Why Can't I Use My Credit Card? :( :(

[midna25]

I got a spot in batch 1 but I just couldn't take shelling out over $400 Canadian by cheque to an online company for a product hot off the assembly line, especially with the economy as is. I'm going with batch 2 to put my paranoid mind at ease. :unsure: ...

So, anyone know why the andora2: Team removed the credit card as a payment method? And anyway, why don't they have PayPal?

 

[Tom`]

I got a spot in batch 1 but I just couldn't take shelling out over $400 Canadian by cheque to an online company for a product hot off the assembly line, especially with the economy as is. I'm going with batch 2 to put my paranoid mind at ease. :unsure: ...

So, anyone know why the andora2: Team removed the credit card as a payment method? And anyway, why don't they have PayPal?

In before pile on....

The short version: Paypal blocked their account (official reason unknown, but speculated to be due to a Paypal rule preventing taking pre-orders more than 30 days ahead), and the bank forced them to refund all credit card orders (and prohibited them from taking any new ones).

 

[Prometheus]

I'm fairly sure that this has been explained multiple times. But to sum it up (please note that this is my understanding of it, and that I may possibly make mistakes in recounting this, in which case correct me if I'm wrong): There is no way for credit cards to be taken at this time because the team had to move to a different bank, who will not allow them (or, I would imagine, any new accounts) to receive a large amount of credit card payments at this time. Apparently the new bank has said that this will be reviewed six months or so down the line.

As for PayPal, PayPal froze the team's account during the pre-orders, which resulted in the first re-ordering situation. Some have claimed that this is because of something in PayPal's terms, but I seem to remember Chip (my apologies if it wasn't you, Chip - it's quite late here right now :lol: ) stating that this was actually not the case. Either way, PayPal isn't an option due to PayPal's very famous tendency to freeze members' accounts.

EDIT: Oops, I was a little slow. :lol:

 

[Alpha2]

...because you touch yourself.

Okay, sorry, I could help that one! Basically paypal sucks for anything that isnt a direct transaction. They're paranoid they dont like dealing with people, that's why they dont let anyone know their phone number or they'd be hammered with complaints.

and the bank is stupid and fears that something will go wrong with the production and they'll be faced with a huge a costly refund situation, they're not confortable with that and in the times we're in they chose simply to not be bothered with taking money that way.

Really, the check method wasnt so scary for me.

 

[Yigguth]

honestly, what's easier than writing a personal check and sending it through the mail?

 

[Alpha2]

I think most people's fear is that they'll send the money and it'll randomly get intercepted by someone else who's given name is "Open Pandora LTD". valid... but not very likely.

They let you know when they receive your check so if it's not there in a week or two you can always cancel the check, and the bank is usually very helpful in recovering money if it's not chashed by the party you sent it too.

 

[Zarneth]

honestly, what's easier than writing a personal check and sending it through the mail?

How many people actually have cheque books in this day and age? Even an international bank transfer look like a bit of a runaround for first time users.

I currently plan to reorder the instant they start accepting credit cards again. But other than that I really don't have the confidence to use any other form of international payment without loosing all my hair stressing out. I almost had a panic attack the night I first ordered a pandora. Was so excited and did it almost straight after the link went up, then afterwards it started to sink in how easy it might have been for someone to slip a wrong link onto the forum for a fake payment site amidst all the chaos. I just stress out too easily.

God knows how the pandora team haven't gone batshit insane from all this bank nonscence. Kudos to them. X.x
Does anyone know what the current count of confirmed order payments is at?

 

[Alpha2]

This day an age? okay sure because paper is totally extinct in "this day and age". C'mon If you have a bank account at all you should have a check book "just in case".

As for the number of confirmed payments I dont think they release that information, though I'm sure they'll say when they have no more room for any other purchases in the first batch.

 

[Zarneth]

This day an age? okay sure because paper is totally extinct in "this day and age". C'mon If you have a bank account at all you should have a check book "just in case".
No seriously. I don't know anyone under 40 (here in australia even) who has a cheque book. Kinda been made redundant by credit cards and eftpos where you can get instant verification of the payment. I'd like to see someone carry a chequebook around in their wallet.

 

[r00tw00t]

This day an age? okay sure because paper is totally extinct in "this day and age". C'mon If you have a bank account at all you should have a check book "just in case".

As for the number of confirmed payments I dont think they release that information, though I'm sure they'll say when they have no more room for any other purchases in the first batch.

I live in Sweden and cheque books are extinct here. Really. I didn't know it was used at all nowadays

 

[Monk]

This day an age? okay sure because paper is totally extinct in "this day and age". C'mon If you have a bank account at all you should have a check book "just in case".

As for the number of confirmed payments I dont think they release that information, though I'm sure they'll say when they have no more room for any other purchases in the first batch.

