BREAKING NEWS
UPDATE: I just spoke with Paypal and had an encouraging conversation. They have apologized and made several concessions which are very much appreciated, and I will update you about that as soon as I pee.
Do you see this?
The White Sox traded Sergio Santos to Toronto for Nestor Molina!
In other news, Regretsy is trending globally along with the X-Men, who also had their Paypal account frozen. Except it was Iceman, who really needs to stay off Wolverine’s laptop.
The traffic has been a little insane, so if you’re seeing a few problems today, please bear with us. We are working on these issues as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, Paypal has issued a statement saying they have made a donation and they are working with me, but I have not spoken to anyone yet. I will let you know when I do.
And I would also like to say that I did not expect this kind of global outpouring of support, and I truly believe that had you not all made your voices heard, no one from Paypal would have ever felt compelled to make this right. There is no real support or appreciation for the consumer anymore. The customer is always wrong.
I am extremely grateful to all of you for your efforts. If Paypal is sincere about allowing us to make these gifts, you will have made a difference for 200 children and their families this holiday season.
REGRETSY: YOUR ONE STOP SOURCE FOR WHITE SOX UPDATES™
December 6, 2011 at 11:36 am
This is amazing, even if Paypal are assholes, my nephew and his family are going to have a wonderful Christmas thanks to you fat, jealous, losers
LOVE YOU ALL!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Yeah, we’re such softies, stirring up the interbeast.
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
We are just a big community of Mama (and papa) Bears..fuck with our young and we’ll tear your heads off. With that said, I am so glad 200+ children/families will be helped. I know Christmas isn’t about presents, but Iknow this year will be made better because of what we did. THANK YOU to April and Grimmylynn for all the hard work you’ve done.
December 6, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Christmas may not be about presents.. but aren’t they divine when you’re young?
Gifting gets more boring the older you get, so this is a primo opportunity for gift relishing.
December 6, 2011 at 1:29 pm
greengeekgirl, you are so right.
I mean I love gifts but it was never as amazing to get them as it was when I was a kid!
December 6, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Especially when you are there during the buying of your gift with your parents or loved ones. :/
Now I prefer buying or making gifts for others
December 6, 2011 at 12:32 pm
“We are just a big community of Mama (and papa) Bears..fuck with our young and we’ll tear your heads off.”
That. I don’t even really like most kids, but I was one not that long ago and I was lucky enough to have wonderful Christmases even when we were struggling a little bit. Every kid deserves to hang on to that innocence for as long as they can.
December 7, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Hell yeah! Totally agreed, frikineh, thought I hated kids til i had one. At 41. Thought it was a big oooops, but no…
December 6, 2011 at 1:46 pm
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
I posted about it!! Hope it helped!!
http://randomosityblog.com/2011/12/paypal-sucks.html
December 6, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Your analogy to superheros isn’t far off. How does it feel to have the power of all your minions in the Tri-State area. Its something that evil Doofenshmirtz wants so badly. Helen uses her power for good not for (cue Dr Doofenshmirtz voice) E-E-E-Evil!!!!
December 6, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Curse you Perry the paypaltypus!
December 6, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Crusty outside, creamy inside.
December 6, 2011 at 6:40 pm
YES – yes they are
December 6, 2011 at 12:03 pm
WOOHOO! Take that – you fuckers.
Sincerly -
Fat Jealous Regretsy Looser
CF4L!!
December 6, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Fuck. I misspelled loser. HA!
December 6, 2011 at 12:06 pm
Were you bragging?
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Nope. Not yet – just high on the Vicodin my doc gave me today. Now to finish it off with some wine….
December 6, 2011 at 12:14 pm
I’m glad they are trying to make it right after the internet lynch mob got ahold of them. I just opened my paypal account and closed it out. It asks you why when you close your account and I stated that my reason was for the poor treatment of Regretsy.
Now I did my good deed for Christmas, can I have that reindeer sandwich now?
December 6, 2011 at 3:28 pm
They’ll make it right this time with a small donation and claim to really care about charity, all the while continuing to screw over other people who don’t have this kind of weight behind them. They’re only making it right to save face. They need to make it right to everyone they’ve screwed over over the years and stop screwing people over altogether.
December 6, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Happy holidays, Tigerlilymel!
December 6, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I closed my account today when a friend posted about this crap. In the comments I told Paypal how much I thought they sucked.
December 7, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Even heartless bastards like us have to give in to the threats of Saint Nick.
December 7, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Love you baaaack!!! This is what fucking Christmas is all about, bitches!!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
FAT JEALOUS LOSERS UNITE!
April, please keep us posted with what happens w/r/t those fucknuts over at PayPal. The internet loves Regretsy!
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
“If I look slightly above the camera, will people like me again?”
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
He switched it to grin face post-donation. And I can’t make the image thingy work.
http://s618.photobucket.com/albums/tt268/moholy/regretsy/?action=view¤t=paypal.gif
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 am
And switched it back? Seriously, after I submitted a comment, I got happy-face Anuj.
December 6, 2011 at 12:21 pm
And instead of “we are making a donation to Regretsy” it says “we are working with Regretsy”. Douchenozzles.
December 6, 2011 at 12:38 pm
I tried to submit a comment, moholiest, and I got this message:
“You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.”
Guess I’m not the only f/u/j/loser who is trying to leave a comment right now!
Take that, PeePal! Ha!
December 6, 2011 at 12:44 pm
I got that too. And a crazy server message saying only authorised users were allowed to enter and asking for a username and password.
Either they’ve blocked comments or the site’s broken – more likely given the crazy messages. Probably the volume of comments. Never mind – the comments that are displayed on the main page say what needs to be said pretty well.
December 6, 2011 at 6:21 pm
LOL, that is so fucking creepy!
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
God, he looks like Chris Hansen just asked him to have a seat.
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 am
He took lessons from the Etsy models! Never look directly at the camera — it will steal your soul.
December 6, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Soul? I don’t think he has one. This never should have occurred in the first place.
December 6, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Its backwards.. Dont look into the camera, cause people will see that you have no soul. Or shame for that matter…
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
It’s a variation of the “look up and to the left”.
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
I don’t think they’re letting just anyone post comments there (I got a “must log in” thing and they apparently don’t use OpenID).
As far as I’m concerned, I have no reason to do business with them again until they not only resolve this with April but make it sparkling clear that they have reviewed their customer service policy and implemented a better one. If that rep still HAS a job at PayPal it should not involve dealing with the public. Janitorial services might be allowable.
December 6, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Mopping up the shitstorm they caused.
December 6, 2011 at 12:15 pm
I think their blog is having technical problems – possibly due to being overwhelmed with comments. Obviously a lot of people who are not PayPal staff have been able to comment, because there are a ton of critical responses from ordinary users on there, but when I tried to post, I first got a login box saying the site was only accessible to PayPal staff, and then a message saying I was trying to post too quickly and should slow down (despite the fact that I only tried to post once). It looks like the site is just kind of spazzing and throwing random error messages…
December 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I’m bummed that I didn’t copy the text of my comment; it was pretty good, even if I don’t have the right username to post it!
December 6, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Click back and it will still be there.
December 6, 2011 at 12:51 pm
I have no reason to do business with them again until they not only resolve this with April but make it sparkling clear that they have reviewed their customer service policy and implemented a better one.
Agreed. Otherwise they’ll just keep screwing over those of us who can’t muster the internet to defend us, because they know they can get away with it.
December 6, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Why does the PayPal site want me to log in to make a comment? Just one way to cut back on the slack.
December 6, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Today, Anuj will be played by Rowan Atkinson.
December 6, 2011 at 5:02 pm
I’d like to think RA would not be caught dead portraying that weasel.
December 6, 2011 at 6:44 pm
hey, we like weasels around here, remember?
December 6, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Hahahah!
December 6, 2011 at 12:58 pm
The guy seriously looks like he’s in an ad for a instruction program on how to be a douche, “I’m a douchecanoe and so can you!”
December 6, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Mr Bean has really let himself go.
December 6, 2011 at 5:40 pm
Kinda looks like Paul Sorvino to me.
Anyway, it warms my tiny heart to see the power of the people in action. I am impressed at how fast this story went global and how much pressure the community of Regretsians was able to apply in around 24 hours (or less.) I have always thought that when it comes to ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ the little guys ALWAYS outnumber the big guys and that banding together is the only way to win. That is where our power lies.
Now all I need to see is that everything really is fine and I will sleep better tonight.
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
I want to like this.
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
I completely agree! No way would they have given this a second thought without the backlash.
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
Sad but true.
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
Damn it! I thought they were trading Wolverine to the Sox!
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
I’ve never been so glad Regretsy has a big dick. Suck it PayPal!
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Awesome!
December 6, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Suck it nothing! Paypal’s PR department is going to be walking funny for a week over all of this!
December 6, 2011 at 11:37 am
Fuck. Yes.
Now, I may not like kids and be a grade-A humbug, but I have been bitching left, right, and center, because fucking over people who are trying to be nice is just such a dick move that even I can’t abide it.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
I normally don’t get involved. Not because I dislike children or that I am not only a fat jealous loser but a bitter and cynical fat, jealous loser, but because I’m a college student and therefore both poor and inured to pleas for help.
This, however, pissed me right the fuck off and made me do uncharacteristic things such as sign petitions.
And you can bet your ass that I’m going to continue being an irritable, bitter, hateful person until Paypal ACTUALLY does something. Making a fill-in-the-blank blog post is not doing something, Paypal, and this particular fat jealous loser knows it.
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
In case anyone else wants to join me in voting with their feet and wallet….
How do I close my PayPal account?
If you close your PayPal account, it can’t be reopened. Any scheduled or incomplete transactions are canceled. You can’t close your account if there are limitations, unresolved issues, or a balance.
To close your account:
- Log in to your PayPal account.
- Click Profile near the top of the page.
- Click My settings.
- Click Close Account in the Account type section and follow the steps listed.
======
I only have two feet and one wallet, but they can vote.
December 6, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Agreed. However, ftr, a friend of mine who wanted to close his account because of this couldn’t do it on the website. He got an error saying “Sorry — your last action could not be completed”. When he called them, he got hung up, When he called them back, he explained it eight different times to the rep, meeting resistance the entire way, until he said “either close my account or get me your supervisor”.
December 6, 2011 at 1:28 pm
This would be excellent– except I think we broke paypal. My browser can’t find their server no matter how many times I refresh. Yea?
December 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Not only did I sign a fucking petition – I emailed EVERYONE on that list of PayPal fuckheads. I also (stayed up til 2am) posting on FB, Twitter, and sent emails to every single one of my local news stations. One of which is calling me back for a convo. Take that PAYPAL.
December 6, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I sent man email last night and cc’d the top 5 email address. Email, Facebook and Twitter has crushed EVIL in the middle east and Africa and now the evil of PayPal!!
December 6, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Yeah me too, I posted this fuckery on a forum I belong to last night that has a membership of about 30,000 motorcycle riders that purchase tons of stuff online. They’d be more than happy to lay a black mark on PayPal’s sorry ass.
