PayPal sucks!

[oddson]

I'm trying to send SM money but PayPal won't let me...

They say I already have an account -- which I swear I don't remember ever setting up as I don't usually buy stuff on the net.

So I try their 'forgot your password' thing...

But they won't let me get past the personal info questions -- I'm pretty sure I know where I was born and mom's maiden name!

If anyone is talking to PayPal, let them know they SUCK!

[malc]

Oh dear. Maybe you could try calling them? I have done this a few times and always found them very helpful.

If you don't have any luck then I'd be happy to send you our bank details so you can make a direct payment. Only down side is that your bank may charge you for this as you are outside of the UK.

Thanks.

[malc]

It would appear that you don't actually need a PayPal account in order to make a purchase. If you are an infrequent PayPal user then you can make use of their Account Optional service.

This allows you to make a PayPal payment via credit or debit card wthout needing to setup a PayPal account. You are allowed to use this service ten times, after that you are required to set up a standard account.

To use the Account Optional service, click on the Buy SynthMaker link from our web site as usual. This will take you to PayPal. You should see the following page:



PayPal don't make it very obvious that the Account Optional facility exists. Where you see "If you do not currently have a PayPal account" click the button labeled Click Here.



The way that this is phrased suggests that you're about to set up a new account but this is not the case. You'll be taken through the process of supplying your credit/debit card details etc. and your transaction will be completed without any account being created.

I'll post this information on our Buy page as I'm sure other potential customers will be interested in this.

[oddson]

Sorry Malc

I wasn't looking for you to help me resolve it.

I've got an email in to them asking what's up.

BTW - I saw that option - but it seemed to be taking me back to where I'd started. By that point my frustration level was so high I bailed.

I just needed to vent.. I'm better now.

[oddson]

BTW - that was the option I went for originally.

But they claim I have an account and so can't use my Credit Card without logging into that account.
So I try. Since I don't think I have an account, I sure don't know any password.
But maybe, I think to myself, I set this up a long time ago and forgot.
So I follow their "forgot your password" thing.

They send me mail with a link where they get me to enter my CC again.
Then ask my to fill out 2 of four personal info questions.
I do this for every combination (2^4 - well maybe I didn't do every one of them).
Nothing works.

So I try to login with some of my standard passwords to no avail.

As I'm giving up, somewhere along the way they offer me a "If you don't have an account" option but it's just another entry into their hellish games.

I've asked for help via email and 24 hours later nothing.

Went back on line to see if I missed some other option but no.

PAYPAL SUCKS


Malc - if you read this, again I'm not looking for your help just venting.
-- if they don't reach me in the next week I'll contact you about a more direct payment or I'll grudgingly use the wife's card.

You should lose paypal for a more direct payment method once you're out of beta.

[malc]

Sorry to hear about this oddson, sounds extremely annoying.

We went for PayPal because they are widely used and because their charges are very low. We investigated other mechanisms but these proved to be way more expensive.

We're happy to offer alternative methods of payment to those who are unhappy or unable to use PayPal.

[oddson]

Thanks for contacting PayPal. I appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your questions.

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist you with your inquiry because you have emailed us on an unsecured webform. Please click
https://www.paypal.com/wf/f=default to contact us using a secure
webform.

Thank you for using PayPal for your online payment needs.

Sincerely,
xxxxxx
PayPal Global Services
PayPal, an eBay Company

This was their response to my mail asking how I can deal with the above mentioned situation. I follow the link. It leads to a log-in requiring my paypal password.

D'Oh!

Then their not-toll-free helpline people were very helpful and friendly.

Other than listening to 2 minutes of 'your business is important to us' stuff on my dime I had no other complaints.


If I'd have just called like you said I would have saved myself some grief but I think they ought to have a 1-800 number.