PayPal removes need for signed delivery
PayPal have announced two policy updates due to come into effect for all PayPal users this Autumn.
Proof of Delivery
PayPal have announced that from the 9th of October proof of delivery will no longer require a signature.
This is great news for users of services such as the relatively new Royal Mail Tracked service which have barcodes scanned at the point of delivery but don’t (unless you pay extra) require a signature.
Currently PayPal require signature confirmation for transactions that total £150 or more. The change when it rolls out in time for Christmas will enable sellers to send higher value items with unsigned for but tracked services so long as an online status of “delivered” (or equivalent) and the date of delivery is shown along with the recipient’s address, showing at least the city/county or postcode (or international equivalent).
This is also great news for overseas services where often even with a tracked service you can’t rely on the foreign delivery company to show a signature. Whilst you may pay for a signature you have no way to ensure one is obtained and displayed online, now you’ll just need the company to show the item as delivered to the buyer’s location.
This is a move which has the potential to save you a significant amount on your postage costs, for example you may choose to send more items via Royal Mail Tracked or Signed For (Recorded Delivery) services rather than by courier or Special Delivery. It’s worth reviewing your postage options ready for when the change comes into effect.
PayPal Merchant Referral Program Retired
Most PayPal users won’t even be aware that the Merchant Referral Bonus Program exists, but it’s to be retired in October.
Active account holders will receive an email from PayPal indicating an end date specific to their current participation in the Bonus program. Once your end date is in effect, new referrals will no longer be tracked or accumulate toward this bonus program. In addition, bonus accrual payments will be stopped. Any final accrued bonus balances from your referrals will be paid to your PayPal account in accordance with the standard 30 day payout cycle.
PMac says
10:34 am on 08/08/2012
How’s this going to work for RM Recorded, Special Delivery & International Signed For? RM tell you it may have been delivered but not to what address. They certainly won’t tell you if they have left it with a neighbour. This looks like another PayPal get out clause.
Derek Duval says
12:55 pm on 08/08/2012
Doesn’t make a slight bit of difference. Signed for International from Asia to the UK cant be checked on any website nor when you call Royal Mail even though we are charged an extra £1.30 for the service
In my book this is a total con!!!
PMac says
3:20 pm on August 8th, 2012
You’re lucky, it costs us an extra £5.15 (International Signed For) for a poor excuse of a tracking service.
David Brackin says
4:30 pm on 08/08/2012
Will this policy come into place before same-day transfers to banks are rolled out?
Place your bets!
Gerry007 says
8:04 pm on August 8th, 2012
.
UK banks spent years charging us upwards from £20 a time for CHAPS.
They must be loosing a fortune now there is FPO.
Probably the same for Paypal. 2-3 days interest will cost them
ebuyerfb says
8:15 am on 09/08/2012
You say it applies to all PayPal users but is this just for those in the UK or does the same change apply in the US as well?
At first I was thinking this was great. But isn’t the whole point of requiring the signature to prevent a very easy type of fraud where you simply send an inexpensive (or possibly empty) item to someone entirely different within the same postal code as the person that just bought that expensive iPad from you? It shows delivered. It says it is the right postal code. Seller protection will now say that is good enough so I got my money and eBay has a very angry former customer that received nothing. Granted you can do exactly the same thing with cheaper items but the payoff isn’t the same.