Thinking about using PayPal? Think again!

[tailfins]

Updated: GlassUp raised $100K on Indiegogo — but PayPal is refusing to pay up

It’s wonderful to raise money via crowdfunding platforms such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter. Not so great, however, if PayPal refuses to release the money that supporters have pledged to back your project.

http://venturebeat.com/2013/08/14/glassup-raised-100k-on-indiegogo-but-paypal-is-refusing-to-pay-up/

The only reason PayPal released the funds is because of the negative PR, and it sounds like Indiegogo had an inside connection. But this happens every day to small businesses, having their funds held for up to 6 months by PayPal with no appeal process, and not enough money to take legal action. They held tens of thousands of our funds for 6 months because our company name was "similar" to another company who was being investigated. No research, no review of our submitted documentation, no concern for a small business, just deal with it.

Finally....
http://venturebeat.com/2013/08/15/pa...funding-money/

[Drummond]

Updated: GlassUp raised $100K on Indiegogo — but PayPal is refusing to pay up






http://venturebeat.com/2013/08/14/glassup-raised-100k-on-indiegogo-but-paypal-is-refusing-to-pay-up/



Finally....
http://venturebeat.com/2013/08/15/pa...funding-money/

This is all very well .. but, eBay comes immediately to mind. Buying those items you want becomes highly problematic if you don't go through PayPal to do it.

[tailfins]

This is all very well .. but, eBay comes immediately to mind. Buying those items you want becomes highly problematic if you don't go through PayPal to do it.

I ONLY use virtual credit cards to buy using PayPal. They don't like virtual credit cards and often block the transaction. I'm on the phone with them frequently asking "Do you want me to buy the junk or not?" 90% of they time they give in and release the transaction. The other 10% I cancel the purchase or offer to mail the seller a money order. In one case I picked up the item cash in person, the seller and I agreed to mutually cancel the sale, leaving FeeBay with no fee.

[Drummond]

I ONLY use virtual credit cards to buy using PayPal. They don't like virtual credit cards and often block the transaction. I'm on the phone with them frequently asking "Do you want me to buy the junk or not?" 90% of they time they give in and release the transaction. The other 10% I cancel the purchase or offer to mail the seller a money order. In one case I picked up the item cash in person, the seller and I agreed to mutually cancel the sale, leaving FeeBay with no fee.

Congratulations, if only because you seem to be able to speak to Paypal just when you want to !

To be fair, they (PayPal) have improved substantially in the past handful of years, but it used to be the case that it was nearly impossible to resolve anything with them. This I put down to deficiencies with their British setup, which I believe has always lagged behind that of the US.

Many years ago, I tried, repeatedly, to register with them. The first registration failed just because I wasn't US-based. The second, because their site didn't recognise my credit card .. despite its being issued from one of the largest banks the UK has. I was told to register another one if I wanted my registration to succeed !

Tried to get the registration of the first one removed ... and discovered an abiding PayPal rule (at least, as it was then ..) .. they NEVER erase a record of ANYTHING you register with them.

Two more registration attempts, each time incurring a Website glitch I couldn't overcome.

The fifth and final registration was ACCIDENTAL, and more than a little bizarre .. I'd already given up on them, and was - in those days - happily using Western Union to make eBay payments, even with eBay sellers who'd themselves boycotted PayPal because THEY preferred Western Union. EBay banned Western Union .. so for a while I relied on postal orders, or cheques, for payments ... then ... after paying for goods through a Canadian site via credit card, one which processed payments via a PayPal account THEY had, found that my payment had set up my own account with them !!!!

Once I found THAT out (from email contact), and a phone call later (actually three .. they were difficult to get hold of ..) I started using it !! I've had little trouble with them since, beyond the need for a very occasional phone call ......

[tailfins]

Congratulations, if only because you seem to be able to speak to Paypal just when you want to !

To be fair, they (PayPal) have improved substantially in the past handful of years, but it used to be the case that it was nearly impossible to resolve anything with them. This I put down to deficiencies with their British setup, which I believe has always lagged behind that of the US.

Many years ago, I tried, repeatedly, to register with them. The first registration failed just because I wasn't US-based. The second, because their site didn't recognise my credit card .. despite its being issued from one of the largest banks the UK has. I was told to register another one if I wanted my registration to succeed !

