Why No Paypal? Please Read On!

[Gene]

I notice almost no folks here do not accept Paypal. Okay, okay I know they are anti gun and all that but it really is a way for sellers on these boards to get their money immediately.

I know this will start a firestorm from hell but if you open a Paypal account, it really is the safest way to send money or receive it and it's simple to join. You're money is protected and if you don't receive an item, they will investigate and refund your money. Believe me, I've been scammed before and they refunded my money.

Also, you can get around their charges if you send the funds from your bank account or otherwise, by "friends and family" and you're not contributing a cent to them! When folks demand a USPS money order or a personal check or whatever, it's still coming from your checking account or your cash and you're not getting a guarantee you'll get your money back.

What's the difference when most folks here want a USPS money order or whatever and the buyer is taking a chance that it could be cashed and just run away with your money? Ever started a claim with USPS whether it was a money order or anything else? It drags on forever!

Anyway, let the flames begin, and believe me, I'm not a Paypal butt boy but just saying to you old timers like me, (I'm 70), it really is a safe way to send money to sellers if they accept Paypal and just want their money as soon as possible.

If you don't agree, oh well and thanks for reading!

 

[hittman]

I had a PP account a few years back. They lost or sold my info 2 or 3 times. Then they made providing my credit card info MANDATORY.

Regardless of their opinion of guns, that was enough for me. They can stick it for all I care.

 

[pete44ru]

.

I refuse to be an apologist for anti-gunners like the owners of Ebay/Paypal - and vote with my wallet by refusing to patronize them (and other organizations, like AARP, for one).

I'd rather do it the hard way, than give them a single dime to work against my interests.

We MUST remember what one of our Founding Fathers (Ben Franklin) said:

"We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."

As a result, I've both sent & requested I be sent USPS Money Orders, protected by the US Gov't & not a private company.


.

 

[contender]

I understand many do like paypal. Fine.
But as an old fashioned type of guy, I like a paper trail. And you can't hack a check or money order, as easily as many of those SUPPOSEDLY secure sites that have compromised millions of peoples private info.
My own Miss Penny does a lot of "on line" banking etc. She has been hacked 4 times as of today. Me? Never.
Many say it's "safe & secure." Well, we have all seen hackers hit some of the more secure sites in the world. In my way of thinking,, it's only a matter of time before they get hit too.
Add in the anti-gun attitude,,, I prefer to not patronize their business the same as I do not go into places posted against CCW.

And lastly, in this day & age,,, too many folks are in too much of a hurry. Instant gratification & such. We were watching a mini-series recently, "The Long Road Home" and the information about the attack was leaked immediately & upset a lot of folks back home w/o details. Sometimes,,, it's MUCH better to relax, reduce stress & "stop & smell the roses." Those who prefer instant everything,, well,,, that's fine for them.
Not so much for me.
In my business,,, (I own a small business,) When I'm on the phone with a customer,,, they have 100% of my attention. If my phone beeps, telling me someone else is calling, I let my machine take it. I do not interrupt one current call to take another one. AND,,, when I'm on the job, my phone is in my truck, as the customer has hired me to WORK,,, not answer my phone.
99.9% of my customers GREATLY appreciate this attitude. I do return calls, and can only recall a VERY few, (two) cases where I called someone back later,,, and they told me that "They couldn't wait & had called another company."
Impatience,,, in my thinking creates too much stress.

I can live w/o paypal.

 

[caryc]

In my ten or so years of making and selling grips, I would accept Paypal or a postal money order for payment. 90% payed with Paypal. I never had a problem with Paypal. In fact, my Paypal account is still open.

 

[Fox Mike]

If the option is Pay Pal or nothing then I opt for nothing. I use Postal Money Orders and spend the additional for a 'return receipt' or I use my credit card.

 

[blackhawknj]

My bank account was hacked through Paypal a few years ago. And I boycott any and all businesses that are anti-gun. I like a paper trail, use money orders when I can, the peace of mind it gives me is worth the fee.

