Those seem to be the most frequently asked questions on eChecks that PayPal cared to clarify.
I couldn't find any specific information on transaction fees given by PayPal on sending funds by eCheck. So I used their automated customer support feature. Here's how it went:
Sarah - PayPal :
Hi. I'm Sarah, PayPal’s automated customer support assistant.
How can I help you today?
You :
How much does it cost to send an echeck?
Sarah - PayPal :
There are usually no fees to send money, but it depends on what you are sending the money for. Is this for an eBay purchase?
- Yes
- No
You :
No
Sarah - PayPal :
It's free to send money from a bank account or a PayPal balance if the recipient is in the same country.
However, there are small transaction fees if a credit or debit card is used to send money or if the money is sent to or from outside the US.
Please see our Fees page, where you can find more information about domestic and international personal transfers.
Before we continue, was the information I gave you helpful?
-Yes, this was helpful
-No, this was not helpful
You :
No, this was not helpful
Sarah - PayPal :
I'm sorry that wasn't helpful.
How can I help you?
You :
How much does it cost to send an echeck abroad?
Sarah - PayPal :
There is a small transaction fee to send and receive money from outside the US. The rates vary depending on the transaction type and the recipient's country.
A low currency conversation rate of 2.5% is also added to the exchange rate.
Please see our Fees page for more information about international payments. I'm right here if you have any other questions.
Sarah - PayPal :
The page is opening in another window. You may need to log in to see it.
I'm right here if you have any other questions.
As you can see, I got nowhere with that either.
I wouldn't pay too much attention to what a random poster says on the web, unless the person regularly sends eChecks overseas and knows what he's talking about. I personally see no reason why PayPal would change their policy and start charging a percentage when the funds are coming right out of someone's PayPal cash reserve or personal bank account.
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wherestip United States Local time: 20:13 Chinese to English + ...
Seems to be true
Dec 5, 2011
I found these two links. Yes, it seems to be bad news. They may have changed their policy on eCheck transaction fees.
Well, if the payment involved is substantial, I would suggest using the Western Union. Not only does the sender pay only a nominal flat fee, but you don't have to pay through your nose on the receiving end either.
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wherestip United States Local time: 20:13 Chinese to English + ...
Another complaint by a user
Dec 5, 2011
Since PayPal doesn't give a straightforward answer on their website, it's impossible to verify the fee for sending an eCheck.
I used to work for a bank and also work as an E-Commerce Consultant. Hadn't got an e-check payment in a longtime until now and was shocked to see PayPal no longer just charges a flat $5 fee but charges the same fee as when payment is made by Credit/Debit Card.
All Payment Processors for credit cards charge the merchant a fee like PayPal typically in the 2-3% range. This is because VISA, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover, etc charge a transaction fee and this is what is largely making up that transaction fee your bank or payment processor is charging you. The fee is charged to the merchant accepting the payment and it is typically in the 1.8-3.5% range (AMEX typically being on the high end which is why many merchants don't accept AMEX).
An e-check is an ACH transaction (Automated Clearing House). Google it if you want to learn about it. The fee schedule for 2012 for merchants like PayPal is $.000145 per transaction and $144 annual fee. This is why if you setup yoru mortgage payment as an automated debit, you are not charged a transaction fee because the payment is made through ACH which costs the bank virtually nothing. See for yourself: http://admin.nacha.org/userfiles/File/ACH_Rules/2012%20Network%20Admin%20Fees.pdf These are much lower fees than the credit card networks. This why you can earn mileage/rewards on your credit cards but not on the checks you write or the ACH (e-check) transactions you conduct because the network/bank isn't charging high enough fees to pay for the rewards. This is also why debit or check card mileage programs give you much less 'mileage' or rewards as a percentage of the transaction size than credits card rewards program do.
I am completely surprised the government is not regulating ACH transaction fees, or if they are, they are allowing companies like PayPal to charge the same fees on ACH transactions as on credit card transactions as their ACH transaction costs are MUCH lower. This is actually pretty incredible to me.
I thought $5 was a bit high considering you can use your check-card to make a purchase with no fees, but I thought $5 is in the realm of being reasonable for the PayPal convenience. Charging the same fees as credit card payments is in my opinion WAY out of line and probably should be looks at by the FTC.
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Zhoudan China Local time: 09:13 Member (2007) English to Chinese + ...
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wherestip United States Local time: 20:13 Chinese to English + ...
Straight from the horse's mouth
Dec 5, 2011
Zhoudan wrote:
谢谢Steve，帮我查了这么多链接。看来PayPal不能用了。我还是让客户给我电汇算了。
Zhoudan,
You're welcome. Indeed, PayPal is no longer usable if you want to have any money left.
I just made a phone call to their customer service. The person I talked to explained to me that the $5 maximum eCheck fee was phased out on June 6th earlier this year ( meaning you indeed have to pay the 2.9% + $0.30). Not only that, the recipient would also be charged an additional "cross-border fee" in the amount of 1%.
Here's the main part of the follow-up email the customer service rep sent me:
Dear Stephen,
Thank you for contacting PayPal Customer Support. My name is John xxxx and I am happy to assist you with your inquiry on transaction fees.
As you may be aware, PayPal charges a small fee for receiving payments.
When you receive an eCheck, you are charged a fee, ranging from 1.9% to 2.9% + 0.30 USD.
Our fees are the same for all accounts – Personal, Premier, and Business. We charge fees for the following circumstances:
When you receive money from a purchase.
When you receive payments from outside your country or region.
When you send personal payments using a credit card. The sender determines who pays the fee.
Transaction fees can range from 1.9% to 2.9% + $0.30 USD, and are assessed when the payment is made. If you receive a payment from outside your country, you're charged a 1.0% cross border fee.
There is no fee when you pay for a purchase or when you use your PayPal balance or bank account to send money or make a payment.
Here’s how to see a list of all our fees:
1. Go to www.paypal.com and log in to your account.
2. Click ‘Fees’ at the bottom of the page.
Here’s how to view fees applied to any of your transactions:
1. Go to www.paypal.com and log in to your account.
2. Click ‘History’ near the top of the page.
3. Find the transaction you want to look at and click ‘Details.’
Don't forget, we're always around if you need us. Just click "Help" in the top right corner of any PayPal page to visit our improved Help Center.
...
Sincerely,
John xxxx
PayPal Customer Solutions
PayPal, an eBay Company
[Edited at 2011-12-05 14:46 GMT]
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Zhoudan China Local time: 09:13 Member (2007) English to Chinese + ...
TOPIC STARTER
非常感谢, Steve！
Dec 5, 2011
看来只能用PayPal收收小钱了。
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Han Li China Local time: 09:13 Member (2005) English to Chinese + ...
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