PayPal is a business that serves a new and exciting market. As that market changes, our business evolves. This page is dedicated to informing users in advance of important changes to the PayPal service, its User Agreement or other policies.
Amendment to Merchant Referral Bonus Policy and fees for receiving purchase payments for domestic Japanese Transactions
Notice Date: 2009-7-20
Effective Date: 2009-8-19
Amendment to the Merchant Referral Bonus Policy:
Beginning 2009-8-19, the PayPal Merchant Referral Bonus Policy will be modified to increase the Payout Period from 6 months to 12 months.
Modification to the Purchase Payment Fees for domestic Japanese transactions
The fees for purchase payments received on or after 2009-8-19 for domestic Japanese transactions are being modified to be the following, all other fees shall remain the same:
Fees for receiving purchase payments
Fees to receive payments for purchases of goods and services vary depending on monthly sales volume.
Purchase payments received (monthly)
Fee per transaction
$ 0.00 USD - $ 3,000.00 USD
3.6% + ¥ 40 JPY
$ 3,000.01 USD - $ 10,000.00 USD
3.4% + ¥ 40 JPY
$ 10,000.01 USD - $ 100,000.00 USD
3.2% + ¥ 40 JPY
> $ 100,000.00 USD
2.9% + ¥ 40 JPY
Amendment to the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Effective Date: 2009-6-3
Beginning 2009-6-3 the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy is being amended to include a new Section 4 as follows:
Prohibited ActivitiesYou may not use the PayPal service for activities that:
"4. involve the sales of products or services identified by government agencies to have a high likelihood of being fraudulent”
Amendment to the PayPal User Agreement and Buyer Complaint and Buyer Protection Policy
Notice Date: 2009-4-30
Effective Date: 2009-6-3
Beginning 2009-6-3, PayPal will introduce several changes to its User Agreement and Buyer Complaint and Buyer Protection Policy. PayPal’s Buyer Complaint and Protection Policy is expanding to include additional countries.
The PayPal User Agreement is being modified as follows:
Section 4.2 entitled Risk of Reversal of Payments and the Seller Protection Policy ("SPP") is being added. Under this new provision, Sellers of tangible items on eBay websites will be eligible for seller protection for claims of Item not received and reversals relating to credit card chargebacks. The full terms are as follows:
4.2 Risk of Reversal of Payments and the Seller Protection Policy ("SPP").
4.2.1 Definitions. For the purposes only of this section 4, the terms set out below are defined as follows:
"Approved Postage Service" means a postage service offering services that meet PayPal's standards as set forth herein for Proof of Shipment.
"Disputed Payment" means a payment via PayPal which is the subject of a Seller Protection Reversal.
"Item Not Received" means goods are purchased on a eligible eBay website but not received by the buyer.
"Merchandise" means the item purchased through an eBay website associated with the Disputed Payment and applies to tangible items only.
"Proof of Shipment” means any of the acceptable standards for proof of shipment, as set out in PayPal’s Proof of Shipment requirements page, available in PayPal’s Security Centre at www.paypal.com clicking on “Selling Safely” and locating “How we Help Protect Sellers”.
"Seller Protection Reversal" occurs when PayPal places a hold on funds in your account under any of the following circumstances:
A credit card or debit card chargeback has been requested by an eBay buyer where the sender of the payment was using improperly obtained funds or a fraudulent payment has been made.
A credit card or debit card chargeback has been requested by an eBay buyer for the reason of Item Not Received.
A claim filed via the PayPal Online Dispute Resolution process has been requested by an eBay buyer where the sender of the payment was using improperly obtained funds or a fraudulent payment has been made.
A claim filed via the PayPal Online Dispute Resolution process has been requested by an eBay buyer for the reason of Item Not Received.
PayPal reverses a payment for an eBay item it believes to be fraudulent.
A bank reverses a payment for an eBay item it believes to be fraudulent.
"Transaction Details Page" means the page on the PayPal website titled "Transaction Details" that displays information about the transaction. This page is accessible from the "Details" link on the "Overview" and "History" subtabs of the "My Account" tab on the PayPal website.
4.2.2 Risk of Reversals of Payments and the Seller Protection Policy ("SPP").
Risks of Reversals. You are responsible for all Reversals, Chargebacks, Claims, fees, fines, penalties, and other liability incurred by PayPal, a PayPal User, or a third party. In the event of any of these events, you will owe PayPal for the amount of the reversal, chargeback, Claim, plus any fees imposed on or incurred by PayPal as a result of the reversal or chargeback. PayPal will seek to recover these funds from you by debiting your PayPal balance and, if there are not sufficient funds in your PayPal balance, PayPal reserves the right to take your account negative and to collect your debt to PayPal by any other legal means.
