What is buyer protection, and what is it not?
Buyer protection is not a law but part of a provider's terms, and the provider decides on your claim. PayPal's terms allow an appeal only if you have new information or the decision was made in error.
Your legal rights against the seller remain in place. eBay states that its Money Back Guarantee does not replace any legal guarantee, so you can still rely on the statutory conformity guarantee against the seller. How the legal guarantee differs from a manufacturer's warranty is explained in Faulty device: telling the legal guarantee and a warranty apart.
Tip: Buyer protection is weakest when the seller can show proof of delivery. In that case PayPal can decide in the seller's favour for an item not received, even if you say nothing arrived.
Which payment method protects you, and how?
The routes differ in what the protection rests on, who decides and how long you have.
| Payment route | Basis | Typical cases | Deadline | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal purchase from a seller | PayPal's Buyer Protection terms | Item not received; significantly not as described | Ireland: 180 days after payment, or 30 days after delivery for items not as described if sooner; Germany: 180 days for both | PayPal |
| Marketplace guarantee, e.g. eBay Money Back Guarantee | Marketplace terms, only for payment at the platform's checkout | Item not received, not as described, return policy not honoured | eBay.ie: report a missing item within 30 days of the estimated delivery date | The marketplace |
| Credit card chargeback | Voluntary card scheme rules; the bank is not obliged to comply | Non-delivery, trader insolvency, unauthorised charges | As a rule up to 120 days | Your card issuer; credit is provisional at first |
| Direct debit | Legal refund right under EU law | Payment taken by mistake or for the wrong amount | Within 8 weeks | Your bank |
| Bank transfer, cash or escrow outside the marketplace | Not covered by the marketplace guarantee | – | – | – |
PayPal payments sent as Friends and Family are personal payments and are excluded from Buyer Protection. If you have sent money to a fraudster by bank transfer, Money sent to a scammer: first steps with your bank and the police explains what you can still do.
How does PayPal Buyer Protection work?
PayPal covers two kinds of claim. Item Not Received means the seller did not deliver; it does not apply if the seller provides proof of delivery, or if you collected the item in person, unless you paid with a PayPal QR code. Significantly Not as Described covers, for example, a completely different item, a misrepresented condition, a counterfeit sold as genuine, missing major parts or damage in transit.
Not covered are defects the seller disclosed, items you no longer want and minor scratches on an item described as used. A successful claim refunds the full price and original postage; return postage is not refunded.
PayPal account in Ireland: dispute and claim
- Contact the seller first and try to solve the problem under their return policy.
- Open a dispute in the Resolution Center: within 180 days of payment for an item not received; for an item not as described within 30 days of delivery or 180 days of payment, whichever is sooner.
- If you cannot agree, escalate the dispute to a claim within 20 days of opening it, or it closes automatically.
- For an item not received, PayPal may ask you to wait at least seven days before you escalate.
- Send any documents PayPal requests in time and return the item if asked.
Menu path as given in the manufacturer’s help; it may differ by device and version: paypal.com
PayPal's list of ineligible payments includes:
- personal payments, including Friends and Family,
- vehicles such as cars, motorcycles, boats and aircraft; light recreational vehicles such as bicycles are an exception,
- real estate, gift cards, prepaid cards and other cash equivalents,
- items bought for resale and, for not-as-described claims, custom-made items.
The terms depend on your country
PayPal publishes separate terms per country. The Irish terms (updated 28 May 2024) set the 30-day limit for items not as described; the German terms (updated 15 April 2025) allow 180 days after payment for both kinds of claim. Check the page for the country of your account.
What does a marketplace guarantee add?
A marketplace can add its own protection. On eBay.ie, the eBay Money Back Guarantee covers items that do not arrive, items not as described and sellers who do not honour their own return policy.
You must pay at eBay's checkout by credit or debit card, PayPal (including PayPal Credit), Apple Pay or Google Pay. If any part of the payment is made outside eBay, for example by bank transfer, cash, money order or escrow, the purchase is not covered.
- Report an item that has not arrived within 30 calendar days of the estimated delivery date.
- Request a return within 30 calendar days of delivery, or within the seller's longer return window.
- Ask eBay to step in after 3 business days if the seller has not responded; cases stay open for 21 business days.
- Appeal within 30 calendar days of eBay's decision.
Excluded are, among others, motor vehicles, real estate, classified ads, services, digital content and travel tickets.
Tip: Paying outside the platform means losing this protection. When a buyer or seller wants to leave the marketplace helps you handle such requests.
Card chargeback and direct debit: what can your bank reverse?
With a chargeback, your bank reverses a card payment. The European Consumer Centre Germany calls it a voluntary instrument of the card organisations; the bank is not obliged to comply. Typical cases are non-delivery, a trader's insolvency and unauthorised charges, not mere dissatisfaction.
- Write to the trader and set a short deadline of no more than a week.
- Contact the bank that issued your card, not Visa or Mastercard.
- Submit the complaint form with order, statement and correspondence.
- Expect two to eight weeks; until then the credit is only provisional.
Card schemes usually allow up to 120 days. Claims are often refused for late reporting, no prior attempt with the trader or payment with a PIN. Some banks also offer chargebacks for Visa Debit or Mastercard Debit cards; ask yours. In Germany, a payment processed only through girocard cannot be charged back in the classic way.
