Paypal woes

[kiwighia68]

I've made numerous purchases of Ghia parts using Paypal and also, when I sold items, received payment via Paypal. Not any more. I think they have changed their systems. (I've been trying in vain to buy a speedometer from adverstisers on the Samba.) I wrote to Paypal as follows:

"The PayPal Team

I don't usually tell people why I walk away from their establishment after disappointing service. My practice is to pay and walk away in silence. I'm going to make an exception in your case because I think you have a good product that is being messed up in the poor service to users. Here's the history:

1. I subscribed some years ago - with a South African address and credit card.
2. I moved to New Zealand and registered a NZ address and also a NZ credit card.
3. For years I was still able to buy goods and pay with either card, and have the goods delivered to my NZ address.
4. I then cancelled my SA credit card at the end of 2015.
5. Until recently, I could use my NZ credit card and goods were delivered to my NZ address. When I sold something the payment was made into my NZ credit card account. When I paid the money was taken from the same account.
6. Recently, I received a payment for a sale to the USA. The money was NOT paid into my credit card account, but sat in my Paypal account.
7. This week I tried to make another purchase. Twice the seller refunded the money, apparently because Paypal insisted that the goods must be shipped to South Africa.
8. Paypal advised me to close my account and open a new one with New Zealand as my "nationality".
9. I tried. *** knows I tried, but Paypal wouldn't close the account because the retained funds - see 6. above - were still in it. I tried to withdraw the funds but I was asked to open a US bank account (for which I have no use). I tried customer services, your help facility, all to no avail. I was being sent around in circles.
10. I eventually refunded the payer the funds sitting in my Paypal account and Paypal in a demonstration of sudden and unexpected customer care allowed me to close my account.
11. Now you want to know why I closed it. See the above. The account had become useless to me. I couldn't sell, I couldn't buy, and what's worse, when I did manage to sell, Paypal kept the funds away from me.
12. I even tried to take Paypal up on the offer to subscribe again, but guess what? I get directed to a US Paypal site which requires me to provide US zip codes and addresses.

No BS. That's how it happened.

Yours sincerely (assuming I'm speaking to a human being and not a computer)"

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I received an automated reply telling me to go to their website and customer services pages. Cue slow rotations on a hamster's wheel.

Am I the only one having trouble here?
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Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015

[c21darrel]

That's a bummer Chris, sorry for all the issues.
I've been using paypal for at least 5-6 years or more, i cant recall any real problems. (of course I am located in the USA). Once I bought a EMPI steering wheel hub, it was advertised as genuine. When i examined it, i found it to be just a good re-pop and would not fit my steering wheel. Paypal refunded me after I submitted detailed explanation.
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GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[CiderGuy]

I am in the personalized wine, Champagne, and sparkling cider business. Hence the name Ciderguy. We produce wedding favors to name one of the items we sell.

I've been using PayPal plus another bank for credit card processing for at least 12 years. I have never had an issue using my PayPal balance which at times can be as high as 20K. You can move the money to your bank or bank card easily.

I use my PayPal balance often to buy goods and services for my business without so much as a hiccup.

As far as addresses or shipping address you can 'register' more then one. This past Christmas I shipped gifts all over the country.

My only thought is that if you're doing something unusual for you. Meaning how you normally use your account, they may have balked.

[kiwighia68]

[CiderGuy]

[kiwighia68]

The mystery deepens. I asked another advertiser on the Samba of a speedo if I could pay by direct bank transfer of the funds into his account and he said that he wasn't set up to sell to overseas customers except by Paypal. Safer for everybody, he said.

Which leaves me with this question: As late as November last year I had no problem buying and selling using Paypal. I've had no bad transactions, no goods returned - by or to me - no disputes about payment or fees. Nothing.

Smooth as silk one day, and a serious malfunction the next. With no means to find out why.

It's easy to phone them when you're in the USA, but I am on the you-know-what hole side of the planet.

Can I ask you guys in the USA this: Does Paypal force you to use their address labels when you buy or sell through them? If not, how difficult is it to accept the payment and to address the parcel yourself and to deliver it to USPS?
_________________
Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015

[Karly]

I had an issue with my pay pal quite a few years ago - I actually phoned them - the experience was remarkably pleasant took about 10 minutes and sorted my account out - may be something you have to try. They had a toll free number I could call here in Australia.
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1960 Beetle ''Heidi" daily driver
1964 Karmann Ghia project

[kiwighia68]

[John Moxon]

[Era Vulgaris]

[kiwighia68]