Paypal monopoly??

heliguyheliguy

Paypal monopoly??
There really is no alternative for on-line shopping convenience, is there a case for a monopoly challenge. I'm thinking Explorer v Firefox and Microsoft's recent 400 million fine.
I have no beef with them and am happy with their service; but don't like that I don't have an option!

Gryzor

There are other operators out there, like MoneyBookers. I think it's more the vendor that decides who they offer as a payment option??

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

yeah, it's not a monopoly there are several other options it's just paypal is far and away the most popular.

grindle

Mr. Chrome

You dont need a paypal account, you can pay withq your cc as a guest of paypal, suppose thats still using paypal ,thats what I do anyhow, keep meaning to set up a paypal account but I never get around to it.

illicit007

Paypal is just one of many Payment gateways out there. They happen to be by far the easiest and cheapest to setup for new business owners.

A small business owner can setup a payment gateway which appears like you're paying directly with your credit card on their site but in reality you're still going off their site through a payment gateway, you just don't notice it as much. (It's just going to cost them a lot more in time and money to setup and run.)

There are a number of payment gateways, like someone else said moneybrokers, and then there's sagepay, worldpay, realex, etc.

I've been using Paypal for years now to pay for things... I personally find it really good. If I ever have a problem I can call them. If I ever have a dispute about a payment they sort it out.

For me it's an extra layer of protection and convenience over just using my bank account.

Paypal, moneybrookers, banks, they're all the same to me. They're all large corporations with a LOT of money.

Paypal might have a 'monopoly' on smaller businesses who value the most affordable and convient to setup solution. But big companies wouldn't use paypal so in that case Worldpay or Realex probably have a monopoly over the big business market.

I don't see what the problem is. Really... what's the problem? I fail to see what the fuss is about...

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

some people refuse to use nestle products or try to avoid israeli goods, paypal are big enough that it's not surprising they've pissed off at least a few people who would prefer not to use them.

gimli2112

I've used them a lot. Had my first dispute with a seller recently and Paypal sorted it out in accordance with their terms. I'm quite happy with them as a result.
Read somewhere you lose some protection from your Credit Card using them but it's not like I'm going to buy a house/nuclear warhead online.

P_1

illicit007 wrote: »

Paypal is just one of many Payment gateways out there. They happen to be by far the easiest and cheapest to setup for new business owners.

A small business owner can setup a payment gateway which appears like you're paying directly with your credit card on their site but in reality you're still going off their site through a payment gateway, you just don't notice it as much. (It's just going to cost them a lot more in time and money to setup and run.)

There are a number of payment gateways, like someone else said moneybrokers, and then there's sagepay, worldpay, realex, etc.

I've been using Paypal for years now to pay for things... I personally find it really good. If I ever have a problem I can call them. If I ever have a dispute about a payment they sort it out.

For me it's an extra layer of protection and convenience over just using my bank account.

Paypal, moneybrookers, banks, they're all the same to me. They're all large corporations with a LOT of money.

Paypal might have a 'monopoly' on smaller businesses who value the most affordable and convient to setup solution. But big companies wouldn't use paypal so in that case Worldpay or Realex probably have a monopoly over the big business market.

I don't see what the problem is. Really... what's the problem? I fail to see what the fuss is about...

This, the banks and cc companies charge an obscene amount of money for Merchant Services. Paypal is by far and away the cheapest and most user friendly option out on the market these days.

Vaperus

The problem is most gateways wont touch ecig vendors with a barge pole, even paypal doesnt in a lot of countries.

was.deevey

The problem is most gateways wont touch ecig vendors with a barge pole, even paypal doesnt in a lot of countries.

A Friend of Mine had to jump through some serious hoops to try get a payment processor sorted out (USA vendor). Eventually he found an Authorize.net reseller in his Area was the ONLY Merchant who did not have an issue with them.

He had already been through (among others)

-2Checkout
-Paypal
-Moneybookers
-Worldpay

All of whom cancelled his account, or simply would not let him sign up on finding he sold ecigs.

]As far as I was aware Paypal did not legitimately allow for the sale Ecigs in any country, but they just don't chase vendors to the same extent in some ?

jamie72

illicit007 wrote: »

Paypal is just one of many Payment gateways out there. They happen to be by far the easiest and cheapest to setup for new business owners.

A small business owner can setup a payment gateway which appears like you're paying directly with your credit card on their site but in reality you're still going off their site through a payment gateway, you just don't notice it as much. (It's just going to cost them a lot more in time and money to setup and run.)

There are a number of payment gateways, like someone else said moneybrokers, and then there's sagepay, worldpay, realex, etc.

I've been using Paypal for years now to pay for things... I personally find it really good. If I ever have a problem I can call them. If I ever have a dispute about a payment they sort it out.

For me it's an extra layer of protection and convenience over just using my bank account.

Paypal, moneybrookers, banks, they're all the same to me. They're all large corporations with a LOT of money.

Paypal might have a 'monopoly' on smaller businesses who value the most affordable and convient to setup solution. But big companies wouldn't use paypal so in that case Worldpay or Realex probably have a monopoly over the big business market.

I don't see what the problem is. Really... what's the problem? I fail to see what the fuss is about...

As they have such a large 'monopoly' the fees are quite high. A seller could lose €1 on a sale to paypal, just for processing the transaction.

Mr. Chrome

Think the seller has to pay 2.9% if his sales are under 2500euro a month, then the percentage drops with the more he sells.

P_1

It's all part of the costs to be able to sell tbh.