You cannot use PayPal and your card issuer at the same time: a card dispute closes an open PayPal claim, and after a card dispute you cannot file with PayPal later.
Direct debits are covered by law: according to Your Europe, you can get a direct debit taken by mistake or for the wrong amount refunded within 8 weeks. For fraudulent payments you can be asked to pay at most €50. Your bank must answer a complaint in writing within 15 days, or 35 days in exceptional cases.
When does buyer protection not help? Questions before you pay
Most gaps follow from the exclusion lists above. Ask yourself these questions before you click Pay:
- Does the payment go through the platform's checkout, or through a link, transfer or app outside it?
- Is it a purchase from a seller or a personal Friends and Family payment?
- Is the item in an excluded group, such as a vehicle, gift card, service or digital content?
- By which date must you report a problem at the latest?
- Have you saved the listing, chat, payment record and tracking number?
Keeping these records in one place makes any claim easier. Documenting an online order shows a simple filing routine.
Who helps in which country?
For a dispute with a trader in another EU country, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) can help; for financial service providers, there is FIN-NET. Switzerland is not part of ECC-Net, and EU payment rules do not apply there automatically.
| Country | Consumer help with traders | Particular point on payments |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | European Consumer Centre Germany (EVZ) | girocard-only payments: no classic chargeback; PayPal: 180 days for both claim types |
| Austria | European Consumer Centre Austria | Chamber of Labour Vienna: a chargeback is a goodwill service, not a legal guarantee; complain within three to four months of payment at the latest |
| France | European Consumer Centre France (Europe Consommateurs) | Co-badged CB cards: a chargeback is often not possible via the CB network; online, choose Visa or Mastercard if your card offers it |
| Italy | ECC-Net Italia | EU rules apply: up to €50 for fraudulent payments, direct debit refund within 8 weeks |
| Spain | European Consumer Centre Spain | Banco de España: authorised direct debits within 8 weeks if the amount was not fixed and is higher than expected; 13 months if unauthorised |
| Switzerland | Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz; not covered by ECC-Net | TWINT: the name is not checked and the money is gone at once; report fraud to the police and to the Swiss federal cyber security office (BACS) |
An example: Aoife pays at the checkout
Fictional example: Aoife from Galway buys a second-hand tablet for €190 on a marketplace. The seller suggests PayPal Friends and Family to save fees. Aoife declines, pays at the checkout and notes the reporting deadline.
The estimated delivery date passes and nothing arrives. Aoife messages the seller through the platform and gets no answer, so after three business days she asks the marketplace to step in and uploads the chat history. The seller cannot show proof of delivery, and Aoife gets her money back. She does not open a card chargeback in parallel.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Friends and Family because the seller asks: personal payments are excluded from PayPal Buyer Protection.
- Paying part of the price outside the marketplace and losing the marketplace guarantee.
- Opening a PayPal dispute but not escalating it within 20 days, so it closes automatically.
- Starting a card chargeback while a PayPal dispute is running: PayPal then closes its claim.
- Relying only on buyer protection and forgetting your legal rights against the seller.
Your checklist
The checkboxes are for your own reference. No entries are sent to us. To keep a copy, print the page or save it as a PDF using your browser menu.
Common questions
How long does PayPal Buyer Protection last?
It depends on the country of your account. On the Irish site you open a dispute within 180 days of payment for an item not received, and within 30 days of delivery or 180 days of payment, whichever is sooner, for an item not as described. In Germany, 180 days apply to both. You then escalate to a claim within 20 days.
Am I covered if I pay with Friends and Family?
No. PayPal excludes personal payments, including Friends and Family, from Buyer Protection. If an unknown seller asks for this option, treat it as a reason to reconsider. According to the European Consumer Centre Germany, a chargeback through your bank may be possible in individual cases of fraud if a credit card is linked to your PayPal account, but you cannot count on it.
Should I use PayPal or a card chargeback?
That depends on the case. PayPal states that card chargeback rights may be broader, for example for unsatisfactory items that do not qualify as not as described. A chargeback, however, is a voluntary procedure, usually available for up to 120 days. You must choose one route: running both closes the PayPal claim. If PayPal decides against you, you can still turn to your card issuer within its deadline.
Does buyer protection work in Switzerland?
Only on the terms of the provider. EU payment rules do not apply in Switzerland automatically, and Switzerland is not part of the European Consumer Centres Network, so check the terms for your country and keep all records. For TWINT payments between private people, the Swiss consumer foundation notes that the recipient's name is not checked and the money is gone at once.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- Your Europe: Payments, transfers and cheques in the EUSource review date:
- PayPal Ireland: Buyer Protection ProgramSource review date:
- PayPal Germany: Buyer Protection terms (German)Source review date:
- eBay Ireland: eBay Money Back Guarantee policySource review date:
- European Consumer Centre Germany: Chargeback guideSource review date:
- European Commission: European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)Source review date:
- Chamber of Labour Vienna: Chargeback (German)Source review date:
- Europe Consommateurs France: Procédure de chargeback (French)Source review date:
- Banco de España: Direct debitsSource review date:
- Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz: Fraud with classified ads (German)Source review date:
