Paypal - Good or Bad?

[Greyhawk_DM]

What are your thoughts on using paypal in conjunction with trading on eBay?
Is using paypal as safe and easy and they make it seem?

 

[Umbran]

I've heard of a lot of people (including our own Morrus!) who have gotten burned by PayPal. I don't know anything about their connections and policies with respect to e-Bay, but I tend to avoid PayPal on general principle.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Visit http://paypalsucks.com/ and read about what has happened to many people. I closed my Paypal account after a friend had his account locked with over $1000 in it, and he has given up on ever getting any of it. They are great until you have any problems, then best of luck trying to get any assistance from them.

 

[MerakSpielman]

I've never had a problem with Paypal. I use it about once a month for eBay auctions, and I've always found it to be easy and convenient.

I'd be interested in the percentage of Paypal transactions that have had problems. Even if only 0.1% of purchases encounter problems, that's still going to be hundreds of problems per day, just from ebay.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Basically, I think of Paypal as a bank. Would you trust a bank that wasn't FDIC approved to be handling your money? No? Then why would you let an online company with some very shady business handling handle it?

If someone is only accepting Paypal, I don't buy from them, simple as that. I would much rather send a check. I realize some banks won't accept international checks, but it's just so much safer than Paypal.

 

[2d6]

I use paypal a couple of times a month for small stuff through ebay. I have never had any problems at all. I don't keep money in the account and I don't use it for large sums of money.


If your selling, thier fees for credit card transactions in conjunction with ebay's fees add up quickly.

 

[Greyhawk_DM]

Thanks for the info...
I will not definitely not be using paypal.
It seems they have a lot of customer service issues...whether or not they are intentional or not doesn't matter.

Thanks again for the info...

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

I love them I use them nearly weekly and even do so with using RPGnow on the rare occasion. If I suspect trouble on the other end I use a credit card if you’re just a buyer, like me, there very little they can do to screw you especially if you protect yourself with a reputable credit card that has protection for internet sales.

Of you’re sellers I know it’s wise to always get package confirmation as if you don’t and you can’t prove you shipped it you will lose in their little “court”

It's money you trading just be wise with it. (Also pay your credit card of with every statement but that's really for a different thread. )

 

[johnsemlak]

I tried to start an account with paypal and had hassles, nothing big (they wanted a bank statement for something), but when I can already make most transactions I want to online with a credit card/debit card I just decided to forget it.

If I have to pay via pay-pal, I move on.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

If I suspect trouble on the other end I use a credit card if you’re just a buyer, like me, there very little they can do to screw you especially if you protect yourself with a reputable credit card that has protection for internet sales.

Wrong. If you attempt to put a block on your payment through Paypal by contacting your credit card company instead of Paypal, Paypal will respond by locking your account because you didn't go through their "resolution" process. Thats how my friend's account was locked. He purchased something, never received it (or any more email) from the seller, and contacted his credit card company to block the transaction. Paypal responded by locking him out of his account and now refuses to answer any email that he sends them. Poor, poor business practices for a company that deals with money. They act like a bank when it is good for them, but as soon as the consumer has a problem, they don't want to deal with you. Sorry, that's not a risk I'm willing to take. If a seller doesn't accept money orders, I don't buy from them.