December 6, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Make that TWO local news stations are contacting me for an interview due to the level of pissed-off-edness that I expressed. Must be slow for local news here in Central Illinois. But – POWER to CF4L people!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
Yes! Please keep us updated as best you can! Good luck!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
Well, I’m waiting with bated breath.
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
Or, as somebody in Pogo would say, I’m waiting with bait on my breath.
December 6, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Okay, you win.
December 6, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Extra thumbs-up for spelling.
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
That is such great news, April! Molina could very well be the last piece of the puzzle for the Sox!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
Did they truly donate? How much? Did they unfreeze your account!!???!?!?
I want to know that my being a dickbag is paying off!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
I’m so glad this bullshittery is being dealt with, hopefully. The Regretsy community rules so hard. KEEP US POSTED.
December 6, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Even better, it’s not just Regretsy folks out there anymore. Folks don’t like it when you screw with kids, charity, or their ability to make themselves feel better. Add to it the fact that Paypal is “big business” and you’ve the makings of a Perfect Shitstorm.
December 6, 2011 at 4:01 pm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^tru dat.
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
THANK YOU APRIL for everything you do for everyone!
Also…THANK YOU Grimmlynn for all your efforts with the Secret Santa.
CF4L!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
I like the “working with Regretsy” thing when they haven’t even contacted you. Look, Regretsy, it’s not 1850 anymore. We have this wonderful thing called the Internet that allows for near-instantaneous and very cheap communication. Releasing a fill-in-the-blank press statement just isn’t going to cut it anymore.
But hey, at least it’s come to their attention! I really hope they resolve this soon because Paypal really is very convenient, and I feel honorbound to not use their services as long as this fiasco is ongoing.
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
They edited the blog post from rape-stare “working with” to post-sperm-donation “have made a donation.
December 6, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Thanks, you made me actually LOL.
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
Maybe they’re determined to get the most out of their Pony Express investment.
December 6, 2011 at 12:04 pm
They could at least send a telegram.
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
They’ve got a fucking cheek, saying they’re working with you before they’ve actually spoken to you. Fucking cocknockers, just trying to piss on the wildfire.
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
Paypal is working with you and it’s news to you. Looks like the problem is being solved seamlessly!
December 6, 2011 at 11:54 am
Unfortunately since releasing that statement they’ve gone up like 300 “likes” on Facebook. People are buying this shit!
December 6, 2011 at 11:38 am
Amazeballs.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
Nevermind. Didn’t see we had the same link.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
The fun part is that I’ve got that blog post open in two tabs– one from earlier today and one from now. At some point one of the PayPal customer relations geniuses must have realized that the happy smiley author photo they had posted made them look like even bigger assholes, so they changed it to the super-serious one that’s there now.
Shoulda just had him look up and to the right, guys.
December 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm
is this a meme or a tumblr yet?
December 6, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I cant thumb up that enough. He looks a bit like Dancing Dror and Deep Roy’s love child. Maybe he is Dancing Dror’s evil twin out to steal Regretsians love for Dror and Christmas for Children.
December 6, 2011 at 3:27 pm
It was initially serious-face, then briefly happy guy, then back to serious-face.
Happy guy’s post also says “we have made a donation to Regretsy” instead of “we are working on making a donation to Regretsy”.
December 6, 2011 at 3:28 pm
And since April indicates the donation hasn’t happened yet, happy-face Anuj is from the future.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
It’s also trending WORLDWIDE- or at least it was this morning!!!
Now I have to go figure out why Steigerwald is trending, the my local (Pittsburgh) sportscaster that annoys the living fuck out of me. I hope it’s for nefarious reasons.
December 6, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Steigerwald is an idiot & I want to drown him in the river as well, in the Ohio to be specific. I wanted to slice my own neck after listening for 3 minutes out of the 29 minute interview.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Warms the cockels of my heart to hear that a loosely organized group of fat, jealous losers could bring the mighty to it’s metaphorical knees.
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 am
Next on our list….Etsy….
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
From your keyboard to The Flying Spagetti Monster’s ears!
December 6, 2011 at 1:01 pm
it’s amazing the shit a bunch of jealous losers can get done from their one bedroom apartments of despair.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Thank you to everyone. I’ll have 4 little girls a little happier on Christmas morning! They got letters from Santa today…what a surprise!!! CF4L
December 6, 2011 at 6:47 pm
and that, my fellow losers, is what this is all about!
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
I wanna cry. I never thought that something like this was possible. We actually DID something. D:
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
Dude, I am crying…for multiple reasons today but this just broke the flood gates. I gotta hide in the loo for a few to compose myself.
December 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I am near tears mostly because it’s hayfever season and it’s kicked me in the ass so hard, my face is leaking and breathing is a struggle.
But also partially because I got to help a bunch of fat jealous losers hit a corporation where it hurts: the balls of PR.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
So, Are you and Bronc having a nice, relaxing vacation?
Corporations are people: sometimes they are assholes! I wonder where Jackie Stallone would begin their reading?
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Somewhere between the taint and the P/E ratio.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Fuck YES
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Why would they say they are working with someone BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY CONTACT that person? Are they counting when they explained how helping sick cats is ok, but helping poor people is not as “working with them to resolve the issue?”
I really do hope they fix this issue, but they lost me as a customer. They really wouldn’t be trying to fix this issue if everyone didn’t complain to them about it.
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
PayPuss lost me this morning; felt like when you have a giant poo … such a relief
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
I really hope that Paypal isn’t just blowing it’s second hand smoke up Regretsy’s ass. Keep me posted April, and check your inbox for lawyer shit.
December 6, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Yeah, I really hoping that PayPal lives up to it’s word and really does make it right. I also hope that part of making it right, in addition to what they say on that blog post, involves making their terms of use absolutely clear and working with their customers instead of against them.
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
awesome awesome those cuntbags need to wake up to the power of a bunch of fat jealous losers experienced in spreading viral trash bagging. Well done April and everyone!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:39 am
Someday people will wise up to the inadvisability of ever pissing off anyone with a well-read blog.
That’ll do internet. That’ll do.
December 6, 2011 at 11:56 am
I love you for using herding language.
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
RRRRRRRAWRRR! WE ARE REGRETSY, HEAR US ROAR! REGRETSY SMASH!
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
Idea: After we shift away from Paypal (I think that’s a given right now), we all chip in and have Sam Cornwell do one of his rant videos.
With his shirt off.
Rrrrrower.
December 6, 2011 at 11:55 am
That was the first thing that came to my mind. The second was we gather enough coin to fly Sam to Paypal headquarters to give them a live and in person talking to.
And then gather more coin for his bail hearing.
December 6, 2011 at 11:59 am
This. Absolutely this.
December 6, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Can we get him diplomatic immunity? I’m feeling rather drunk with power at the moment…
December 6, 2011 at 4:12 pm
How much would it be for him to do it as Pepper Spray Cop?
This whole thing is mind-blowing.
Not that Paypal or any other megacorp tried dicking over a good deed, that’s no shock…but that everyone on the dust speck yelled loud enough to keep HKapril from being boiled!
Awesome!
That’s a gift of faith I needed, bad.
December 6, 2011 at 12:17 pm
This MUST happen!!
December 6, 2011 at 1:24 pm
O hell yes. This must happen. I wonder how much it’d cost to send Sam to gripe the CEO of Paypal out in PERSON!
December 6, 2011 at 6:17 pm
I’d have the wettest panties in the universe if he ranted shirtless. Accent, swearing AND no shirt? TRIFECTA OF AWESOME.
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
For such an awful and shitty thing, it really was beautiful to watch. Also, I had been feeling so morose and dumpy and had no way to share that, so yelling at a corporation was just what I needed.
December 6, 2011 at 12:34 pm
I know RIGHT?! Its a beautiful thing to watch – like a slow-motion building implosion!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
So they’re still lying. What a surprise. Keep up the good work, everyone!
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
This is totally Boss.
December 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
I’m glad they’ve unfrozen your accounts. Ticked that they have lied, YET AGAIN, about working with you and are donating. Fucking bag of fucks!
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
That’s right, bitches! Go, Regretsy!
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
My Woney(one of the Secret Santa recipients) says Paypal makes her very sad.
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Oh gosh, that’s heartbreaking! Stupid fucking Paypal!!!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Epic sadface. Here’s to hoping we can still bring some goodies to her.
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Dear Paypal,
this is the face of one of the babies that you hate.
and some day soon she will rule the world and destroy you.
December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm
The hand that rocks the mostly clean cheese gratR clock rules the world. GO YOU JLBs. You crazy herd of yarn stashing mega moguls. BWAHAHAAA!
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
Oh my goodness she is so cute! And sad! And here kid, have a yummy danish while I read you a story, don’t cry!
December 6, 2011 at 11:59 am
AGH! *crumples in a heap, defeated by THE GAZE, with fists full of legal tender outstretched*
December 6, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Did you get my e-mail regarding the teen vampires?
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
Don’t ever mess with Fat Jealous Losers!!!
December 6, 2011 at 12:58 pm
What about us Jealous Lazy Bitches?
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
Let us not forget those sick cats in need, you guys. pour some milk on the floor for the kitties.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
There are a dozen feral cats on my porch every morning, two of whom try to walk in every day.
They get cheap cat food and hose water, by god, and not a bit more. Otherwise, they get lazy, and then what have we got? A stable lizard population, that’s what. And cockroaches the size of fucking manhole covers.
Okay, that 4th cup of coffee might have been a mistake.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
December 6, 2011 at 12:47 pm
I started leaving out cheap cat food and water for the little black kitty that hung out in the back yard with my dog and she moved herself right into the house and is now a perm. fixture.
December 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm
A perm fixture? Wouldn’t regular rollers be a lot easier to manage for perms than using a cat?
December 6, 2011 at 3:52 pm
The noise I just made . . . *is cosmetology student*
December 7, 2011 at 10:11 am
No, because one of my cats thinks he’s a hairdresser already(likes to knead knots into my hair while purring & sometimes drooling), so she’s essentially his apprentice now.
Although, I think she really wants to be a manicurist the way she constantly attacks my hands.
December 6, 2011 at 1:26 pm
ROFL @ the cockroaches the size of manhole covers
It is the truth here in Texas.
December 6, 2011 at 1:44 pm
That’s exactly how my parents have gotten each of their cats for the past 21 years. They leave food out, cats try to come in, eventually they just can’t keep refusing them. I *may* have been a strong part of that while I still lived with them….
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
We could give them the dead birds and make everyone happy.
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
But we have to cry for the dead birds, first.
December 6, 2011 at 12:52 pm
No one cries for the dead bird.
December 6, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Well, unless they are throwing it a creepy little funeral. Then they cry.
December 6, 2011 at 1:34 pm
EAGLE TEARS, BITCHEZ.
