ETSY and PayPal

**ITIS** · 10-03-2011, 12:43 PM

Any one else sell pipes on etsy or by using paypal?

I have been for almost a year now. Twice ETSY has pulled item off the proverbial shelf. I talked with them extensively and discovered a pipe can be sold through ETSY as long as it has no carb no slide and is not a water pipe.

Ok fine got it. Today i get a call from PayPal they have asked me not to sell "drug periphenailia" ok i sell tobacco pipes not intended for any other use. No good all pipes violate PayPal's terms of use. Hmmmm. How far do you push it? They have not canceled or suspended my accounts just calling & emailing and asking me not to. How risky is selling online any way? What is the worst PayPal or ETSY can do? Anyone acctually know?

Thanks team.
-Austin

**Shatner** · 10-03-2011, 12:45 PM

It's pretty clearly stated in the TOS of Paypal and Etsy that you can not sell/buy/pay for/receive payment for pipes through their service.

**Mecha** · 10-03-2011, 12:54 PM

You can't push it. PayPal will simply suspend your account and hold whatever money is in it for 180 days.

In this instance, you really can't fight "The Man".

**Icarus** · 10-03-2011, 01:00 PM

If it's something you really want to do, get a paypal debit card so you can immediately pull money out of your account as soon as you receive it, cause eventually they're going to do exactly what Mecha just said they would do.

**Ronin** · 10-03-2011, 03:00 PM

that sounds like a good idea, but paypal just flagged my account for pulling the money out too quickly. now they say all money coming in to my account will be held for 45 days "to ensure that I have enough money to cover any disputes", even though there has never been a dispute on my account. this had nothing to do with pipes, but it seems they have no flexibility on their rules. I will have to stop accepting paypal, since I don't want to cover the shipping out of pocket.

they will probably do the same thing to you if you regularly pull the money out immediately.

**drew1492** · 10-03-2011, 03:17 PM

Paypal held my money one time because I had to large an ammount deposited in a very short period of time and made me give them tracking numbers. I didnt even try to withdraw the money. I wouldnt push it unless that is the only thing you move through your account. They said once the packages where recieved I would recieve my funds access, but it was given back after I entered all the tracking numbers before they where recieved.

**ITIS** · 10-04-2011, 12:27 AM

turns out, they did freeze my account who knows when i will have access to it. Snap. I had to remove paypal payment as an option from my etsy site and sign a terms of use agreement acknowledging that i read it. now it all has to be reviewed and then ............?

:P PayPal is a pain why cant i have a square or go-payment app in my etsy store. they just put the cash strait in your bank no fuss. It might violate their terms of use agreement too. I guess i should look into that now too.

-Cheers

**Black Fire** · 10-04-2011, 07:57 AM

I hear that Google Checkout doesn't care what's creating the greenbacks.

**ITIS** · 10-04-2011, 09:58 AM

account restored. (fist pump) YES! i moved all my cash this morning just in case they change their mind. I will look into google check out.

thanks

**Swampy** · 10-04-2011, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Black Fire

I hear that Google Checkout doesn't care what's creating the greenbacks.

No, read their terms of use and you'll see it's in there somewhere. It was a while since I checked but I saw it there.

**Kevin Bumble** · 10-04-2011, 12:33 PM

pay pal loss prevention

I heard you were checking out some of the stuff in the case

**ITIS** · 10-05-2011, 07:22 PM

LOL you heard right hahaha. Maybe i need to send one to PayPal CEO as gift of my appreciation with a detailed diagram.

Also google check only states in the terms of use you cant do anything illegal and that they are not affiliated or responsible for what you do. It does define it in any more detail that i could find.

**Chris Juedemann** · 10-05-2011, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by ITIS

Also google check only states in the terms of use you cant do anything illegal and that they are not affiliated or responsible for what you do. It does define it in any more detail that i could find.

Against TOS and/or Illegal. No shirt, no shoes...

**ITIS** · 10-07-2011, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Juedemann

Against TOS and/or Illegal. No shirt, no shoes...

No Problem............?

**ALIEN!** · 10-07-2011, 12:16 PM

for starters, dont use the paypal button on etsy. Use the workaround, they click the "buy item" you request their paypal email, send them an invoice w/ blank details. Never had a problem back when I was still doing etsy. OR get square for your space phone, and take credit card over the phone. 3 days later your loot will be in your bank account ready to be spent at your favorite glass distributor/welding supply/liquor store.

**EpochGlass** · 10-07-2011, 12:19 PM

I always wondered if there was a way to do this covertly. Like have a site that sells glass pendants/jewellery/functional, but have a known "code phrase" for a designated product(s) which is located on separate "unaffiliated" site. The buyer simply buys the designated product and enters the "code phrase" in special instructions to seller.

That's my .02's anyways. To be clear, I have not attempted this, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work. Only catch is the whole buyer protection...your customers would have to be super kool and legit and any issues to be resolved without PayPal getting involved. Might be too risky an endeavour with that stated.

Thoughts/comments? lol

**Mecha** · 10-07-2011, 12:30 PM

^ Well, that's it in a nutshell. You have to trust that random people on the internets will be kool and not just rat you out to paypal if you piss them off somehow.