eBay announced that they will begin accepting Apple Pay this fall for select users. Platform-wide rollout is expected in the coming years as the entire eBay payments system gets full migrated away from Paypal by 2021. Apple Pay will be an option for app users as well as in the Safari browser.
The company is on track to start managing payments on a limited scale in the US early this fall, at which time buyers will be able to use Apple Pay to purchase items from sellers participating in the initial phase of the new payments experience.
Paypal will likely remain a payment option on eBay indefinitely, just there’ll be other options as well, including direct payment, Apple Pay, and likely other payment wallet options like Visa Checkout, Masterpass, etc.
Though Paypal has gotten significantly better over the past few years, I still retain an archaic distaste for the company and am happy to see this shift. Unclear if PPDG/eBay purchases will be possible to process without Paypal or if those will need Paypal forever.
From a credit card coding perspective, this should mean earning 3x on eBay with the US Bank Altitude card. Can’t think of any other angles right now.
Separately, eBay announced today a partnership with Square Capital to give eBay sellers access to funding from $500 to $100,000.
Unless there are free money promos, this isn’t particularly useful. I’ve been with PayPal since before Ebay caved in and bought them and I will stay with them until one of us flames out. I miss the interest and 1.5% PPBDC, but the fees are still cheaper than the traditional networks for small sellers. I have read all the horror stories and have done most of the things that get folks shut down but never a blip. For those that remember money orders and Billpoint, is it really that bad now?
In app purchases don’t get you portal rewards, is it possible to use Apple Pay on a desktop? How will this impact sellers (how do you get paid?) Lots of questions.
As I’ve been banned for life from Paypal for no apparent reason, I’m happy to see this being rolled out. It’s truly insane how Paypal has a monopoly on the payment network business. I believe they have 30something subsidiaries. PSA: if you can avoid using PayPal, stay away. I have tons of money locked up for another 5 months.
I don’t like them either but if you have “tons of money” that statement suggests a reason to limit your account until you comply with some form of request.
I hope the new payment methods don’t require small-time individual sellers to provide their SSN just to sell occasionally. Obviously PayPal requires it for those who receive thousands in sales, but it has never been required just to sign up. Arguably, that ease of accepting payments (instant signup, no need to deal with a merchant services “sales rep”, no credit check) is what made eBay and PayPal grow in the early 2000s.
another SPAM ALERT
Chuck (see the username link)
Thanks Ann
Good to see this change finally happening. Having choices is always a plus for buyers and sellers.
so that we can buy discount BP/speedway gas gift card and earns 5% if Chase freedom falls to the apple pay category in a quarter
More than likely, if they end up taking Masterpass, you will end up with a masterpass promo. Masterpass loves giving out money for using them for the first time on various company websites.
I wonder if this change will speed up the time it takes to receive a refund. Ebay takes 7- 10 days to issue refunds for returned items compared to Amazon 1 -2 days.
Assuming you aren’t talking about items sold by eBay’s obscure consignment service, those refunds are taking 7-10 days because of the time the individual seller takes to initiate it. It generally takes 3-4 days for the carrier to deliver your package, 1-3 days until the seller gets to your return, and another 1-2 business days for your card company to post the credit.
While Amazon often initiates a refund as soon as they detect the return package was received by the carrier, eBay sellers (who are generally small businesses or individuals) don’t have the authority to re-charge your credit card if you misuse the returns process. Amazon does. Along with the increased customer satisfaction from fast refunds, that’s why they’re willing to refund so quickly,
I hope they’ll accept Samsung Mobil pay….
Agreed or I might have to get an old used iPhone online for eBay purchases.
It’ll just be one of several payment options. I’ve already been using one of the non-Paypal options (paying eBay directly with a credit card) for several years.