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
I am very pleased they are going to reverse their insane attempts to rob you of your good deed funding. I too was bullied by PayPal and had my account frozen 9 months ago for trying to raise money for Japan Relief…. and it is still frozen. I truly believe had you not had this outpouring you would be out countless amounts of money, no matter where or what it was for and hours of customer service aggravation.
I may never see my funds again… but I applaud that FINALLY someone has won a small war against these thugs.
You go girl !!!
December 6, 2011 at 11:41 am
I’m pretty sure #GiftsGrandmaWontWant also refers to Regretsy. Also Prnedu, assuming that Prnedu is a truncation of Porn Education.
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Everyone should be sure to keep the pressure up. Keep posting things in facebook. Keep writing to Paypal. Make sure that they don’t just issue a statement in the attempt to make the world think they’ve done something to correct their behavior and then not do anything.
When it comes to Paypal, I’ll believe it when I see it.
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Holy shit, Nestor Molina got TRADED??
j/k I don’t have a fucking clue who he is but thanks for the update, lol
It’s amazing what a bunch of fat, lame, jealous losers can do when we are pissed off!
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Have they at least actually un-frozen the account like they said they have?
I’ve been flinging shit since 10:00PM last night and I’m happy to see it may be paying off.
Also,
December 6, 2011 at 11:42 am
Am I the only one who wouldn’t blame Iceman for being on Wolverine’s laptop? I wouldn’t want to get off Wolverine’s laptop either!
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
I thought they said they weren’t playing games anymore?
Show me the money, paypal! I’ll believe it when April sees it. Hope they make good on this.
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
Oh we love April oh yes we do!
December 6, 2011 at 7:07 pm
We love you, April, and we’ll be true!
When you’re not near us, we’re blue.
Oh, April, we love you.
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
Sometimes you have to shame people into doing the right thing. Thankfully we have access to email, facebook, and other Internet sites that allow us to shine the spotlight on idiotic corporate activity.
Thanks to regretsy and all of those who have spoken out against this insanity.
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
I’ve never been so proud to be a fat-jealous-loser regretsy reader!
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
That statement was a little too passive-aggressive.
December 6, 2011 at 11:43 am
First they came for the sellers
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a seller.
Then they came for Something Awful,
and I didn’t speak out because I didn’t read SA
Then they came for Regretsy,
and THOSE BITCHES WENT RABID!
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 am
One-person standing ovation here. Literally.
December 6, 2011 at 1:08 pm
I would like to have “…Then they came for Regretsy, and Those Bitches Went Rabid,” on a T-shirt. Under that, I would like to have “Namaste Bitches” in small print under an Om.
December 6, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Left om or right om, or no preference?
December 6, 2011 at 2:18 pm
So…this happened…
December 6, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Pic turned out small – http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s6/Gnomestress/CNN.jpg
That’s the link to the big version. Screen cap of Regretsy on the FRONT PAGE OF CNN. Feel free to use the cap as you like.
December 6, 2011 at 2:22 pm
Spaaaaaaaaaaace!!!!!!!
Sorry. I saw the Wheatley and had to react. Heart you.
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
FJLs FTW! Hey Paypal–don’t poke a bear!
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
Gods love you, Regretsy lady.
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
Besides the kids and christmas issue here, what also troubles me is the fallout to us etsy users that really don’t have much of a choice but to accept and use paypal for payments in our stores. About 3/4 of my customers are fjls, and now they have no way to buy from me or many of my regretsy-etsy family. Before you thumb me down for making this about me, I’m not. Just saying, the kids and families are WAY MORE IMPORTANT AND WAY MORE IN NEED than I am, it’s just an added concern. All that being said. We have proven, as a community, that we can move mountains. For this, I am very, very proud.
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
We’ll figure something out.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
Ugh, I know. The help files on Etsy say you can choose to be paid with a credit card without using PayPal, but when I went to hunt for the option to turn it on, there was no credit card option. I can, however, choose to be paid via check or money order. Because apparently Etsy thinks it’s 1980.
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
Look into the Squareup.com payment solution. If you have a smart phone you can process payments with the card present or by manually entering the information. No monthly fees, just transaction fees. (I’ve been using it a little, and it’s pretty nice)
December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm
You don’t even need a smart phone – an iPod or any tablet running iOS or Android can use it. Granted, you need an internet connection to do so, but I’ve used my Square on my iPod several times and it’s been a huge convenience. Definitely recommended.
(And of note: do NOT purchase a reader from Radio Shack, Target, WalMart, etc. They all charge $10 for a reader – when you sign up with Square, they send you one for free, along with a nice cozy package in which to keep it, as well as a sticker advertising that you accept credit cards.)
December 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm
what about us losers that don’t have a smart phone or any of those other things. That would be me. I do accept money orders and checks, but really. FML.
December 6, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I’m in the same boat as DoBeDoBeadDo. I do take money orders, and will no longer use Amazon Payments due to their ineptness and subsequent locking of my account. So that leaves PayPal for now.}:/
December 6, 2011 at 8:24 pm
I have a Blackberry, so I can’t use it. I guess they think BB users are so awesome, we can process credit cards with our minds.
December 6, 2011 at 11:55 am
Plus – doesn’t that max out at some point… you can use your cc only so many times and then you have to open a paypal account.
Thought I read that in the forums over there…
December 6, 2011 at 12:55 pm
It says that, but honestly, I’ve used my CC without logging into my PayPal account (due to no funds in the PP acct) with no issues many, many times.
December 6, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Just from a “make my life easier” standpoint I would prefer a PayPal free CC option on etsy. I set up my PP a million years ago before I even met my husband. It is in my maiden name still because PP requires that you mail them a certified copy of your marriage license to change your name.
December 6, 2011 at 12:59 pm
Ewww, yet another reason to kill my account.
December 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I believe you can use “other” as a means for accepting credit cards either manually or via other web sites/payment options, however, it wouldn’t be as easy as the customer just inputting their information. And since PayPal and Etsy are birds of a feather, I don’t see them incorporating any other options into their checkout process in the near future.
I hate that I can’t close my PayPal account, because I need it, since 99% of my Etsy sales (which is my only source of online sales at the moment) come through PayPal. I will, however, begin transferring any dollar amount over $20 from my PayPal account straight to my bank. So what if it takes a few more days before I can use it? At least banks are held accountable to a degree, while PayPal can just thumb their nose and take your money.
December 6, 2011 at 12:57 pm
I do the same thing. I only leave enough money in my PayPal account to cover my shop subscriptions. Or I spend it on supplies after shipping the orders.}:P
December 6, 2011 at 4:10 pm
same here – I never leave more than $100 in the account.
December 6, 2011 at 12:29 pm
There’s a thread on the forums about this. We’re comparing options. Join us!
December 6, 2011 at 2:31 pm
This is what Etsy sent me:
Hi Suzy,
Thanks for contacting us! Many sellers use PayPal and it is currently integrated into Etsy shops. You are welcome to use an alternate payment service if you would like.
To do so, select “other” as a payment method on Your Shop > Shipping & Payment > Payment Methods. Then indicate in your Shop Announcement, listings and/or Policy Page which service you use. The buyer will just need to wait for you to send them an invoice to submit payment.
We are looking into adding more payment options in the future.
Let us know if you have more questions!
Best,
Susannah
Etsy’s Support Team
http://www.etsy.com/help
____
December 6, 2011 at 8:27 pm
That seems unnecessarily convoluted. Why don’t they just set up another online payment option? It can’t be that hard to do when I could install a shopping cart and payment system on my stupid hula hooping squirrel website in five minutes. Surely there’s a Dwolla or Amazon payments script for that.
December 6, 2011 at 5:46 pm
There are other ways, and they work. I used PayPal wayyy back in the beginning, before eBay owned them and they were ok. But, I quit once they joined and turned into the behemoth corp they are now. Too big to be any good and I refuse to be part of it; they aren’t a bank, but act like one. That, and seeing all the people they screwed over on here:
http://www.paypalsucks.com/
They’ve been stealing from people for many years.
Anyway, I’ve been using Google Checkout for about 6 years, and never, ever had any kind of problem with them. I took credit & debit cards on Etsy the whole time I was selling there, and can count on one hand the people who preferred PayPal to that. There’s also ProPay, which I hear is great, and is an actual gateway/card processor, so the buyer doesn’t have to join anything; to them it just is a way to pay with a credit card.
This is all so great; it reminds me of the final scene in my all-time favorite movie, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
I echo all the sentiments here that are Anti-Paypal, pro-White Sox.
I also agree with DoBeDo. It does and has affected smaller sellers that use Paypal, whether it’s by choice or not. I’ve had my funds frozen for taking payments for a youth football team’s registration, even after sending the mountain of 503c paperwork to show were were non-profit, and was told that we were “not for profit” not “non-profit”. ???
Anyhow, if this happened to a smaller, less known (read: anonymous) merchant, that merchant would just be fucked. I’m glad this has been resolved (or so they say) but it wouldn’t have happened if Regretsy didn’t have such a huge following and outpouring of support. Maybe it’s a step in the right direction though.
December 6, 2011 at 12:41 pm
The Paypal section of the business is not quite Satan – my mind boggles at the volume of attempted/actual criminality it must have to fend off/quash every single day – but it can easily become a tinpot dictator.
I’m an Ebay seller and a Paypal user, and I’ve been following this tale compulsively. I’ve put all my eggs in one Paypal basket, and if they decided I was a wicked person, I too would be in trouble fast. So I will be starting a Nochex account to run alongside Paypal, and find an alternative way to market my paltry wares, perhaps even on my own site. I have moaned incessantly about Ebay and Paypal, yet never before made a serious attempt to make myself less vulnerable to their pretty random displeasure. This was the prod.
Ebay/Paypal: even your most loyal customers worry about making a misstep. You are a near-monopoly, and we small sellers fear you, but it takes the blatant, public, embarrassing financial fisting of a small charitable effort to make you react.
December 6, 2011 at 1:10 pm
You can do Google Checkout on the quick and easy. The only issue is that you have to send individual invoices, because it isn’t integrated like Paypal. Your fjls will need to click “other” as their method of payment, and you’ll need to have “other” checked as an accepted form of payment.
December 6, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I have google checkout and I just set up a Stripe account as well. More like a traditional merchant account, and it integrates with the CurdBee.com invoice system. Just passing along options. I’m not gettin’ paid to talk these people up. Though, if they wanted to throw a little scratch my way….
December 6, 2011 at 4:11 pm
BB- you got Stripe to work with Etsy? It looked daunting.
December 6, 2011 at 5:56 pm
No, I haven’t tried to get that set up yet. What I’m doing is using CurdBee.com invoicing software along with Stripe (they have a plugin module ready to go) and can then just send a payment request directly to my buyers. It’s an extra step, admittedly, but it bypasses Paypal altogether.
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
“working with you” better included refunding every CENT of the fees that they took off the donations.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
And donate every cent that WE donated, since most of it was refunded. TWICE.
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
We need to pressure them to match Regretsy’s donations if they REALLY want to right their wrong!
