PLUS: Credit Card (no PAYPAL) option?

[MarkG]

i've seen some "i hate paypal" posts. how many of you would want to see a non-paypal credit card option(and are not geting a subscription due to the lack of such an option)?

all sites offering cc parsing i've seen have a sign-up cost, so unless there are a certain amount of interest, there isnt much point in doing it

so vote away, but please only if you're really interested in plus...

[Dis]

I've heard bad things about pay pal. I'm not sure if I hate it.

Also I've heard of scams over e-bay using pay pal.

But I know Apolyton would never scam me

[vovan]

Originally posted by Dissident
I've heard bad things about pay pal. I'm not sure if I hate it.

What he said. I was almost ready to take a deep breath and sign up through PayPal, but now that there's talk of other forms of payment, I'd definitely prefer that.

[alva]

Wouldn't it be easier to just ask a fellow pollytubby to help you out?
It seems like a waste of money - the sign-up - thingy for just a handfull of people.

[Bloody Monk]

My view is that ANY outfit offering this service will face the same kinds of problems. Paypal has already had to deal with most of them and mostly it has been the only game in town, which is why they have had the bad press. But that is the past. I joined paypal for A-PLUS and feel confident that they have handled the "shake-out" period that comes with growth. I really wonder if any of the other services can say as much.

There are always a ton of reasons to say no to something. But when it comes to A-PLUS, I don't think paypal is a very good one. If paypal isn't offered in your area, that's different. But where it is operating, I think you'll need to look for another lame excuse for not subscribing. This is especially true since there are many who have offered to set things up for folk in their area.

A-PLUS is great. Paypal works fine. Just do it!!

Monk

[Robert Plomp]

What's the problem with paypal to some people?

[Nubclear]

Your the fool that voted no?!

Lynch Cybershy

[Skanky Burns]

I voted no. I don't have a problem with PayPal, so wouldn't need a credit-card option.

[SpencerH]

I posted this in another thread in answer to a question about why I wont use paypal. Its not some kinda semi-religious-anti-MS thing. I just oppose their business practices (that started out so well).

"I have a paypal account. I just take offense at their intrusive attitude. I used a platinum card with $10K limit to set up the account and everything was fine. Some time later they changed their policy and decided that they needed my bank account number else my use of paypal was limited to some small amount/year. **** that, they have no need for my bank account number and I told them so. They gave me some bullshit about it being totally secure (yeah right). I dont think I've used paypal (or ebay) since then."

I wont use paypal unless there is no other option. With poly the other option is to continue with pop-ups.

[Illuminatus]

How about cash?

[Robert Plomp]

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Your the fool that voted no?!

Lynch Cybershy

Nope, I didn't vote 'no'.
too bad you guys lynched me already
I still have my vote to cast........
I'm happy with paypal, they never asked for my bankaccount. I just use paypal and they have my cc.
No problems so far........

(except that some dudes just lynched me. Still looking for my left leg)

[Illuminatus]

/me drops a left leg



/me starts to go towards exit

[SpencerH]

This is what I'm talking about. It didnt exist when I first signed up with paypal, and I think it's bullshit.

PayPal encourages eBay buyers and sellers to become PayPal Verified to build trust on eBay. Verification helps to authenticate a member's identity which increases the security of the PayPal network for everyone.
As a verified PayPal member you will also enjoy the following benefits. You will be able to:

Increase your sending limit.
Fund your payments with your checking account.
Improve your reputation because other eBay users will know you're Verified.
Pay your bills online with PayPal's FREE BillPay service.
To become Verified simply add a bank account to your PayPal account. PayPal then sends two small deposits to your bank account. Just find the deposit amounts and enter them on the PayPal website, and you'll be Verified--it's that easy. Get Verified today!

If you're not 'verified' i.e. give them access to your bank account, you have very limited use of paypal.

Here's why you shouldnt give them your bank account

WARNING! PAYPAL!
If you have, or are thinking of having, an account with www.paypal.com, read this.

In September 2001 I ordered a product online for $280.90 from a health website. The website asked for my credit card as is normal and I gave them my visa debit number. This visa number is a debit account - it is hooked up to a bank account of mine which is hooked to my paypal account. Imagine my shock and horror when I saw that the money was withdrawn, not by the seller, but by Paypal!

I phoned paypal and asked how this was possible. They informed me that the seller had opened a paypal account in my name, and took the money out that way. The seller did not steal any money from me - BUT they then had an account hooked up to my bank account - so there was nothing stopping them in the future from withdrawing other sums of money from me. They did not subsequently close the account.

I phoned paypal and told them to close this second account. Guess what? The person I spoke to said that I couldn't! Because I didn't know the password! And the email address for the new account did not go to me! I asked, how could I know the password since I didn't open the account? In desperation, I then wrote a letter to the Managing Director but got no reply and I assumed the matter was handled. A year later I learned that this account was still in existence!

Paypal has since put a block on this second account so that it cannot be used, but they won't close it for me. I have to wait a total of three years (two years to go) before it will close itself due to inactivity.

One worrying aspect of all this is that I was never sent any correspondence to inform me of the second account in my name (linked to my main account). I learned of its existence only by studying my bank statement, seeing that the money was paid to paypal (not the seller) and phoning paypal. It takes little imagination to imagine some unscrupulous person saving up credit card numbers, opening second paypal accounts that the credit card owners are unaware of, and then withdrawing millions of dollars on one day and heading off to South America.

It is clear that the business model for paypal has a massive security flaw.

