How to get Amazon to take paypal. - Page 2

wyndslash · 03-03-2011, 09:59 PM

ooh, this is interesting. i can't get a credit card yet as i have no ITR (not working full-time yet), but i have a paypal account. still, it's being resold for $5 more hmm...(well yeah, it is a business after all)

elemenoP · 03-03-2011, 10:14 PM

But some sites require you to have a credit card on file even if you have a gift card that covers the whole transaction. Amazon doesn't have this requirement?

eP

mattsholtz · 03-03-2011, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elemenoP

But some sites require you to have a credit card on file even if you have a gift card that covers the whole transaction. Amazon doesn't have this requirement?

eP

No, Amazon does not have this requirement. So if you lived in Australia and wanted to buy an American eBook only available on the US Amazon store you would be able to by purchasing a gift card from my site, and then go shopping on the US store. No credit card on file needed.

elemenoP · 03-04-2011, 10:21 AM

oh, then that's a pretty smart little business you got going on there!

eP

Andrew H. · 03-04-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm obviously missing something here. Why would I want to use PayPal rather than my usual credit card?

You're a risk taker who likes life on the edge?

snipenekkid · 03-04-2011, 03:42 PM

as someone who runs in excess of $100k through Paypal annually and never had a single issue since day one, I chuckle at all this "the sky is falling" tinfoil-hat misinformation about Paypal. They have rules you need to follow, same as any other financial institution.

But all one needs to do is read a any message board online to understand what the folks at Paypal as well as Amazon or any other online vendor have to deal with in terms of nut-bars.

I earn an uncapped 1.5% cash for back for all my purchases using my PP credit/debit card which pretty much zero's out the cost of accepting payments via PP, in fact I add funds purposely to get the extra cash back every month. It's higher interest than a bank these days. For me PP is far better and cheaper than a merchant account and the hundreds of dollars it can cost every month just to have the account not including the discount fees.

Additionally using Paypal is far safer for the buyer than a credit card in terms of protecting your card numbers, checking account number or whatever. Of course these days some banks and credit card companies will generate single user CC numbers for you to use for online transactions. That might be the best of all options. Of course PP did screw that option up big time. It's not like they walk on water, the do screw up like any other company, even banks.

Blossom · 03-06-2011, 01:05 AM

My Paypal debit card expired last month and I like several others are getting a run around on getting it renewed and sent out. After being with PayPal since 1999 for first time I no longer have my card which means I no longer have a credit card to use at Amazon or Kobo. Paypal has decided it could care less rather I get my card or not.

I have been using PayPal for years and never had one problem till now. This sites looks really good. Right now I have purchased a Prepaid Debit Card and using that instead with my Kindle.

I still use PayPal for other sites but other then Fictionwise and B.O.B no other ebook store takes them that I know of so this Gift Card site is a nice find.

mattsholtz · 03-06-2011, 08:46 AM

Thanks Blossom. I am thinking of adding Itunes and Sony cards, for an even bigger selection of eBook stores to choose from.

HarryT · 03-06-2011, 11:05 AM

In the UK, PayPal operates under the auspices of the Financial Services Authority, and is subject to the same rules as any other bank, meaning that your money (up to £35,000) is protected.

SpiderMatt · 03-06-2011, 12:41 PM

I gave you some karma, Matt. The site is of no use to me since I live in the states and have no issues buying straight from Amazon with my credit card; however, I think the site is clever and very useful for the right crowd. Given how often I see people from other parts of the world on these forums asking for ways to buy U.S. Kindle books (many people seem to get U.S. credit cards simply for this purpose), I think your $5 markup may be worth the convenience you bring to people wanting to buy foreign ebooks.

I do have a couple recommendations, though. Can you add gift cards greater than $25? I understand you probably want to make money off those $5 charges, but people who are looking to buy several U.S. ebooks might be discouraged if they can only purchase a single $25 gift card at a time. If they buy two ebooks at, say, $15 and $10, then they've paid a $2.50 markup per book, which is more than the $2 Amazon charges people overseas to buy via the Kindle's 3G. However, if people can buy $50 gift cards, they they get more for their extra $5, and it will probably keep your customers happier.

