Boards.ie to the rescue again! Thanks to 'kevinmcc' for pointing to a very interesting Paypal alternative called Moneybookers.com. Not only do they allow you to withdraw funds to an Irish bank account (something Paypal don't yet accomodate), but for merchants they require no rolling reserve or setup fees.
We've used Paypal and 2CheckOut for the last two years to accept payments for one of our web-based businesses, but not being able to withdraw funds to an Irish bank account with Paypal, and the rquirement to keep a rolling reserve with 2CheckOut aswell as exchange dollar cheques is a bit of a pain.
Paypal is currently setting up in Ireland but I'm not holding my breath for them to integrate with Irish banks. Moneybookers.com is based in London, seem to work in Euro and offer a number of innovative features for account holders such as the transferal of funds via mobile phone!
I have just been trying to pay by 'fund transfer' with Moneybookers, for an item bought on ebay from a seller in Germany. I have been trying for over an hour. I have failed. My bank (Yorkshire) wasn't on their list. I have resorted to sending a cheque which will take ages to go through. Moneybookers requested that a copy of a bank statement is sent with the cheque. This is okay by me, but I baulk at sending - via email - a photocopy of the front and back of my credit card, which you have to do if you want to send money with a credit card. I usually pay by Paypal and find this really straight forward. In future I will make sure I only buy from sellers who use Paypal
Posted by: Delia Campbell | November 17, 2004 at 11:26 AM
I had a bad experience with moneybookers recently. My U.K. based customer has been using their service to transfer money to me for a few months. Recently, a payment that was initiated by the customer, left his bank account on 17th November, but till date (today's 8th December), it is yet to show up at Moneybookers. Another payment was immediately sent on the 23rd November, with the same result. Repeated followups by email did not yield any response. A telephonic call to them first takes you to a taped message saying that the service costs some 25 cents per minute! Finally, the executive who took the call "promised" action on this transaction. A snapshot of the bank's account statement was sent to them as per their request. That was around 30th November. There is no development since.
I do not know whether this is just a one-off case, or such incidents happen quite frequently at these payment gateways!
Posted by: Sanjay Agrawal | December 07, 2004 at 10:58 PM
Last week on wendesday I made a bank transfer to Moneybookers to be able to use Skype telephone service. Yet I have not been updated with my balance. Moneybookers is keeping me out of Skype as Skype only use Moneybookers for payments. It should take 2-3 days, it's over a week now.
Ralph in Sweden
Posted by: Ralph Hoglund | December 10, 2004 at 11:24 AM
We've started using Skype to talk Skype-to-Skype with my partner's family back home in Malaysia, and we're quite happy with it. However, I was considering signing up to their SkypeOut (Skype-to-landline) service until I read the SkypeOut forum (http://forum.skype.com/viewforum.php?f=19&sid=7cbb95e888f6b136261f90efb65e2461) and how much hassle people are having with moneybookers.com. People are having to _fax_ in photocopies of their credit cards! It just sounds way too much hassle; PayPal, for its faults, is straightforward.
P.
Posted by: Paul Moloney | January 07, 2005 at 12:37 PM
Hi,
I have used Moneybookers from 2001 and it is the only firm which allowes me to make deals with 40 countries and using local currencies. It is the cheapest and seure way to realize international payments in my country. PayPal, Bidpay etc. do not see my country (Poland) and without Moneybookers I would have to pay big intermediary bank fees for the money transfers. Escrow working with Moneybookers makes all transactions secure. But - it is a pity - many sellers, even British, do not accept Moneybookers. In USA and Canada it is nearly custom. I think that Moneybookers have to start with more aggresive advertisement then now.
Posted by: Jacek Swilas | January 09, 2005 at 02:08 PM
I think moneybookers have to learn how to answer their phones & reply to emails within 7 days before any reasonable person will use them.
Posted by: punta | January 30, 2005 at 01:35 PM
Skype is wacked - they wont accept real credit cards but instead suggest we use this crappy moneybookers? Never heard of it, don't trust it, smells FISHY!
