Anyone used Entropay?

Mike L · 06-25-2010, 12:04 PM

This might be of interest to anyone who can't use their normal credit / debit card to pay for ebooks because of geographic restrictions.

A post in another thread (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88232) mentions a service called Entropay. As far as can see, Entropay is a virtual debit card. The key point is that it will authorise your purchase even if the address you give to the merchant doesn't match the address registered for the card.

Has anyone got any experience using Entropay? At first glance, it looks like it might be a useful service, but I see there's been a bit of negative feedback in various forums, especially in regard to customer support.

wallcraft · 06-25-2010, 01:12 PM

I have used entropay to buy UK ebooks from the US. You really have to want the ebook, because entropay charges 5% up front and then there is VAT. Even with entropay and a valid UK address, I was not able to buy from WHSmith but I could from Books on Board UK.

It was a hassle setting up the account from the US, requiring scans of my drivers license and a bank statement (both with numbers masked out). Also, my usual credit card company simply refused to transfer money to entropay (it is probably a magnet for charges from stolen cards). The actual customer service from entropay was efficient though.

murraypaul · 06-25-2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It was a hassle setting up the account from the US, requiring scans of my drivers license and a bank statement (both with numbers masked out). Also, my usual credit card company simply refused to transfer money to entropay (it is probably a magnet for charges from stolen cards). The actual customer service from entropay was efficient though.

Wow, that is very different to my experience. There was no real admin to go through to set up an account, and no issues transferring money in. I'm in the UK buying from the US though, maybe that makes a difference.

Mike L · 06-27-2010, 04:50 AM

Thank you both for your comments.

Wallcraft, having to send a scan of a passport would definitely put me off. And if you couldn't buy from a particular vendor, that would sort of defeat the object, as far as I'm concerned.

Murraypaul, perhaps being in the UK makes it easier (as Entropay is a UK-registered company). But I'd be funding the card in US dollars with a US debit card, so that might perhaps cause problems.

I'll need to think about this a bit more carefully before I go ahead with it.

06-25-2010, 12:04 PM	#1
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Anyone used Entropay? This might be of interest to anyone who can't use their normal credit / debit card to pay for ebooks because of geographic restrictions. A post in another thread (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88232) mentions a service called Entropay. As far as can see, Entropay is a virtual debit card. The key point is that it will authorise your purchase even if the address you give to the merchant doesn't match the address registered for the card. Has anyone got any experience using Entropay? At first glance, it looks like it might be a useful service, but I see there's been a bit of negative feedback in various forums, especially in regard to customer support.

06-25-2010, 01:12 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I have used entropay to buy UK ebooks from the US. You really have to want the ebook, because entropay charges 5% up front and then there is VAT. Even with entropay and a valid UK address, I was not able to buy from WHSmith but I could from Books on Board UK. It was a hassle setting up the account from the US, requiring scans of my drivers license and a bank statement (both with numbers masked out). Also, my usual credit card company simply refused to transfer money to entropay (it is probably a magnet for charges from stolen cards). The actual customer service from entropay was efficient though.

06-27-2010, 04:50 AM	#4
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Thank you both for your comments. Wallcraft, having to send a scan of a passport would definitely put me off. And if you couldn't buy from a particular vendor, that would sort of defeat the object, as far as I'm concerned. Murraypaul, perhaps being in the UK makes it easier (as Entropay is a UK-registered company). But I'd be funding the card in US dollars with a US debit card, so that might perhaps cause problems. I'll need to think about this a bit more carefully before I go ahead with it.

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