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
THANK YOU, HKAPRIL, FOR THE AMAZING JOB WITH THE WHITE SOX UPDATES!!!!!
oh, & for that little “gifts for poor kids” thing, too.
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
Someone at Consumerist noticed that the paypal blog post in question had a goofy picture of a Paypal guy that mysteriously changed from smiley to frowny part way through the day. I made this GIF in tribute:
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
I remember the words of ScruffyLookingNerfHerder Sr. well:
“Don’t fuck with a fat jealous loser.”
No, wait, that wasn’t what he said, I think it went like this:
“Don’t ever marry a woman who is half Puerto Rican and half Jewish.”
December 6, 2011 at 11:44 am
WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!! I knew we could do it. Well, us and Wil Wheaton, that bastard can make ANYBODY apologize for ANYTHING, I swear.
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
I fucking love Will Wheaton. That is all.
WHEEEEEEEATOOOOOOOOONNNNNN!!!!!!
December 6, 2011 at 12:16 pm
If he had a hand in this We need to lobby for him to be the next James Bond or some other part he wants. Karma baby. Does all other behind the scenes legal and charity work for me.
December 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Wil Wheaton as Bond? Never occurred to me before. I think he could pull it off, but it wouldn’t be epic.
Wil Wheaton as Bond villain? That would be epic.
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Fat jealous losers of the world UNITE!! *power fist with big mac*
December 6, 2011 at 11:45 am
Yeah, but if they can’t sign Mark Buehrle, then they’re just going to load up the AA team in hopes that they’re better in 2014.
Wait, what were we talking about?
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
Fat jealous losers rule!
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
we require certain documentation to prevent misuse of the donated funds and, if the recipient claims charitable status, to determine whether they are properly registered.
aka WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU NEED TO STOP.
I posted a chip-in recently to raise $$ to take a rescue dog to the vet & the money was sent to Paypal via the Chip-in website. No one even made a fuss & I am NOT a charitable organization in the least…me thinks Paypal needs to get their shit together.
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
But Regretsy never claimed charitable status, so they shouldn’t have had to prove they’re registered or fill out information about being non-profit. They are like the example they had for “worthy causes” at one point, which was the bicycle shop that wanted to raise money to replace the roof on a church. I’m not sure how that is different from Regretsy wanting to raise money to better the lives of poor children.
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Or programmers wanting “donations” and using a donation button on their website. Consistency, thou art a jewel.
December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Yeah, I think Paypal just makes the rules up as they go along…
December 6, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Along with their fees. I mean don’t get me wrong, I’d be lost without PP, but I’ve an issue with them since day one. A transfer takes 3 days? No, floating it for three days to earn interest on it is more likely. I can deal with truth and making your money but for crying out loud, be honest about it, we aren’t stupid.
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
It better be a damn big donation.
December 6, 2011 at 11:46 am
Translation: We don’t want the bad publicity, so hopefully everyone who closed their account will open one again because we’re now being nice! Right? Isn’t that what you’re going to do? Hello? Anyone listening?
Sad to say is, they’re still getting away with it. They’ll do this again to someone else. It’s sort of a win, but at the same time…
December 6, 2011 at 11:47 am
Their blog post says the issue is resolved and the funds are released. That so? I really hope so; any kind of good news would be so welcome today.
I hope my little bit helped; I FB bombed them for a while last night till my mobile device gave out.
In other news, why #nevertrustagirl? What did we do?
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
A lot, apparently. But you’d think #nevertrustaboy would be right up there with it.
December 6, 2011 at 12:36 pm
In 8th grade you batted your big, brown eyes at me and finagled my math homework from me. Said homework was later returned to me in class by the math teacher after you were busted in the library copying it out.
Darn you Susan Bradley.
December 6, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I was so sure for a few seconds that you were referring to Susan Calvin. *sniff*
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
April, you are nothing short of incredible. You are a generous, hilarious, extraordinarily talented fuck and we are all lucky and grateful to have you to stand up for those who need help this holiday season. I’m proud to be a member of this community. Go forth and kick PayPal ass, ma’am.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
I’m trying to post this to the Paypal blog, but lo and behold I got an error message saying “You are posting comments too quickly! Slow down.” Whoa there, sorry my one little three-sentence post totally overwhelmed your system, Paypal. Anyway, here’s all I was trying to say:
Just want to point out that according to April Winchell of Regretsy, the issue is far from resolved. In fact, contrary to what Mr. Nayar writes, they haven’t even spoken to her yet. Read Regetsy’s latest update here: http://www.regretsy.com/2011/12/06/breaking-news/
So yeah, you’re lying even in your apology. Stay classy, Paypal.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
December 6, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Sick puppies would generate more donations I think. How can you resist the puppy eyes?
(That’s my pup, who is special and chewed himself horribly raw over the weekend, and had a bad day at the vet yesterday. Hence, the utterly pitiful look he’s giving me there. He’s doing a lot better today though!)
December 6, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Of course he’s giving you a pitiful look…he’s wearing the Cone of Shame (from the movie UP, if you don’t know the reference).
December 6, 2011 at 3:54 pm
“I do not like the Cone of Shame”
December 6, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Love that movie! We’ve been calling it the cone of shame too. LOL
December 6, 2011 at 5:58 pm
I bet he’s wondering why everything suddenly got so loud.
December 6, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Probably not far from the truth. That dog is literally scared of his own farts.
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
I was arguing with the complaint department at PayPal this morning when my daughter (who is 6 and home with a broken collar bone) comes up and goes “OH MY GOD! WHO WOULD TAKE AWAY CHRISTMAS FROM POOR KIDS!? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE!?”
Amen, Alora. A-fucking-men.
PayPal has me thoroughly pissed the hell off.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
I’m thinking that to prove a point, I’m going to set up a website “Help Buy My Kids an XBox for Christmas!” With a big, fat, PayPal donation button and see what happens.
December 6, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Fuck that. Go all out. Personally, I think my 2 year old needs his own ride in Dalek from ThinkGeek. It’s totally a worthy cause. 2 year olds NEED stupid expensive toys that their parents really wish were for them. I’m not going to lie, I want a Dalek I can ride on, too, but they don’t make them for my fat ass. So, yeah, I’m making a buy my kid a Dalek site. Forget the fact that his favorite toy right now is a $3 soccer ball.
December 6, 2011 at 11:07 pm
I am so lucky that postage of things from Thinkgeek is almost as much as the cost of the things I want to buy, otherwise I’d practically like in Thinkgeek.
So um, just in case a Thinkgeek boss or something is looking to expand into the Australian market… *quietly points at self*
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
Been lurking and reading… this whole fiasco should go on the record for no good deed going unpunished.
What a scam.
Hope this gets cleared up soon – good work everybody!
(Curious how much they are adding to the donations…)
December 6, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Same boat as you.
I bet it’s the fees they took during this whole process. Minus the initial transaction fees of course…
December 6, 2011 at 11:48 am
When I saw PayPal had issued a statement on the matter, I thought, “I’ll believe it when there’s a new post on Regretsy saying they’re helping her.” Bunch of lying bastards. Have your funds even been released like they said?
I also love how they said their policies on donations are clear when they aren’t, actually. If they were, you would have found out you couldn’t take nonprofit donations. Google Checkout says no nonprofit donations very clearly. Paypal has all this “worthy cause by businesses” mess that sounds like you should have been able to do this just fine.
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
So f*cking proud of Regretsy and all you fat, jealous losers. No, those aren’t tears. I have allergies.
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
My eyes are just a little sweaty today.
December 6, 2011 at 12:04 pm
They’ve been looking around
They’re like lookin’ for you
They’ve been lookin’ around
Even though I told them not to…
December 6, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I’ve just been cutting onions
I’m makin’ a lasagna for one…
December 6, 2011 at 11:55 am
http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9252348-paypal-says-our-bad-on-regretsy-charity-scandal
more bad press
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
Wait. So they issue a statement saying they’ve made a donation, but they haven’t actually done that yet. And they claim they’re working with April, but they have not contacted her. Smells like public relations and bullshit to me.
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/sanzohoushi/seriouspaypal.jpg
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
Oh God. I thought I had imagined that! XD
December 6, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I’LL HELP
What happened to the “Preview” button for posts?
December 6, 2011 at 12:42 pm
For seriously? Are they slowly checking off all the boxes on the “how to mismanage a PR fuck up” check list? What fun!
Not that PayPal usually cares about bad PR since they’ve had boat loads. It’s refreshing they reacted at all. I guess they really didn’t realize the toe they cut off was attached to a dragon. That like regrows toes? Hydra like? With sharp nails? Uhm… my analogy got lost in the rum.
December 6, 2011 at 11:49 am
I’ll believe it when you see it. Did they really release the funds? Did they release your personal account? Did they charge you anything for their actions?
This was all about the fees. Grasping miser cheating cheapskates.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
Paypal is evil. Continue the jihad and the goodies for kids. Yay you!
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
It’s a Christmas miracle! It makes me feel good to be part of making Paypal eat shit about this.
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
Damn skippy PayPal needs to step up. Hopefully they get this moving quick, and Christmas will be saved!
December 6, 2011 at 11:50 am
Just saw this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/paypal-regrets-shutting-down-regretsy/2011/12/06/gIQAt6a2ZO_blog.html
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
That is perfect!
December 6, 2011 at 11:55 am
God I had a crush on Lloyd Bridges when I was a kid. That furry chest and the unzipped wetsuit. Woof.
December 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Yum…and he aged so very well, too!
December 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm
ANY week is the wrong week to fuck with Regretsy.
December 6, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Or a day ending in Y.
December 6, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Any and every week is the wrong week to fuck with Regretsy.
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
Please let us know ASAP if you need any other funds to make sure that the families get their present (a VISA gift card?).
We do not want you to have anything out of pocket for this crusade.
love you!
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
Wow! Regretsy…the Godzilla of the internet!
I know it’s a lot of work, but please become a registered charity now so we can send checks and the MATCHING $ my husband’s company will give you.
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
Thank goodness for the internet and people caring about one another. You all make me so happy and proud to be among you. Please keep doing what you KNOW is right even when everyone tells you it’s wrong. Moments like this show the good that can be done if all put in just a little effort.
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
But if I got a refund, are they going to take the money back? I am so confused. This guy looks creepy. They sound like liars. I’m hungry. It’s cold.
Sorry… I just start complaining on one topic and it sort of snowballs. I’ll check my account and see if I need to send money. Again.
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
I like how they issued an “apology” on their blog, but no one has taken the time to call you to apologize in person.
So, this “donation” they’re giving, are they taking fees out of that transaction too??
December 6, 2011 at 11:51 am
This is easily the most supportive, amazing community I have ever seen. The way everyone banded together was as wonderful as paypal’s actions were horrible.
Guys, seriously, no one has anything on this group of fat jealous losers.
