posted on January 28, 2000 10:51:37 AM new
X.com tech trouble and terrible service!
Hi Everyone.
Good to see that others are having problems with X.com also, and it is not just me,
as X.com told me. I contacted them and they told me it must be my connection, even
though I tried from 3 separate ISP's and a cable line, hmm. Well I have now lost 3
sells of auction customers wanting to pay via this service after I told them it was an
option and sent them a link.
I contacted X.com and they advise me that per the terms and conditions that they
were not responsible.
So guess what I will now close my account and go back to using the reliable
Bidpay.com and Iescrow.com service.
Oh well, and I was so hopeful about this x.com service.
Note that if you don't use their service during the month, meaning incoming money
they will access a service charge.
Anyone tried the https://secure.paypal.com .... service? I have read their site but
seems a little bit of a hassle to actually get paid cold hard cash.
posted on February 7, 2000 09:39:36 AM new
Re your question/comment about PayPal. Many auction sellers are using PayPal to receive payment, since it allows buyers to pay instantly with a credit card without having to pay the credit card fees. You mentioned that it seemed like a hassle to get cold, hard cash from PayPal: we at the service try to make it as easy and quick as possible for people to get their money. We can mail you a check, but it does take about a week. We can also deposit your money directly into your bank account for you, which takes from half-a-day to two days, depending on the ACH transfer service which we can't control. We are also developing the capability of letting you apply your balance as a credit to a credit card. And, of course, you can always choose to keep your money at PayPal and email it to someone else instantly. Many online auction sellers are also online auction buyers! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
posted on February 7, 2000 11:53:13 AM new
Hi vincesollitto:
Clarify one thing for me if you would? The way I understand paypal.com is that the seller doesn't have to pay the credit card fee. Instead, the buyer has to pay the credit card fee for a cash advance. Is that correct?
posted on February 8, 2000 02:17:51 PM new
Dear Pat,
Actually, no. PayPal is a free service for all parties. There is no charge to either the buyer or seller, i.e. the payor or the payee. PayPal lets you pay with or accept credit card payment without paying service charges, merchant fees, or cash advance fees. That's why it's safe, easy, fast and FREE!
posted on February 8, 2000 03:31:24 PM new
Vince: Nice to see you. Welcome to AuctionWatch. You see Forbes yesterday? Race ya.
Alchymecht: X.com does not charge a fee for unused accounts - unless it hasn't been touched for three years.
[ edited by marharr on Feb 8, 2000 03:45 PM ]
posted on February 9, 2000 06:33:02 AM new
I haven't had a bit of trouble with x.com in fact it's been super. I had a few minor glitches but the on-line customer service took care of it all. On the other hand I hate Paypal. I can't move money to a existing checking account, takes 7 days to tell me, doesn't answer e-mails and is generally tough to deal with. I'll stick with x.com because of the ease of getting money where I need it to be.
posted on February 9, 2000 08:00:20 AM new
vincesollitto:
You wrote:[quote]There is no charge to either the buyer or seller, i.e. the payor or the payee. PayPal lets you pay with or accept credit card payment without paying service charges, merchant fees, or cash advance fees.[/quote]
This sounds too good to be true... so good I called one of my credit card company service numbers to see what they said.
What I got out of that conversation is that they charge a percentage on every transaction, period ... so somebody is paying Visa/MC their fee.
Considering that fee is somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 percent per transaction, it would seem to me that the FREE service cannot be sustained over the long-run.
Of course it is obvious to me that this is an introductory offer. It is a great promotion but eventually paypal will not be able to subsidize all Internet commerce.
My question is who will pay the the credit card fees when this introductory period is over? I'm guessing the seller will pay because you have the payments set up as a purchase.
Second, when do you predict this era of subsidization will end?
posted on February 9, 2000 05:03:02 PM new
Jack: Pleased to tell you (immediately!) that you can absolutely move your money to an existing checking account. Simply tell PayPal what bank account you want your money deposited into, confirm your info, and it will be done. I'm surprised you think X.com is easier to deal with -- have you opened the required checking account with them? Sent them your Social Security number over the Internet? And your signature block in the mail? Try PayPal again -- it's a safe, easy, fast and free way to get your money where you need it to be.
Pat: Being skeptical is not a bad trait -- particularly on the Web! However, this one pans out. As I said, PayPal does not charge either party (buyer or seller) a fee to use our service, even when they use a credit card. Period. What are your current options? 1) Send payment offline, e.g. snailmail, 2) use other online payment services that charge fees and percentages, or 3) use PayPal -- a fast, easy, FREE and secure service. What do you have to lose?
posted on February 9, 2000 07:30:13 PM new
Of course there's always Option 4) X.com.
X isn't for everyone - just those wanting instant FDIC insurance on payments received and payments in transit.
X charges no fees for payment services (fasteasyfree) - and heck, you can invest $5 in the lowest cost S&P index mutual fund on the planet whenever you want.
It only takes a second to sign up at X, and second to move money around - and there are no transaction fees.
Both good products - just different approaches to electronic money management. Isn't that what we all want?
