I'm testing PayPal's multi-use cc number for my subscription.

[Paris Crenshaw]

Cosmo et al,

Just wanted to let you know that I've set my payment option to my PayPal credit card number to see if it will work for subscription payments. I know some people have asked for a way to use PayPal and the creation of the multi-use card number option seems like the way to go.

I did notice that when I use the card for individual orders, I am required to enter my security code every time. I'm not sure if this will be a problem when the time comes to charge my subscription against my account. If there are any problems, just let me know and I'll change my payment option again.

Thanks!
Paris

[Mark Moreland]

I'm eager to see how this works out, as I have been meaning to do better at separating my necessity funds from my fun funds to prevent financial stress when bills roll around. If this works, it might be a great solution!

[Paris Crenshaw]

I'll be happy to share the news on this. I recently had a windfall (thanks to eBay and a stock of gaming materials I haven't used) and am reinvesting my funds, so to speak. When my PayPal balance went up, I was able to make it my primary source of RPG funds.

[Paris Crenshaw]

As an update, I've used the multi-use card a few times since my initial post. It seems to be working just fine. I'll have to see how the "automatic" billing associated with subscriptions works out, but it seems like things are working out great.

[Cosmo]

Paris Crenshaw wrote:

As an update, I've used the multi-use card a few times since my initial post. It seems to be working just fine. I'll have to see how the "automatic" billing associated with subscriptions works out, but it seems like things are working out great.

YAY!

Thanks for the update!

[Paris Crenshaw]

Well, since my monthly subscription has been reported as being shipped, it appears that the auto-billing works fine for these "virtual card numbers."

Final report this incident. ;)

[hmarcbower]

I know this is an older thread, but I thought I'd work some necromancy on it. :)

Where in your paypal account do you set up this pseudo credit card number? I'm looking around for it, and can't find it.

Of course the easiest way would be for them to use PayPal as a valid way to pay for stuff from the Paizo site... I really can't believe they don't take it directly.

[Cosmo]

hmarcbower wrote:

Of course the easiest way would be for them to use PayPal as a valid way to pay for stuff from the Paizo site... I really can't believe they don't take it directly.

I don't know Paypal well enough to answer your first question, but I can address this. Or rather... I can provide a link where Vic lays out exactly why we don't take Paypal here. :)

I hope this clears it up for you a bit.

Thanks,
cos

[Vic Wertz]

hmarcbower wrote:

Where in your paypal account do you set up this pseudo credit card number? I'm looking around for it, and can't find it.

It's called a "Secure Card."

1. Log in to your PayPal account.
2. Click Profile at the top of the page.
3. Click the PayPal Plug-In link in the Financial Information column.
4. Click Secure Cards.

[hmarcbower]

Thanks for the directions, Vic. :)

Hrm. Not available in Canada, apparently (it doesn't show up in my Profile and the customer support person confirmed that it's only for U.S. accounts).

Someone made a good suggestion in that other thread, Cosmo - allow Paypal for instant-supply items like PDFs. That way the transaction is over and done with, no need to keep the authorization open or reopen it.

That thread is also more than a year and a half old... perhaps someone should check in with PayPal again and see if their policies have changed to accomodate your business model yet.

Anyway, I guess I'll figure out something.

[Vic Wertz]

hmarcbower wrote:

Someone made a good suggestion in that other thread, Cosmo - allow Paypal for instant-supply items like PDFs. That way the transaction is over and done with, no need to keep the authorization open or reopen it.

We considered it, but I don't think it's workable. We'd have to present additional information on every product to tell you whether or not you can pay for it with PayPal—and that would have to be visible everywhere you can add a product to your cart, and there are many places where that space is hard to come by. Then, while that info would be useful to some, it would be intrusive clutter to others.

Next, we'd have to rewrite checkout to deal with people mixing instantly fulfillable and other products in their cart and trying to pay for it all with PayPal—it's certainly not impossible, but it would be complicated and time-consuming.

Basically, I believe that anything that isn't equal to "you can pay for anything we sell with any form of payment we accept" just adds a lot of new opportunities for customers to become frustrated with us.

Also, I was under the impression that PayPal was planning to expand their Secure Card program outside the US. Did they mention anything about that?

[hmarcbower]

They didn't mention it, but I can see that it is probably on its way.

For those that don't want to use a real credit card online (me) or don't have a credit card and have the great fortune to find yourselves in Canada, check out Money Mart. They have MasterCard cards that you load up ahead of time and then use when you want to. It's a real MasterCard for all intents and purposes, but there's no credit involved. Drop into the store, put any amount on it you want, and then use it til it's gone. I think there's a monthly fee of $8 or something similar, but if your balance is 0 then they don't charge you anything. So load up exactly what you need (or close to it) and use it. When you need it again, load it up some more and then use it. Avoids monthly charges and gives a workable solution to shopping online at places that don't accept PayPal or other non-credit-card solutions.

That was my workaround. Turns out it was easier than b~%#%ing about not being able to use PayPal. ;)

Thanks for the help Vic, Cosmo, et al.

I don't work for Money Mart - never even used them except for one time to send money to the states... just happened to be looking around for something like this. I know the debit cards in the US have worked like this for years (the ones with a Visa/MC logo on them) since my wife is American, but the concept hasn't made its way to Canadian debit cards. Apparently MuchMusic also has a prepaid mastercard/visa.

[Vic Wertz]

hmarcbower wrote:

That was my workaround. Turns out it was easier than b*!%!ing about not being able to use PayPal. ;)

Excellent. If we ever try to ship something, and your card is empty, we'll send you an e-mail letting you know it was declined; everything will just be held until you reload the card.

[GentleGiant]

According to the PayPal Blog they were considering releasing an international version of the Secure Card program (covering Canada and several European countries) "some years" after the initial launch.
That was back in 2007...
"Some years" have now passed (seriously, it would take them YEARS to expand this internationally???), yet nothing seems to be happening.
If anyone else can find a similar service for us Europeans (like the one hmarcbower found) I'd be a happy camper, since I'd gain access to my Paizo "addiction" once again!

[hmarcbower]

hmarcbower wrote:

That was my workaround. Turns out it was easier than b*!%!ing about not being able to use PayPal. ;)

Vic Wertz wrote:

Excellent. If we ever try to ship something, and your card is empty, we'll send you an e-mail letting you know it was declined; everything will just be held until you reload the card.

Sweet. That makes it a little easier, actually... I can find out exactly how much it is (through my little declined email thingy) then load that much on. I should probably check if there are penalties for trying to use it when it's empty, first... :)