Paypal

[jak]

We were discussing this some time back and CC came up with a solution for higher earners. I don't yet fit in that bracket (ever hopeful) and decided to change my Paypal account to a personal one. And guess what! They are still taking their fees out of my earnings. I got $12 from elsewhere mid month and when I saw the fees I queried it. The response was that their rules say they can still take a cut if the transaction seems to be commercial. I just checked what they've done with my CC payment this month and they've done it again.

I just can't win.

I guess the only answer is to write more, sell more, and get into the high earning bracket.

[cgardener]

Wow. Thanks for letting us know. I had just turned my account into personal as well because of the fees. I think I'll go read the terms of use and see if there is anything on there that says they can do that. I read them pretty thoroughly when I joined, and I don't remember seeing that in there. Of course, not being a legal bank, they can pretty much do whatever they want. And being owned by eBay, you'd know they would do something crooked sometime. I hate using them anyway, because years back they stole $250 from my account. It just disappeared, and they said it was never there, but I know damned well it was. I only use them when I absolutely have to.

How big a percentage did they take out?

[jak]

The usual - 3%.

[Ed]

"If the transaction seems commercial"? Wow. They really must think highly of themselves to be able to determine that for a $12 transaction. Even the government doesn't take out taxes unless you've earned more than $200.

[Lor]

Jak,
PP will do that. Like most corporations they'll only adjust it if you complain. You still have a chance. Find the deliberately-very-difficult-to-find phone number in their site and call them. How dare they assume anything. That's your argument.

[Celeste Stewart]

I don't know if that's their policy or not, but if it is you probably won't have much luck arguing it. You can't say Constant-Content payments aren't commercial because they are and they can easily check that. So, if they prohibit commercial transactions in personal accounts and it's documented on their site somewhere like in their terms of service or other written policies, you're out of luck. They probably have a huge database of known commercial payers.

In addition, not all personal PayPal transactions are free. If a person pays with a debit or credit card, fees range from 2 to 4.9% + change.

Regardless, it sucks to have to pay to get paid. I hate the whole percentage angle because it doesn't take them any more effort to transfer $5 or $5,000.

[jak]

Celeste is right. I did complain, but no joy. I haven't actually found it documented anywhere but I guess their lawyers will have tucked it in somewhere. I suspect it's happening to me because I reverted my account to personal after they changed their policy on fees for that type of account. Before I retired my marketing business I used to have a lot more transactions.

[Lor]

Of course she's right, but you can still fight it, is my point. I didn't know you already called them. Thing is, PP makes exceptions all the time via the phone and if this particular policy of assumption is hidden, I'd continue to bug them. You just have to decide if it's worth the irritation.

I just hate companies like that nickle and diming people. We recently got satellite. I was assured there would be no add-on fees, but when the bill came, I have to pay $3. for reciever rental, $1. for this, $2. for that and $3. for that. What was going to be $53. per month has turned into over $60., so I'm in a mood today. It's not the money, but the ploy to sign me up. I wan't those fees removed. It likely won't happen, but it's worth a try.

Lor

[Celeste Stewart]

Jak can complain but wouldn't have a valid point to say that CC isn't commercial because CC IS commercial. Their policy of self-determining this sucks and is a bit big brotherish but in this case, they are absolutely right that CC is a commercial enterprise.

[Lor]

Sucks yes. But Jak's example wasn't just from a CC payment.

I think it's the language. Words like "seem" bring my shoulders up to my ears.

Lorraine

[cgardener]

[quote="jak"]Celeste is right. I did complain, but no joy. I haven't actually found it documented anywhere but I guess their lawyers will have tucked it in somewhere. I suspect it's happening to me because I reverted my account to personal after they changed their policy on fees for that type of account. Before I retired my marketing business I used to have a lot more transactions.[/quote]

I wrote to them and they replied (in broken English, btw) that they did not ever charge fees for personal accounts. So I have it in writing now, if they ever try it.

I would think, though, that if you are getting a large amount of money from one payor on a consistent basis, they would figure it out. Still, the TOU doesn't say anything about it, and they claim it isn't so, so they don't have a legal right to do it.

You can complain to Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau, but they'd probably just ban you from PayPal forever. That's the problem with letting a non-bank handle your money.