Is Paypal really needed?

[halfastronomical]

I can see where new customers would feel safer with paypal but as a seller, paypal is really annoying. They have poor customer service and questionable business practices for sure. It seems like to some, paypal is a necessary evil, but I avoid using them whenever I can. It is just so easy as a buyer to use them. That is a hard call.

[VictoriaGuy]

Interesting comment, I have found when there is a problem my Credit Card Company is the easier to work with vs PayPal. <snip> My Credit Card settled quickly.

I have buyer protection that is as good as PayPal without the fee's, with my Credit Card.

I think you have much better 'protection' from your credit card companies in the US than we do in Canada. (Same 'companies'/brand names, just reduced benefits where they can get away with it...SOP for corporate sector.)

[sargevining]

I'll tell ya one thing:

Pay Pal is always right in front of me when I'm at the computer. My wallet is over in a tray on the table next to the front door. There are times I find that I suddenly don't want the item in my check out basket as much as I thought I did. Usually its when I'm warm and comfy sitting in my chair in front of the computer with a drink and a snack right next to it and I mentally calculate the distance between me and that wallet, the temperature inside the house, and whether I need to put my slippers on to walk across the floor.

[Gravity]

I use my PP account as my 'slush fund' for hobby-related purchases. As long as my purchases are paid with money I have 'earned' in my PP account, my wife is happy. Simple as that. In other words, PP is a means to fiscal discipline and marital harmony.

The second consideration is the related service "Bill Me Later." For larger purchases I may opt to use BML, and have six months to pay interest-free. I usually pay the balance in 4-5 months, and get a free ride.

I would still buy your goodies straight through a credit card, but it would be slightly less desirable.

[nothermark]

What I find interesting is the number of folks who trust PayPal. I know how to find Dutch and I know he likes his knees. I cannot say the same for PayPal. I can also say they keep sending me email to click some link to something. ;-)

[breaker]

What I find interesting is the number of folks who trust PayPal. I know how to find Dutch and I know he likes his knees. I cannot say the same for PayPal. I can also say they keep sending me email to click some link to something. ;-)

I myself do not trust paypal its just a service that works. The bank account have connected to it has no more then 20 bucks in it.

[docterusa]

Dutch, being a paypal merchant for years and years, i have to say I HATE DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM!!!!. They are horrible and treat there merchants like SHXX!
I have stopped and use credit cards more... I will buy from you regardless!!!

[Inertia]

For online purchases I use 'shop safe', a one time use cc# issued by my provider in order that my true acc# is never exposed to any one. I have used this system for several years without problem. Then one day pp decided that since I was using their service as 'guest' on pretty much a regular basis that I should open an account. ( I was completing an order at the time and pp would not allow me to pay untill I opened an account. ) I complied. A few days later I could not place an order so I called pp and was told that my 'shop safe' was not compable with their system. I could not fund my account! Then we did a three-way conference to include my cc provider to whome I had to provide my pers. info. while the pp rep listened in. No solution was found. After closing my new pp acc I immediately called my cc company and had that account closed and re-opened with a different acc# along with changing all my pers.info. I could do as mentioned and open a dedicated account for pp but I just don't like being forced into something I do not want. If pp accepts me as 'guest' I will use it otherwise I will find my stuff elsewhere. thank you for your attention, inertia

[Jmuzz]

What I find interesting is the number of folks who trust PayPal.

PayPal is fine from the buyers side, use credit card with it and that gives you a second layer of protection, if Paypal won't deal with a fraud properly you can still pursue chargeback through the bank.

Where Paypal is bad is from the sellers side, they too often freeze accounts with money in them any excuse they get and are well known for acting less professionally than real banks.

For Dutchware, I think PayPal is a necessary evil for a web vendor, without it you will turn away a lot of business because people don't trust their CC details to minor sites who too often don't have the appropriate security and IT staff in place to keep customers card details safe.
Any other payment gateway has fees and chargebacks and red tape too.

Perhaps you could offer choice in payment methods with a discount for using other methods but keep Paypal.

[Dos]

I would be very reluctant to fill in a web order with Dutch (or most of the other vendors here at HF) if my credit card info was required. I much prefer PayPal as a buyer.

A lot of eBay and other online sellers don't like the Buyer Protection afforded by PayPal, and I keep that in mind when I see a seller that doesn't offer a PayPal option.

I'll tell ya one thing:

Pay Pal is always right in front of me when I'm at the computer. My wallet is over in a tray on the table next to the front door. There are times I find that I suddenly don't want the item in my check out basket as much as I thought I did. Usually its when I'm warm and comfy sitting in my chair in front of the computer with a drink and a snack right next to it and I mentally calculate the distance between me and that wallet, the temperature inside the house, and whether I need to put my slippers on to walk across the floor.

The buyer protection plan (esp with e-bay ) and those cozy slippers and drink and a snack


but, I have to add,
Dutch, you have top notch service IMO.

.02