posted on September 14, 2000 05:31:43 PM new
Hi TheRedcircle,
I work for the company and I have spent most of the day reading customer concerns so that I can get them addressed. There are well over 800 posts in this forum and there is no humanly way possible that I could respond to all of them.
The concerns are the same and I will be posting a message shortly. (Upgrading,etc). Which will be explained and there will be a way to voice your concerns. I am an extremely fast person, but there is no way that I could handle all of the issues on this forum and the other ones that I frequent looking for customer issues and comments.
I have been absent most of the day trying to get answers for our users.
posted on September 14, 2000 06:38:27 PM new
Hi all:
I'm back from making rounds on other boards. There are clearly a lot of concerns and questions about PayPal's recent reminder message. I can’t answer all of them in one post, but I want to address some of your most important concerns.
We have always said that PayPal would be free for person-to-person payments. When people started using it for e-commerce, we evolved as a company, expanded our features, and in June created Business Accounts (for companies) and Premier Accounts (for individual entrepreneurs). We told our users that we wouldn't force people to upgrade, but that didn't mean it was OK for business users to violate our terms of use and conduct their commerce with a PayPal Personal Account. That's why we sent out an email in July that reminded business users of our policy.
While 250,000 of our users did understand what our terms of use required and decided to upgrade to or open a Premier or Business Account, a number of users either honestly weren't aware of our policy or else chose to ignore it. Since we assume that most people like to play by the rules and hence wouldn't expect PayPal to continue to subsidize their auctions with free credit card processing, customer service, and fraud protection, we sent the login page as a reminder to our active users. That's all it was, just a reminder of a policy that we've publicized before -- not a new one. It wasn’t meant for someone who occasionally sells personal items online; it was meant for those who are part-time or full-time sellers. We're sorry if the page seemed abrupt or ominous to some of you. It certainly wasn't intended to be. We were just trying to make sure that you all knew about our existing "business use" policy.
We also wanted to be straightforward and notify you that we're considering a new policy to enforce our terms of use. We hope we won’t have to, but if we do, we’ll strive to be fair and we'll be sure to announce the new policy through emails and content on our website at least two weeks before we implement it. Contrary to what has been reported on some threads, no policy has yet been determined; we have not decided on a specific transaction limit, or even whether this would be the best approach. We can say this: We don't intend to surprise anyone by automatically upgrading their account or shutting them down. We may have to limit costly functionality on Personal Accounts (like the ability to accept unlimited credit card payments), but everyone will have a choice, and as we’ve said all along, no one will be forced to upgrade.
Please understand that PayPal can’t subsidize large volumes of credit card transactions -- especially since we'll be giving a big part of the float back to our users starting next month in the form of income on funds left in your PayPal account. So, if you're selling goods to make a profit, we're asking you to play by the rules and upgrade to the account that is most applicable to you (either Premier or Business). We want to make online payments safe and easy for everyone, but we need your help to do this.
If you have thoughts or concerns on what our policy should be, please email us your suggestions (mailto:[email protected]). Since I can't possibly respond to every specific comment or question on the boards, please also use this email for any questions you may have. I will make sure that the whole team (including management) sees your comments, and we will try to answer every question as soon as possible.
Thanks again for your comments, and for caring about PayPal. We appreciate your feedback.
posted on September 14, 2000 08:27:05 PM new"We have always said that PayPal would be free for person-to-person payments."
Again with that word "always". Forgive me if I'm wrong, but originally "you" [meaning PayPal] didn't say ANYTHING WHATSOEVER about person-to-person payments vs. other types of payments. You simply said "PayPal will always be free". Period. The personal/business distinction was NEVER MENTIONED until this past June.
You changed your terms in June, breaking the original promise you made to induce people to sign up with your services. Fine. Whatever. It happens all the time, and you should consider a succesdsful career in politics. But would please stop LYING about it now??? Enough with this "always" crap!
We also wanted to be straightforward and notify you that we're considering a new policy to enforce our terms of use. We hope we won’t have to, but if we do, we’ll strive to be fair and we'll be sure to announce the new policy through emails and content on our website at least two weeks before we implement it. Contrary to what has been reported on some threads, no policy has yet been determined; we have not decided on a specific transaction limit, or even whether this would be the best approach. We can say this: We don't intend to surprise anyone by automatically upgrading their account or shutting them down. We may have to limit costly functionality on Personal Accounts (like the ability to accept unlimited credit card payments), but everyone will have a choice, and as we’ve said all along, no one will be forced to upgrade.