 

[yooper1]

Seeing as PayPal prohibits using it's service for purchases of Firearms and Ammo as their Acceptable Use Policy states here:
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/acceptableuse-full

Look at #2 (j) ammunition, firearms, or certain firearm parts or accessories

Then your statement of "You're money is protected and if you don't receive an item, they will investigate and refund your money." may not be entirely true.

Once you inform them what the item was that you did not receive, they will first of all, deny your complaint the second lock your account and probably close it for you.

So if you use it for what is listed in the policy, it does not save you anything.

And before anyone says "They do not need to know what you / I.... bought / sold / mailed / shipped" .....well, they probably want to know what they are helping you with. They are more than likely not going to just open their wallet and hand over cash because they trust your word.

...and to be clear and fair...I do use PayPal only because I sell and buy all kinds of items on eBay, and they pretty much force users to use PayPal. They have not allowed cash or money orders or personal checks for many years now. It may be possible to get around that when you choose the "offer local pick up" on your listing, but I do not know. And if it has changed, I have not been informed as of yet after being an eBay member since 1999


EDITED TO ADD:
I should have said:
Once PayPal locks your PayPal account. they also end up tying up / locking down your bank account (that is linked to your PayPal account) tighter than tight, until a dispute or a problem is resolved. It has happened often and continues to happen daily to users. So, you not only lose your PayPal account you may lose access and use of your own bank account for awhile.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I used paypal until I had two incidents with them.

1) I was double billed for an item BY paypal.
It took about four months to get that corrected.

2) Quite a bit of my personal information was released by pp.
THAT'S when I quit using them.

 

[arfmel]

I prefer to not get involved in any questionable dealings in a transaction. That even includes screwing Paypal out of their charges for a merchandise transaction. A seller that asks me to pay with F&F seems sort of sketchy to me.

Grandpa used to say "why climb a tree to tell a lie, when you can stay on the ground and tell the truth?"

 

[Dan in MI]

I understand and see both sides of the PP arguments. I also have a small biz the has a PP account. It's the only way I can take credit cards affordably and it is great for international orders. I have also been PP bad side twice, both times not my fault. They are a headache to work with in a dispute.

but I do have one questions. How many of your banks are anti gun if you truly follow the trail??? (or insurance companies)

 

[contender]

My bank is pro-gun. I open carry in there all the time. We even have pleasant firearm discussions from time to time.
Same with my insurance company.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Every time PP comes up, the naysayers come out of the woodwork or emerge from under their rocks to badmouth it. I've used PP for quite a few years, and my only dealing with their "customer service" involved a fraudulent seller online. They had things resolved and my money back in the account in no time. The seller seems to have gone back into the shadows to hide, too, so whatever they did on his end, I don't know.

As for the hacking, well, that's part of life in our "gotta use a computer" world today. I dunno how much info PP actually releases, or whether it's even possible to trace where info came from these days, as it's bought and sold faster than stocks on the trading floor. The worst invasion of my privacy online came from none other than the good ol' IRS! They sold/disbursed email info a few years back which has turned into junk mail hell . When challenged, they claimed it was in response to a FOIA request. Bull-oney. They got paid... just like everybody else does when they do the same. Point being, nobody's safe regardless of the soap box they jump up on to pound their breast in self-righteous proclamation.

As for locking bank accounts, etc., I only know what one of the tellers at one of the country's largest banks told me years ago before that same bank irritated me enough to quit them for good: open a second account, and get a debit card for that account. Put only enough money in the account to cover projected purchases/expenditures, and use it exclusively for same. Give that number to PP if you use them. That way, IF (or WHEN?) someone gets into it there's little or nothing for them.

So, for me, PP has worked and I'll continue to use them for the things they do. I won't try to convince them to handle my firearms/ammo business, any more than I'd try to convince an an anti-gun pastor to change his thinking. Nor will I criticize those who choose not to use PP. It's still a free country, sorta! You can go to do your business with people whom you like and who will handle it and avoid the others. I don't go to the gun shows to be saved, or go to church to buy ammo...