Seller Protection Policy. However, under the Seller Protection Policy, sellers on eBay websites, listed below will not owe PayPal any amounts in connection with a Seller Protection Reversal that results from a Disputed Payment and where the relevant transaction meets the applicable eligibility requirements, set out in section 4.2.3.
4.2.3 Transaction Eligibility Requirements for the Seller Protection Policy.
Subject to the limitations set forth below a transaction (where the buyer makes a PayPal payment on or after 2009-6-3) will be eligible for protection under the Seller Protection Policy where the following requirements are met:
You sold the Merchandise via an eBay website; and
You provide PayPal with valid Proof of Shipment of the Merchandise; and
You are a PayPal customer in a country that has both receive and withdraw capabilities; and
You sent the Merchandise to the address specified by the sender of the payment which is highlighted on your account Transaction Details Page or otherwise notified to you by PayPal through a PayPal application programming interface ("API").
4.2.4 Limitations on the Seller Protection Policy.
Note: The item must be listed and sold on eBay and paid for with PayPal. Sellers must provide one Proof of Shipment for each separate PayPal payment. The Seller Protection Policy will not apply to a transaction if any of the following apply:
You combine eBay items purchased through separate PayPal payments into a single shipment,
You accept more than one payment for a single eBay transaction,
You do not provide Proof of Shipment or respond to PayPal's other requests for information in a timely manner as specified by PayPal,
The item sold was an intangible good, quasi-cash, gift certificate, downloadable or streaming content, a business, real estate, license for digital content, motor vehicle (including cars, motorcycles, boats, and planes) or a service,
You hand deliver the item,
The buyer has claimed that the item was significantly not as described (SNAD), or
You have not complied with the terms of the PayPal User Agreement, the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy, any PayPal policy or any specific directions provided by PayPal.
4.2.5 Seller Protection Process.
If a Seller Protection Reversal occurs for a specific transaction, PayPal will send you an email to let you know that it will place a temporary hold on the funds in your PayPal account to cover the amount of the Seller Protection Reversal and will ask you to provide Proof of Shipment and any other information that PayPal may require to enable it to assess and determine if the transaction meets the eligibility requirements set out at section 4.2.3 above.
If PayPal determines in its sole discretion that the transaction meets the eligibility requirements, then PayPal will lift the temporary hold and restore the funds to your PayPal account.
If PayPal determines that the transaction does not meet the eligibility requirements, then PayPal will return the funds to the buyer's account or other rightful owner and the funds which have been on temporary hold will be debited from your PayPal account, together with any fees imposed on or incurred by PayPal as a result of the Seller Protection Reversal. If there are not sufficient funds in your PayPal balance, PayPal reserves the right to take the account negative and collect your debt to PayPal by any other legal means.
In the event that you receive an excessive or unreasonable number of Seller Protection Reversals, as determined by PayPal in PayPal's sole discretion, having regard to all the relevant circumstances, PayPal may notify you that you are hereby excluded from this policy and take any other actions pursuant to the User Agreement.
PayPal reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to terminate or amend the terms and conditions of the Seller Protection Policy or the transaction eligibility requirements at any time.
4.2.6 PayPal's Right to Hold Funds. In order to ensure the integrity of a transaction PayPal reserves the right to hold funds or proceeds from transactions by placing them in a “pending” or hold status beyond the normal distribution period. PayPal may do this in order to mitigate risk related to transactions it considers suspicious.
4.2.7 eBay Item Holds. PayPal may, in its sole discretion, determine to place a hold on a payment you receive for an eBay transaction, based on the reasonable belief that there may be a risk associated with the transaction. Such a hold will show as “pending” in your PayPal Account. PayPal will release the eBay transaction hold after 21 days from the date the hold is placed, unless you receive a dispute, claim, chargeback, or reversal on the transaction subject to the hold, in which case PayPal may hold the payment until the matter is resolved pursuant to this Agreement. PayPal may choose to release the hold earlier if the buyer leaves positive feedback on eBay or where PayPal is otherwise satisfied that the transaction has completed successfully.
4.2.8 Reserves for Premier and Business Accounts. PayPal, in its sole discretion, may place a reserve on funds held in your Premier or Business Account when PayPal believes there may be an increased level or risk associated with your account. If PayPal places a reserve on funds in your Account, the will be shown as “pending” in your PayPal Account. If your Account is subject to a Reserve, PayPal will provide you with notice specifying the terms of the reserve. The terms may require that a certain percentage of the amounts received in your Account are held for a certain period of time, or that a certain amount or percentage is held in reserve. PayPal may change the terms of the reserve by providing you with notice of the new terms. In the event you do not agree to the terms of the reserve, you may terminate your account with PayPal.
