Online Purchases
- Thread starter SkyRider
- Start date
I use visa gift cards, buy it for the amount you want to spend, plus a fee of course, about 3 or 4 dollars. I've had recurring or monthly charges online in the past that when i cancelled them they still billed for the next month or two. With the gift card even if they're shady and try to get something extra out of you they can't because there is not enough left.
How do you get the VISA gift card to the American vendor? The vendor is near Chicago, I am in Toronto.
The Chicago online vendor said I have to place the order online and offer 3 methods of payment: Credit Card, PayPal and Google something.
You need to sign up for a Paypal account. After Paypal verifies your address and contact information, you can purchase items online from merchants that accept Paypal. It is safe method to purchase stuff online and transfer money. When you purchase something using Paypal, the merchant sends the items to the verified address you have on file. Paypal also provides dispute resolution services in case the transaction does not go smoothly.
Don't do it. You can find it somewhere else.
Sure they don.t mean you have 3 choices
Thanks. What is the process for signing up with Paypal? I made a few online purchases from Future Shop here in Canada and paid by credit card but this is an American online vendor and I don't know its reputation (unlike Future Shop).
Both Visa and Master card offer these and they come in varying degrees of 'anonymous' and 'no-credit check' (if you need those 'features') depending on the vendors. These are all I use for on-line shopping and I've never had a problem. They do a very good job of insulating you from any problems. Frankly, I'd worry far more about giving your card to any minimum wage service / bar workers for relatively small purchases (unless you have an established relationship with the given employee).
Paypal on the other hand, has a number of horror stories, not the least of which is seizing and not returning balances on 'suspicious' activities. While I was never been bit directly by them, more than one project (that's solicited donations to keep their servers up) I've been affiliated with has been screwed over in various ways by them. Remember they're no bank or credit union, and they are run under the American (non) regulatory system.
http://www.paypalwarning.com/
With that being said, on small and irregular purchases Paypal will probably be fine, but you have been warned.
Are you sure you want to buy from a US retailer? Is the price really cheaper because you have to take into account duty. I usually buy something in the US and have it shipped to a friend in the US (shipping is usually free or very cheap as oppose to have it mailed directly to me in Canada). And either I go pick it or have them mailed to me but indicate that the item is a "gift."
I've pruchased dozens of items online from the States, primarily through Ebay. When I see something that I'd like to purchase I email the vendor and ask them if I could make the purchase via regular mail order. I explain too them that I've been burnt using my credit card online before and I'd rather not go through that again. Most of them will agree and give you a name and a regular mail address that you can send a USD money order to. For me this identifies the vendor and gives me their postal address (and with a bit of investigative work you can find their phone number as well). With the money order you can name the payee so if they give you the incorrect name they won't be able to cash the MO, AND your bank can tell you when and where the MO was cashed. I've had MO's refunded too me by my bank when the transaction didn't go through. It's a bit more of a lengthy process over using your credit card online BUT I feel a bit more comfortable doing my online shopping this way.
