EBay Delays PayPal Mandate In Australia

United States-based auction Web site owner eBay Inc. Monday postponed a mandate scheduled to begin today that would allow only PayPal, eBay's payment service, as an online-payment option on the company's Australian Web site (CardLine Global, 16/6). In a statement, eBay says it will continue to challenge the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's decision last week to delay the mandate while the commission investigates whether it is anticompetitive. EBay says it is "disappointed that the [commission's] current view delays the opportunity to provide consumers a more-secure way to shop on eBay.com.au with confidence." EBay intends to work with the commission and hopes to achieve an outcome "which has the safety and security of eBay's members as its paramount objective," the company says in a statement. EBay says it will delay the removal of other payment methods from the site until 15 July. The company declined further comment when contacted by CardLine Global.