CF4L
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
On a related note, there are some small shops that use PayPal who are very upset about people boycotting PayPal (and by extension the stores that use PayPal for sales processing.) When I asked (in all earnestness, via Twitter) how to support small shops while still boycotting PayPal (as I doubt this will be the last time PayPal pisses people off) I was told “You can’t. Which is why you need to think about who you’re actually hurting. … A boycott of Paypal costs them ~3% of a transaction — and costs the small business *97%*. Actions have consequences.” As I don’t believe it would help and “Hey DIPSHIT your math on that doesn’t work. Both the small business and PayPal lose 100% of their profits on a boycotted transaction and part of the point of a boycott is to make the boycotted company undesirable/unprofitable to work with.” is too long to tweet I left it alone. Fair warning there is backlash backlash.
December 6, 2011 at 11:56 am
THere are other options for small shops and businesses to use. Etsy won’t add another option besides paypal? There are a couple other handmade shop sites they can move to. Running your own site? Use google checkout or amazon payments. Just saying. No donations with those, but fine for businesses.
December 6, 2011 at 12:11 pm
This particular guy says ‘Those options aren’t good enough.’ So he refuses to stop using PP and says that people who boycott PP should stop because it isn’t FAIR to him that he might lose money just because he refuses to leave PP. Yeah, the red mark on my forehead isn’t a zit. It is from the epic head-desk I did after trying to figure out how this guy thinks the market works.
December 6, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Wow that’s some…special thinking there, unknown sir.
I love small businesses because they provide me with things I didn’t even know existed or could get from a bigger store (portal necklace ftw!). But unfortunately boycotts are all about inflicting pain. Consumers put the hurt on businesses, who’d go howling to Paypal to make it right or leave in droves, which either makes Paypal get its shit together or die. But it sucks to be the business owner stuck in the middle waiting for a better option and losing much-needed business. I honestly feel for you guys.
However (Mr. Unknown Snowflayke) that doesn’t make me obligated to ignore my morals in favor of keeping you, sir, afloat.
December 6, 2011 at 1:04 pm
*shakes head* It’s one thing to say that you have to stick with PayPal because it offers features you need (right now I’m looking at alternatives, but I’ve yet to find one that allows my clients to use a credit card without having an account).
It’s another thing entirely to scold potential customers for not doing what you want. If a bunch of my clients told me that they didn’t want to use credit cards (or whatever) you can bet your sweet patoot that I’d be busting my butt figuring out how they could pay me, and not whine about how unreasonable they were being.
Yeesh.
December 6, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Exactly. I am never going to say that it is all gravy and unicorns being a (relatively) innocent merchant stuck in the middle of a 3rd party boycott. It is a shitty position to be in and frustration and anger are to be expected. Saying that people shouldn’t boycott a 3rd party because you use that 3rd party and intend to continue to do so? No. Because Economics.
December 6, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Entitlement is not good business style.
December 6, 2011 at 12:40 pm
People are having issues with Amazon Payments lately- after 1.5 yrs, I had a customer pay via Amazon Payments & I NEVER got the notice, I had to manually mark the order paid on Artfire. Between not sending notice to Artfire about payments being made, to being unable to suddenly verify people’s accounts,despite doing it repeatedly, which leads to them locking our Amazon Payments accounts.
I’ve tried 5 times now to get them to close my account, because they seem to have gotten it into their thick heads that I’m trying to set up a seller account for selling on Amazon, when it’s a pre-existing account from 1000Markets days. I’ve tried 3 times to verify the account, but they keep saying they can’t, that some info I entered is wrong or something.
They are now telling me they can’t close my account because they can’t find a seller account attached to my email. *headdesk* Yeah, never using Amazon Payments again.
December 6, 2011 at 1:16 pm
I have successfully used Google Checkout for my etsy customers. Most people who are serious about buying handmade don’t mind taking a second to sign up for it. All you have to do is check the “other” button as a means of paying. Sellers must go to the horrible inconvenience of making sure that they accept “other” as payment and then SEND AND INVOICE. I know, right? For my 3 sales a month, that’s going sooooo out of my way.
But hey, it’s like I tell people about shopping at Walmart. If there is literally no other option for you, do what you must.
December 6, 2011 at 12:18 pm
I got a small shop on Etsy…I take personal checks and money orders.
If anyone want’s to avoid paypal, that’s my way of helping them.
Plus, it helps the US Postal Service increase it’s first class mail!
December 6, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Yeah let’s save some mailpersons jobs next.
December 6, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I don’t blame independent sellers for being mad about the boycott. This is the time of year when they count on getting sales, and people just won’t buy if it isn’t convenient. Believe me, I used to have an Etsy store that was check or money order only, and people don’t want to bother if they can’t buy something in a few clicks.
A sucky situation all around.
December 6, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
December 6, 2011 at 2:19 pm
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December 6, 2011 at 2:54 pm
I think I get your point, but I’m genuinely confused by your analogy.
I understand that the point of the boycott is to force everyone, including sellers, to find an alternative. And I’m not saying that shouldn’t happen, I’m just saying that it sucks to be that seller stuck in the middle at a particularly busy time of the year.
December 7, 2011 at 10:18 am
Apples and Oranges, your analogy doesn’t work.
December 6, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Etsy allows any form of payment sellers want to process and deal with on their own. Etsy partners with and has “integrated” paypal. My crusade (other than to give xmas to these kids and their families) is now to get heard by the Cupcake administration.
Sellers and buyers alike need to contact Etsy and ask for choice. There are other safe and tested ways to pay– why not integrate google checkout? ProPay? Gopayment? Anything?
If we demand alternate payment, Etsy will have to listen. Just like if customers refuse to deal with Paypal, we as sellers must adjust accordingly.
I’m looking into alternatives and will be offering any reputable pay option that allows me to still make money (fees around as much as paypal charges).
Checks and MO are ok too, but they delay shipping of product by as much as 2 weeks and are notoriously bouncy.
December 6, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Look at http://www.dwolla.com – their ethic is right.
December 6, 2011 at 12:50 pm
PayPal pulls this shit over and over again. If you want to have an internet business and run it professionally, don’t use PayPal (or only PayPal). They are not professional. If an aggregator tells you PayPal is the only way to accept payments online, that aggregator is not professional.
You want to run a business? Grow some balls, pull up your big girl pants, and deal. (That’s not a mixed metaphor. It’s gender inclusive.)
December 6, 2011 at 1:20 pm
“Both the small business and PayPal lose 100% of their profits on a boycotted transaction”
Which is SUBSTANTIALLY more money for the seller than it is for PayPal. The point is that the seller of a $100 item will lose $97 worth of sales if you buy it elsewhere; PayPal loses only $3.
Like it or not, a boycott of stores that accept PayPal will hurt small sellers more than it will PayPal. It’s all very well and good to tell them to just go with someone else, but some of us don’t have time to scramble to get a new payment processor right in the middle of the fucking holiday shopping season.
It’s fine if you don’t want to buy from small businesses that use PayPal, but if you’re under the impression that PayPal is the primary one hurt by that, then you’re mistaken. Now, it’s another story if you choose to use someone else for your own business – that’s where you REALLY stick it to them.
December 6, 2011 at 1:39 pm
You know what, to the down-thumbers, I have kids too. Aside from my eBay business, I am unemployed, recently divorced, and my house is in foreclosure. I am below poverty level. Christmas will be EXCEPTIONALLY light this year. Nothing for the adults, maybe a few little things for the kids.
PayPal doesn’t give two shits about whether you pick another seller over me, at least not in the short term. But in the short term, if you boycott sellers like me, then we won’t be able to do much for OUR kids for the holidays. Maybe not even be able to pay the gas bill.
I’m not joking about this. I don’t want assistance, just a little consideration as someone who doesn’t have the luxury of putting my principles above keeping food on the table.
December 6, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Accept other means of payment; pur pressure on Etsy and Ebay
December 6, 2011 at 2:13 pm
eBay does at least allow other electronic payment methods. My problem is that I cannot possibly hope to have enough time to research the approved methods and change all my listings before the holiday shopping season ends.
And I would definitely lose sales to customers who are already set up with PayPal and don’t want to have to sign up with something they’ve never heard of. I can’t afford to lose even one.
It’s kind of like being damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Guess I’ll continue doing things this way for now, look into changes in the future, and hope that I have customers loyal enough that they wouldn’t dump me over something like this.
December 7, 2011 at 10:24 am
The holiday season is NOT the time to insist that people find other online payment processors.
Most customers online want to pay for their item NOW, rather than wait for a check or money order to reach the merchant, then wait even longer for it to clear, then wait even longer for that item to get to them.
Especially at the holiday season when they may be shopping for last minute gifts that they need within a week or so.
So the flippant ‘oh just find another payment processor’ is useless during this time of year.
December 6, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Yes, I understand math. If you read my post that included that line it was part of a conversation about supporting small business without having to support PayPal. This simply means offering an alternative payment process. It does NOT mean that if you use PayPal I will not buy from you, it means if PayPal is your ONLY payment option I will not buy from you. Other sellers on here have offered multiple PayPal alternatives, if you refuse to include an alternative means of payment in addition to PayPal attempting to make me feel guilty for not buying from you WILL NOT WORK as you clearly are not interested in my custom.
December 6, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Of all the things I’ve seen on this site, a clean conscience about someone else’s choices (now with children-matching!) would be among the least appealing.
December 6, 2011 at 4:53 pm
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December 6, 2011 at 4:34 pm
It’s fine if you don’t want to buy from small businesses that use PayPal…
An important distinction should be made. I haven’t heard of anyone urging people not to buy from sellers who use PayPal. People are saying they don’t want to use PayPal any more to buy from sellers. That is, if you accept other payment methods, we’ll buy from you using those.
The fact is that there is and has long been a standing risk for you, as a seller, if you use PayPal, and a standing risk for buyers who use it, too. I have had PayPal nix a transaction before simply because they didn’t like the name of the website I was sending money to; they also got my checking account frozen until I explained to my bank.
I’m amazed by sellers who, instead of realizing this happened to another seller and could happen to them, too, are acting as though there is no reason here for them to be seeking alternate payment methods for their own good as well as their customers’.
December 6, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Pay attention.
I AM planning on looking into alternative methods. I simply don’t have time to do it for this holiday season, which in the online shopping world is almost over. As of right now, it’s either PayPal or the customer has to ask if I accept money orders (which I do, but per eBay’s rules am not allowed to advertise).
And I’m also interested in defending other sellers who may not have even heard about this.
Again, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t boycott, just that a little fucking sympathy for people who are struggling financially would be nice. Since that’s what the whole fucking point of this whole thing is supposed to be – helping people out.
Don’t forget that one of HK’s goals in the beginning was TO HELP SMALL SELLERS. She just couldn’t make it work from a logistics standpoint. I’m betting she at least would feel a smidgen of sympathy and not want folks to lose holiday business over PP’s idiocy.
December 6, 2011 at 5:06 pm
So you DO offer an alternative payment method and none of my exchange with that entitled seller applies to you. Got it.
