Paypal

[Kudjap or Bust]

I've noticed more and more websites are allowing Paypal for online purchases, do many of you use Paypal and if so do you feel it's safe? I have a Paypal account and use it for eBay (eBay own Paypal) but haven't used it on other sites.
I realise there's a charge everytime you use them but is it worth it?

[jackspratt]

You may want to look here before you decide. You could also google <paypal problems>

http://www.aboutpaypal.org/

[fussychunk]

Dont use paypal the rates they give in transactions are crap, you get better rates and protection from your credit cards.

Paypal deducted £550 from my account for a 1 day sale on boxing day fora drill that would of cost £20 in the UK. I got the money back after I set the credit card company onto them, after all what would i want to use ebay for a 1 day sale when I was in Thailand on holiday? Paypal ended up closing my account.

Never got the drill.

[JimboPSM]

Only used paypal and ebay once (a few years ago) for a relatively small amount, and was stung by what was (in my opinion) an unnecessary and unethical use of exchange rates in processing the transaction.

I don't have the details any longer, but from memory I was in the UK buying from a UK supplier on ebay, the price was quoted in GBP however when the transaction was actually processed the selling price was converted to USD and my credit card was then charged with USD which then had to be converted back to GBP, so I was hit with a double whammy on the exchange rate. The price ended up about 10% higher than it should have been had it been processed as GBP to GBP.

I have no inclination to give them a second chance - ebay & paypal are both set up as "spam" on my e-mail and anything from them is automatically binned.

[lee]

Check out this site before doing business with paypal: http://paypalsucks.com/

[PopsIcafe]

Lee, I just tried to go to that web site and AVG said it was a dangerous website and is blocking me from entering the website.

Pop's

[jackspratt]

Pops, it is completely safe.

I reckon I would be changing from AVG

[cali4995]

I briefly set-up a paypal account before but everytime I tried to access it from here (Thailand)
it would "lock-up" I guess because the IP address was red-flagging it? Anyway, after about a
week of trying to resolve that without success, I became not very confident with the paypal
system. Since then I think Thailand is now a country on their list? maybe you need thaipaypal?

[Philrjones]

Re paypal - please let me relate my own story. I was actually interviewed on tv for this.

I sold a scooter in Australia through ebay and the purchaser paid via paypal. All was fine. I tried to withdraw the money from paypal (PP) and they stopped the transaction and blocked the account. It was actually the next day when I looked at my bank balance before I realised something was wrong. Several more days before PP contacted me via email despite countless phone calls, emails, etc from me. No matter how many times I rang I couldn't get anyone. I was put on hold once when I asked for a supervisor/manager - I gave up and hung up after 45 mins of waiting.

First they wanted proof of my credit card to match to the account - gave them that (despite having to go through ID checks when you sign up for paypal). Then they wanted ID (passport) - gave them that. Then they wanted to wait until they contacted the buyer to check everything was ok. I presume they did. The credit card was a pain as I get electronic copies only. Had to wait days for a specially ordered hard copy statement. Yes I did print off from screen and send, but PP rejected that. Each time involved me reading an email, getting a copy, faxing at the post office, then waiting several days. Whatever PP can do to make that process as hard as possible, they will. Why? Because they want to keep your money as long as possible.

After over a month of this - yes the buyer had the scoot over a month and I still had not got the money - I contacted a news program. They came and interviewed me and a few others who were having problems. The report aired on TV and guess what? - The very next day after airing on tv at prime time, I received my money.

The site mentioned in one of the above postss- paypal sucks - is accurate and true. I've posted in there as well. You will see stories on there of people who are owed hundreds of dollars - mine by the way was $7,500 !!!! And for those who have used paypal for ages with no probs - yes, I was exactly the same. Everything goes swimmingly well until to reach a limit of withdrawal. Goodness knows what that is. Then Paypal has the right (read the small print) to block your account. Then you have to move heaven and earth to get it back. No explanation - I never received one. Nice little earner keeping peoples money earning interest for them - imagine average $5000 per person and 5,000 people and honestly that's no exaggeration.

The problem is people don't take it to the next step. I did - I wrote to the CEO and PP Australia and gave them fair warning to give me my money which was legitimately earned and mine, otherwise I would be doing something about it. No response. So I went on prime time TV and told all of Australia how bad they were and what had happened.

They suck big time, and i will never, never use them again. Use at your own risk. If you are thinking of using, read some of the posts on paypal sucks website first.

Cheers
Phil

[astrid]

Good info !

Was about to sign up for my business, changed my mind.

Thanks.

[Kudjap or Bust]

Me too, I was looking at adding PP to the methods of payment to my webshop, glad I posted this thread.

[lee]

IMO Paypal seems to favour buyers rather than sellers. I've lost money through Paypal on several occasions. A buyer can apply for charge back on their card at anytime, and paypal will deduct the money immediately from your account while they investigate. Each time the money is eventually returned to the buyer, even though I've not been at fault in anyway.

Lee, I just tried to go to that web site and AVG said it was a dangerous website and is blocking me from entering the website.

Maybe AVG has shares in Paypal! LOL

McAfee seem to think it's OK!

[BobHelm]

AVG certainly does not like the site for some reason - only site I can ever remember seeing a AVG warning when trying to enter. WOT (FF Addon) said it was safe though.

AVG.jpg (123.12 KiB) Viewed 1850 times

[wazza]

Paypal and EBAY tried to introduce a trial in Australia , which was rejected by the Australian Authorities.

They actually asked to be exempt from legal indemnity etc

It was a double dipping execise by both companies and they lost.

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/ ... -australia

[fussychunk]

Paypal and EBAY tried to introduce a trial in Australia , which was rejected by the Australian Authorities.

They actually asked to be exempt from legal indemnity etc

It was a double dipping execise by both companies and they lost.

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/ ... -australia

Must say Ebays customer service sucks aswell, the site just sends you round in circles, just like paypals customer service.

Avoid I do now

[BobHelm]

ebay own paypal so I am not surprised that they are pushing its services. Glad to see that Australia were up to the mark on stopping this sort of thing....

[Marmite The Dog]

We all know that Paypal are crooks, but what alternatives are there apart from using a credit card?

Setting up a CC payment system on a website can be a pain in the backside, especially in Thailand where some of the banks are still in the Dark Ages with regard to technology.

And the reason AVG doesn't like an increasing number of websites is because they're infected with (usually harmless) viruses due to them using crappy Windows servers.

[bumper]

I tried to sign up for ebay, luckily for me they wonlt accpet a Thai Bnak Account. Eventually I read the thread tha was lsited. I just ordered a cool vest having friend I trust he is on my stare side baank account order and send it to me,. Safier I think.

He just writes himself a check. I trust him a heck of lot more then Paypal

[jepp]

I have used Paypal hundreds of times mostly ebay but also outside of ebay. I find it is a trustworthy way of transferring money overseas mostly to private people who wouldn't be able to accept a credit card. I am not happy with the skimming that paypal do firstly on the fee, and secondly on the exchange rate, but it is very very convenient, and once I used a money transfer costing me a minimum fee of $AUST 25. I have also found that credit cards don't give great exchange rates and sometimes charge an overseas transaction fee, so I will stick with paypal.

[rufus]

Paypal is a total ripoff. I refuse to buy anything on ebay now because of their paypal policy.