PayPal is a very convenient way to send and receive money online. So convenient that there are lots of merchants and websites who don’t even want to hear about alternative options. So far, so good. It really makes money transfer easy and safe, without worries that somebody might steal your credit card info from internet. All you have to disclose is your e-mail address.
But, my dear merchants, why don’t you display your preference BIG, on your front page, where everybody can see it? I’m not USA resident. Until last week, my country was not on the PayPal list of accepted countries. Why then, did I spend lots of my time (which never returns, does it?) for the following actions:
- Register myself with Associated Content
- Subscribing to PayPal.
Quote from their homepage:
Associated Content invites everyone to contribute original video, articles, audio and images on any topic to gain exposure and earn cash.
And here goes Simonne, signs up for a free account, happy that she found another income source to keep her away of 9 to 5 jobs. Somewhere, in the middle of the process, she notices that payments are going to be done by PayPal only.
OK, so there she goes to the PayPal site, she opens an account (surprise! Romania has been added to the list), spends some more 10 minutes to verify it (look for the credit card, input the data, accept that PayPal takes 1.50 Euro from her account, following to return it on the first transaction).
Happy Simonne, goes back to Associated Content and tries hard to make a very nice profile there, so she can get a lot of writing projects. Half an hour later, she discovers that she can only write free content, the paid one being reserved to USA people only!!!
How about your front page promise, my dear AC friends? Why don’t you just put a note on that page that you don’t want your money to go to people from other countries?
I don’t have a problem with that. It is your business and your choice. But believe me, I could have spent my time in more funny or productive ways than for subscribing to something I can’t use.
If such things happen, how comes then that Roommate.com is being sued for the awful guilt of offering users the possibility to select the gender and sexual orientation of their potential roommate? For me, this looks completely crazy! If you guys are so democrat and you think that people don’t care with whom they share the bedroom, then how comes that a citizenship discrimination is not only legal, but it seems so normal that you don’t even bother to announce it before non-Americans waste their time in vain? May I humbly remind you that Internet is international?
OK, they do not provide services in all countries. You can see that from the very beginning of the process, so everything is normal up to here.
But when I opened my account, I was not notified that I’m opening a send-only account. I didn’t need a send-only account. I needed to receive money in that account. I found out that this is how it goes only the second day, when I entered the account and wanted to set up some things there. Meanwhile, I wasted some more time signing up for PayPerPost and switching my payment option with Text Link Ads from check to PayPal.
The next day, after becoming aware of the restricted options of my PayPal account, I had to go back to Text Link Ads and change the payment options back again.
What triggered this post? Yesterday I got e-mail from 5 Star Affiliate Forums, that they celebrate their 2 years of existence with lots of contests with cash prizes. The contests are really cool, you should check them out. I did so, and as one of them seemed appealing, I wanted to participate. Before all details, there was a note, in bold, so everyone could see it from a glance: If you don’t have PayPal, sorry, that’s the only payment option. Bravo for 5 Star Affiliates that they let me know that before all things!
I wonder what’s wrong with MoneyBookers, that nobody seems to use them?
8 Comments
Does Paypal have different set of requirements for your country when it comes to fully enabling your account? I thought they confirm some things about your name, bank account and address and then go on to allow your account to send and receive money.
The scenario you mentioned with Associated Content is an example of how businesses or services need to have clear disclosures on their site on who can and cannot use the site. Sure, not disclosing such a fact may bring in more traffic, but it also results in more frustration.
“Internet is international”, in theory yes, sure, but in reality, many people treat it otherwise.
Oh Simonne, you don’t want PayPal. It is a horrible company. I know it’s easy to use and many merchants may only accept PayPal, but you don’t want to leave your bank account open to them. PayPalSucks.com will tell you why. VERY scary.
Ha, ha! Thank you all for the comments. PayPal asks you about your details, then they just open the account. Only when you try to access the restricted options you find out that your account is limited. I think disclosure shows respect for the readers.
LaurenMarie, thank you for letting me know that. I don’t necessarily need PeyPal, but I really want to work with some companies which have this as the only payment option.
By the way, the anonymous commentor above was me, not sure why or how I forgot to put in my name.
OK Bes, thanks for telling me that. I appreciated your comment.
PayPal is a horrible company, do not do business with them, you will be sorry in the end. Millions of people have been ripped off by them and are on the top 10 most hated companies on this planet. There are several class action lawsuits pending agenst them. Any one who is going to use them need to do some research on the company and see how many businesses and consumers that have been ripped off and had there business destroyed because of paypal. Get a real merchant account from your bank and save yourself from a wold of headache!
Thanks, Tyson, I’ll be very careful.
I don’t think it’s strictly necessary, but it might be a good idea. From my experience, customers put a lot more trust in paypal than they do other, less branded payment options. More trust means more orders, so I would definitely do it, if only as a secondary option.