I fought the PayPal and I won • Hacker News Board

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#11

Post by mike_ivanov » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 6:59 AM UTC

DeathArrow wrote: post #2

I haven't been using PayPal since more than 5 years. For quick transfers I can use Revolut. For buying something I can use card. For easy payment integration with Web apps there are countless tools. So I am wondering what use cases PayPal still serves, use cases which aren't already better covered by better means. Why pay heavy commissions to PayPal?

From the buyer's perspective: hassle-free unsubscription, seeing all my subscriptions in one place, no need to create accounts on random seller sites. And yes, I'm willing to pay a couple of %% to anyone who can fulfill those needs, not necessarily PayPal.

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#12

Post by lmm » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 6:59 AM UTC

cute_boi wrote: post #8

atirip wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I only buy from merchants that offer PayPal (there are few I trust by card, like Amazon). And the reason is that whatever it happens, I can always get my money back with PayPal. It happened 3 times in last 5 years that seller took the money and never shipped anything. I got all them resolved very quickly.

Well, we can use credit card charge back for such purpose?

You can, but you probably have to call up your bank during business hours, wait on hold for a while, and then get given the runaround for a while. PayPal you just push a button and it's done.

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#13

Post by trinovantes » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:03 AM UTC

DeathArrow wrote: post #2

I haven't been using PayPal since more than 5 years. For quick transfers I can use Revolut. For buying something I can use card. For easy payment integration with Web apps there are countless tools. So I am wondering what use cases PayPal still serves, use cases which aren't already better covered by better means. Why pay heavy commissions to PayPal?

I still use paypal to pay for stuff when I'm too lazy to walk to the other room to get my wallet. As a consumer, the price is the same.

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#14

Post by Infrid » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:05 AM UTC

CaliforniaKarl wrote: post #3

First off, congratulations! Second, I wish there was more followup from "My account got limited/blocked, and I need help." HN posts of that nature—assuming they reach the front page—typically get resolution in enough time that the person with the issue posts a followup, but I don't think that's the norm.

Sure, but not without blaming the victim first. There are countless threads where the victim is accused to be wrong.

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#15

Post by urban_winter » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:09 AM UTC

It's worth knowing that in the UK PayPal is covered by the Financial Ombudsman service. They wouldn't be interested in accounts being blocked as in this case but they were very helpful to me when PayPal made a payment that I did not authorize and then refused to put it right.

I don't use PayPal any more. Their support staff are impossibility hopeless so any kind of problem with your account will cause you a world of pain.

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#16

Post by avereveard » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:14 AM UTC

DeathArrow wrote: post #2

I haven't been using PayPal since more than 5 years. For quick transfers I can use Revolut. For buying something I can use card. For easy payment integration with Web apps there are countless tools. So I am wondering what use cases PayPal still serves, use cases which aren't already better covered by better means. Why pay heavy commissions to PayPal?

With virtual cards and whatnot I don't use PayPal anymore to protect the card number from circulation.

But I still find them useful for long therm subscriptions to provider. That why when I need to change the card I don't need to login to (and remember) all websites where I have an ongoing payment plan

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#17

Post by ggreer » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:16 AM UTC

The author of this article is a public defender in the pacific northwest. He sometimes writes for Jesse Singal, but he also has his own substack.[1] Many of his posts provide a unique window into the criminal justice system. If that sounds interesting to you, I strongly recommend reading more of his writing. In my opinion, his greatest hits are Eleven Magic Words[2] and Death of a Client[3].

1. https://ymeskhout.substack.com/

2. https://ymeskhout.substack.com/p/eleven-magic-words-unlocked

3. https://ymeskhout.substack.com/p/death-of-a-client

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#18

Post by mrspencehimself » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:26 AM UTC

honestly, that was a riveting read

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#19

Post by mrspencehimself » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:29 AM UTC

Honestly, fantastic writing style lol... made reading a legal case about arbitration clauses a riveting read!

Re: I fought the PayPal and I won

#20

Post by switch007 » Fri, Nov 04, 2022, 7:35 AM UTC

cute_boi wrote: post #8

atirip wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I only buy from merchants that offer PayPal (there are few I trust by card, like Amazon). And the reason is that whatever it happens, I can always get my money back with PayPal. It happened 3 times in last 5 years that seller took the money and never shipped anything. I got all them resolved very quickly.

Well, we can use credit card charge back for such purpose?

In the UK my experience with chargebacks is that they’re very biased towards the company. It’s a drawn-out process during which you get harassed by the company’s anti-chargeback team in to accepting an ex gratia payment etc. you have to supply lots of evidence and when the company provides some poor quality evidence the bank goes “oh well that’s decided then” as if responding was sufficient.