December 6, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Not officially, though. I’m not allowed to advertise it due to eBay’s idiotic rule. I can ACCEPT a check or money order, but I can’t actually TELL people that I do unless they ask me.
You can tell that eBay and PP are related, seriously. Sometimes they piss me off, and this time very much so, but then so does my fiance and I haven’t left him yet.
December 6, 2011 at 5:32 pm
I actually initially tweeted that whiny guy out of the hope that he would realize that he was coming off as saying “Boycott of PayPal is a de facto boycott of my site!” and he might say that he will take check or money order (upon request even if not advertised). His response to me and others was that PayPal is the ONLY payment type he will use and it isn’t fair for customers to refuse to use PayPal. If you refuse to accommodate customers reasonable* alternative payment options then obviously you don’t want their custom.
*reasonable also being a key here. No, you don’t have to accept payment in chickens or interpretive dance, though if you want to more power to you
December 6, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Ebay says you can’t say you take money orders? WHAT? Ebay needs some pushing and punishing on that point.
December 6, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Re-read before telling me to pay attention.
This thread started by talking about a seller who is taking the “boycott” of PayPal as a de facto boycott of himself. In a thread (with some math) saying that isn’t the case, you re-cast the math to say it is. I was pointing out that no, it isn’t, because that whole line of argument is based on buyers “boycotting” PayPal by refusing to buy from sellers who accept PayPal even if they accept other means of payment, while adding that transactions through PayPal are inherently riskier than they should be and both the buyer and seller stand to lose.
At no point did I intend to criticize you personally or take a contentious tone with you. You seem to be taking my remarks too personally — ironic in a thread about another seller taking the idea of a boycott of a third party personally. Please check the greater context before taking offense.
December 6, 2011 at 11:52 am
I love the image they chose for this one:
http://www.businessinsider.com/paypal-regretsy-2011-12
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
I sent out mass emails to Paypal last night telling them they suck and then promptly went to cancel my account. I get to the last screen and click “cancel account” and it comes up with “sorry, your last request could not be processed”. WTF. I have been trying since last night. Apprently Paypal is holding me hostage.
December 6, 2011 at 11:57 am
I can’t either. It says I have a pending transaction when I don’t have a pending transaction other than one seller not marking something as shipped even though I got an email from them saying it shipped already. And I can’t delete my bank account or credit card from there even though MY end of the transactions have gone through.
December 6, 2011 at 12:17 pm
A lot of people have run into the ‘transactions pending’ glitch. and not just recently. It goes back years.
December 6, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Ketris is correct. I had one of these recently when I got a new credit card number. I couldn’t remove the old one. I had to call customer service. I got a rep in about 20 minutes, but she ended up spending another 20 minutes physically looking for someone in her department to help because she didn’t understand how to fix the problem either!
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
No matter how this actually ‘resolves’, the support shown in this matter is entirely based on real people believing in you, your cause, and that you are a good person doing good things. Thanks, HK.
Aaaand now back to our regularly scheduled snarkyfunny programming!
December 6, 2011 at 11:53 am
Did you see this?
http://consumerist.com/2011/12/paypal-bows-to-internet-scorn-agrees-to-release-regretsys-funds.html
December 6, 2011 at 11:54 am
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
December 6, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Actually nope, this 2008 post (that has been brought up on several previous posts) is out of date any many addresses bounced (maybe all of them, but I muted the thread after the first 10).
December 6, 2011 at 11:54 am
That is the lamest friggin’ apology I’ve ever seen. “Sorry, but it’s your fault for using the wrong button. We’re just trying to protect the world from bad people” – The problem here is the shitty customer service and problem solving not the fact that you used the wrong damn button!
December 6, 2011 at 11:55 am
Regretsians kick major ass. I’m just saying. You point us at a cause and we will get shit done. And if some one stands in our way, we will still get shit done, because we kick major ass. I love you fuckers.
December 6, 2011 at 11:56 am
Never in my life have I been so PROUD to be a fat jealous loser.
December 6, 2011 at 1:16 pm
what knittedninja said.
I <3 all of you Fat Jealous Losers.
December 6, 2011 at 11:58 am
December 6, 2011 at 11:59 am
Anuj Nayar~~Only too happy to help the KITTEHS and TITTEHS in need.
December 6, 2011 at 11:59 am
December 6, 2011 at 12:10 pm
Paypal made glitter kitty cry
December 6, 2011 at 4:30 pm
glitter kitty should claw and chew their faces off then spray them for good measure!
December 6, 2011 at 8:05 pm
I read that last part as SPAY them for good measure. And I was totally on board.
December 6, 2011 at 12:00 pm
I am so tore up about Sergio being traded to the Blue Jays. Damn Kenny Williams!
Oh and great about that whole paypal thing too….
December 6, 2011 at 12:01 pm
It is so typical paypal for them to announce that they had resolved the problem and made a donation and not have contacted April at all. Paypal believes that they are right and Godlike that way. I would love to know the time difference betwen the announcement and the real actual contact.
I can’t close my paypal account, they took it away from me several years ago when a bitch named Stephanie in France lied and stole a doll & $250 from me and I was left with the problems. I currently do sell on ebay with a partner and and we are using paypal but every transaction hurts especially now that sellers pay commission on even the the postage that they collect and then pay paypal commission on the amount before commission for the fucking postage. I am looking into the alternatives.
December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Yeah I like their passive, bullshit apology that takes no responsibility. “We’re sorry this occurred.” Bitch, EARTHQUAKES just OCCUR. You and your crappy policies CREATED this!
December 6, 2011 at 12:15 pm
I got suspended from Ebay & Paypal about 3 years ago b/c I got scammed & went here to get back on <a href="http://www.aspkin.com/final-ebay-suspension-suspended-account-guide/"
And you have to follow it step-by-step or the fuckweasels on Ebay/Paypal will kick you off again…
December 6, 2011 at 12:15 pm
FML, I don’t know how to post a link so cut and paste this:
http://www.aspkin.com/final-ebay-suspension-suspended-account-guide/
December 6, 2011 at 1:17 pm
It means they had a meeting and decided there was no other way out. But no one has gone back to their desk yet because one the donuts were gone it was time for lunch. Fat lazy Paypricks.
December 6, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Bravo, April. If we could only all be a fat, ugly loser like you. Fuck paypal.
December 6, 2011 at 12:02 pm
I think that every Etsy seller that comes here to complain about being lambasted by Regretsy should be shown these article and told A. Do you really want to fuck with a site that has this much power and B. We’ll call the whaaambulanace for you.
December 6, 2011 at 12:05 pm
hmmm paypal now seems to have locked their comments under the apology…wont let me most. Assholery at its finest
December 6, 2011 at 12:05 pm
UN-OCCUPY PAYPAL SUCCESS!!! ALL THE THINGS! CHANGE ALL THE THINGS!!!!
December 6, 2011 at 12:20 pm
not gonna abandon my protesting of paypal until results are confirmed.
If Paypal dont’ like it…I got a step by step process they can do.
One of which involves puckering up!
December 6, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Talk to me when you start doing Detroit Tigers Breaking News.}:P
And PayPal still sucks. They claim they’re regulated- they are not and have never been regulated by anyone or anything.
They claim their donate button guidelines are clear- they are not and have never been clear and concise.
They need to stop talking out their collective asses.
December 6, 2011 at 4:18 pm
shout out to a Detroiter!
December 6, 2011 at 12:05 pm
I wonder if the douche canoes at PayPal realize that they can’t just SAY they’ve made it all better. We fat, jealous losers want an actual resolution!
December 6, 2011 at 12:06 pm
December 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Love it!
December 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Brilliant!
December 6, 2011 at 12:15 pm
You win the internet. That’s it, we can all just pack it in and go home.
December 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Regretsy is the new WikiLeaks.
December 6, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Yes, but OURS has a very pretty female leader and her handsome and non-sleazy male partner, who probably doesn’t have an outstanding arrest warrant in Sweden, but we haven’t heard all the stories from their trip, yet
December 6, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Neil fricking GAIMAN re-Tweeted about this. Aah, the power of we lazy, fat fuckers on the interwebs.
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Fat, jealous losers have to stick together! Ha but seriously, you’re right April. These guys are assholes. They did it to SomethingAwful in 2005 with Katrina donations, they did it in October of this year with Diaspora, they froze my personal account 3 times and did jack shit about it, they just generally don’t care. As long as they get their fees then screw you. So screw them.
December 6, 2011 at 12:08 pm
I have been following this whole clusterf*** closely, and I still cannot understand why Paypal did this. And what kind of weak-ass apology from them was that?! Thank jeebus everyone has been lambasting them with comments/blog posts/etc. (That Green Geek one was especially awesome.) Keep us posted April!
December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm
That “apology” must have been taken from the same notebook as Netflix’s apology letter. Shitty and lame.
December 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm
Here I go, tearing up again. Fuck you, Regretsy, and fuck your compassion and passion for doing the right thing.
December 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57337679-93/paypal-in-flap-over-freezing-a-charity-account/
December 6, 2011 at 12:16 pm
I’m so glad that the world of Regretsy finally gets to see what others have known for years: Pay Pal sucks diseased weenie. So do their employees. Pay Pal is an unregulated financial company that screws with consumers with no remorse.
Damn right they had better straighten this out. But I still think they are worthy of complaining about to our elected officials. This was like putting a spotlight on what they do — even if they try to pay off with a donation, don’t stop complaining and close your account if you can afford to use Google wallet or something else.
Pay Pal hates Christmas, hates kids and doesn’t give a damn about anything but Pay Pal profits and illegal freezes on money. (Can we say free float for Pay Pal?)
Now where do I apply for the ‘best rant of the day’ award??!
Merry Christmas Kids! Here’s your coal. Love, Pay Pal.
December 6, 2011 at 12:18 pm
YEAH! We did it! Even got it on CNN.com I am so proud of all of you!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/06/tech/web/regretsy-paypal-gifts/index.html
I sent emails to everyone at KFI AM 640 too, I hope the story continues to get all the attention it deserves! April, we got your back
December 6, 2011 at 12:31 pm
I like that he included the use of the word “snark” to describe Regretsy. It’s like he knows us far too well.
December 6, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I love how they link to her IMDB page. All the children’s movies/TV shows she’s done makes this site EVEN BETTER!
December 6, 2011 at 12:19 pm
It kind of bothers me that they posted that before actually talking to April, but I guess they’re in hyper “save face” mode right about now and just want to get that out there. What’s important is that they unfreeze the money in time to get it to the families.
December 6, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
December 6, 2011 at 12:20 pm
The Paypal blog isn’t even letting me post a comment, now. It keeps either timing out or giving me an error.
I’ll be closing my account today, as will my family members and all the other business owners I know. I don’t even frequent Regretsy, I found out about all this through Wil Wheaton’s tweet, but dammit, this aggression will not STAND.
December 6, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Welcome to Regretsy! Open bar, daily art exhibits, and weeknight shenanigans. Oh, and thank you.
December 6, 2011 at 12:22 pm
December 6, 2011 at 12:23 pm
love times a billion.
