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ABOUT DONATIONS

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 12:41 pm
by kokobil
Today I was ready to make a dontation of 100$ to Avlis. Went into the paypal page typed all the info . No use! Paypal was saying i should register first as a member of paypal. But to register as a member of paypal i needed to create a bank account. Well , i hate creating virtual accounts! I thought that i could go into the Paypal page type my credit card number and other key info and make the payment. So i don't think i can make this donation after all. It seems too complicated.And where things get too complicated , things get bad.
Same counts for Avlis fansite since it needs the same process. :(
So if you could just post your bank number account i could just go to the bank and send some money into the bank account...

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:03 pm
by Strangg
Contact Silk via PM and he can work things out with you.




~S

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:03 pm
by Mistcaller
First of all, try to send a lower amount, ie. 10-20$. From my own experience Paypal doesnt trust and thus doesnt allow large amounts for your first few times.
And you dont need to give or create a bank account, if i remember correctly, you just need to register with your credit card...

Hope that helps 8)

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:09 pm
by Dhalmoh
I had the same problem when trying to donate 10 000 royal Norwegian dubblets. thats about 1000$..

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:19 pm
by Dralix
I had no trouble with a $50 donation by just giving a credit card number. I did have to create a Paypal account, but that was just like creating a Yahoo account. If there is a cap of some kind on how much Paypal will trust you before wanting a bank account, then you can always make two $50 donations. ;)

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:24 pm
by Mistcaller
Dralix wrote:I had no trouble with a $50 donation by just giving a credit card number. I did have to create a Paypal account, but that was just like creating a Yahoo account. If there is a cap of some kind on how much Paypal will trust you before wanting a bank account, then you can always make two $50 donations. ;)
I think the cap depends on the origin of the doner as well (i.e Europe vs US).

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:31 pm
by Nighthawk4
It works OK for me with $100 at a time. I did have to setup a PayPal account, but there is nothing stored in it. Any donations are paid from my Credit Card to Avlis, via PayPal.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 1:54 pm
by kokobil
I got a PayPal account registered and all BUT
it doesn't leave me send the money. I tried with 100 with 50 and with 5 to NO USE!!
It always appears the following message:

"This transaction exceeds your remaining sending limit. Please complete your enrollment in the Expanded Use Program. You will then be allowed to send more money."



and says that to expand my send limit i should join the expand program that will substract from my credit card about 2 $ (it doesn't clarify how OFTEN this will happen)

Join the Expand program!!

You will then be allowed to send more money.
PayPal offers an Expanded Use option to help you get the most out of your PayPal account. Just complete our easy enrollment process to enjoy these Expanded Use benefits:

No Account Sending Limit - send unlimited funds from your PayPal account.

No Withdrawal Limit - withdraw unlimited funds from your PayPal account
Authorize PayPal to charge a $1.95 USD Expanded Use Fee to your card. (You will receive a $1.95 USD bonus in your PayPal account after you complete enrollment

On your next credit card statement, find the 4-digit Expanded Use Number that will be printed in the item description section of the charge
Log in to your PayPal account, click the Complete Expanded Use Enrollment link on your Account Overview, and enter your Expanded Use Number

CHECKED MY CREDIT SEND LIMIT IT SAYS:

Sending Limit




Your Sending Limit is the maximum amount of money you can send through PayPal before confirming your credit card. We ask users to confirm their debit or credit cards to increase security for everyone.

Your Sending Limit:?0.00 EUR

?0.00 EUR Remaining



To lift this limit, please add a credit card and enroll in PayPal's Expanded Use Program.

SO THE REST OF EUROPEAN CITISENS THAT HAVE CREDIT CARDS FROM WELL KNOWN BANKS AND LIVE IN COUNTRIES THAT BELONG TO THE EUROPEAN UNION HAVE NO STATUS WORLDWIDE.

I SAY: BULLSHIT!

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:07 pm
by Dralix
Ok, I just made a donation with no problems (it's about time I gave some more anyway). Payment sent, but then the following screen:
PayPal wrote: You've just sent a payment with PayPal!

Why not enjoy the security of PayPal while funding your future payments with your bank account? Many users prefer using a bank account to pay for their purchases; payments are instant and easy. Begin the process of adding your bank account today!

When you add a bank account:
Your PayPal account will become Verified and your PayPal reputation will improve

Your $2,000.00 USD Sending Limit is removed

Your payments are automatically funded with your bank account
Adding a bank account is easy and secure. To get started, click on the Add Bank Account button below.
Bolding added by me.

I still have a long way until I reach my $2,000 spending limit. Sounds like you are already there.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:12 pm
by Mistcaller
Authorize PayPal to charge a $1.95 USD Expanded Use Fee to your card. (You will receive a $1.95 USD bonus in your PayPal account after you complete enrollment

On your next credit card statement, find the 4-digit Expanded Use Number that will be printed in the item description section of the charge
Log in to your PayPal account, click the Complete Expanded Use Enrollment link on your Account Overview, and enter your Expanded Use Number
Ah yes, that was a necessary step as well. :roll:

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:17 pm
by HarveyH
I have used PayPal to make donations to Avlis without any problems. And I am most definitely from Europe.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:25 pm
by kokobil
I just hate fucktards that are not clear about things from the beggining.
They could have said for example that to make effective donations you need to subscribe to the EXPANDED program that substracts the 1.95 .
Still it doesn't clarifie how OFTEN theis substruction will happen. Per year?
Per month? Per day? Per hour? Per payment? Per 100$ send? Per goal scored somewhere in the world?
It isn't clear. I can withstand the worse if is clear from the begining because that shows some dignity. I can't do bussiness with such people.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:25 pm
by Nighthawk4
HarveyH wrote:I have used PayPal to make donations to Avlis without any problems. And I am most definitely from Europe.
Me too :lol:



Well, I suppose the UK is in Europe? :wink:

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:35 pm
by Mistcaller
Still it doesn't clarifie how OFTEN theis substruction will happen
Just once. And I agree with you that they are not clear at all in the description of their system and how it works.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 2:46 pm
by Dirk Cutlass
The "substruction" - did you make that word up ;) - only happens once. And it seems that is purpose is simply to make an entry on your credit card statement. This entry has a magic 4-digit number that you use to activate your PayPal account. Once activated, the "substruction" goes back on (is credited back to your PayPal account).

Its a security feature thats all.

I don't really know how PayPal get their money, do they get a % of the credit card transaction ...? Maybe, if so, then I'm sure it is deducted from what the seller gets not the buyer. So, if you donate $100 that is what you are billed ($100), but Avlis only gets $99 ? Dunno - I'm guessing here.

I'm in Europe too, so its not very transparent to me as my statement is in pounds (?) not dollars ($), and I can never be bothered to work out the exchange rate.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:01 pm
by kokobil
So i got in the expaned program. I must now wait 4 labouring daysto get an e-mail with the 4 digit number. And this number i must insert when i make the donation to Avlis. I will wait with agony to see what happens now.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:14 pm
by Dirk Cutlass
kokobil wrote:So i got in the expaned program. I must now wait 4 labouring daysto get an e-mail with the 4 digit number. And this number i must insert when i make the donation to Avlis. I will wait with agony to see what happens now.
IIRC, the 4 digit number appears on your credit card statement. Can you access your credit card statement online, otherwise you have to wait until your next one comes out (monthly usually?) - or phone up (your credit card company).
From PayPal blurb wrote:On your next credit card statement, find the 4-digit Expanded Use Number that will be printed in the item description section of the charge
Log in to your PayPal account, click the Complete Expanded Use Enrollment link on your Account Overview, and enter your Expanded Use Number
Anyway, once its set up thats it, you don't have to do it again.

Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:05 pm
by HarveyH
kokobil wrote:I just hate fucktards that are not clear about things from the beggining.
They could have said for example that to make effective donations you need to subscribe to the EXPANDED program that substracts the 1.95 .
Still it doesn't clarifie how OFTEN theis substruction will happen. Per year?
Per month? Per day? Per hour? Per payment? Per 100$ send? Per goal scored somewhere in the world?
It isn't clear. I can withstand the worse if is clear from the begining because that shows some dignity. I can't do bussiness with such people.
I never subscribed to any EXPANDED programs and I made quite a few donations (for some other Dutch players). Over 100 $, no problems whatsoever. Effective? Yes. Easy? Yes.

To summarise: I don't have a clue what you are talking about. Maybe I just got lucky :)

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 4:44 pm
by kokobil
Today I fullfilled the donation of 100$ i was planing via PayPal
AVLIS REJOICE!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 4:53 pm
by Uvatha
It works fine for me. I'm able to donate few quantities of money every month without problems.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:36 am
by Orleron
I totally agree that PayPal is not the best way to get money from you to us. I feel your pain, seriously. Luckily that security stuff with the 4 digit number is only a one time thing. Once you go through it, you can now donate money whenever you feel like it, and in any amount.

I DO give out the account number for those who wish to wire money to us directly, however, I do not recommend doing it that way: it is expensive as hell. To wire money from Europe to the US costs at least US$40 on top of what you are donating, and frankly I don't want you guys to waste your money in that way, unless for some reason it's an incredibly huge donation which makes it worth it. But no one in their right mind will pay US$40 to send us US$5.

Also, yes, PayPal takes a cut of whatever you send us. Whenever someone pays their $5 a month fee for the fanfic site, we get $4.50, and PayPal gets $0.50.

The same is also true of credit card systems. I HAVE looked into that, btw. Problem is that the cheapest credit card acceptance system out there will cost us about $200 to set it up, and a $40/month maintenance fee. This means it's not worth it to us to set one up unless we are sure we are going to get way over $40/month in donations.

So even though PayPal kinda sucks (ok, more than just "kinda" sux), it's the best thing we've got right now because it's the cheapest.... yet not hassle-free. I apologize.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:38 am
by Orleron
Btw, kokobil, I just saw your donation come in and wanted to give you a quick thanks. Avlis costs us roughly $300/month to run and every little bit that people throw in helps, not only in paying that maintenance, but for building future servers too. I take my hat off to you's.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 4:57 am
by Draconis
Orleron,

Paypal has a way to just make electronic transfers. I do not believe this cost any money to you or to us. I was in a group that did this through paypal and it worked great. And you do not need to setup any bank account with them from the donation side I know of.

That would atleast save some money on your side when donations are made.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:08 am
by Orleron
Are you saying they have a way for people outside to deposit money directly into Avlis' bank account? That could be useful.

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 6:22 am
by Draconis
I am not sure how that is handled on your side.

I know that I have been able to electronically transfer money from my account to the merchant (which would be you). This is the same as a wire from my understanding. Ofcourse requires me, making the donation, to register you existing bank account from any bank. They have a similar security proceedure as described here for credit cards.


Something that would be worth checking out from paypal I think.