Tried to get the registration of the first one removed ... and discovered an abiding PayPal rule (at least, as it was then ..) .. they NEVER erase a record of ANYTHING you register with them.

Two more registration attempts, each time incurring a Website glitch I couldn't overcome.

The fifth and final registration was ACCIDENTAL, and more than a little bizarre .. I'd already given up on them, and was - in those days - happily using Western Union to make eBay payments, even with eBay sellers who'd themselves boycotted PayPal because THEY preferred Western Union. EBay banned Western Union .. so for a while I relied on postal orders, or cheques, for payments ... then ... after paying for goods through a Canadian site via credit card, one which processed payments via a PayPal account THEY had, found that my payment had set up my own account with them !!!!

Once I found THAT out (from email contact), and a phone call later (actually three .. they were difficult to get hold of ..) I started using it !! I've had little trouble with them since, beyond the need for a very occasional phone call ......

Have you tried THIS number? 402-935-2050

[Drummond]

Have you tried THIS number? 402-935-2050

I just did ... it's an American PayPal number ('001' added beforehand; your international dialling code from the UK).

I got through to an automated message, which told me it didn't recognise my number (.. because I was dialling from the UK ?). It asked me to confirm my area code .. obviously expecting me to confirm one it recognised, which it WON'T do, as mine won't tally with anything American.

I've hung up. Had I persevered, I think that either the call would've failed, or I would've been referred on to a UK line.

But thanks anyway.

[glockmail]

I've had only good experience using paypal. I bought something a phone on ebay a while back that turned out to be stolen, and paypal got the money back for me.

[logroller]

I just did ... it's an American PayPal number ('001' added beforehand; your international dialling code from the UK).

I got through to an automated message, which told me it didn't recognise my number (.. because I was dialling from the UK ?). It asked me to confirm my area code .. obviously expecting me to confirm one it recognised, which it WON'T do, as mine won't tally with anything American.

I've hung up. Had I persevered, I think that either the call would've failed, or I would've been referred on to a UK line.

But thanks anyway.

You're probably on obama's political watch list.

[red state]

I've had only good experience using paypal. I bought something a phone on ebay a while back that turned out to be stolen, and paypal got the money back for me.

I most certainly agree with Drummond and Glockmail. As a business with clients all over the world, I've never been left holding the bag with PayPal. They've always been in my corner and I can think of only one incident where a client tried to stiff me YET PayPal held them to their agreement. I use PayPal extensively when buying Ebay products/merchandise and they work well when I'm traveling. In fact, they email me IMMEDIATELY when my wife or kids have purchased something and if something looks suspicious, the lock the card down till I can affirm that the thousands or hundreds of bucks (that are not usually spent) is indeed, legitimate. It is sometimes a hassle but I appreciate the protection. I almost consider them their own LifeLock or whatever that organization is. They may have been bad long ago but in my 7-8 years in business, I absolutely LOVE them!

I don't know about some of those dealings others have had but the little bit I do understand (especially with the organization that had a very similar name to the questionable group under shady dealings) seems to be PayPal looking out for the customer on the other end of things.

They may be a bad deal for some but for millions of others like me in who rely on them in business or the millions of folks (like me) who buy many things on Ebay, they simply work OUTSTANDINGLY well. I'm sorry that a few have had bad dealings but there are always a few in any business or bank who have been unsatisfied. Nothing is perfect....but my PayPal account certainly is.

[Drummond]

I most certainly agree with Drummond and Glockmail. As a business with clients all over the world, I've never been left holding the bag with PayPal. They've always been in my corner and I can think of only one incident where a client tried to stiff me YET PayPal held them to their agreement. I use PayPal extensively when buying Ebay products/merchandise and they work well when I'm traveling. In fact, they email me IMMEDIATELY when my wife or kids have purchased something and if something looks suspicious, the lock the card down till I can affirm that the thousands or hundreds of bucks (that are not usually spent) is indeed, legitimate. It is sometimes a hassle but I appreciate the protection. I almost consider them their own LifeLock or whatever that organization is. They may have been bad long ago but in my 7-8 years in business, I absolutely LOVE them!

I don't know about some of those dealings others have had but the little bit I do understand (especially with the organization that had a very similar name to the questionable group under shady dealings) seems to be PayPal looking out for the customer on the other end of things.

