Before you bid on an item or use Buy It Now, make sure the seller's payment options work for you. Important considerations when deciding on a payment method include:

• Is the method traceable and is there proof of payment?

• Is the method fast and convenient

• How secure is it?

• What is the liability coverage if something goes wrong?

There are a number of ways to pay on eBay. Most sellers offer more than one option. Some payment options offer more protection than others so be sure to select a method of payment you're comfortable with.

If you have additional questions about payment options, you can contact the seller directly. You can find the seller's email address by clicking on the User ID on the listing or by looking in the End of Listing email you received when the listing closed.

Sellers may not ask or require you to pay by instant cash wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. They may not ask you to pay by cash. These payment methods are not permitted on eBay. Please refer to the Accepted Payments policy for details on permitted and non-permitted payment methods. Payment services that are not permitted on eBay may, in fact, be outstanding services for consumers in other contexts. eBay’s evaluation relates only to whether a particular service is appropriate for the eBay Marketplace. If a seller asks you to pay with a payment method that is not permitted on eBay, report the seller.

Payment methods include the following:

• PayPal

• Personal or Cashier's Cheques

• Money Orders

• Bank Deposit

• Bank Deposit Express

• Cash on Delivery

Payment problems

If you have paid for an item but have not received it or the item is significantly not as described, you can use the Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described process to help resolve the issue.

If you’ve completed the Item Not Received or Significantly Not as Described process and have been unable to reach an agreement with the seller, you may be eligible for reimbursement through the eBay Standard Purchase Protection Programme.

Note: Eligibility for buyer protection services is determined by the payment method that you use and the eBay country site where the item was purchased. You can review how your purchase is protected on the item page.

You can only open a dispute through the specific eBay country site where you purchased the item. If you try to open a dispute on an eBay country site other than the site where you purchased the item, you will be asked to continue your dispute on the appropriate eBay site.

If you have paid for the item through PayPal on an eligible eBay site, that you didn’t receive or it was significantly different from the item description, you’ll need to file a dispute with PayPal by logging in and going to the resolution center.

Your item may be covered under PayPal’s Buyer Protection Programme.  Coverage amounts will vary and are based on the site where you purchased your item.  For example, if you purchase an item on eBay.com, you may be covered up to US$2,000.

To determine eligibility and coverage on your item(s), look for the PayPal logo in the ‘Buy Safely’ section of the item description page. Or, see eligibility.