December 6, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Retweeted. That is some fantastic wit right there.
December 6, 2011 at 12:22 pm
When will companies learn that in this time of social media, blogs, youtube, etc; it’s nearly impossible to fuck someone over and get away with it? Even without the power of something as awesome and big as Regretsy, the average person has a Facebook account, Tumblr, Youtube, Blogger and/or WordPress, old people have Myspace, and many other personal online resources in which to bitch about what a dick move your company made. There are no secrets in the customer service industry. Have a shitty cashier at Wal-Mart? Blog about it or post a rant on youtube. It will happen and companies will finally learn that this generation isn’t going to take their shit lying down anymore.
December 6, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Everyone knows old people don’t have Myspace, they have AOL.
December 6, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Let us know when it’s okay to resend the money. In fact, I’ll send more, just because.
December 6, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Enough is enough with abuse from Paypal.
It is time to institute phase II. Anyone who has had issues with Paypal freezing accounts, cancelling accounts, being obnoxious…needs to contact their State Department of Consumer Protection and Attorney General’s office.
Those departments are there to protect the citizens from abuse such as this.
Let’s face it…Paypal is a bank and as such should be regulated as such. It is time to take a serious look into them.
December 6, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Sometimes – just sometimes, mind you – making a stink gets you somewhere besides marinating in your own stink.
December 6, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Here are over 450 email addresses and phone numbers to reach a real live human at Paypal/eBay.
http://consumerist.com/2008/06/all-the-secret-paypalebay-email-addresses-and-phone-numbers-you-could-ever-want.html
December 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm
You hit the nail on the head here: “There is no real support or appreciation for the consumer anymore. The customer is always wrong.” The economy might improve and the world might be a better place if companies would hire and properly train/empower more customer service reps! Good luck w/ PayPal and your charitable effort:)
December 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm
my family is one of the lucky families to be helped out by this whole project. I certainly felt like I had to say something to paypal. I’ve been trolling their facebook page, sending emails, and filing complaints. I’m soooooo glad everyone else is too. What they’re doing is ridiculous. I love you Regresty People.
December 6, 2011 at 1:45 pm
We’re happy to help. After all, how many chances do you get in your life to save Christmas from a cartoon supervillain?
December 6, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Made an account just post. I’ve been following this story for about 14 hrs now..about 1:30 AM my time when I saw @melissaanelli go on a Twitter rampage about this debacle, and I’ve been in a rage ever since. I’ve been to Regretsy before, and it’s always given me a laugh. I’ve already cancelled my Paypal account, citing your treatment as my reason. I hardly ever used it, because of previous issues with them, but this truly pushed me over the edge.
Mostly I just want to say that if and when a new donation site is available, I will happily contribute and will tell everyone I know to do the same.
Way to go, internet!
December 6, 2011 at 12:35 pm
The White Sox and the Jays STILL won’t make post-season.
Way to go, April!
December 6, 2011 at 12:37 pm
I love how Paypal’s response was “We’re working things out, and by the way we were never wrong.”
December 6, 2011 at 12:39 pm
So, I went to post a comment on the paypal “statement” and for whatever reason, it had me post as someone named “Gary H” (who I think might be a Regretsy user who was posting at the same time/before me) and said my comment was awaiting moderation. When I refreshed and tried to comment as myself, it said I needed administrative login information. So…are they blocking comments from their statement now?
Stay classy, PayPal!
December 6, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Same thing happened to me, down to the Gary H. information. They must have closed the comments, since the number has been sitting at 52 for at 45 minutes now.
December 6, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I made comment #-14243 on the PayPal blog. It told me it was “awaiting moderation,” but I took a screen shot which is why I know what number comment I was.
Regretsy has Chuck Norris kicking PayPal’s a$$!
December 6, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Will we have another chance to donate (not using paypal)? I missed the first run!
And yes, they are deleting, disabling and moderating comments on the paypal blog. Bunch of dick tards. Also, CNN released a post saying that PayPal has backed down and the charity is funded now….I wonder how much Paypal paid CNN to do that little write up?
December 6, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Maybe when they say “we are working directly with the account holder,” what they mean is, “we already fed her a bunch of shit excuses yesterday so that counts as working with her.”
April, have they actually released the funds or is the entire “apology” a crock of shit and lies?
December 6, 2011 at 12:54 pm
jk I figured it out – April, did you remember to turn on your fax machine so they can contact you?
December 6, 2011 at 12:50 pm
I have a whole box of Hostess Ding-Dongs that have been injected with the finest bourbon whiskey sitting right here. RIGHT HERE.
But I’m not celebrating until I see more substantial proof than a mealy-mouthed press release that PayPal is actually making good on this. Call me cynical and pessimistic; hopefully by the end of the day you’ll be calling me shitfaced.
December 6, 2011 at 1:11 pm
…oh, and Gruß vom Krampus, eh?
December 6, 2011 at 12:51 pm
I couldn’t post this comment to their blog, so I thought I’d post it here, if that’s okay with you guys. Been a longtime lurker but the BS enraged me enough to close my PP account (that sounds dirty)…
Nice try, guys. Have you actually listened to or read the statements made by someone in your employ? You’ve already lost lots and lots of business, mine included, and at the moment, eBay was my only source of potential income. You know, those people who REQUIRE me to have a PayPal account in order to sell anything there, because you’re owned by the same people. So basically you’ve just cut off the one remaining source of income I HAVE by being idiots. Thanks a lot. I’ll see you on the corner when I have my little cardboard sign up that says WILL MAKE JEWELRY FOR FOOD.
And while we’re at it… What paperwork did the person behind makeabimbo.com have to submit in order to put their “DONATE” button up?
December 6, 2011 at 12:52 pm
The whole thing is now on iTunes. PayPal hates kids. http://traffic.libsyn.com/planxnetwork/PayPal_hates_kids_episode_24.mp3
December 6, 2011 at 12:53 pm
any other etsy sellers doing something “special” to stick this point up paypal’s ass? my fingers yearn to cancel my account… it would feel so so so good. but I might as well shut down my store while i’m at it… thought about going into vacation mode till the money’s restored, but not sure the point would get across.
I’m off to write strongly worded emails!
December 6, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I’m sorry to say that, in the Boston area, white chicks are being talked about instead of Regretsy.
Trends: Boston trends · change
#YouNeedTrueBloodPromoted
#nevertrustagirl
#firstjob
#GiftsGrandmaWontWant
White Chicks
Big East
San Diego State
Trust Issues
X-Men
Keith Marshall
December 6, 2011 at 6:25 pm
In the Twin Cities, let’s see what’s trending.. THE HELL?
Trends: Minneapolis trends · change
#YouNeedTrueBloodPromoted
#ThingsBlackPeopleSayInArguments
#glee
#letsbringback
Red Solo Cup
Deborah Cox
Will Barton
A Christmas Story
Jimmy V
Jesse James
December 6, 2011 at 12:54 pm
We’ll see how things go, but until then, look what Forbes wrote:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2011/12/06/on-the-anniversary-of-cutting-off-wikileaks-paypal-slaps-christmas-charity/
December 6, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Anonymous gets a logo? Someone better make us a sampler logo!
December 6, 2011 at 12:55 pm
Yeah, their website is consistently showing me the previous poster’s email and username in the comment fields. There is something really broken there. Good thing they’re so concerned about privacy!
I mean how did they even manage that?
December 6, 2011 at 12:57 pm
This is serious. CNN?! You buncha fucks-how could you be so adamant about giving CHRISTMAS to POOR KIDS! Assholes. <3
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/06/tech/web/regretsy-paypal-gifts/index.html
December 6, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Amongst the most amazing things I have learnt through all of this is that Paypal is apparently unregulated in the USA. Is that true?
Here in the UK it qualifies as a bank and is regulated as such by the Financial Services Authority.
If it is true that it is not regulated in the USA, that is madness, letting a company offer accounts, run financial transactions and take fees for financial services, without any kind of regulation.
Mindblowing. Or possibly not true after all?
December 6, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Unfortunately true. Not that bank regulation means much here, anyway. They’re so poorly regulated that we needed to bail them out, remember? It crashed your economy, too!
December 6, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Anxiously awaiting paypal’s “donation”…
December 6, 2011 at 12:59 pm
I did not even know about your site until I found out about this issue a Daily Kos. Outrage does not even begin to describe my feelings regarding their treatment of you. i would like to believe that when people go out of their way to help others, especially in light of the fact that so many families are hurting, 1 in 5 kids are living in poverty in our Country, that we should give people the benefit of the doubt. what is even more galling though is that you followed their f’ing guidelines. they froze money meant for the less fortunate, kept THEIR FEES! and basically turned an otherwise extremely well meaning project into a corporate 1% clusterfuck because people cannot fathom that someone might actually have good intentions.
I am sorry you have and continue to go through this. I shared this on my wall, your site, tweeted, etc. Paypal should feel the burn because what happened was just beyond the pale.
December 6, 2011 at 12:59 pm
I love that paypal’s apology essentially boils down to “I’m sorry that you misunderstood me.”
December 6, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Ah, the backhanded apology.
“I’m sorry you feel that way”
December 6, 2011 at 1:04 pm
I didn’t donate to the Secret Santa fund to pad some asshole’s holiday paycheck.
December 6, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Yeah! I really feel like I was a part of something here. Talk about banding together and doing something really amazing. This went worldwide overnight. So proud to have contributed – even if I am a fat, jealous loser. Woooooo!
December 6, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Does anyone else wonder how many pictures of facial expressions they have for Mr. Nayar there? I’m sure happy and SRS cover most eventualities, but I have to hope there is a folder on some PR person’s computer full of them.
December 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm
“Oh, for Christ sakes.”
“A shitstorm, you say?”
“Um…oh. I see.”
“MY BAD GUISE”
December 6, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I just found out about this nonsense on MSNBC and I am FUCKING PISSED at PayPal. The Regretsy community and the charitable causes that are being supported deserve far better treatment than this.
December 6, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Wow, I was just looking through the #Regretsy tweets and saw one of my favorite authors, Laura Anne Gilman, tweeting about it.
December 6, 2011 at 1:15 pm
So… did they actually give the money back?
December 6, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I hope they DO make a donation and I hope they release all the funds. I hope that all those children can have a merry Christmas too
And for good measure I wish for World Peace!
December 6, 2011 at 7:07 pm
AND RAZZLEBERRY DRESSING
December 6, 2011 at 1:19 pm
I’m at least thankful that it is easy to close a Paypal account (in theory). However, I hadn’t used mine in at least 5 years and couldn’t remember which email it was tied to. Turned out it was tied to an email account I closed last year. Then I just had to guess which password, out of the 70 bajillion I use, was tied to the account. Thank you PayPal for not locking a customer out after 3-5 failed attempts, surely you have other safety measures in place?
December 6, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Yeah!!! I’ve been waiting for news of that trade for days!