I live in Sweden and cheque books are extinct here. Really. I didn't know it was used at all nowadays


I'm in the UK and I THINK I have one. Somewhere. Errr... possibly in that cupboard over there... though maybe not

 

[chiark]

Short answer:
Credit cards protect card holders and card issuers a lot more than they protect the shop (merchant) and the shop's bank (merchant acquirer).

Long-ish answer:
Many credit agreements and indeed credit legislation require that, if purchasing physical goods, those goods be shipped within a fixed number of days: between 5 and 30 is common. Just look at worldpay's example in their T&Cs: Where merchandise is to be shipped or delivered to the Cardholder, the shipping date shall not be more than five calendar days after the authorization is obtained. Or paypal's - prohibited items and activities include [...] listing items for sale that have a delayed delivery date of 20 days or more after the transaction list

There is no way Pandora can meet those requirements, therefore Pandora is exposed to chargebacks and is fundamentally in breach of agreed T&Cs. Pandora is a new business with unknown capital and assets, so therefore Pandora's bank is exposed...

So therefore, no credit card acceptance. Anyone who thinks this is banks being nasty to pandora really needs to read some of the T&Cs of the Card networks.

 

[Duncan]

honestly, what's easier than writing a personal check and sending it through the mail?

paying by credit card online?

 

[midna25]

Look at it this way. I send my cheque to the Pandora Team, they deposit it and than their bank totally crashes. They lose all their money and so do I. They can't keep manufacturing so I've just lost 400 bucks. Say I used a credit card, I'd just file a dispute and get all my money back. Worst case scenario, I know, but it could happen.

 

[WizardStan]

Look at it this way. I send my cheque to the Pandora Team, they deposit it and than their bank totally crashes. They lose all their money and so do I. They can't keep manufacturing so I've just lost 400 bucks. Say I used a credit card, I'd just file a dispute and get all my money back. Worst case scenario, I know, but it could happen.
Indeed, everyone already knows this, and if it were up to the Pandora team they'd let you order by credit card. Unfortunately they can't find a bank that's willing to take the level of risk they're asking, so credit card orders are out for now, and no amount of whining will be able to fix that.

 

[j.pickens]

You can buy one with your credit card.
Paypal me $550 US and I'll buy you one.
Shipping to lower 48 states included.

 

[Alpha2]

I live in Sweden and cheque books are extinct here. Really. I didn't know it was used at all nowadays

I swear reliance on the internet for everything is going to be the downfall of mankind. I still pay my bills with check, why should I be in a rush to give the phone company my money?

I'm in the UK and I THINK I have one. Somewhere. Errr... possibly in that cupboard over there... though maybe not

Goodluck finding that, it's nice to have a backup seeing as it's no less secure than the internet which has multiplied identity theft by hundreds of times and given birth to all maner of new scams that can take your entire life savings rather than just a few hundred bucks.

 

[salasq]

I swear reliance on the internet for everything is going to be the downfall of mankind. I still pay my bills with check, why should I be in a rush to give the phone company my money?

Over here we went from USSR clusterhug straight to plastic/online. At one point in mid-90s some 50% of Europe's banks offering online services were located within walking distance from my home. I _think_ I saw a checkbook during the turbulent early 90s, but then just once, and just one. Hell, considering our currency was essentially backed by timber back then, sparing paper was quite sensible

Why should I bother to deal with paying my bills? I pay flat rates to my ISP and cable companies, and have authorized my bank to pay that sum to them on request, once a month. I've set a limit on my utility bills - anything below it my house union (110 apartments grouped have better negotiating position on prices, and it keeps our retirees busy) can draw freely, and my bank notifies me if they request more.

Why should I need a piece of paper (and envelopes and stamps, probably) to feel safe? I don't consider my signature any more secure than my government-backed, massively encrypted digital ID.

***

Infrastructure advances in waves. We skipped the whole cheque thing, but were slow on taking up chipcards in comparison. Different regions seem to surf on different frequencies, I think, and some people always prefer floating on previous, less turbulent waves instead

 

[davidab]

I will recount my incredibly stressful repayment process.

I drove to the bank and said i would like a money order for 2xx.xx Great British Pounds.

I then put the money order in an envelope (addressed to the given address) with a hand written letter with my name and order number.

Finally, i put the entire package in a mailbox, and voila! Shortly thereafter - about a week - I received an email saying that OpenPandora had received my funds.

Really guys, it's not that difficult. Take the plunge!

 

[Alpha2]

You're probably lucky that you got to leap over one structure for the next but I suppose for everything that someone in a giant building somewhere creates to protect your money there's always going to be someone to find a way to take it from you which is why we're in this mess and you can't buy a pandora with a creditcard. Just like most europeans dont seem to bat an eye at the concept of bank transfer, I can look at any of a half dozen suspecious store front, fly by nights here that claim to perform that same function and expect like clockwork that I'm probably going to get scammed.