Not sure if this belong here. JREF store.

[Aepervius]

I see that the only possibility of check out is Pay pal. I refuse categorically to use Pay Pal.

Any idea if this is planned to be changed in the future ? Or maybe credit card usage is too costly ?

[tkingdoll]

Why do you refuse to use Paypal?

Amazon has a decent shopping cart scheme for third parties, I believe, but I suspect the cost of implementing something eats too much into the profit of what is, after all, a charity.

[Soapy Sam]

Teek- does Aepervius' reason matter? If he don't do it, he don't do it.
The question we need to answer is -is it worth the trouble to take other means of payment?

A poll might be a good idea.
While I might trust JREF more than some, I prefer the legal advantages of using a credit card online. Stuff goes astray in the mail for one thing. Maybe enough folk feel that way to justify it?

[shadron]

You can, of course, link a bank accout or a credit card directly so that paypal uses that to pay a debt. There are no extra charges for doing that.

Just sayin'.

[Klimax]

Well,do not forget that paypal is sometimes unavailable,lwhich was for example Czech Republic.Now it is solved,by cooperation with bank here,but what about others countries.
(And then it is one more thing to keep track of...)

[CFLarsen]

There is a lot of JREF stuff sold at the merchandise table at TAM...

[Klimax]

There is a lot of JREF stuff sold at the merchandise table at TAM...

Yeah,but first you need to be there...

[tkingdoll]

Teek- does Aepervius' reason matter? If he don't do it, he don't do it.


Yes. If his reason is "because they are capitalist bastages" or something personal like that, then he's unlikely to be one of many and so his request carries less weight. If it's something like "because I have a Switch card and can't use it on PayPal" then that could be indicative of a wider problem that could be losing JREF sales.

I don't think that JREF should spend any time or money implementing a system to please whims. They might, however, be justified in implementing one to fix legitimate concerns. Plus, this is the forum, not the JREF. If you open a topic for discussion here, it's going to get discussed by sundry, if not all.

[Terry]

I believe you can call the office and order stuff over the phone. Or write to them and send a check (or cheque for those of you from the old country).

[jj]

Paypal's policies are abysmal, hence my refusal to use them.

I'd be glad to use a card and give it straight to Linda, or something, but no, no, no, no paypal. They ain't yer pal, paypal.

[Foolmewunz]

Back when I used to have money (read: before the baby came), I wanted to send money via PayPal. The first time, to get my nifty "Forum Sponsor" icon, they accepted my credit card. Now they want a bank address, and the form requires a five digit zip and 2 character State. In short,... over here Paypal links me up to the US system. There's a Chinese/Hong Kong PayPal, and it works real well, to pay for things in Hong Kong and China... but not overseas.

I wanted to buy into the auction for the sketch of Randi back in the day, and we worked out that I can do a wire transfer, so I can bid and then Linda will give me the transfer numbers and I'll just send the money directly. But that's for an item that costs several hundred bucks. Buying twenty bucks worth of goodies at the Store and having to pay twenty-five to transfer it seems a waste.

[figarot]

Some years back I ordered some of Randi's books from the JREF store and simply sent the appropriate amount of dollars in an envelope to JREF. I got my books and change (a quarter and two dimes) within a month.

[Aepervius]

Yes. If his reason is "because they are capitalist bastages" or something personal like that, then he's unlikely to be one of many and so his request carries less weight. If it's something like "because I have a Switch card and can't use it on PayPal" then that could be indicative of a wider problem that could be losing JREF sales.

I don't think that JREF should spend any time or money implementing a system to please whims. They might, however, be justified in implementing one to fix legitimate concerns. Plus, this is the forum, not the JREF. If you open a topic for discussion here, it's going to get discussed by sundry, if not all.

My main reason is that they are not a bank, not even a real escrow with none of the consumer protection associated with real bank/escrow. And I have got the feeling that if you add those like me you would probably come to a certain percent of the population 8there is another one in the thread). Whether it is worth it for JREF to take us into account, I *TRULY* do not know, which is why i asked the question.

[Aepervius]

I believe you can call the office and order stuff over the phone. Or write to them and send a check (or cheque for those of you from the old country).

I asked for this a year ago or two, wanted to become a JREF member. But my old bank asked me for 40€ to send something like 80 or 100$ to JREF. I decided not to make my bank richer (and sadly JREF too). Maybe I should try my new bank and check if the price is the same...