Another thing: Have you considered adding other Amazon sites like Amazon.co.uk? I know there are ebooks that are not available to people in the U.S., so you would probably have a larger pool of potential customers if you added non-U.S. sites.

mattsholtz · 03-06-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

I gave you some karma, Matt. The site is of no use to me since I live in the states and have no issues buying straight from Amazon with my credit card; however, I think the site is clever and very useful for the right crowd. Given how often I see people from other parts of the world on these forums asking for ways to buy U.S. Kindle books (many people seem to get U.S. credit cards simply for this purpose), I think your $5 markup may be worth the convenience you bring to people wanting to buy foreign ebooks.

I do have a couple recommendations, though. Can you add gift cards greater than $25? I understand you probably want to make money off those $5 charges, but people who are looking to buy several U.S. ebooks might be discouraged if they can only purchase a single $25 gift card at a time. If they buy two ebooks at, say, $15 and $10, then they've paid a $2.50 markup per book, which is more than the $2 Amazon charges people overseas to buy via the Kindle's 3G. However, if people can buy $50 gift cards, they they get more for their extra $5, and it will probably keep your customers happier.

Another thing: Have you considered adding other Amazon sites like Amazon.co.uk? I know there are ebooks that are not available to people in the U.S., so you would probably have a larger pool of potential customers if you added non-U.S. sites.

These are all ideas I have thought about and want to implement in the future. $10 and $50 dollar cards should be coming sooner rather than later, and as for EU cards I just need to find a good supplier with good shipping rates. The site is still very young and there is a lot of room to grow, my next step at the moment is to add Itunes gift cards.

Thank you for your thoughts SpiderMatt, and tell all your friends about the site!

JeremyR · 03-06-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm obviously missing something here. Why would I want to use PayPal rather than my usual credit card?

A lot of online business is done with PayPal. The whole ebay thing, for instance. And personally, I do some writing for a website and I get paid via PayPal.

But when you mostly buy stuff from Amazon, that is a problem. While I have a credit card, I have no way of converting my money in PayPal to pay off my credit card when I use it.

So my money pretty much sits there in my paypal account, even though there's stuff I would like to buy at Amazon. Because while there are a number of merchants that take paypal, most of their prices are worse than Amazon...

That said, I'm not paying a 20% mark up like from this site. I can understand a reasonable increase, but...$5 for a $25 card?

rogue_librarian · 03-07-2011, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyR

So my money pretty much sits there in my paypal account, even though there's stuff I would like to buy at Amazon.

Ah, transfer it to your bank account? It's what I do, at any rate.

Quote:

That said, I'm not paying a 20% mark up like from this site. I can understand a reasonable increase, but...$5 for a $25 card?

I agree, seems a little steep. I understand the need to make some money, but for a 100$ card things would look differently.

Blossom · 03-07-2011, 01:42 AM

It's not a problem if you have a PayPal debit card which works like any other Mastercard. The problem is PayPal has gotten lazy on reissuing them out. I had my Debit Card the whole time I had my account till this month. I'm still trying to get it replaced but not having much luck.

I don't have a problem paying an extra $5 for a gift card. Locally here in TN if I bought one I have to pay a $4.95 activation fee so it's works the same for me.

rogue_librarian · 03-07-2011, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's not a problem if you have a PayPal debit card which works like any other Mastercard. The problem is PayPal has gotten lazy on reissuing them out.

Oh, and that PayPal never offered them outside of the US in the first place.

03-06-2011, 01:05 AM	#22
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	My Paypal debit card expired last month and I like several others are getting a run around on getting it renewed and sent out. After being with PayPal since 1999 for first time I no longer have my card which means I no longer have a credit card to use at Amazon or Kobo. Paypal has decided it could care less rather I get my card or not. I have been using PayPal for years and never had one problem till now. This sites looks really good. Right now I have purchased a Prepaid Debit Card and using that instead with my Kindle. I still use PayPal for other sites but other then Fictionwise and B.O.B no other ebook store takes them that I know of so this Gift Card site is a nice find. Last edited by Blossom; 03-06-2011 at 01:09 AM.

