How does this paypal direct debit really work?

[odumas]

I tried creating the direct debit (attached to my bank account). Anytime I tried to buy stuff online so that paypal can deduct it from my bank account, it does not work. I then tried to link my debit card to the paypal account. I discovered that the paypal payments does not recognise my bank account at all, it only recognises  my card which is not what I want. Probably, I am the one getting the whole idea of paypal direct debit wrong? 

[hindsatron]

This makes no sense to me because I am able to use PayPal to pay for transactions through my bank without setting up a direct debit so what is the benefit of setting one up?

[kernowlass]

@hindsatron

If you are using a debit card then that is fine.

But at some time they will ask you to add a bank account to be able to continue using paypal.

When you add a bank account it automatically sets up the direct debit mandate.

[MichaelD43]

I am new to pay pal and am setting up payment detail. So I need to set up a direct debit giving bank detail. So who initiates payments from my Bank?  -  If it's me how do I go about it?  I was going to open up with a small deposit and see how it works.

I cannot make an ordinary on-line bank transfer because with pay pal we don't have a sort code or account number. Or do we???

[odumas]

I am so sorry, I am going to bring everyone back a bit elementary. This is because I am quite new to the whole PayPal things. To transfer funds to my PayPal account, I got an account number from PayPal which is the account I am supposed to transfer the money to, as such it reflects on my PayPal account. Please, will this be regarded as a direct debit from my account? Or Probably, let me simply just ask, how does the PayPal direct debit work?

[kernowlass]

@odumas

You never need funds in your paypal account balance as a buyer as paypal will take directly from your bank account via the direct debit.

If you have added your bank account and confirmed it then you probably have the d.d. already set up, to check go to your online banking and scroll through the d.d. list.

BUT if you want to add funds to your paypal account balance instead and pay from there then you can do so.