How can I make a credit card my primary funds source?

[dafydd]

I just purchased a product using PayPal; I expected to be sent to the PayPal site to pick which method of payment... but instead, the transaction simply completed without me seeing the PayPal screen at all.  It took the funds from my bank account, and I never had the opportunity to select a credit card instead.

I logged onto PayPal, clicked My Account -> Profile, then clicked My Money:  The screen shows my bank account, a credit card, and a debit card (all are correct); next to the bank account is the parenthetical label (primary).

I clicked on the Debit and credit cards update button, edited the credit card, and checked the Primary checkbox; but that didn't change the profile page, which still lists the bank account as (primary).  (I think the checkbox on the Debit and credit cards update screen just selects which of the cards is the primary card.)

I want the credit card to be the primary payment -- and I also want every purchase to take me to PayPal, so I can select whether to accept the primary funding source or else pick one of the others (bank account, debit card).  How do I do this?  I cannot find instructions in the Help tree.

Thanks,

Dafydd

[SkipH]

Olivia, I use my paypal account for business and personal buying . If I have a balance in my paypal account it is business. If I want to use my paypal account and I have some money in it then I have no options to use my credit cards. I need to use my personal credit card sometimes but don't have the option to use either one unless I withdraw all my funds and then go back to make the payment.

[PayPal_Olivia]

Hi SkipH,

There are two ways to bypass an existing PayPal balance. One is the PayPal Extras MasterCard, and the other is to use Bill Me Later. In all other cases, the balance is exhausted before backup funding sources are charged.

What I do in order to differentiate between personal and business funds is maintain two accounts. You'd need two different email addresses, and different financial credentials for each, but other than that, the information can be the same on both accounts (name, address, phone, etc.)

I hope this helps!

Olivia

[SkipH]

That sounds like a strange thing to have to do. My choice at the moment is to use Google or any other way to pay but if the vendor only uses PayPal then I drain my  PayPal account then use the credit card with it.I find using PayPal less and less convenient.

[Twistoflime]

I too recently added my bank account and had no idea that I would not be able to set a default payment method. At the very least PayPal should create a "CHANGE PAYMENT METHOD" button and make it a little more obvious on the send payment page. As it is now, I have to remember to do it - not at all user-friendly! Even the link "change" should become "CHANGE PAYMENT METHOD." And, on the "My Money" section of a user profile, PayPal should also provide a link to the information in this thread about not being able to change the primary payment method unless one is approved for a PayPal credit card and the default payment cascade.

Shouldn't the "My Money" page be ordered in the same way that PayPal determines how a payment is made?

[Dldurkee]

Thanks to everyone who posted on this. You saved me hours of frustration looking for answers. I just made a recent etsy purchase and am very distraught it forced me to pay by echeck even though the vendor accepts credit cards and I have two on file. I will be thinking long and hard before I make a purchase via PayPal again. I use this service infrequently but have never had problems using a credit card before despite having my bank account linked. I was never informed of a change in the ways which they do service. Quite simply, this **bleep**. I'll call the shop owner next time to see if they can take my card over the phone instead of doing this. Based on the fact this thread started months ago and PayPal has changed nothing, I may just delete my account after this payment clears.

[Evans8853]

I posted on this thread a LONG time ago. 

I would encourage anyone that wants to pay with a credit card and has been unable to do so due to the policies of PayPal to simply stop using PayPal as I have done. 

I will begin using PayPal again when they change their policies and make it easy to use my VISA card to pay by PayPal balance.  Until then, I will not use PayPal. 

Very simple. 

A once loyal customer.

[avidcat]

Evans8853.

I fully agree,  Find myself sadly coming to the same decission.

Avidcat

[SkipH]

Olivia, I think that you can see by these nine pages of complaints that there is a problem that PayPal doesn't seem to care about. What is your opinion?

[PayPal_Olivia]

Hi SkipH,

I understand the frustration that you've all experienced with the selection of funding sources. The funding selection can be changed on a transaction-by-transaction basis, and I understand that the posters in this thread would prefer to be able to set it as a default option.

Your feedback is definitely important to us, and it doesn't fall on deaf ears. PayPal is always evaluating processes and products and taking into account customer preference as well as the needs of the business when decisions are made.Thank you for providing your feedback!

Olivia

[SkipH]

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Olivia, I'm not sure you understand what my problem is. It's not that I have to tell it to use the credit card each time, it's that there is no way to use my credit card if I have any funds in my Paypal account. If I have funds in the account my only options are to use that or a draft from the bank. No way to use my credit card at all.