[Mongrel]

There's some more info about the dodgy side of Paypal here (http://www.paypalsucks.com/), and whilst it does tout an alternative the site has been around before that happened.

[Jeff Wagg]

I see that the only possibility of check out is Pay pal. I refuse categorically to use Pay Pal.

Any idea if this is planned to be changed in the future ? Or maybe credit card usage is too costly ?

We have recently switched to authorize.net in the store, so this issue is past us. There is always the option of calling the JREF and ordering over the phone as well.

[Aepervius]

Jeff, the question is not too much how to order, the question is the Form of payment. If I call the JREF, and place the same order as I tried in the shop, will I be asked to give a paypal account ? Make a international money check ? If yes, then it is the same problem as described above. Would I be able to give a credit card number and get charged on it ? If yes that solve the problem (and most probably not only for me alone, although it also open a new question on trusting a CC number over the phone, a problem I would not have with JREF but some might have).

[Mongrel]

Aepervius looks like you'll be good to go, from the Authorize.Net web site (http://www.authorize.net/);

Accept a Variety of Payments – All major credit cards, eCheck.Net (electronic checks from bank accounts), gift cards, signature debits, and Internet auctions.

[Aepervius]

I will check later (after my cold has ended) their term of service and what they do. That might be the end of my woe with all "paypal" only service.

[Jeff Wagg]

You can now use credit cards through authorize.net on our site, so that should be the end of it. :)

[Jeff Wagg]

To be clear about a few things:

PayPal allows you to pay with a credit card as well as their own form of banking. You can pay with a Visa through PayPal and never have an account with them.

If you call the JREF, you can pay with a credit card.

Now, with the way the cart is set up, you can choose to pay with a credit card without using PayPal at all.

PayPal used to have favorable rates for credit card processing. Not so much anymore.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Just to add about credit cards and calling JREF directly, I have booked TAMs, made donations and even sent money for pizza at the JREF HQ before TAM 1 in the past just by calling and talking to Linda or an intern. If there are any qualms about on-line ordering just pick up the phone during office hours.

If yes, then it is the same problem as described above. Would I be able to give a credit card number and get charged on it ? If yes that solve the problem (and most probably not only for me alone, although it also open a new question on trusting a CC number over the phone, a problem I would not have with JREF but some might have).

If someone has a problem with giving their credit card number out over the phone the solution is to mail the necessary information to JREF and let them process it as if it were given over the phone.

There are no situations including using a trusted third party in the U.S. to make an order and ship it to you (that's what we have buddy lists and PMs for :)) for those of you outside the U.S. that cannot be handled in some way or another.

[Aepervius]

I am good for a go. I tried there : phone: (001) 954 467 1112 , ringed but did not answer, but if I get the timezone correctly, it might be so that people are off for a lunch. I will try later. PS I hope people get patient with a french guy with a cold trying to speak english. just kidding ;).

If it does not work out i will try with the web site above.

[UnrepentantSinner]

I am good for a go. I tried there : phone: (001) 954 467 1112 , ringed but did not answer, but if I get the timezone correctly, it might be so that people are off for a lunch. I will try later. PS I hope people get patient with a french guy with a cold trying to speak english. just kidding ;).

If it does not work out i will try with the web site above.

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday so I'm sure the office was closed. You might try again today (Fri.) or more likely Thr. between 1-3pm you time if you want to catch the office just as it opens.

[Aepervius]

Duh. I completely forgot about thanksgiving. Thanks for the hint.

[UnrepentantSinner]

:)

And dangit, I just noticed an error. I meant Mon. not Thr. The only reason I'd suggest waiting is in case they closed for a 4 day weekend.

[arthwollipot]

Some years back I ordered some of Randi's books from the JREF store and simply sent the appropriate amount of dollars in an envelope to JREF. I got my books and change (a quarter and two dimes) within a month.That's not an option for someone like me who lives overseas, and in fact in Australia it's illegal to send legal tender through the post. Phoning the office is pretty much out as well, since I'm on the other side of the planet and daytime in Fort Lauderdale is nighttime in Australia.

Secure credit card is by far the best. Now that this has been implemented, I can actually buy stuff from the store. :) Thanks Jeff!

[Fontwell]

I've had trouble with PayPal. When everything works it's fine but if something goes wrong (too long a story to tell here but no one was at fault, it just went wrong) it can be very hard to get them to understand what happened and then to sort it out. In fact it might be easier to change name and open a new bank account than to get to it fixed by PayPal. I gave up.

Bitter? Me?