Posted by: WTF? | February 03, 2005 at 07:40 AM
I have successfully used Moneybookers for my online business for the last 2 years. I think it is great as it allows my EU customers to pay me and the funds cant be refunded without my permission - unlike with Paypal. Paypal also will not support my industry. I have also used Nochex and they were great till the day they started accepting credit cards - after that they cut my industry out as well.
Posted by: GD | February 19, 2005 at 09:35 PM
I found Moneybookers very honest. When I first uploaded funds to Moneybookers I forgot to include my ID number. Naturally Moneybookers did not know who it was from - as my bank a/c name was not exactly my Moneybookers id name (surname same but initials not). I thought I had lost the money, just a test sum of $20. Well I deserved it for not following the instructions. Next time I sent $20 I used my ID number and it arrived at Moneybookers within a day. BUT GET THIS without even emailing Moneybookers and asking them to trace the first $20 and credit me they did so within 3 days of their own accord - no request from me. NOW they did not have to do that and could have kept the funds. THEREFORE someone at Moneybookers; 1) is honest and 2) checks 'lost' funds. I think that act spells honesty. Otherwise I have used Moneybookers for 1 week and its fine.
Posted by: Rob Truman | February 24, 2005 at 03:21 PM
Just google for skype moneybookers to find out the severe truth - they both suck big time.
Good reading found at http://reviews.cnet.com/4864-3535_7-30865573.html?messageSiteID=16&messageID=965450&cval=965450&ctype=msgid
Customer service is really terrible. You've gotta read this chat transcript to believe it! info: Please wait for a site operator to respond. We are experiencing high volume of chats. Your wait time may be longer than anticipated info: Hello, my name is 'Kathy', how may I assist you today ss1980: Hallo Kathy. I have a problem with CC payment ss1980: Hallo Kathy. I have a problem with paying with CC Kathy: May I know what is the error message that you are getting? ss1980: The only option that Skype provides is to use Moneybookers. Is it correct? ss1980: I am trying to add a new card to Moneybookers and I get the following message: "An error occured while performing the requested operation." Kathy: May I know your Skype user name ? ss1980: I have contacted Moneybookers with the same problem, we sent each other a dozen of e-mails but the problem was not resolved and they do not understand what might be the problem. I tried it on different computers with different browsers. Still no results. ss1980: SKYPE user name is ss1980. Kathy: Kindly try again for Skype credit. ss1980: Okay, I go https://secure.skype.com/stor e/buy/skypeout.html and click on Buy This next to 10.00 EUR, then I choose to use my existing address, and now I am waiting for it to load. ss1980: The only choice I have here is Moneybookers. Kathy: Please try using this method. ss1980: What method? Moneybookers? I tried it many times on different computers with different Internet Browsers. The error message stays there. Moneybookers cannot understand or fix the problem. Kathy: This is a new payment method. ss1980: What THIS? Can you please specify what you mean by saying THIS? Did you mean that Moneybookers is the new payment method? Then I can tell you that your new payment method does not work for me. They have problems that they cannot fix. Any other methods of payment that you can offer me? Kathy: Please may I know the exact problem that you are facing. ss1980: Gosh! Kathy! I've just described it to you! I've got the feeling that you are not following the conversation AT ALL! Okay, once again from the very beginning. I cannot add my credit card to Moneybookers because I get an error message like this "An error occured while performing the requested operation." Tried to sort out this problem with Moneybookers, we exchanged a dozen of e-mails but they do not understand the problem, not they can fix it. So the exact problem is that I cannot use Moneybookers to pay YOU. Offer me another payment method or fix my problem with Moneybookers. Kathy: Do you get options of using VISA card. ss1980: From SKYPE or Moneybookers? Kathy: Ok ss1980: What OK?! An option to use VISA on SKYPE site or Moneybookers site? ss1980: Do you understand what I'm telling you at all? Kathy: yes ss1980: So? ss1980: We are getting nowhere. Give me an e-mail for your tech guy. Kathy: It seems that you have not completed the order so please go back again and try making the purchase again. ss1980: This is not the problem. I would like to speak to one of your tech specialists. Give me an e-mail, please. Kathy: Sorry I can not provide you with any such e-mail. ss1980: Okay, bye then. You didn't help me at all.
