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The payment service provider PayPal refunds transactions if the corresponding order has not arrived or the delivered goods do not match the description of the offer. However, in order to claim the refund, customers must meet certain conditions.
Framework for PayPal Buyer Protection
There must be no complaints regarding their own PayPal account and the customer must not have agreed to any other refund or problem solving. In addition, the “Send money for goods and services” option must have been selected for the transaction – buyer protection does not apply if the transaction took place via “Send money to friends and family”. It is also important that the customer has not already seen the goods themselves. Therefore, orders that have been picked up by the customer will not be refunded. Buyers are also not eligible for a refund for an item not received under PayPal Buyer Protection if the seller can provide proof of postage.
In addition, PayPal does not reimburse any costs incurred in the purchase of real estate, residential property, automobiles or other motorized vehicles, industrial machinery, companies, financial products, gambling or donations.
How to apply for PayPal Buyer Protection
First, the customer must report the problem to PayPal in the customer account within 180 days of ordering or paying for the goods in order to contact the manufacturer via the platform and search for a joint solution to the problem.
If the joint solution to the problem is not successful, the customer can also submit a buyer protection application in the customer account up to 20 days after reporting the problem – otherwise PayPal will automatically close the problem case.
After submitting the application, PayPal requests various documents and papers depending on the problem, whereby the deadline may vary from case to case. The customer will also be asked to return the goods (if they have been delivered). The return shipping costs will not be reimbursed by PayPal.
Finally, PayPal decides whether the buyer protection application will be approved and the costs will be reimbursed or not. If the customer does not agree with the decision, he can appeal against it.
Very important: If the customer misses one of the deadlines set by PayPal, PayPal automatically closes the application. So it pays to meet the deadlines.
Attention: PayPal decides “at its own discretion”
PayPal’s Terms of Service states, “PayPal shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether a claim is eligible for PayPal Buyer Protection.” All relevant information should serve as a basis. The terms of use do not specify which documents and information are ultimately required. In addition, PayPal does not publish any figures on how many buyer protection applications have been filed so far and how PayPal ultimately decided. So customers can’t be sure they’ll get their money back, but there’s no harm in trying either.
By the way: According to the Stiftung Warentest, the seller can request payment even after the costs have been reimbursed by PayPal, provided that he still wants to deliver the correct goods – after all, there is still a purchase contract. However, he is obliged to deliver the goods first. If he does not do this, the buyer can set a deadline and then officially withdraw from the purchase contract. Stiftung Warentest recommends only then ordering new goods from another retailer.
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