Avoiding PayPal Currency Conversion Fees on eBay

hyp3dup on 05/11/2016 - 22:32

The new eBay checkout does not allow you to change currency conversion option to your card's rate. It defaults to PayPal's rate (3.5% fee to USD/CAD, 4% to others).

For those that don't know, most AU bank accounts charge only 3%. CitiBank charges 0%. There are also a number of credit cards which also do 0% (eg. GE 28 Degrees). So pretty much in all cases, selecting your card's rate will save you money.

There seems to be no way to complete the payment at PayPal.com either where the exchange rate selection is available.

Has anyone found a way around this?

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Comments

  • Clear on 05/11/2016 - 22:46
    +3

    You can set it up in your Paypal account so you don't have to do it each time.

    http://www.pointhacks.com.au/how-to-change-credit-card-billi…

    • hyp3dup on 05/11/2016 - 23:57
      +3

      edit: This seems to have worked, did take a few minutes for it to take effect.

      For others, the URL is: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_profile-mercha…

      I can't seem to find this page through PayPal's actual website so it seems you have to copy paste it manually.

      • Clear on 06/11/2016 - 00:23
        +1

        Paypal have made it hard to find intentionally to get their cut.

      • szabby on 01/04/2019 - 17:41

        Thank you so much for this direct link.

        They have hidden the option on their site now.

        I spent over 30 minutes trying to find this setting page last night.

        I even rang Paypal support today and was advised it was no longer possible.

        They advised the only way now is if I had a credit card in USD in order to be charged in USD, otherwise, eBay/Paypal would convert the currency to AUD.

        Really glad I came across this post.

        • szabby on 31/01/2020 - 04:03

          I tried to update my Mastercard as I had lost it, but Unfortunately, This link no longer works :-(

  • niknah on 06/11/2016 - 09:20

    Login to paypal. Click on "Currencies". Choose "Balance conversion" and transfer the amount that you want.
    This will be at a slightly lower rate than the normal rate for "purchases".

    Also, PayPal do not calculate the currency rates live. I know they grab the currency rates once in the morning and once at night, maybe some other times too.

  • kawinuyo on 26/11/2016 - 01:48

    I am having problems with this too, my option was already in billed in currency listed on seller's invoice so I am at a loss….

  • newgas on 26/11/2016 - 09:25
    +1

    I have experienced the same problems too and I have been posting in whirlpool forums.
    https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2581493

    I haven't confirmed if this issue is resolved yet.

  • Daedalus on 22/12/2016 - 20:29

    I am also having this problem. Forced to use Paypal's conversion despite all the settings on the contrary.

  • tofu on 03/06/2018 - 19:07

    Thanks OP for sharing the link above. Just came across this issue and that solved it quickly.

  • skywalka on 06/06/2018 - 07:59

    I’ve been trying to do this for years. Thanks so much.

  • skywalka on 06/06/2018 - 08:08

    My default is for PayPal to use my PayPal balance. But then it always wants to pay with my bank account which is currency converted by PayPal. I have to manually select my credit card every time. Is there a way to make the bank account the 3rd option? Or remove it as a payment method but keep it to receive money?

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