posted on January 17, 2003 11:05:06 AM
I don't just sell, I buy too. And I don't just buy on eBay.
I think that we (the consumer public) have been sold a huge bill of goods with online payments.
Convenient? You've got to be kidding. Here's what happened yesterday:
I have a new supplier in L.A. (non-eBay) who wants to sell me a mixed lot of 500 rings. Okay, I say, bring it on. I'll pay for overnight shipping. I need new merch now.
Then, when it's time for me to pay with my credit card, he sends me a PayPal link. I don't have a credit card linked to my PayPal account, so I try to do that, and PP tells me I have to wait for my next cc statement and get the "Member Number" off that...before I can link this credit card.
Outrageously stupid.
Sure, I've got the funds in my bank account, but an eCheck takes five days to clear. That's a bare minimum of seven days to get the rings and by that point I won't need them any more.
Would someone explain to me just HOW this is more convenient than conventional payment methods? Because I don't see it. I could get a paper cashier's check today and overnight it to the vendor. That would cut transaction time to six days. A wire transfer wouldn't be any faster as it goes out Monday if I order it today.
Part of the blame goes to this idiot vendor who advertises Visa/MC on his web page but really only takes PayPal.
posted on January 17, 2003 11:23:03 AM
Fluffster-I respect your opinion a great deal and you usually have it right but not in this case. ONCE you've been properly hooked up to paypal I've found it works quite well. I've bought stuff on Monday (paid via paypal) and relisted the items on Thursday nite. Taken in many hundreds of pp payments without difficulty and sweep the funds to my checking account every so often.
posted on January 17, 2003 11:48:31 AM
I agree with Seyms. I just use my regular checking account. I keep a small balance on PayPal for buying but transfer most of it within a day or so of payment. It's worked well and I don't have to hassle with e-checks.
posted on January 17, 2003 12:17:19 PM
Your frustration is with the setup procedure of the service, not the service itself.
If your CC had already been linked to your Paypal account prior to this transaction, you would have the immediate payment you wanted.
I had a similar issue with C2it - when I accepted my first payment, i hadn't yet gotten my bank account linked, so getting my funds was delayed while I verified the bank account.
posted on January 17, 2003 12:55:14 PM
No, my frustration is pretty much with all online payments. (And this one vendor who should have SAID he could only accept Visa/MC through PayPal.)
I could have used my credit card to purchase a money order with BidPay.
However, BidPay doesn't mail the money order until three business days after authorization. That means it would have gone out next Wednesday. Count the transit time to the vendor, the transit time of the shipment to me, and you've hardly got anything timely.
Is it any wonder some eBay customers get frustrated, too?
posted on January 17, 2003 01:45:58 PM
it is your own lack of planning you dont have the set up with paypal.
a smartass like you should just fly out there and pick up the rings yourself,or lease your own jet .
if you cant even wait 5 days for the rings,you should build a huge warhouse size of a football stadium to hoard your inventory.
posted on January 17, 2003 05:07:58 PM
They only seem to do that to some people. I had a buyer the other day that won an auction and asked if they could pay with a credit card direct because they didn't have a paypal account. I told them they could if there was some reason they couldn't use paypal. A few minutes later they paid with paypal and said it was easier than they thought it would be to sign up.
posted on January 17, 2003 05:24:01 PM
sapington: Yes, I think you're right. I did sign up initially registering a credit card and there was no hassle at all.
Either they have changed their procedures or adding a card later invokes a different response. Who knows.
