How to Avoid Unpaid Items
If you've ever ordered something online, chances are you've had to deal with the headache of an unpaid item. It can happen for a number of reasons — maybe your card expired, or the billing address isn't the same as the shipping address — but regardless of why it's happening, we’ve compiled some helpful tips to keep this from occurring and ruining your shopping experience.
1. Verify the billing and shipping address are the same.
This is a common mistake that’s easily resolved. If they aren’t, your item might have been returned or held at customs — not necessarily because you entered the wrong address, but because if the items’ destination differs, for example, sending books to a buyer in California and expecting them to be sent back to Pennsylvania, it can lead to an unpaid item. And there could be other issues as well — for instance, if you paid by check but provided a debit card number for shipping purposes (if that option exists) it might look like you didn't pay for the item if your bank hasn’t released payment yet.
2. Make sure PayPal is the only method of payment.
It's possible that the seller received payment from another source, which could lead to an unpaid item. For example, if you ordered two items from a shop that accepts PayPal and your money was stolen through phishing, you might be at risk for having multiple unpaid items because your payment was made through a different method (like a check). Otherwise, you were likely given the option to pay with a credit card during checkout — if that’s why you marked yourself as “Purchased with Debit or Credit Card” in your PayPal account history then that shows that the seller has another form of payment available.
3. Check with PayPal to see if the seller is verified.
If you’re checking the seller's profile for a reason other than attempting to get an unpaid item refunded, such as reviewing his/her feedback, look for a “verified” badge in the seller's “About Me” section. This indicates that he or she has been determined by PayPal (or another payment processor) to be reliable and honest. Also, make sure that any items the seller sends you have arrived securely and aren’t damaged; cancel any orders that are damaged upon receipt and report it immediately to the seller.
4. Check that your card hasn't expired.
Sometimes, PayPal sends the seller an email asking about your change of address or expiration date. Make sure to respond accordingly within the specified timeframe to keep yourself from having a pending unpaid item.
5. Check that there are no other items in the order.
If you're shipping an ordered item and a different one is en route, there's a chance it can get returned — even though you'll be entitled to a refund for the first one sent if it doesn't arrive within 30 days of when it was shipped (as long as neither purchase was made in error). So if you're tracking both orders on an online shipping calculator like ShipStation, make sure both are lined up prior to paying for them.
6. Check the other items in your order.
If you've ordered more than one item, make sure that all of them are marked as paid and haven't been returned for various reasons (undeliverable, damaged upon receipt, etc.). You can check that the seller is actually shipping the items on that page by using ShipStation to verify his/her information (to verify a specific shipping rate, you'd use their "Sale" option; to verify a specific address or buyer's name by address or name field).
7. Check with PayPal to see if there are any security issues for items already in transit.
If you’re receiving an item, this step isn’t necessarily required — but if you’re not getting your money back, you could be liable for the seller's losses. If there have been any issues, like when an item is more than 180 days late, or the seller has a policy that states you are responsible for paying out-of-pocket for your purchase to be sent again (if it doesn't arrive at the address provided within 30 days from when it was shipped or has been returned to sender), PayPal will determine who is financially responsible — and depending on whichever party they deem to be at fault, they might not require proof of purchase prior to issuing a refund.
8. Check the seller's feedback.
If you’re receiving an item that seems suspicious, check the seller’s feedback to see how many issues have been sold in the past. If his/her positive feedback is low, or if there are too many negative comments, don't buy from that merchant unless you have other options to try (and note that it isn’t always feasible for a buyer to report a bad experience if the seller has already received payment — so it can be difficult to get your money back even though you've been scammed).
9. Use ProofPay instead of PayPal's normal buyer protection policy.
PayPal's 45-day buyer protection is the default, but some people prefer ProofPay because it allows buyers to send a seller a second payment once the first one hasn't arrived — something that can be useful for expensive purchases that require a few weeks to arrive. It also allows buyers to request more information from the seller if they're having trouble getting help from PayPal and can resolve issues themselves through their My Account > Orders page.
10. Ask the seller to pay the fee if you’re in good standing with PayPal.
When using PayPal to purchase items, shoppers pay sellers right away — so it's rare that you'd have an unpaid item on your hands (but it can happen). If you're still at risk after all of the above have been applied, just ask the seller to cover the fee (which is usually around $10 but sometimes can be more or less). And if that doesn’t work, contact PayPal directly to ask to have your purchase put on hold until your issues are resolved (they won't charge a fee for the hold unless you request it).
Of course, this list isn't exhaustive and there are various other things you can do to prevent yourself from having an unpaid item.
Conclusion
Most of the time, you'll receive your items and/or money in full from a seller — but if that doesn't happen, it's always good to know what you can do to get it back. Remember: PayPal is only against the rule when they find out about an unpaid item more than 45 days after they were sent — so if they come after you because your item arrived late or was missing, you can usually avoid paying them by resolving the issue with the seller directly. Just remember to stay polite at all times and never be afraid to try different things (if one thing doesn't work, try another).