So - be warned! If you have a paypal account DO NOT under any circumstances link it to any bank account with any sizeable sum of money! In other words, don't give paypal a debit account number or merchant account number. And you might like to phone them to find out how many accounts are in your name.

Much worse stories (involving the loss of thousands of $$$s) at www.paypalsucks.com
www.endpaypal2002.netfirms.com
http://aboutpaypal.org

Copyright ©: Stephanie Relfe - 2002

www.relfe.com
Email:Stephanie@Relfe.com

[Panag]

hi ,

yes we do

as for members who want a good card , go for amex blue


Mark what about an international postal money order , .....

have a nice day

[Dis]

Originally posted by SpencerH
I posted this in another thread in answer to a question about why I wont use paypal. Its not some kinda semi-religious-anti-MS thing. I just oppose their business practices (that started out so well).

"I have a paypal account. I just take offense at their intrusive attitude. I used a platinum card with $10K limit to set up the account and everything was fine. Some time later they changed their policy and decided that they needed my bank account number else my use of paypal was limited to some small amount/year. **** that, they have no need for my bank account number and I told them so. They gave me some bullshit about it being totally secure (yeah right). I dont think I've used paypal (or ebay) since then."

I wont use paypal unless there is no other option. With poly the other option is to continue with pop-ups.

good choice . Credit cards are much more secure. You can call the company if there are any unauthorized charges. It isn't that easy if someone cleans out your bank account.

[MrWhereItsAt]

Starting a PayPal account (or anything, actually) with a Debit Card sounds incredibly stupid and dangerous. Sounds to me as if, as long as you keep away from this practice, you should be fine. I've been ebaying for three years now with my Credit Card hooked up to PayPal and not had a single problem in around 2-3 dozen transactions for each of those years. Postage is another matter.....

[MrWhereItsAt]

A question, Mark. What was the intention for the "No" vote - not to be considered (since No applies to all those who have Plus as well as those who have not yet got Plus but can do so and those who do not want Plus)? To gauge how many of us frequent this forum? It just seems a little strange. Surely if there's some critical absolute number who want the non-PayPal option it will be looked into, regardless of how many No votes there are?

[DrSpike]

I know that I don't trust paypal enough to open an account. This year someone else paid for me, but in future years if I could pay through more conventional methods there would be a better chance of me retaining my subscription.

[MarkG]

What was the intention for the "No" vote

the "no" answers are not considered.

[MrWhereItsAt]

Originally posted by DrSpike
I know that I don't trust paypal enough to open an account. This year someone else paid for me, but in future years if I could pay through more conventional methods there would be a better chance of me retaining my subscription.

But what do you mean by 'conventional methods', DrS? Credit cards or PayPal would be the only way to go, as far as I could see, until such a time as Poly had operatives in most regions able to accept the money from chequees or direct credit. And that would be a LONG way off, if it ever happened.

[PLATO]

It would be nice to have a direct payment method as opposed to going through a third party. Installing this mechanism would also open the door for being able to purchase things directly from the site (anyone interested in a hardly used Greek artillery piece? )

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt


But what do you mean by 'conventional methods', DrS?

Well a non-paypal credit card option is one.

[SpencerH]

I've just had an epiphany!

I was just looking through the threads and noticed that apolyton appears to be selling its stuff now via the amazon umbrella. Amazon accepts credit cards. Why not just sell yearly subscriptions via the same mechanism?

[MarkG]

eeeer no, we dont sell our products via amazon

that wasnt an epiphany you had...

[DrSpike]

I am sure Amazon would be happy to accept our money.

[MarkG]

idea for the "paypal haters"!

how about an overpriced apolyton store product?
- select a product you like
- contact us
- we'll make a special version of the product, priced propely to include the cost of the PLUS subscription(and minus our store profit) of your desire and send you the link
- once the order is complete, mail us again to activate your PLUS subscription!

you could do it with something as cheap as a bumper sticker
http://www.cafeshops.com/apolyton/91528
or the new $9.99 t-shirts
http://www.cafeshops.com/apolyton/315748

[SpencerH]

Then whats the amazon/apolyton store thread about?

It`s simple: we give you or friend of yours a free month of ApolytonPLUS for every purchase you make from:
- The Apolyton Store
- The Amazon stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Germany

Details here
Btw, we've got some new $9.99 t-shirts!

Oh I think I understand, if I go to amazon via poly you get some financial benefit.

I buy bagfulls of stuff from amazon (I have an amazon CC as well) but have never gone via poly.

I dont understand this, the poly store is via cafeexpress which accepts CC. Why isnt there simply a new button on the poly store to buy a yearly subscription ? It's a product of sorts.

[MarkG]

I dont understand this, the poly store is via cafeexpress which accepts CC. Why isnt there simply a new button on the poly store to buy a yearly subscription ? It's a product of sorts.

cause cafepress is into selling products, not doing CC parsing. but we're overcoming it, see my post above

[MrWhereItsAt]

Shameless Mark... I suppose you could promote it as a 'free' Poly-themed gift for subscribers. As long as people don't mind paying a little extra (that also goes towards supporting Poly IIRC) that's a neat little idea.

Who says army life kills creative thinking?

And DrS - ah, OK. If a non-PayPal CC option is all you want then great. Sounds easy enough.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
And DrS - ah, OK. If a non-PayPal CC option is all you want then great. Sounds easy enough.

Well to clarify, I already have the subscription, so it's not immediately relevant. However since Mark asked about it I replied.