Amendment to the User Agreement and Related Policies
Effective Date: 2009-2-11
Beginning 2009-2-11 the User Agreement and several of its underlying policies will be amended as follows:
The Buyer Complaints and Protection policy will be amended to more clearly set out the coverage available to users located around the world. The substance of the policy remains the same.
A new Merchant Referral Bonus Policy is being introduced for PayPal merchants located outside of the United States, Canada, Australia and European Union countries. Now, rather then merchants contracting with PayPal Inc for the bonus policy, merchants are able to participate in the bonus program through PayPal Private Limited. For those merchants who already participate, this simply means the program is paid out by PayPal Private Limited the PayPal entity that provides the PayPal service to you today, rather then PayPal, Inc.
Amendment to the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Effective Date: 2008-11-5
Beginning 2008-11-5 the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy is being amended as follows:
Section 5 is being revised to include activities with an entry fee and a prize, including games of skill and sweepstakes. The new language is as follows:
Prohibited Activities
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that:
"5. involve gambling, gaming and/or any other activity with an entry fee and a prize, including, but not limited to casino games, sports betting, horse or greyhound racing, lottery tickets, other ventures that facilitate gambling, games of skill (whether or not it is legally defined as a lottery) and sweepstakes unless the operator has obtained prior approval from PayPal and the operator and customers are located exclusively in jurisdictions where such activities are permitted by law."
Amendment to the PayPal Payments Policy
Notice Date: 2008-7-14
Effective Date: 2008-9-3
Beginning 2008-9-3, PayPal will introduce a new method to add funds to your PayPal Account in select countries.
Adding Funds to your account (Topping up)
Topping up. PayPal customers in the following countries may add funds to their PayPal Account via bank transfer from their local bank accounts: Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Finland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Singapore, Hong Kong and Mexico. Funds may be used for the purchase of goods or services over the internet. Due to bank processing times, it may be a few days from your initiation of the transfer that the funds will appear in your PayPal Account.
Fees. PayPal will not charge you a fee for topping up from a bank account, however, your financial institution may charge you a fee to send the funds to PayPal. Please check with your bank prior to sending funds.
Limitations. Only customers in the countries listed above may add funds to their PayPal Account via bank transfer. The funds must come from your bank account into a PayPal Account with the same name as the registered account holder. In the event you attempt to send funds from an account wherein the name on the PayPal Account and the name on the bank account do not match, the funds transfer may be rejected by PayPal. You will be liable for any fees incurred for attempted transfers to accounts that do not have the same registered owner. For fraud, risk and regulatory reasons, PayPal reserves the right to limit the amount that may be topped up at any time.
Redemption. Top up funds may be redeemed for good or services from other PayPal customers and may be refunded to your registered bank account, where available and in accordance with PayPal’s withdrawal policies as shown below.
Amendment to User Agreement, Fees Policy, Payments (Sending, Receiving, and Withdrawls) Policy, and Premier and Business Account Policy.
Effective 2008-7-9, PayPal Private Limited will be amending the above mentioned policies to reflect several changes to its product. These changes include clarification on the customer’s relationship with PayPal, several guidelines on the use of PayPal on eBay, and the reduction of the fees associated with Return Fees for Withdrawals through ACH. The changes are as follows:
Section 2.1 the fourth paragraph will be changed to read as follows:
By initiating and making payments through the Service or, where available, adding funds to your balance, you authorize PayPal to charge your credit/debit card or to instruct your financial institution to obtain the funds on your behalf, and to send the funds to the recipient that you designate or into PayPal’s Pooled Account, subject to the terms and restrictions of this Agreement. When you initiate a payment, PayPal will offset funds from the Pooled Account for your benefit to the recipient. When you make a payment, until that payment clears our risk checks and is accepted by the recipient (which may occur instantly or take a few days), you remain the owner of those funds and PayPal holds those funds for your benefit, but you will not be able to withdraw those funds or send the funds to any other recipient unless you cancel the initial transaction.
A new Section is added regarding your offering of PayPal on eBay which will read as follows:
6.5 Use of PayPal on eBay. Sellers who offer PayPal as a payment method in their eBay listings must follow these requirements:
Amendment to the Privacy Policy
Beginning 2008-7-9 PayPal will have a newly revised privacy policy. The new privacy policy will have the following sections:
The main purpose of this revision is to present our policy in a clearer and more concise format, however we have made some minor changes as to how we process your personal information
