UK customers who buy and sell online can now use a local
version of the PayPal payment service, with links to local delivery
companies and a seller protection service included.
The UK is PayPal's biggest market outside the US, and the
company felt that buyers would be more comfortable with
recognisably local services, said UK country manager Scott
Braunstein.
"We felt that people are trusting us with their money, and it's
important to make them feel safe and secure. I don't know that
seeing the word 'center' spelled with an 'er' is a big deal, but we
wanted to instill confidence," he added.
The shipment tracking system in PayPal UK now links to the Royal
Mail's Parcelforce service.
PayPal's Seller Protection service was previously only available
in the US but has now been extended to the UK. The service protects
a seller against "chargebacks", where a buyer recalls a payment
made on their credit card.
To qualify for the protection, a seller has to have a bank
account verified by PayPal, has to ship goods to the buyer's
registered address in a "timely" fashion, and has to retain proof
of sending the goods being sold.
This UK site is PayPal's first international website, and is
part of a plan to expand the service in Europe. Last month the
company set up a European headquarters in Dublin to provide
customer service, fraud prevention and operational support for
European members.
Gillian Law writes for IDG News
Service