SOLVED - Remove Old Mailing Addresses from PayPal Checkouts

gentlethunder
New Community Member

I have had several items returned to sender because on the checkout, there is a default to one of my old addresses.

 

When I have used My Profile settings, I was able to delete my old addresses (do this first) however, I went to purchase an item today from an online merchant and the default address during the PayPal checkout applet was an old address... AGAIN! So, I went back in to my Profile settings and found that the only address registered that I could modify or delete was my current address.

 

Many users are saying that we need to call PayPal to have old addresses removed from our online history however, today I found a workaround.

 

I will be specific because this may not work with other websites. The Bissell Canada website (vacuums) has an option to pay with PayPal. This is the workaround to remove old addresses that STILL remain after deleting from your PayPal Profile:

1) Go to the Bissell Canada website (won't post the link because I'm nor sure it's allowed here)

2) Search for "bags" and proceed to add an item for less than $5 to your cart

3) Proceed to your Cart and Checkout. Select PayPal as your payment method. YOU WILL BE ASKED TO CONFIRM THIS PURCHASE AFTER THE PAYPAL POPUP WINDOW CLOSES AND WE WILL BE CANCELLING BEFORE THAT ANYWAY. TRUST ME.

4) PayPal popup asks first to confirm payment method. Select your usual payment method.

5) HERE IS THE FIX. PayPal popup window shows a default address for delivery with the option to CHANGE. Click on CHANGE for the delivery address. Even if the address is the correct one.

6) The popup window will now display all previously used addresses. There will be an option to DELETE. Don't worry, no matter which address is selected, nothing is deleted yet. Click on the DELETE option.

7) There will be a quick reset of the popup window and now all addresses stored can be deleted one at a time.

*** if the original default address was not your current address, you can select it first, then click CHANGE again when it takes you back to the address confirmation screen then click DELETE and start deleting the other addresses you don't want to see again.

😎 Once you have all the old addresses deleted, you will have the option in the bottom of the PayPal popup screen to CANCEL AND RETURN  to the merchant page. Do this and you are done!!

This may work with other online merchants, if the PayPal popup window is launched at checkout. Just make sure you won't be making an unwanted purchase and always cancel after deleting your old addresses. 

I really hope this helps

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30 REPLIES 30

JANASEA
Contributor
Contributor

Actually, I found the REAL solution in this archived post from LunaZeita ‎made May-05-2017 12:54 PM. They said: 

 

Removing old Shipping / Mailing Addresses
 

I know that has been asked a few times in the past, and I see that those threads are all Read-Only - so I'm starting a new one with how do it.

 

All of those old addresses that you see when you go to order something on a merchant's website are considered "Gift Addresses". They can only be removed by calling customer service.

 

1) Navigate to: https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/home

2) Click "Call Customer Support"

3) State that you want to manage your GIFT ADDRESSES

 

Someone should be able to help you super easy, ask for an Account Specialist if you're having trouble.

 

I talked to a nice woman who, after helping me, suggested that I submit a Feedback form (link found in the bottom right corner on the PayPal Homepage) that stated that this was something the community wanted. She did submit a form from her end, but then also stated that PayPal listens more to the community than to the Specialists. So, I encourage any/everyone reading this to submit that form so that hopefully no one else has to endure this.

I was able to quickly implement this solution and removed a decade of old addresses from my account. The Customer Service rep was helpful, friendly and efficient. Many kudos @LunaZeita for this insightful post!!

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emanresUsername
Contributor
Contributor

This is absurd.   We need to work together to force our merchants to stop using paypal and choose an alternative.  Google pay, samsung pay.... something.  We also should call the California AG and argue that paypal has a monopoly and is engaging in unfair trade practices.  

 

It shouldn't be this hard to delete addresses.  I have called them a dozen times trying to get this resolved and none of them see the address.  I just tried to call and of course they are closed.  It offered me to chat with a bot, which is fine, except it didn't resolve the issue or even know what I am talking about and told me to call.  

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Barmalej
Contributor
Contributor

@PayPal_Cristina ,

 

Are you serious? Have you read the mater of the thread? How do you think your answer to @JANASEA can help? She, and most of us are not able to DELETE old, wrong and useless ADDRESSES IN OUR PAYPAL CHECK-OUT! Our problem is not to update our preferred shipping address!

Your answer shows thoughtlessness and disrespect, as you didn't even check what the request was. Very frustrating and annoying.

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Plazbo
Member
Member

@PayPal_Cristina 

Are you serious. That response is entirely tone deaf to the problem people are raising. The issue is removing addresses attached to an account, like when someone has moved or has sent a gift....it's entirely annoying to have that list there and it's absolutely revolting that you're reply wasn't on topic or remotely helpful to anyone in the thread. As a moderate should you not remain on topic? Don't derail with useless non help like that response is.

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jikuja
Contributor
Contributor

Are you willing to advise on this thread's actual question instead of answering something that was not ever asked here?

 

This issue is still unresolved!

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them11011
New Community Member
Thank you sooo much for posting this fix! Good hacking. 😉 Paypal should be ashamed of themselves for violating a user's privacy by not allowing them a method to delete previously used shipping addresses from their account (other than by phone). There is (as you say) a way to delete a shipping address. But, there is *obviously* a separate history of shipping addresses. This separate history not only includes addresses that have been removed previously. It also has a *default* address set. This is a bug in Paypal's software. And-- they must be encouraged to repair it! Your method is a hack which allows users a workaround for Paypal's terrible bug. And, I have successfully used it (thank goodness). But-- the correct solution is that Paypal needs a competent developer to repair this bug immediately! I feel like I *SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SAY THIS*!!
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australianuser
New Community Member

I am based in Australia and have just spent over half an hour on the phone trying to get this resolved. The operator I first spoke with told me it couldn't be done. I asked to speak to a supervisor and they were able to do it. But only the supervisors have the permissions to be able to delete the "gift addresses". The supervisor did tell me that the regular operators can do it for you by going to arrange the changes with the supervisor. I hope this saves someone half an hour on the phone. What a ridiculous system that we are not able to edit these addresses ourself online. Paypal you need to get this sorted out.

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dmand
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks so much for the post...it did solve it.  Just a little disappointing that there is no direct way to do this through profile management.

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otown_tales
Contributor
Contributor

Based on these community post this problem goes back at least 8 years and the official answer is still call customer support? I don't even see a phone number listed anywhere on the site.

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tsusko
Contributor
Contributor

Although very helpful.  This did not work for me either.  The vendors site defaulted to an address that had been removed from my account long ago.  At least I thought it was.  PayPal has been secretly keeping it to trick vendors into sending packages to it. 

 

  • I had an order get shipped to an address (other side of the US) with no way of getting it back.  That is obviously problem #1. 
  • Problem #2 is that PayPal customer service "robots" keep closing my cases and telling me to contact the vendor. 

** Who would ever continue to use a payment service that does not take accountability for their errors or take steps to correct them? **

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