They may be a bad deal for some but for millions of others like me in who rely on them in business or the millions of folks (like me) who buy many things on Ebay, they simply work OUTSTANDINGLY well. I'm sorry that a few have had bad dealings but there are always a few in any business or bank who have been unsatisfied. Nothing is perfect....but my PayPal account certainly is.

Sounds good.

Actually, my earlier experiences with them weren't at all good. Multiple attempts just to successfully register with them, only to find out that I'd eventually managed it at a time when I wasn't even trying (!!!) ...

They've improved considerably in recent years, though. Long may that continue.

I do wonder if their policy to NEVER delete credit card details, no matter how much you ask them to, is still followed.

[logroller]

I most certainly agree with Drummond and Glockmail. As a business with clients all over the world, I've never been left holding the bag with PayPal. They've always been in my corner and I can think of only one incident where a client tried to stiff me YET PayPal held them to their agreement. I use PayPal extensively when buying Ebay products/merchandise and they work well when I'm traveling. In fact, they email me IMMEDIATELY when my wife or kids have purchased something and if something looks suspicious, the lock the card down till I can affirm that the thousands or hundreds of bucks (that are not usually spent) is indeed, legitimate. It is sometimes a hassle but I appreciate the protection. I almost consider them their own LifeLock or whatever that organization is. They may have been bad long ago but in my 7-8 years in business, I absolutely LOVE them!

I don't know about some of those dealings others have had but the little bit I do understand (especially with the organization that had a very similar name to the questionable group under shady dealings) seems to be PayPal looking out for the customer on the other end of things.

They may be a bad deal for some but for millions of others like me in who rely on them in business or the millions of folks (like me) who buy many things on Ebay, they simply work OUTSTANDINGLY well. I'm sorry that a few have had bad dealings but there are always a few in any business or bank who have been unsatisfied. Nothing is perfect....but my PayPal account certainly is.

Ditto.
Though I've only been the payee once with paypal, it went alright. It was a hassle that first time having to wait for days, almost a week, for the account to be certified and payment to clear, but it worked out fine. **pay with confidence** A+++

I know a red herring when I smell one-- There are hints of the reasoning for such, i.e. criminal investigations into a related firm, so I'm guessing there's more to this story than meets the eye.

[jimnyc]

I've been using Paypal for as long as I can remember. I've used for regular purchases, donations, Ebay sales, Ebay purchases... A little bit of everything over the years. I never had a single issue, other than them letting Psychoblues get a refund on his donation to the board months after he made it. LOL

But I have read a fair amount of horror stories. I wouldn't recommend having a very large balance in there and leaving it in there for a long time. No reason for that, other than I like it better when it's in my bank account. I only had one large transaction like that over the years, which was income in the low thousands, and I started the transfer to my bank account instantly.

While we're discussing it, there IS a little Paypal button at the top/center of the board, in case anyone wants to give it a test drive.

[red state]

Ditto.
Though I've only been the payee once with paypal, it went alright. It was a hassle that first time having to wait for days, almost a week, for the account to be certified and payment to clear, but it worked out fine. **pay with confidence** A+++

I know a red herring when I smell one-- There are hints of the reasoning for such, i.e. criminal investigations into a related firm, so I'm guessing there's more to this story than meets the eye.

AGREED and as Jim said: " I wouldn't recommend having a very large balance in there and leaving it in there for a long time." That is both true and false (to a certain degree). I believe many delays are because of low balances BUT I'd not want an outstanding balance in ANY such account because it is so easy for hackers to 'do-the-dirty' on you. It is better to have a few thousand for emergencies, shopping/vacations, and business but I'd put my REAL money in a savings account or some other fund. It is simply safer that way. It is much the same principle as when I was an investor in the market (day trader much of the time). Take a good portion, invest it, WIN, Win, win and then take the big winnings and leave the initial "gambling/playing money" that allowed you to win, Win, WIN and do it all over again. In this way, even if you bet bitten, you're still covered. Most of my clients (good paying clients) come from Australia, Texas and CA so the long distance serves me well in using PayPal and it truly makes us all happy cuz there are mutual rewards involved through many transactions.

I'd recommend PayPal to anyone!!!!

[red state]

While we're discussing it, there IS a little Paypal button at the top/center of the board, in case anyone wants to give it a test drive.

Jim, make that a RED button and I may have to oblige you with that. HA!!!