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03-03-2011, 09:59 PM	#16
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	ooh, this is interesting. i can't get a credit card yet as i have no ITR (not working full-time yet), but i have a paypal account. still, it's being resold for $5 more hmm...(well yeah, it is a business after all)

03-03-2011, 10:14 PM	#17
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	But some sites require you to have a credit card on file even if you have a gift card that covers the whole transaction. Amazon doesn't have this requirement? eP

03-04-2011, 10:21 AM	#19
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	oh, then that's a pretty smart little business you got going on there! eP

03-04-2011, 03:42 PM	#21
snipenekkid Banned Posts: 760 Karma: 51034 Join Date: Feb 2009	as someone who runs in excess of $100k through Paypal annually and never had a single issue since day one, I chuckle at all this "the sky is falling" tinfoil-hat misinformation about Paypal. They have rules you need to follow, same as any other financial institution. But all one needs to do is read a any message board online to understand what the folks at Paypal as well as Amazon or any other online vendor have to deal with in terms of nut-bars. I earn an uncapped 1.5% cash for back for all my purchases using my PP credit/debit card which pretty much zero's out the cost of accepting payments via PP, in fact I add funds purposely to get the extra cash back every month. It's higher interest than a bank these days. For me PP is far better and cheaper than a merchant account and the hundreds of dollars it can cost every month just to have the account not including the discount fees. Additionally using Paypal is far safer for the buyer than a credit card in terms of protecting your card numbers, checking account number or whatever. Of course these days some banks and credit card companies will generate single user CC numbers for you to use for online transactions. That might be the best of all options. Of course PP did screw that option up big time. It's not like they walk on water, the do screw up like any other company, even banks.

03-06-2011, 08:46 AM	#23
mattsholtz Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 84 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle 3	Thanks Blossom. I am thinking of adding Itunes and Sony cards, for an even bigger selection of eBook stores to choose from.

03-06-2011, 11:05 AM	#24
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	In the UK, PayPal operates under the auspices of the Financial Services Authority, and is subject to the same rules as any other bank, meaning that your money (up to £35,000) is protected.

03-06-2011, 12:41 PM	#25
SpiderMatt Grand Arbiter Posts: 447 Karma: 1574837 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Arizona Device: iPod Touch, Amazon Kindle, Motorola Droid	I gave you some karma, Matt. The site is of no use to me since I live in the states and have no issues buying straight from Amazon with my credit card; however, I think the site is clever and very useful for the right crowd. Given how often I see people from other parts of the world on these forums asking for ways to buy U.S. Kindle books (many people seem to get U.S. credit cards simply for this purpose), I think your $5 markup may be worth the convenience you bring to people wanting to buy foreign ebooks. I do have a couple recommendations, though. Can you add gift cards greater than $25? I understand you probably want to make money off those $5 charges, but people who are looking to buy several U.S. ebooks might be discouraged if they can only purchase a single $25 gift card at a time. If they buy two ebooks at, say, $15 and $10, then they've paid a $2.50 markup per book, which is more than the $2 Amazon charges people overseas to buy via the Kindle's 3G. However, if people can buy $50 gift cards, they they get more for their extra $5, and it will probably keep your customers happier. Another thing: Have you considered adding other Amazon sites like Amazon.co.uk? I know there are ebooks that are not available to people in the U.S., so you would probably have a larger pool of potential customers if you added non-U.S. sites.

03-07-2011, 01:42 AM	#29
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	It's not a problem if you have a PayPal debit card which works like any other Mastercard. The problem is PayPal has gotten lazy on reissuing them out. I had my Debit Card the whole time I had my account till this month. I'm still trying to get it replaced but not having much luck. I don't have a problem paying an extra $5 for a gift card. Locally here in TN if I bought one I have to pay a $4.95 activation fee so it's works the same for me.

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