Is there an alternative to Paypal?

Andrewteee

All-Pro
I use a credit card with Paypal instead of linking a checking account. I'm starting to approach my credit card limit through Paypal and then I'll have to be "verified" by linking to a checking account and paying through that. They claim this is for "security" which is downright silly because I have years of solid Paypal transactions. I really have no interest in linking a checking account.

However, so many people use Paypal as their payment system nowadays.

Is there or will there ever be an alternative to Paypal?

I've used Square to pay locally and it's easy, perhaps they will enable online or remote mobile transactions someday.
 
I hate Paypal. It was wonderful for ebay to get them to reap even more profits from the service.

In europe, most people use direct funds transfers. Works well. I still have my US paypal, but the problem is they won't allow me to link it to my German account without paying for an account now. Utterly retarded.
 
Have a look at Amazon payments ... it seems to have been set up to directly compete (the pages look amazingly paypally) ...

snake said:
In europe, most people use direct funds transfers.

do we? what's the evidence for that?
 
In Germany it is certainly true. A lot of businesses we dealt with in Germany didn't take credit cards, especially smaller businesses. We paid them by direct electronic transfer. Not sure how widespread this is beyond Germany though.
 
There's also "Moneybookers" and "Google Checkout". I have used both (but not extensively) and it worked. But my impression is that everything depends. Being from Europe, my card usually gets rejected by American sites, but then again sometimes not. Amazon profits from my Visa gladly, but won't ship from all destinations. And so on.
 
Have a look at Amazon payments ... it seems to have been set up to directly compete (the pages look amazingly paypally) ...

I have a great deal of resentment toward Amazon, generally, since two events occurred
1) They bought my favourite iOS e-reader (Stanza) and have now killed it off. Its streets ahead of Kindle but Amazon doesn't want to use the tech, they just want it gone.
2) Their free weeks/days/whatever on the amazon android market have cost developers very dearly. I know of two who lost thousands as a result and have withdrawn from the Amazon Android market entirely
3) They have bought The Book Depository, one of the cheapest online bookstores ever. Watch for prices to go up to match Amazon, or else for the BD to disappear entirely within a couple of years
4) It seems they also own DPREview. Something that slipped under my Amazon-is-at-it-again radar.

Oh. That was 4 things.

I won't buy anything from them. Ever.

[end rant]

Back on topic. Theres Moneybookers (turning into something else) and Paymate. I kinda like both, and I detest Paypal because it randomly decides it wont accept my debit card. One day it does. The next it wont. Over it. I do use google checkout because for a couple of things its easy as. Easier than any of the others, tbh.
 
Someone is sending me a postal money order for a camera. Trusting a complete stranger to basically cash a check and then send a $650 item to them. I was on eBay on the very early days (around 15 years ago) and there was no Paypal. I had complete strangers mailing me CASH in an envelope FROM ALL OVER the world. Seriously.....I'd go the mailbox and there would be envelopes from Japan, Australia, England, Germany.....anywhere.... inside would be Postal money orders, International money orders, BRAND NEW American dollars (folded neatly in cardboard so the post office didn't see them.....LOL) sometimes even personal checks (?!). Somehow I managed to sell tens (maybe hundreds) of thousand of dollars worth of stuff before ePayments. Since joining Paypal a LONG time ago, I've had ZERO problems with them (well, a couple minor ones, but nothing earth-shaking).

I don't know why Mastercard or Visa doesn't get into the act themselves....or some HUGE bank. There's a bunch of alternatives, but Paypal is so entrenched, they are nearly a necessary evil. FWIW, as long as you follow their rules, they do a good job of protecting you (as either seller or buyer).
 
Thanks Kyle, Very helpful! I was not aware of the Regretsy kerfuffle, but, well, it sounds like Paypal. Another reason to avoid such a business. Based on the article I plan to look closer at Amazon. I have a seller account with them and never had any trouble at all.
 
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