Hassles of Cash

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:06 pm

It can be difficult ordering online without a credit card. Seems to be getting difficulter and difficulter, as Paypal becomes more universal. I've run into trouble trying to order by money order with two different sellers, today, one of whom I've always ordered by check or money order from in the past, but now wants orders through Paypal. I get tired of the hassle.

You say get a card, but I'll just do without ordering online, rather than do that.

I was going to get one of those prepaid cards, for the purpose, but the fees were more than the cost of the item I was ordering.

djm · Post by **djm** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:13 pm

I know people who refuse to buy a computer or go on-line for any reason. They say they aren't about to be "sucked into that whole internet thing". Sucked into what? You come and go as you please, with a bit of caution, same as physically walking to the corner store.

Having a credit card is no different, and using it for on-line purchases has been a real benefit to me. I just purchased an item from a fellow in the US. I had to send a money order, which cost me an additional $5.00 to purchase, plus postage, plus time to send in the post. If the seller had PayPal, he could have received assured payment from a fairly reliable source (my credit card), and the only waiting time I would have to put up with would be delivery of the item.

I'm afraid I do not understand your attitude towards credit cards.

djm

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:15 pm

I don't have any credit cards attached to Paypal. I connected a seldom-used bank account, and transfer money from my main account to that one and then into Paypal.

Tyler · Post by **Tyler** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:27 pm

I've had a lot of problems with paypal before...ever since ebay turned them over to another company to run..

Walden, what do you sell?

missy · Post by **missy** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:45 pm

I keep hearing these Pay Pal horror stories, but I've had absolutely NO problems, both with buying and selling. We used it for presales of our festival, and honestly, it was a lot easier than having people send checks, etc. It was also the best way to go for an international sale.

I guess I've just been lucky.

flanum · Post by **flanum** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:42 pm

So what about these new pre-paid credit cards?? Maximum Euro250. They cost Euro5. each no matter what amount.

Its just been anounced today on irish news and will be available this week.
Ideal for Gift vouchers or people that dont have credit cards.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:55 pm

Well I go through similar problems being 16 and being "too young" to get a credit card. When I buy or sell stuf I will either have my Dad use his card/pay pal or send/receive a Money Order usually I will take a MO when I am selling because that saves a big step but does require a bit of waiting.

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:39 pm

I've used PayPal several times for ebay purchases and it's always gone smoothly.

Credit cards are fine for true emergencies. I also use mine for online purchases. Unfortunately, too many folks use them as substitute cash and end up in a bottomless pit.

What I really hate is how they send upteen offers of cards through the mail pushing their really great card that's going to make your world wonderful. It seems every company has it's own credit card, it's crazy. I've had the same card, and only one since the 80s. If people would read the fine print they'd run screaming.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 10:50 pm

Tyler Morris wrote:Walden, what do you sell?

Nothing.

djm wrote:I know people who refuse to buy a computer or go on-line for any reason. They say they aren't about to be "sucked into that whole internet thing". Sucked into what? You come and go as you please, with a bit of caution, same as physically walking to the corner store.

Having a credit card is no different, and using it for on-line purchases has been a real benefit to me. I just purchased an item from a fellow in the US. I had to send a money order, which cost me an additional $5.00 to purchase, plus postage, plus time to send in the post. If the seller had PayPal, he could have received assured payment from a fairly reliable source (my credit card), and the only waiting time I would have to put up with would be delivery of the item.

I'm afraid I do not understand your attitude towards credit cards.

I'm not asking you to understand. Let's assume I have valid reasons for not getting a credit card.

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 8:57 am

I have had hundreds of successful transactions (both buying and selling) with Paypal, and, so far, I haven't had any problems. I have my Paypal account linked to a credit card and also to a checking account at my bank. For a purchase I always have the option as to whether the funds will be taken from my credit balance, as a debit to my checking account, or as a direct transfer from my paypal balance, if I have a paypal balance.

To receive funds from a sale, paypal is the easiest and fastest way of getting the funds. I can make a sale to Europe and have the funds in my account in a matter of minutes. I can withdraw it immediately if I choose to do so. To withdraw funds from paypal you have the option of having a direct deposit to your checking or credit account or having the money sent as a paper check from paypal, a service which costs $1.50.

With regard to fees, Paypal charges about 3% of the total to sellers for domestic transactions and about 4% for international transactions. Except for ebay sales, where recovering paypal fees is not allowed, for other sales I try to collect the paypal fees as part of the terms of the sale.

However, for anyone who doesn't want to use paypal, I also receive funds by snail mail as personal checks and money orders. International money orders are usually drawn on a USA bank and can be cashed without difficulty. I have also received payments from Europe by Traveller's Express. The buyer emails me a number, which I take to the customer service desk at Walmart to collect my money. There is no cost for me to receive the funds, but I don't know what the fee is for the sender of the cash.

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:41 am

Erm... what exactly is PayPal?

I use a credit card online only for booking airline tickets, but in spite of encryption, security systems etc., I'm always afraid I'm going to get hammered with somebody else's purchases one of these days.

mukade · Post by **mukade** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:43 am

Online buying is made very easy over here in Japan.

Most couriers have a cash on delivery service, or you can have things left at a convenience store and pay over the counter.

Mukade

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:45 am

Walden, why not get a paypal account without a credit card? Just attach it to a bank account - you can get a new bank account at a different bank if you're worried about someone taking your funds.

Maybe they've changed it since I opened my last US Paypal account, and people are no longer allowed to get an account without a card?

Roger - www.paypal.com - and there are international sites too. I've got a UK one as well as US.

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:58 pm

Roger O'Keeffe wrote:Erm... what exactly is PayPal?

I use a credit card online only for booking airline tickets, but in spite of encryption, security systems etc., I'm always afraid I'm going to get hammered with somebody else's purchases one of these days.

Roger, Paypal is an online banking service and operates pretty much like a regular bank. They have millions of customers all around the world. To use the service you need to apply with a name and password. You will need to provide paypal with a link to a credit card or regular checking account at your bank, and a paypal account will be opened in your name. If you are a seller, you can accumulate funds in this account just like in a checking or savings account. If you need to know the status of your account or any transactions that you have made with paypal, a record of those transactions is available online similar to online banking at your regular bank. Because it is an internet bank and can be accessed with a user name and password, I don't think that it is a very good idea to leave much money in a paypal account for any length of time. As a seller, I usually let my paypal balance accumulate until it reaches $500, then I withdraw the funds and start over with a zero balance. However, I can purchase items with the balance that I have in my paypal balance at any time. You can open an account with paypal by going to www.paypal.com.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:22 pm

Roger O'Keefe wrote:Erm... what exactly is PayPal?

(after Doug Tipple's excellent explanation)
Roger, I don't know that you need to open a PayPal account unless you deal with an on-line seller who uses it. That's how I started. Not every seller on-line accepts credit cards, but many of them will deal with you through PayPal. It is no more or less secure than just purchasing with your credit card, and probably adds more service charges to your purchase. If offered a choice between a credit card and PayPal, it is probably cheaper to use the credit card than having PayPal charge your credit card, but if an on-line seller insists on PayPal instead of a credit card, it is just another option.

djm