done it for every refund I have ever done. Saying it's for an auction just makes for more work. I just click, NON AUCTION. Send the money.
Any thoughts?
Snap! snap! snap!,,,,,,Whiiiiiip it, Whiiiiip it GOOD! OUCH!
posted on March 13, 2003 06:23:20 PM new
I think a big complaint about these restrictions should come from the BUYERS who use Paypal. Paypal is a PAYMENT service. It advertises itself as an easy method of payment and compares itself to entities like credit cards, checks and money orders. BUT... who ever heard of any of those other kinds of payments restricting what you could buy?!?! When is the last time Mastercard called you and told you you couldn't buy a piece of history because it had a swastika on it? Or... have you ever had your bank tell you that your check was no good because you used it to buy a dirty magazine?!?!? NEVER... because it is ridiculous!!! By making it against policy for sellers to sell these items... Paypal is limiting the consumers on what they can purchase through their service.
WHY would you deal with a company that has such ridiculous terms? If Paypal had started with their encyclopedic user agreement, they would have never suceeded in business. The only reason they can do it now is because they have established such a large client base (mostly through lies and coersion). Sometimes you have to look at the companies you deal with and re-evaluate their contribution to your well-being. I know that I have never regreted closing my paypal account.
posted on March 13, 2003 07:01:16 PM new
Wow if a smaller company would like to expand now would be their chance. Yahoo's paydirect, and bidpay could make some major money if they play their cards right.
posted on March 13, 2003 10:32:02 PM new
Talk about Parrots Pi$$pole, I Already stated what you just mimicked......NON Auctions.......Go pi$$ on an Electric Fence. That might shock you Back to Reality...Your V.A. Meds are running Low.....You are one ARROGANT Jerk! Everyone knows that too...
Snap! snap! snap!,,,,,,Whiiiiiip it, Whiiiiip it GOOD! OUCH!