Don't have a dictionary handy, Damon? Well, let me make it easy for you:
enforcev.t.: To impose (obedience, etc.) by force.
When you "enforce" a policy which REQUIRES certain people to do something, you are "forcing" those people to do that thing. You want to change your terms whenever you want? Go right ahead. You want to force people to upgrade to a business account if they fit your description of a "business"? That's your right.
BUT STOP LYING TO US ABOUT IT!!!
Your terms require certain people to upgrade to a business acount, and you are "considering" a way to "enforce" your terms. Which is to say you plan on forcing people to upgrade. But then, a few sentences later you have the gall to repeat for the umpteenth time that you DON'T plan on forcing anyone to upgrade.
Next time, Damon, at least have the decency to put these sentences in separate paragraphs so it's not QUITE as obvious that you hold us and our intellects in such utter contempt.
Barry
---
The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on September 15, 2000 08:16:45 AM new
Barry, I think it's time to give it up. The Great and Powerful Ones at Paypal aren't listening. A simple question is way beyond their faculties. What they hear is not what you say.
The enormity of this blunder escapes them. There is definite evidence of major synapses misfiring in the corporation neural network.
Methinks a self-induced lobotomy is on the way for the entire company.
posted on September 15, 2000 08:53:16 AM new
Maybe PP is hoping we are all comatose and will just roll over and give up. I am a buyer but I will NOT EVER use PP again. The idea that they will lie to, rip off and insult its users bothers the heck out of me.
I am not sure how repeating the same lies over and over again makes them true. PP would be well advised to come clean and admit they LIED. But now PP has buried itself in BS (not to mention the reps that continue to spread the lies).
posted on September 15, 2000 09:41:07 PM new
Well its been 3 days now since the SH!T hit the fan.
NOT ONE MEANINGFUL thing has come from the paypal people.
One statement(a cut & paste on EVERY thread) from Demon and it was ALL DOUBLETALK.
I've just been hanging back waiting to hear some answers to some very Important questions.
It certainly does not look like we are going to see any.
The last of my auctions ended last night. I think it is safe to say that when I start listing again on Sunday it WILL be WITHOUT the paypal logo...well at least the one promoting it. I will be useing the "NO PAYPAL" logo with an explaination as to why.
I'm sure there are many who are not aware of it yet.
I also was wondering if it was leagal to advise the bidders that want to use paypal if maybe splitting the new charge. Let the buyer pay the quarter and the seller pay the 1.9%. After all 25 cents is still cheaper then a stamp.
Well until we get some Straight answers PayPal is OFF my auctions.
posted on September 15, 2000 11:36:42 PM new
The one constant has been, that the second that we prove that we are not ignorant or forgetful - and read them their own words back to them . . .
They become blind, and mute.
I saw the words - "Paypal is completely free to sellers" in their past literature.
I guess I'm too stupid or something. But I thought that they might have meant that Paypal is completly free to sellers.
But, if I ask what this odd combination of apparently unrelated words that ONLY LOOK LIKE "Paypal is completely free to sellers" really means, (since I clearly cannot grasp their meaning, in light of their "reminder" - there is silence.
So, what do these words really mean? I could have sworn that I understood English. Can Paypal help me understand what these words say? Perhaps they refer to instructions for changing the oil in my truck, or how often to feed the cats? I feel so helpless not knowing. Should I have signed up for the additional costs of the Paypal Secret Word Decoder Ring?
posted on September 17, 2000 03:59:18 PM new
PPD: this is first i've heard about wanting to give us money as interest off the float.... and that that is one of the reasons they can't keep the fee structure free... WELL I DIDN"T WANT INTEREST BEARING ACCT. If I did I would have used my x.com acct for all payment transfers. I'd rather have the free service (basic or lite version) of being able to simply accept payments and transfer the money weekly or monthly as need be. (i hate bookeeping)
Not only this if you guys drop that idea and the idea of giving bidders back 1% on CC purchases then perhpas paypal could keep teh ORIGINAL agreement (which brought in many bidders and sellers). Heck right now as a seller I feel like I am being told that I have to subsidiz your gimmiky giveaways... Maybe since you merged with x.com this is something that HAS to be done (the interest earnings?) if so tell us forthrightly instead of all this mumbo jumbo.
Paypal is starting to remind me of politics. sheeeeesh.
. 
- there is silence.
