I am developing a "platform" website and several important features, such as "Platform Fees" and "Cancel Pending Payments" are apparently locked unless you are a "paypal partner." From what I've been told, being a partner is required if you want to have features of "a platform" (which is what my company is developing). Attaining these features by applying for "partner" seems to be a brick wall that is impossible to pass.
The description of a "paypal partner" is described in vague terms and there are no qualifications or criteria listed for what paypal accepts as a "partner." So, I don't even know if they accept newly developed websites into this program at all, or if "partners" are all multi million dollar websites. Its all very vague. The application process doesn't even allow you much space to explain your business. So it doesn't come across like it would be this massively exclusive club with a rigorous process for entry. But according to other people who have been trying to get in for years, maybe it is.
I applied about 2 weeks ago, but I haven't heard any response from paypal (I didn't even receive a confirmation email after applying, letting me know my application was received). I have seen posts of other people who have tried to apply for partner for an entire year and received the silent treatment from paypal the entire time.
I've experienced similar frustration when I applied for the payouts feature. I got a very delayed rejection without any explanation of how I fell short of paypal's requirements. But at least in that instance they still bothered to let me know that I was rejected. I didn't think it could get worse than that. According to a mod who posted in this forum, paypal (as a matter of policy) doesn't even send out rejections or give reasons why partner applications are rejected. Is that true? Is this really paypal's policy? No one in the office thought this policy was.... you know.... terrible?
This is the general impression I have gotten of working paypal. If you are a small business who wants to expand your developer features beyond the default ones, you are going to hit bureaucratic brick walls at every turn. It has not been a fun process. The bureaucracy, the locking of basic features behind various walls, the convoluted application processes, the lack of communication... I'm not going to lie. I'm almost at the point of just using a different payment gateway entirely. If I can't get these Platform features then I can't use paypal as my gateway. Period. And if Partner is required and it's completely unattainable, then it's all over.
Update: I called paypal and jumped through tons of hoops to find out that apparently they are no longer accepting ANY new partner applications. They have made no public statements about this. The application page is still up, despite the fact they aren't accepting applications. Also, all the developer documentation still cites the partner program as being necessary for gaining access to features. During the call, I got transferred to a manager to talk about other ways of getting partner features but I was on hold for an hour. I can only assume that they aren't in the office, since its Sunday. I will try again tomorrow.
But wow. Just wow. Locking key features behind a wall, then silently closing applications while leaving the application page up. Round of applause for paypal on that one.