You have to pay rent to sell in a B+M shop
You have to pay merchant fees to offer a credit card facility.

was.deevey

As they have such a large 'monopoly' the fees are quite high. A seller could lose €1 on a sale to paypal, just for processing the transaction.

At the end of the day merchant accounts as a rule are not cheap, Paypal is one of the cheapest options available for a small business who needs to get something running quickly and without fuss.

With some of the larger merchant account providers there is normally a monthly fee which can amount to (and over) 1000 a year excluding a % of sales and then there a huge number of hoops to jump through before you can even get the account.

I know a few people with "merchant accounts" who needed to buy a machine from their bank to process credit cards manually after purchase by calling the customer or getting them to send an email with their details :-o (extremely unsafe method!)

therecruit

What has this got to do with eCigs?

PayPal is a service like any other if you dont want to use it dont. But if its all a merchant offers than that's not PayPal's fault.

and remember their practically an Irish company now

was.deevey

their practically an Irish company now

Dont Jinx them :P

heliguyheliguy

therecruit wrote: »

What has this got to do with eCigs?

PayPal is a service like any other if you dont want to use it dont. But if its all a merchant offers than that's not PayPal's fault.

and remember their practically an Irish company now

What has this got to do with eCigs? 99% of my money spent on e-cigs goes through paypal.

PayPal is a service like any other if you dont want to use it dont. But if its all a merchant offers than that's not PayPal's fault. Who said anything about fault or not wanting to use them, it's just about choice, competition laws exist to promote competition; for the benefit of the consumer.
and remember their practically an Irish company now
They are based here to take advantage of tax laws that benefit the rich and penalise the working class, it would be foolish to associate that with any form on nationalism.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

how does paypal providing jobs in Ireland penalise the working class?

heliguyheliguy

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

how does paypal providing jobs in Ireland penalise the working class?

take advantage of tax laws that benefit the rich and penalise the working class.

Think I said tax laws that penalise, paypal take advantage of said laws; as opposed to having some sort of loyalty to Ireland.

Not even sure how you got that; out of what I said?

rickyjb

Just noticed something when transferring a small amount of money with Paypal, if you mark it as a gift they charge a fee, if it's marked as payment for goods they don't.

Maybe this is already obvious to everyone but just thought I'd mention it.

grindle

heliguyheliguy wrote: »

Who said anything about fault or not wanting to use them, it's just about choice, competition laws exist to promote competition; for the benefit of the consumer

You'll have to complain to retailers and show them an option that provides the same service and takes less money from them - PayPal have done some things to raise ire but in general they're not winning the competition because they're bullies, they're winning because nobody else is providing their service as efficiently or cheaply.

rickyjb wrote: »

Just noticed something when transferring a small amount of money with Paypal, if you mark it as a gift they charge a fee, if it's marked as payment for goods they don't.

The seller pays the fee if you don't.

unblvlblkult

Possibly a better forum for this discussion...

www.screw-paypal.com/

heliguyheliguy

Calm down lads, Nobody is knocking PayPal.
I will try to be crystal clear.
I like PayPal.
I think their product is excellent.
I think their customer service is excellent.
I have used there service for years without issue.
I would like an alternative option.
I think there's an opertuinity for some company to offer another option.

unblvlblkult

Could form a digital payments co-operative with Irish on-line retailers with the Credit Unions backing if anyone had the business acumen and tech knowledge

richardw001

guys - just one comment on paypal - I like to use it as it means I'm not using my credit card directly - and its an extra layer of protection between my banking stuff and the internet.
What it doesn't do is offer you ironclad protection if you buy from an arbitrary website on the web.
I had a problem before - with a company going into liquidation in the US that i ordered from and paid thru paypal - I had no protection/recompense to get my money back - just in case you think (like I did) that if there's a problem you get an immediate refund

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055946393

StickyIcky

Hi Heliguy

heliguyheliguy wrote: »

I would like an alternative option.

There are alternative options. The point that has been made is they are rare because of the fact the other options are SO much more expensive and difficult to setup.

heliguyheliguy wrote: »

I think there's an opertuinity for some company to offer another option.

Easier said than done. The complexity and cost of setting up such a company is massive.

/thread

grindle

Well, people have set up equivalent businesses, but is there a good enough reason to switch once you're already set up?

heliguyheliguy

grindle wrote: »

Well, people have set up equivalent businesses, but is there a good enough reason to switch once you're already set up?

Are they really the same? I can't find a way to set up and account
they both seem to for devs to integrate cc payments into websites

StickyIcky

heliguyheliguy wrote: »

Are they really the same? I can't find a way to set up and account
they both seem to for devs to integrate cc payments into websites

Agreed, from initial inspection seems more like API for Devs, not easy shopping cart for dummys solution. But still thanks for this Grindle didn't hear of these guys yet.

grindle

heliguyheliguy wrote: »

Are they really the same? I can't find a way to set up and account
they both seem to for devs to integrate cc payments into websites

Not yet for Western Union-style payments, no, they're going after merchants first.
There are community-coded templates/scripts for slotting into WordPress, Prestashop sites and such, wouldn't take much for someone to start GimmeDaFukinMonayz.com and use either of those as the backend for personal money-giving if that's what you think is missing (although Stripe hasn't launched in Europe yet, I'd expect it to be the favourite because some of the people involved were the original investors in and creators of PayPal who've run with their cash because they view PayPal as a lazy giant with no [edit: extreme] growth possible).
They will (have to) move into the Western Union model themselves at some stage though, because killing PayPal is what they're about.