BTW, I am not illiterate, just using small devices. Sorry for typos that make me look like a drunken sailor. I don't see a reply w/ quotes function on this forum so I am copying and pasting and composing elsewhere.I am using an android tablet.
Reallynicestamps wrote: "Are you using a credit card or your bank account to back your PP account? I suspect it is the latter. "
Neither--I am using a VISA gift card purchased from a major credit union in Canada. They are supposed to be anonymous and you can buy up to a $500 on one card. In reality, they are difficult to use without registering one's identity. A lot of categories and individual merchants refuse to accept such cards without registration. So I compromised in order to make it more accepted. On principle I resent financial companies and vendors knowing anymore about me other than the absolute minimum necessary to be paid and me to the product.
"When you use a bank account you are in effect writing an 'e-cheque'. "
This is prepaid. You walk into the credit union or bank, show no ID, pay your money, walk out with the card. I don't see what the risk is to the vendor. It is a very political issue to me. I am not a criminal, I just don't like corporations knowing my bank account number, as long as there are alternatives.
"Because PP is an American company, your cheque has to pass through the banking systems of both Canada and the USA before clearing.Until the echeque clears, your seller cannot print a PP shipping label. And, no offence to you, but he would be a fool not to wait until it has cleared. An cc backed PP account is instant."
As are debit card transactions, no? Yet a lot of merchants don't accept debit cards for payment.
"In addition, if there is a problem with the transaction, in addition to the quite good eBay/PP Buyer Protection service, you have your cc's chargeback service should things go really pear-shaped. Another point."
Typically I Canada I use e-transfer. All you have to know is the person's email address. Cost is low and it is instant. When I was in Kenya people were using their mobile phones to pay for stuff. These delays in financial transactions make no sense to me. No money goes anywhere. It is all virtually instant accounting. In the hundi/hawala system of money transfer system that has been used in South Asia for ages, all it takes is a fax, email or phone call between merchants who know each other. I think it must be inteference by governments or Central banks in international commerce. I don't see any non-political practical need for delays. It's not like bars of gold are being sent by caravan - it's just digits.
"The problem may not be eBay at all. Americans have the largest, richest economy in the world. Most seller feel no need to bother with international sales."
Yeah, I am looking for an alternative payment system -- say out of Russia, India, China or Brazil that is popular. Problem is "everybody" in USA is using Paypal. And it is USA that is closer to Canada for shipping and speaks my language.
"Add that to the well-know American provincialism and xenophobia, and you will find a much lower percentage of US sellers shipping internationally than any other nationality. Over the years I have read many posts by US sellers terrified by bidders or buyers from such exotic locales as Alaska, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico. And then there are bidders with APO addresses. *sigh*"
I wouldn't label US merchants with that reputation. Try doing business with Japan!
But coming back to current situation, when I ordered some foodstuffs from Ontario, the sellers just used my VISA gift card, it was immediately approved and the next day my stuff was shipped. They didn't use Paypal.
I think it is Paypal that is the problem. I go to my Paypal page to add my US address. Only province options. I have 'purchased' six items on ebay and all orders get cancelled because they refuse to ship within their own country. But it's also a problem of Ebay because they insist on vendors using Paypal, right or wrong? BTW, I get charged a buck US for all these purchases even though they all get cancelled. The only purchase that went through was when items were shipped to Canadian address. Hey, I figure if I am paying for the product it's up to me if I want it shipped to Germany or Timbuktu.
