posted on July 17, 2001 09:22:54 AM
First I got a couple of emails from winning bidders with Web tv accounts saying they could't use Paypal to send me money. They always could before, but something happened and they have been shut out. So I sent them Billpoint invoices and they paid right away.
Now my customers with Webtv addys use Billpoint instead of Paypal.
I tried to send a payment myself yesterday and Paypal simply doesn't work.
There are over 1,000,000 Web tv buyers out there, and to think that Paypal has just written them off - this problem has been reported for a while now - is not smart business.
I sent them an email and so far, no answer or acknowledgement of the problem.
My opinion is if you don't take care of the basics like making sure your site functions for all users, then no amount of marketing and spamming will every build your business. All Paypal is doing is making sure Webtv people know their site doesn't work for them.
posted on July 17, 2001 11:57:52 AM
webtv has been one of the most poorly executed technologies. PayPal is not alone in its lack/diminshed webtv support which will soon join the Betamax on the heap of discarded technology.
The real problem is PayPal's overall lack of support for its users, but that's another topic.
I posted a thread about this some time ago, when it first started. I use WebTV and I also buy and sell on eBay, so it was disconcerting, to say the least. However, if you can send a PayPal bill to your WebTV users, they will be able to use it. Works just fine.
And as far as you cyber-snobs who eschew WebTV - don't knock it until you have tried it. I use a PC at work all day, so I don't feel like sitting at a desk at home to use the internet. With WebTV, I have a wireless keyboard on my lap and my behind on a nice soft couch. My monitor is a 29" TV. I can take pictures for eBay, print, send and receive e-mail (virus free) and use most internet sites. WebTV mostly has problems when a site uses java. AND - it costs under $200. So there.
