posted on September 17, 2000 11:04:01 PM new
Seems like a few months ago even the small time sellers were wishing for a service they could use so they could accept credit card payments.
Paypal may not have gone about this correctly, but, as a buyer, I prefer to use a credit card. Hmmm, or can I deduct the cost of the stamp off my payment to you?
I will not bid on auctions that add a fee for credit cards. I already pay a fee to the credit card company.
I also think it's very unprofessional to add a gripe about Paypal fees in your auction. Either put in that you do accept or don't accept, leave the complaints for these boards or somewhere else. Not in an auction description.
posted on September 18, 2000 10:57:56 AM new"So has my bank but I didn't dump them"
Actually, I did. I had a Credit Union account when I lived in a different state. The CU touted it's services to the employees of the big employer in the small town to which we had just moved so that my husband could work for that big company.
The CU had small $ charge for accounts with small balances. If you had a balance over $300, checking was free, but you paid for your physical checks at a discount from one of 2 big check printing companies.
If you carried over $1500 min. balance, you got free checking and free checks.
Also, the big employer, for whom my husband now worked, would direct deposit your checks only to this specific CU so you got your money right away and didn't have to stand in the lines to deposit. GREAT! We opened our $300 min. account and were so happy for about a year!
Then, one month, I received my statement and found $50 in fees! What?! The balance never went below $300!
I called them. Yes, they had a policy change. The $300 min. balance account now had to pay full price for checks and pay a charge of .25 for each check over 10 checks or ATM withdrawls combined cleared through the bank in a month and .10 for each deposit over 2 in a month.
I asked when they notified us. They stated that a CU does not have to pre-notify and yes, we would certainly owe the $50. And added that now we knew.
We cancelled the direct deposit from the company and moved our account to a bank immediately! Closed our account at the CU which had such a nice relationship with the company for which my husband worked and found someone that had terms that were acceptable AND that had to let you know BEFORE they changed your charges!
After much irritation amongst employees about the only place that we could direct deposit, the company opened the direct deposit up to all financial institutions in the town.
Now, I want to say that I would pay PayPal for the Charge Card transactions but I have a problem with:
1) flat fees
2) Charges for transactions other than Credit cards like between PP accounts etc.
3) They got the cart before the horse by charging first and then bringing in services. They have announced value rich services, but I have not seen them. If they would have instituted the international availability, I think many people would have willingly upgraded (including me), since this is a service that is truly "value rich" to many of us.
I have been with PayPal from the beginning, but like the Credit Union, I don't appreciate surprises with no added value for those fees, only promises of future value and I have no problem finding other places to take my business.
posted on September 18, 2000 11:09:37 AM new
Hi all,
Many thanks for all of the kind words and I also thank those that took the time to have their concerns brought forward. I realize this is not a popular answer, but I can assure everyone that they are being addressed.
posted on September 18, 2000 12:18:42 PM new
PayPal is a good service for payments...
I have decided not to use PayPal for my auctions (my stuff is, right now, very low cost and very occasional). But I will continue to use it as a personal payment option. Should I ever get my act together and be able to sell more items on a more regular basis, I will revisit the PayPal option. Right now, it just seems like too much out of a very small "pin money" kind of "business"...
posted on September 18, 2000 01:59:39 PM new
I still like PayPal and in fact used it twice today. The payment direct from my checking account seems to work very easily, about the same as a debit credit card. I think a lot of the folks are jumping to a conclusion without any facts, just rumors, and may be shooting themselves in the foot, and will be limping around for days trying to recover their sales. I personally like auctions where PayPal or Billpoint is an option, as I like to get my mdse. in a couple of days instead of a week or two.
Why do you press harder on a remote control when you know the battery is dead?
posted on September 18, 2000 08:33:41 PM new
Absolutely.
Paypal has a earned a lot of complaint words for their doublespeak on how free they are... but
I was browsing today an hit an offering demanding pay due in 7 days, and big red all caps "Money order only, I do not except (sic) PayPal".
What a total double turn off. The big red statement tells me this is a seller outraged by paypal... but the fees would be less than the MO fee.
Plus I would get to go out of may way to purchase and send it, and risk his further displeasure if this delays payment a few days.
NO WAY, it's got to a fantastic bargain price or truly HTF want to even consider accepting such b.s. anymore.
