Paypal help!

[goddessofpeep]

I won an auction on ebay from someone in Canada(I'm in the USA), and it won't let me pay the invoice.  It keeps denying it.  I've called up Paypal, and they told me the issue is on the seller's end.  The seller called up Paypal, and Paypal told them the issue is on MY end.  So, very useful.  Thanks Paypal.  You're always there for your customers.

I'm trying to pay through a bank account, there is MORE than enough money to cover the cost of the item.  This account has been active and confirmed since basically Paypal came into existence.  I used this account before AND after this issue started up with no problems(I did a test BIN just in case, and it went through fine).

Has anyone had this problem before?  Any idea how to resolve it?

[banditpony]

I don't have any thoughts at the moment...

but exactly what error is it giving you?

[Nella]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

[Em_L._Pea_Customs]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

This is exactly what I was thinking! 

[Taffeta]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

This is exactly what I was thinking! 

Does that happen normally though with US to Canada transactions?

I'm asking because although I have more than one currency open on my paypal, I've paid things in Yen that were only accepted in Yen before I had Yen as an option on my paypal without any issues. So I would've thought the conversion SHOULD happen automatically.

...Depending on the way the seller is set up, I suppose. If it can't receive $US then that may be a problem.

[flying_narwhal]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

This is exactly what I was thinking!

I was thinking this is a possibility as well. They may need to set up their account to accept foreign currencies.

I don't know whether or not this would work, but have you tried logging into ebay.ca to pay? (You should be able to login to any country's ebay site with your usual information).

[banditpony]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

This is exactly what I was thinking! 

Does that happen normally though with US to Canada transactions?

I'm asking because although I have more than one currency open on my paypal, I've paid things in Yen that were only accepted in Yen before I had Yen as an option on my paypal without any issues. So I would've thought the conversion SHOULD happen automatically.

...Depending on the way the seller is set up, I suppose. If it can't receive $US then that may be a problem.

I've never had an issue paying in foreign currency. Yesterday I was invoiced in yen and PayPal converted it. So it pulled USD from me, and my seller got yen. And not sure which one of us paid for conversion.

Not saying that isn't the issue. But OP didn't describe anything in detail enough for me to start making guesses where the issue is/was.

It could be very well the bank acct doesn't allow a conversion. And id first suggest OP try a CC and/or PayPal funds.

[Taffeta]

Could it be caused by the currency? Maybe your PayPal only is set for USD and the seller only accepts Canadian currency? Just thinking out loud

This is exactly what I was thinking! 

Does that happen normally though with US to Canada transactions?

I'm asking because although I have more than one currency open on my paypal, I've paid things in Yen that were only accepted in Yen before I had Yen as an option on my paypal without any issues. So I would've thought the conversion SHOULD happen automatically.

...Depending on the way the seller is set up, I suppose. If it can't receive $US then that may be a problem.

I've never had an issue paying in foreign currency. Yesterday I was invoiced in yen and PayPal converted it. So it pulled USD from me, and my seller got yen. And not sure which one of us paid for conversion.

Not saying that isn't the issue. But OP didn't describe anything in detail enough for me to start making guesses where the issue is/was.

It could be very well the bank acct doesn't allow a conversion. And id first suggest OP try a CC and/or PayPal funds.

I realise I'm neither American nor Canadian so it might not matter as regards US or Canadian banks but I have used the bank account option to pay in Yen, Euros and $US with no problems. I may also have paid in Canadian dollars as well at one point. Some of those through ebay. My account is obviously defaulted in £

What's more, I've paid deposits for things in yen before and had yen refunded to me which has gone back to my bank account in £ without my having to do anything.

The only thing I can think of is if the recipient account is a very basic account, there may be limitations on this. Otherwise I can't see how currency can be the problem.

[banditpony]

My understanding is that PayPal technically handles the conversion.

For instance.
My invoice and my PayPal page said I owed/paid in yen (and in more details it says the conversion rate).

However my credit card shows only USD pulled.

So I kinda don't think it's specifically the bank, but when something isn't working .. it's best to try all possible options.

[Nella]

I can't check ATM but found this online:

GO to Profile > Payments > My Preapproved Payments > Set Available Funding Sources > Conversion Options

Maybe check these?

[Carrehz]

FWIW I've never had any sort of issues with converting currencies either, but I agree it's probably worth looking into that? It's the only thing I can think of :s

[RainbowWindy]

Hi! I am the seller. I've sold other auctions to the US and had no issues with payments from them so I don't know what the issue is.
I don't understand Paypal because I had a Canadian send me some money and they automatically converted it to US dollars but payments from Americans came as Canadian dollars.

[banditpony]

Hi! I am the seller. I've sold other auctions to the US and had no issues with payments from them so I don't know what the issue is.

I feel like it could be a whole slew of things but again it's hard with little details.

If you are willing, you could let your buyer cancel the transaction and just do it privately. It's obviously a typical eBay no-no, and you should ONLY do it if you both feel comfortable with it.

And you'd need to double check but I believe if the buyer initiates then you get your fees refunded. Double check on that tho. I know there is a way to get that to happen.

I feel like it would be the easier route then troubleshooting.

(And my advice to the buyer still is to attempt to make a payment with PayPal funds instead of bank)

[goddessofpeep]

Thanks for all the advice!

I have tried several things, and I’ve called Paypal and ebay.  Nothing has worked.   All I can get from ebay and Paypal is that my account is “as right as it could be”.   Ebay blamed a computer glitch/system wide update. 

I’ve been using this account as long as Paypal has existed, and nothing like this has ever happened before.  I bought things sucessfully before and after this problem.  I’ve bought from Canada dozens of times too.  The currency it’s trying to pay in is the Canadian dollar.  It just tells me it can’t process the payment, and to try another payment method - like open a Paypal credit card. 

[LadyMoondancer]

Maaan . . . that sounds really frustrating.  Maybe you can get someone else to be a go-between, like you send the money to them as a Friends & Family and then they send it to the seller?  Normally I would never suggest something like that, but since you're both forum members and not strangers . . .

The Old School method would be to send concealed cash, but then there's the risk of it getting stolen in the mail.