Thinking of getting a Paypal Access Card? Dont bother!!!!

[gamesgeneration]

For anyone on this forum contemplating getting a Paypal Access CardI would honestly suggest not bothering!

I base this comment on the past 2 years experience of using this card and all the issues I have had during this time. 

As a business user Paypal Access Card has left me frustrated and embarrassed on too many ocassions to have anything positive to say about the card.

Read these forums and you will see that users have been left unable to use their cards for over 3 weeks now. Anyone that managed to get through 20 minutes of being on hold on the phone was promised a 48 hour callback, which no one has yet received. There was no prior warning to this issue by Paypal Access Card and we are still struggling to obtain any relevant information as to when the problem will be fixed. 

Sadly this is not the first time there has been issues with the card. Many users have experienced card declines before but have still had the money taken from their accounts. Each time customers services have told me that the other companies are to blame but after over 20 incidents of this nature, that I have never experienced with any other card, I can only put 2 and 2 together and blame Paypal Access Card for this issue. 

If you enjoy taking your partner out to a restaurant and having your card rejected when funds are available, if you want to be at the front of a long queue at the supermarket to be told your card is declined, or if you have just stamped 100+ parcels at the post office and are now unable to pay for those stamps because your card has suddenly declined for no apparent reason then great, get yourself a Paypal Access Card.......

but if you want a card that works when it should, that has a customer service team willing to provide fast, efficient back up when things go wrong.......AVOID PAYPAL ACCESS CARD LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!

[PSUK]

PayPal access card is still in invitation only which therefore suggests its still under testing. I have also faced issues of my card mysteriously declining, most of the time the reason for it is because the merchants internet has gone offline and because these cards are electronic cards they can not be authorized without a live connection. This is why you may find PayPal fails but a local bank card does not as these can be processed with gaurantees that the transaction will be honored once submitted. 

So, whether I'd use AccessCard or recommend it, yes I would if you are a business user, its very useful. But, I would suggest you don't leave your house without your standard debit card just in-case. 

If staff humiliate you because of a card decline, they've extended poor customer service, you should put in a complaint against the company. 

[gamesgeneration]

Everyones entitled to an opinion, especially on this topic but if Paypal Access Card is still in testing after over 2 years of use then id have even greater concerns. There a lot of non invite customers who now have this card so it would appear to have a much greater role out than invitation only. 

ive only ran a business for 4 years so there are many out their who would have greater experience than me but any service or equipment I use for my business needs to be reliable. Paypal Access Card is not. Yes it would be very easy to carry another form of funding around with me but why should i have to when funds are readily available? I originally used this card as it was convenient and saved me transfering funds from one account to the other. If i have to then have a secondary payment option "just in case" then I may as well use that on a permanent basis instead. 

I didnt say the staff humiliated me. My humilitation was no fault of the staff at the Post Office, who I actually know very well. But i personally did not feel happy or comfortable having stamped so many items in front of other customers and then not being able to pay for them. I also do not feel happy unloaded a full shopping trolley and bagging all my items only to have my card declined and to have to walk away empty handed. You obviously have thicker skin than me if situations like this do not bother you.

If my business internet provided underperformed as much as this card I would switch

If my business mobiles reception was down as much as this I would switch

If a supplier let me down on delivery times or stock quality I would switch

What im trying to say is this is a card that is fundamental to the smooth running of my business and it fails to perform too many times. If anyone has had a much better experience of this card then great, its good to know it works better for some (im presuming youre happy with a 2nd rate performance) but for me, and my business, its just not worth the hassle.

[PSUK]

Oh sorry, I was only going by the Access Card website which says "The PayPal Access Card is currently being offered exclusively to customers who have been invited to apply.". A friend of mine tried getting one recently but was refused because he wasn't invited. It may well be possible some customers have been able grab their hands on them without an invite though, I know for sure my friend would be interested in finding out how.

I, as well as you, also appreciate the convenience of the Access Card automatically linking to my PayPal given most of our business card transactions are completed through PayPal Payments Pro. It saves a lot of hassle. If I was using PayPal Access Card as an actual serious product however, I would be as equally as frustrated as you are and take on board your comments regarding alternative tender. I think the only reason why I am not as fussed is on the belief I am still testing the Access Cards under an exclusive invitation. The product is far from being ready to launch, totally agree with you on that.

In regards to the humiliation part, I only mentioned this because of your remarks surrounding restaurants, facing incidents in lengthy queue lines at supermarkets etc, and not regarding your situation. I have faced similar issues where staff have dealt with it appropriately and inappropriately, Tesco for example for many years do not deal with such situations well (one time I was invited to use the ATM outside to check my balance in front of many customers lmao! Awful..)