The convenience of paying quickly, online is worth the 2% (0% if seller is personal). Last year sending checks or money orders was implicit in ebay style person to person trading because electronic payments could only be processed by those active enough to spend quite a bit of money for a merchant account. Now the smallest seller has multiple options for inexpensive e-payment. Those who chose to insist MO only do not deserve patronage.
Paypal et.al. has raised ebay buyers' expectations for convenience, speed, and efficiency. Don't expect a reversal.
posted on September 18, 2000 08:42:24 PM new
How about if we don't expect a reversal, but just a change of venue to something like Yahoo PayDirect or Exchangepath or the equivalent? Would that turn you off? I really want to know because I would rather not use PayPal until they can clarify their position.
posted on September 18, 2000 08:53:31 PM new
I offer PayPal & BillPoint & will continue to do so.
It's taken a number of my customers a while to even get comfortable using PayPal or BillPoint..so I'm not going to demand they go register at every new site that wanders out of the woodwork w/a "promise" of free fees & referral fees for the seller.
paypaldamon,
How your company handled this was abominable. Whoever came up w/"introducing" the new fees in this manner should be summarily fired. You still haven't answered a WHOLE lot of questions, including mine from a week ago.
I think a lot of us are sticking w/PayPal for now, but I can easily go BillPoint only in a heartbeat if you don't start answering some questions & soon.
This "golly, everything will become clear" postings are tiresome & a bit of a slap at our tolerance & intelligence. Stop playing on the boards until you have some answers.
posted on September 19, 2000 10:39:12 AM new
Hi eventer,
I am not in a comfortable position myself. What I have had to do is report all of the questions so that the policy questions could be answered. It may not be apparent, but these issues are being worked on.
As a reminder, I do not create policy, but the concerns I find on the boards are reported in order to define outstanding questions and they may not be forthcoming in a few day period.
Many of the posts I read through had the same concerns:
1. What do we consider a business?
2. Why the change?
3. What happened to free?
And a whole host of other ones. These concerns are being addressed and I apologize that it is not readily apparent.
posted on September 19, 2000 10:47:42 AM new
PPD-- What I want to know is:
1) Why the flat fee?
2) Why if you are just passing on the actual fees that you are being charged by the CC companies, are you intending to charge for NON-CHARGE CARD related transactions? i.e. between PP accounts and from and to checking accounts.
posted on September 19, 2000 11:11:45 AM new
PayPalDamon--
Thank you--I feel better that I know my concerns have been heard and are on the list at least.
posted on September 19, 2000 12:37:25 PM new
labbie1 you asked...
" How about if we don't expect a reversal, but just a change of venue to something like Yahoo PayDirect or Exchangepath or the equivalent? Would that turn you off? I really want to know because I would rather not use PayPal until they can clarify their position."
For me, I don't want to sign up for anymore cc places. I use PayPal and Amazon 1click.
I am a seller..but I am also a buyer. I looked into Yahoo...and yes they are free, for now...but, I did not sign up. Two is enough for me right now.
I will keep using PayPal...I started off just part time, alittle here and there...but I have found myself (except for this week) listing alot more. I look at the cost, and it is minamal compared to a merchant account, and some others.
Like everything in life...things change, and paying by credit card is much easier for people than going out to get a money order, or writing a check, and having it held for ten days..(which I don't do).
posted on September 19, 2000 01:38:27 PM new
I'll keep using Paypal. I don't want to sign up for anymore credit card services.
The one thing I find ironic is all the sellers that I've heard say, "I've made a ton from the referral fees," and now are bemoaning the fact they may have to pay for a service. And if they are selling at ebay, they are a business. Too many claim they are only selling surplus items from their homes. Seems that there should be a lot of homes without furnishings and stuff now. Lots being sold. Lots being bought because sellers know they can sell whatever it is on ebay. Don't think houses were redecorated so quickly before.
It's apparently okay to gain "tons" in referral fees, but not okay to pay for a service that just a few months ago was not available at a reasonable rate for small time sellers.
posted on September 19, 2000 01:58:31 PM new
Paypal did something wrong but, I'm going to hang with them...They have treated our company well..until the last few days.
I'll pay their fee's and will also advise them not to lie to us again...
and I also thank those that took the time to have their concerns brought forward. I realize this is not a popular answer, but I can assure everyone that they are being addressed.