Posted by: GeeK | March 06, 2005 at 07:48 AM
Hi all , I think moneybookers is a great place and reliable , but have to agree that they have very poor support
Posted by: Hakob Kostanyan | March 22, 2005 at 05:36 PM
Same problem here. Still waiting for a payment initiated SIX weeks ago to show up on my account. Nobody answers my e-mails (six and counting), and calling them is not worth it given a)the fairly high cost per minute and b)the low likelihood that they will fix the problem.
So I would definitely advise not to use them for big amounts.
Posted by: Thomas Veulemans | April 05, 2005 at 03:45 PM
Bidireland are considering using Moneybookers for payments on featured auctions instead of paypal, has anybody had good dealings with Moneybookers.com they look good
Posted by: Irish Auction | April 06, 2005 at 04:29 PM
I have been with Moneybookers.com for a while...and just LOST BUSINESS because of their incompetence ! I do short term lets and a client from New York agreed to pay me via moneybookers.com , but from the USA, the only way to upload money is via credit card, fine ! My client was happy to pay an extra charge for the convenience. She registered, unhappily sent copies for both sides of her credit card etc, and should have had everything cleared in 48 hours (2 business days).
Over a week later, NOTHING ! No news from moneybookers ! As a result, she canceled her booking with me and went elsewhere ! So I lost 500 Euros...
She told me she just got a mail from moneybookers once she'd actually travelled, ie : some 10 days later, informing her she would have to resend the JPEGS because they did not come out very clear ! HUH ?!!? Forget it !!!
I wrote my discontent to moneybookers but...the mail bounces back constantly !
I checked various times the address, tried sending from diffrent e-mails of mine but to no avail ! Just as with spammers...it bounces back !
I called moneybookers in the Uk...off course it cost me a bomb, after explaining everything once to some woman, I was put on to a manager to whome I had to explain everything again, and who would jsut say "well, we can't be held responsible, sorry" ! Moneybookers uses an agent in the USA for credit card payments, but MONEYBOOKERS should make sure they have the right people ! Subcontracting is not the end customers' problem !
Summing up, don't use moneybookers, especially for Credit card payments from the US !
Ah, forgot to mention : I already had a similar issue last year ! So now...I'll go to professionals ! Or happily pay my clients bank transfer costs !
Chris Burnel
Posted by: Chris Burnel | April 08, 2005 at 08:40 PM
Skype and PayPal truly caused a ruckus for me --- needed Skype to talk with business in India. Signed up with Skype -- so far so good. Then payment option of Paypal caused me to open account -- chose to set up credit card and they said I had plenty of credit. Skype said too bad -- I had to give up my bank info to Paypal -- no way. If a credit card is not good enough -- I will find another way.
Any hints as to another Skype like vendor ?
DAB
Posted by: don bailey | April 13, 2005 at 11:39 PM
Ebuy.ie are looking for a serious alternative to PayPal. Although PayPal are still considered the best, their rates are extortionate and none of the stories i've heard about them are reassuring. If anyone can suggest an viable alternative...????
P.S. Do users of SKYPE realise how vulnerable they leave themselves with the amount of ports the program opens on your PC? It's like an open invitation to hackers.
Posted by: ebuy.ie | May 13, 2005 at 09:22 AM
I need help. My country (Lithuania) is not listed in paypal, so i can't be a member. But most ebay sellers accept only paypal. How could i send money to PayPal account? Can I use moneybookers? or other system? If you know the answer, please write me slimas@delfi.lt
Posted by: Andrius | June 08, 2005 at 04:40 PM
RentTurkish.com is looking for a good online bank Moneybooker is a recommended service? I was looking for a great alternative to paypal as you say they do not yet accept money trnafers to irish banks as I am starting a new website and need a payment meathod which I can use to transfer money between the site and my bank account I will have a read up about them and see what comes up thank you for your informative blog.
Posted by: Paul | April 21, 2006 at 03:32 AM
How can i transfer money from moneybookers.com to paypal? I really want to find out. If you know, please tell me how and what are the taxes for this.
Thank You,
Florin, http://www.steauaonline.com is my website.
Posted by: Viorel | May 07, 2006 at 03:32 PM
Hello,
How i can make a payment through my wellsfargo account to my client moneybooker account
Posted by: rodger julie | May 17, 2006 at 02:08 AM