[ edited by marharr on Feb 9, 2000 07:31 PM ]
posted on February 10, 2000 04:53:50 AM new
Tried transferring money from Paypal to a bank here in Brunswick. It took 7 days and then a message that they couldn't accomplish the transfer. I,ve asked them a question about transferring moneys now 3 times and they haven't even acknowledged they received the e-mail. I've got money in the account I need to move and don't know if it will work. They don't post a customer service # don't have on-line customer service and don't answer e-mails. WHAT AM I TO THINK!!
posted on February 10, 2000 05:52:32 PM new
PayPal customer service inquiries, including questions about bank deposits, can be submitted online to: [email protected]. It will be answered.
posted on February 11, 2000 05:23:51 AM new
I sure wish it was true. It's 8 days and counting since I sent them a couple of questions concerning transferring moneys and no answer. If there's anything else I can do to get answers help!!!
posted on February 11, 2000 09:33:13 AM new
RE: JEgan2100
In response about how to contactX.com. I just yesterday received my first response from X.com via email, after 3 week, yes after 3 weeks, of waiting. It appears they
are not responding to telephone calls at this time or fax. The email I just received was a canned response, form letter not specifically answering my question, but
nevertheless a response. It suggested in the email that if I needed to contact them or had any questions to please write the following:
TO: X.com
Attn.: Customer Care
PO Box 2228
Cranberry Township, PA 16066-9922
posted on February 11, 2000 10:49:33 AM new
I haven't had an ounce of trouble with x.com. Thanks to some <Iguess< behind the scenes help I finally got a response from Paypal in fact two. If anyone here was responsible for this a huge thanks. Maybe now that we can communicate we can resolve the problems. My problems with x.com were solved either with on-line help, which I know is tough to get into, and by e-mail. They made things right and then followed up with a message. I know both are new and experiencing tremendous growth.
posted on February 11, 2000 11:00:04 AM new
vincesollitto:
You wrote: "... no fees ... what have you got to lose?"
That wasn't the question Vince I don't doubt that what you say is true today.
... My question was simply, when will it end?
BTW, Vince, I am already a member of paypal.com... I signed up before the posts started here. (Here's a game I'll play with anyone. Put a $10 bill on the table and see if I don't grab it first)
However, I did go to the site and re-read the user agreement. It said (sect I description of service
8.The minimum transaction amount for payments between Users is $0.01. However, payments that involve a charge to a User’s credit card will result in a minimum credit card charge of $5.00. Any amount charged to a credit card but not transferred to a Recipient (“Credit Card Surplus”), will be added to the Sender’s PayPal™ account. The sender may use the Credit Card Surplus to pay other Users, but the Sender may not withdraw any Credit Card Surplus.
BTW: the last line of the user agreement reads (and this goes to the point ... when will it end?)
This Agreement is subject to change at any time without notice.
posted on February 16, 2000 05:20:11 AM new
I must admit I was a little upset with Paypal. Fortunately one of the customer service reps monitors this site and picked up on my troubles. I got action accomplished what I had been trying to do and want to thank Vince and his staff at Paypal for all their help. I still think the site should post a customer service # so if anyone gos through the trying times I did they can talk to a live person. I'm going to continue to use both services Paypal and X.Com for payments from and to auctions. I'll give them both a try and see which works best.
posted on February 19, 2000 04:58:29 PM new
OK - I've been watching, now I have to speak...
I registered with both services, and have relatively few complaints with either. My biggest hurdle has been convincing buyers to join up (with the recent "hacking" many are leary of entering any personal financial info on ANY "secure site".
As far as customer service goes, you CAN reach both services via a toll-free telephone number. I'm not sure if I can post it here...if I can, someone let me know and I will. PayPal.com isn't available 24/7 though. X.com is available 24/7.
Transferring funds with X.com can be done immediately if you are creative. Just take that handy little VISA CheckCard they send you and run right to your local ATM and get the cash. You can deposit into your local bank if you want, or just keep to spend it. That's my favorite feature of X.com. Buyer pays you and you go immediately to get the money from the ATM! How does it get any better??
With PayPal.com, I've only done one electronic transfer to my local account that I registered with them, and it was posted to my account in 3 business days. Not bad, in my opinion. Granted, if you choose the "mailed check" option, it can take up to 2 weeks to get the check in the mail (in actuality) from what I gather from talking with other users.
Re: How can they do this for free? If you read all of the "abouts" and the entire agreement, it is stated pretty plainly that they fully intend to "use" your money for investment purposes from the minute you deposit (via credit card or EFT) until the minute you "beam it away" or withdraw it. We're talking a lot of money here...yesterday there were 146,000 auctions listed on eBay by sellers plugging PayPal.com and 38,000 for X.com. And that's just eBay! It's all over Yahoo, Collecting Nation, Amazon...you name it!
So, needless to say, they are making a lot of money in that 3-14 day (14 days when PayPal sends you a check) period between when they "receive" the money and when they "pay" it out.
X.com, I believe, is more geared to wanting to be your "home bank", to take care of all of your banking and investment needs. They've got very attractive rates..you've got to give them that! And there certainly aren't many banks that give you a "fee-free" checking account with no minimum balance requirement.
It's my understanding that both services were set up by venture companies that invested literally "millions" of dollars to back it up, so they are the ones footing the bill for those "discount fees" that VISA/MC charges them.
OK - I think I've said too much already. Hopes this helps a little, if someone is considering either service and has been a little leary.
Race ya.
.