If you disagree with PP, don't like or use them, fine. But please do the world a favor and don't act like a bunch of radical vegans who don't want us carnivores eating meat, cuz no good comes of that on either side!

Rick C

 

[caryc]

Hi,

Every time PP comes up, the naysayers come out of the woodwork or emerge from under their rocks to badmouth it. I've used PP for quite a few years, and my only dealing with their "customer service" involved a fraudulent seller online. They had things resolved and my money back in the account in no time. The seller seems to have gone back into the shadows to hide, too, so whatever they did on his end, I don't know.

As for the hacking, well, that's part of life in our "gotta use a computer" world today. I dunno how much info PP actually releases, or whether it's even possible to trace where info came from these days, as it's bought and sold faster than stocks on the trading floor. The worst invasion of my privacy online came from none other than the good ol' IRS! They sold/disbursed email info a few years back which has turned into junk mail hell . When challenged, they claimed it was in response to a FOIA request. Bull-oney. They got paid... just like everybody else does when they do the same. Point being, nobody's safe regardless of the soap box they jump up on to pound their breast in self-righteous proclamation.

As for locking bank accounts, etc., I only know what one of the tellers at one of the country's largest banks told me years ago before that same bank irritated me enough to quit them for good: open a second account, and get a debit card for that account. Put only enough money in the account to cover projected purchases/expenditures, and use it exclusively for same. Give that number to PP if you use them. That way, IF (or WHEN?) someone gets into it there's little or nothing for them.

So, for me, PP has worked and I'll continue to use them for the things they do. I won't try to convince them to handle my firearms/ammo business, any more than I'd try to convince an an anti-gun pastor to change his thinking. Nor will I criticize those who choose not to use PP. It's still a free country, sorta! You can go to do your business with people whom you like and who will handle it and avoid the others. I don't go to the gun shows to be saved, or go to church to buy ammo...

If you disagree with PP, don't like or use them, fine. But please do the world a favor and don't act like a bunch of radical vegans who don't want us carnivores eating meat, cuz no good comes of that on either side!

Rick C

It's the "Piling on the downed critter" syndrome. :wink:

 

[GLGAR]

I have never had a PayPal account but I have received e mails saying my account is under funded or over drawn or something. Goes to spam and there is never a follow up.

 

[Rei40c]

Worry not friends. The day is soon coming you will simply swipe the implant in your hand with all your banking data across a scanner and money can be transfered near instantly wherever you like with no third party involved. You won't even need cash, checkbook, or credit cards anymore.

 

[artey]

Or dont link your bank account to paypal and you dont have to worry about it. Just link a credit card.

 

[Uncle Howie]

Or dont link your bank account to paypal and you dont have to worry about it. Just link a credit card.

+100!

I use PayPal all the time, but there is NO WAY that I am going to give them my bank account information! :shock:

 

[vito]

PayPal is no panacea either. I saw an ad on Facebook (yes, I should know better) that intrigued me. It was for a wrist mounted "rear view" mirror to use when on a bicycle. I ordered it from the company that I had never heard of, paying with PayPal. When the product didn't arrive I emailed the vendor and was assured another one was now on the way. When that never arrived I demanded a refund and never heard from them again, so I contacted PayPal. They told me the vendor was in China, and had long ago been paid by PayPal for my order (which is then charged to my credit card) and that they could do nothing further for me. It was only about $25 total so it is not the end of the world, but using PayPal did nothing for me other than allowing me to NOT give my actual credit card number directly to the vendor.

 

[Kevin]

Vito, you could have called your credit card and disputed the charge to PayPal. My wife would have, she watches our bank and credit card info like an accountant....of course she is an Accountant, which helps.

I use PayPal from time to time. Most recently for verifying I'm an adult to set up some student accounts for the 3D printers at school. Student accounts need an adult's approval. It cost me 50 cents each. It took a lot of time, since it was each account.

But, as others have pointed out, I would not trust PayPal any more further than I could throw them.