Friday, 31 October 2014

Problems with PayPal's website redesign? Can't withdraw? Here's how!

PayPal has redesigned their website.  It seems that they did this, and made it live, before ensuring that the darn thing works properly.


Last Friday, I received a PayPal payment and logged into my account as per normal to withdraw the money to my bank account.  Lo and behold, on logging in, there was a brand-new and very confusing look to the website.

I finally found a link to withdraw the money, but when clicking on it, I was told I would need to confirm and link a bank account before I can actually get my money.  Despite the fact that PayPal has had my bank account details for the last 11 years, I sighed loudly, then proceeded to put in the details yet again. As per usual, I had to wait a few days until two small deposits (14c and 20c) appeared on my bank statement, then went back to the PayPal website to confirm and link my bank account.

OK fine, now I find that I have two versions of the same banking details in my PayPal account, but anyway I head to the withdrawal link, yet again.  Guess what?  Same story, I needed to link a bank account to be able to withdraw.

I have since then had a email exchange about a mile long with their "support" department, you know one of those "Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:" to infinity subject lines - backwards and forwards, talking about the "technical issues" they are having, with several suggestions on how to withdraw my funds.  For e.g., apparently if I had a fancier mobile phone, I could download PayPay's app and would then be able to withdraw using that.  I'm not sure that I actually believe that, and anyway it's out of the question with my old-school Nokia.

I was also told to click on the "Classic Website" link and that would give me access to withdraw the funds.  Except that it didn't.  The screen that came up listed the transactions in the old style, but sans a withdrawal link of any kind.  You still had to click on "Wallet", then "withdraw," and then the whole rigmarole started yet again until you screamed (PayPal) blue murder.

This is what the screen looked like after I clicked on "Classic Website:"



Anyhow, it's month end, more payments have come in and I need my money.  I also have this sneaking suspicion that while they are having all these problems, they are also making a huge amount of money out of the bucks we can't withdraw... I mentioned that to support a few times, but they ignored that... hmmm.

Anyhow, I remembered that when it told me I needed to link a bank, it also mentioned that I could request a check by mail for a fee - see the screen grab below:

I thought, what the hell, let me go and find out what the fee would be, so I clicked on "request a check by mail" and it told me ... wait for it ... long-drawn-out drum roll ...  that the service does not yet exist. LOL

BUT, and its a great big but, it then came up with another withdrawal link... and, wonder of all wonders, that link actually WORKED!

So, if you are having problems withdrawing from your PayPal account, don't bother to contact their support department because they really don't have a clue.  Here, step-by-step, is what you have to do until they manage to sort out their "technical issue":
  1. Click on "Wallet" on the far right of the buttons at the top of the screen.
  2. Underneath where it shows the money that is available, click on "Withdraw funds."
  3. When it tells you that you need to link a bank account, as per the picture above, click on the link to "request a check by mail."
  4. When it tells you the service doesn't exist, first chuckle, then click on the actual working withdrawal link they have finally managed to provide you with.
  5. Voila!
You can thank me in the comments section, or buy me a glass of wine via PayPal.  LOL.



Sunday, 26 October 2014

Keep your eyes on the truck ... (Video)

You have to love all these dash cams they have in Russia.  They catch the darndest things. These guys are just driving along behind a cement truck and a car, chatting away, when suddenly, the truck seems to almost disappear.