Also, I am actually really cheered up by the fact that all of us spamming their FB and their Twitter and someone getting this story up on Consumerist actually made a difference.
THIS. IS. AWESOME.
Good job, Fat Jealous Loser Brigade!
December 6, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Glad to see Paypal decided that they don’t hate children, don’t want to rape children’s dreams for Christmas and are not money thieves. Way to go. It shouldn’t have gotten to the point that it did for Paypal to do the right thing.
Although, I’m comforted knowing that they care about my cats. They still care, right? Cause, Holy Thundercunt, I will need those donations some day.
I’m so happy that our ranting and raving got the money released and those families will have a Christmas this year. In the end, that’s all that matters.
December 6, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Not sure they are going to follow through.
Not giving them credit until they do.
December 6, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Yeah, I jumped the gun on that one cause I was so excited to see that we actually made a difference. I should’ve done more research & I should’ve known better. I still have faith that they will be wearing cement shoes before this is said and done with. At least I’m crossing my fingers, legs and toes that they will.
December 6, 2011 at 1:29 pm
PayPal: a system which allows you to donate money to Ku Klux Klan, but not to Regretsy or Wikileaks.
What’s wrong with this picture?
December 6, 2011 at 1:30 pm
PayPal turns into Scrooge as it shuts down a blog’s Secret Santa program for poor children
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070786/PayPal-turns-Scrooge-shuts-blogs-Secret-Santa-program-poor-children.html#ixzz1fnCAAlsa
December 6, 2011 at 1:32 pm
So the kids ARE getting a Christmas after all?? Yay!
Keep us updated, April. I would loved to know what their donation would be.
December 6, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Glad to see that these families are gonna have a good holiday after all. It still doesn’t right the wrong, though, and had we not stirred up the bees nest, none of this would have happened.
The PayPal company was “REactive” in this instead of “PROactive” (what a company SHOULD be if something like this happens.) And now they have a HUGE PR nightmare on their hands so they hand out a weak backhanded apology in hopes to stop their dropping stock and save whatever accounts are left with them.
They never had a “responsibility for their customers” because if that was the case, this never would have happened. Their responsibility is to their bottom dollar (like so many other large corporations out there) and the ideal of helping your fellow man went out with bartering and company offered pensions.
I still refuse to use them, btw. I doubt I ever will, after this.
December 6, 2011 at 1:37 pm
Dear PayPal,
I’m really hoping that donation comes along with “a letter saying you understood what you did WAS WRONG AND YOU WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN”
December 6, 2011 at 1:38 pm
BEHOLD! THE POWER OF THE TWEEEET!
December 6, 2011 at 1:39 pm
screw the Sox, go Cubs!
December 6, 2011 at 1:39 pm
This is not Paypal’s first rodeo: http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/paypal-fiasco-summary.php
December 6, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I don’t usually drop in here much (I mainly lurk), but I just wanted to throw this link into the hopper: http://egl.livejournal.com/17991166.html The rufflebutts of the egl (elegant gothic & lolita) LJ comm have also mobilized and joined in the protests.
CF4L!
December 6, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Paypal account is officially closed. Nothing they do or say can make me re-open it. What a pack of unconscionable douchebags
December 6, 2011 at 1:42 pm
December 6, 2011 at 1:52 pm
thanks for wrapping this one up!
December 6, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Alright, I’ve been thinking….
When life gives you lemons, don’t make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get mad! I don’t want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager! Make life rue the day it thought it could give April Winchell lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the man who’s gonna burn your house down! With the lemons! I’m gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!
Paypal…..we will get CAVE JOHNSON ON YOUR ASS!!!
I am just so damn proud of this whole community I could poop. I really really could.
December 6, 2011 at 2:13 pm
“When life gives you lemons you squeeze them, hard. Make invisible ink. Make an acid poison. Fling it in their eyes.” (from Soon I Will Be Invincible)
December 6, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Or make bombs.
*fling*
BOOM
December 6, 2011 at 2:00 pm
made it to msn!! http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9252348-paypal-says-our-bad-on-regretsy-charity-scandal
December 6, 2011 at 2:01 pm
December 6, 2011 at 2:01 pm
I’m still trying to figure out how to cancel my paypal account. I swear to you, they’re hiding the option from me.
In the meantime, I’m spreading the word to friends and through facebook and planning to find a way to get a lot of money to the next round of charities. Man.
Paypal needs to do the right thing first and THEN tell the world they’ve already done it. They’re just making themselves look worse and worse.
December 6, 2011 at 2:08 pm
I just used the search bar at the upper right hand side. I typed in “close account.” On the results page it was the 2nd or 3rd link down.
December 6, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I found it using someone’s easy to follow three step process. I’ve had such bad luck with those search bars that I didn’t even think to try it.
But thank you!
December 6, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Account closed. Comment:
Honestly, the stories that have come up when Regretsy went public about people having accounts frozen, money taken from customer bank accounts that was unauthorized and various other horrors, I feel entirely unsafe allowing your company to have any of my financial information.
Introducing clear guidelines and transparency might help, but I think the time to fix things may actually be past.
Finally, announcing that you’d solved the problem when Regretsy has yet to actually receive any contact from you is possibly the sleazy cherry atop the sundae of unprofessional behavior.
I do not want my finances in the hands of people who practice business in this fashion.
December 6, 2011 at 5:33 pm
i <3 you.
December 6, 2011 at 6:17 pm
I really don’t think Paypal is going to recover from this.
They had their day but there are new competitors and there is real desire to find better ways to do business.
December 6, 2011 at 2:14 pm
I’ve been tempted to register with Regretsy before now, but never actually did it. This made me angry enough to copy/paste a slew of email addresses into my email client and get shouty. I’m sure I, as an individual, did nothing… But I hope that together, we’ve changed this ridiculous outcome.
I’ve been poor. And one Christmas Eve, a knock came at the door… And a friend from halfway across the world had sent a huge wooden train set to my then-2-year-old. I’ve never forgotten the moment when I realised that his Christmas wouldn’t be poo, as I’d assumed when I couldn’t afford anything.
I hope to read this is completely resolved, soon, so I can contribute to this amazing cause.
December 6, 2011 at 2:58 pm
I love that story!
December 6, 2011 at 2:24 pm
So, PayPal issues a “heartfelt” apology in which they lie, stating that the “Donate button policy” is very clearly laid out (I think they’re hoping we’ll all die of laughter so they can get on with business), and they claim to have contacted April directly and have made a donation to Regretsy, along with having released her funds to her. Supposedly this is all done already, but what? No phone call received? Funds still frozen? No donation made?
And they’ve disabled comments on their apology blog post.
It’s time they realize, We know what you’re trying to do PayPal, and we’re not playing games with you anymore!
Oh, and thank you Helen, because of your debacle, my changed lyrics to the Grinch song and the creation of the term “PayGrinch” have been mentioned on a blog. I wasn’t (except as “one poster wrote…) but my efforts were. Way cool!
December 7, 2011 at 8:23 pm
The poor Grinch, at least he realized what he was doing and gave an actual apology compared to what paypal gave.
December 6, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Here is a quick video tutorial showing exactly how to close your paypal accounts. Looks to be from one year ago when they scrooged wikileaks over with fake BS and lies.
http://youtu.be/gXAbrF2ZtHg
December 6, 2011 at 2:25 pm
I was just like the kids we all agreed to help. I went to school one day assuming that while my friends talked about all the stuff they were going to get, I’d be getting nothing. Went home to gifts from my teachers, turtle necks and warm sweaters and jeans and tennis shoes, movies.. and a few board games (I still play ‘em), that gave my mom a smile, made me happy. So from someone in the kids place: Thanks.
Also, Paypal’s only apologizing now cause they were caught acting like assholes. But hey, whatever works so long as they work it out to help the kids.
December 6, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Also, to the people bitching about not having Paypal cause you closed it or people have and you want to sell on Etsy:
If you sold on your own site, Etsy wouldn’t be taking a sellers fee. Want recognized? Find sites that put your logo up and team up with other already well known shops. I sell GRAPHICS and I don’t have to use paypal to do it. Google Checkout is a wonderful option and as opposed to handing money to a third party (Paypal) and the host (Etsy) I only have to pay GC fee and be done. And it’s tiny enough, I don’t care.
December 6, 2011 at 2:32 pm
I am glad to hear that PayPal finally got around to contacting HK- a few hours late but still it was done and hopefully things will be fixed to her satisfaction.
I was one of the fat jealous losers whose donation/purchase was forced to be refunded. I really hope PayPal gets its shit together because I would like to be able to contribute again and I am sure a lot of you other jerks want to do the same. This time I suggest they waive all fees and provide matching funds. Just sayin…
December 6, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I saw this story elsewhere. I am a business owner that does between 1.5 million to 2 million USD of transactions yearly through PayPal.
As a result of seeing their callousness in regards to your situation, I have made the decision to begin investigating alternate methods for our transactions. I am determined to eliminate PayPal from my business completely within the next 90 days. I am trying to coerce fellow business owners to do the same.
There was no security value of any type in the kind abrasiveness you were shown.
December 6, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Looks like ‘someone higher up’ has deigned to get involved – funny how a storm of bad publicity can encourage an organisation to think differently!
Or did you agree to take in kittens???
December 6, 2011 at 2:46 pm
It’s hit the mainstream news in Australia:
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/paypal-feels-webs-wrath-after-ruining-christmas-20111207-1ohsn.html
Good job, fat, jealous losers!
December 6, 2011 at 2:55 pm
I’m stoked to see this made my local newspaper downunder. It makes my posts of fury yesterday feel well-justified
Paypal deserve all the bad publicity they get.
They got well and truly stung from their handling of this, they were ridiculously slow to respond in today’s age of instant communication.
December 6, 2011 at 2:58 pm
December 6, 2011 at 3:01 pm
This is why I never doubt the power of the Regretsy Killa Bees.
I also just opened my laptop to see this:
http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9252348-paypal-says-our-bad-on-regretsy-charity-scandal
December 6, 2011 at 3:08 pm
I’m glad this is getting resolved, but I’m pretty fucking disappointed with that apology. “We’re sorry this happened, but it was really still Regretsy’s fault for not following our pretend policy.” Suck my cat’s ass, PayPal. Any kid would know that isn’t a real apology.
December 6, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Is your cat sick? Then PayPal would be happy to allow you to raise donations to fund flying your cat over for some ass-sucking.
December 6, 2011 at 3:18 pm
‘Paypal has made several concessions’ – that’s a bit classier than their ‘we’re sorry you can’t seem to read’ mea culpa deserved. It’s really not a concession if your motivation is you suddenly realized you have a major problem on your hands and your lawyers have advised you that your TOS is gibberish and ‘charity is not a worthy cause’ would be a tough one to defend.
December 6, 2011 at 3:18 pm
That is one long pee. (yes, I’m impatient and want an update).
A friend of mine posted this link to an article that talks about Paypal alternatives:
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/12/5-alternatives-to-paypal/
December 6, 2011 at 3:20 pm
That’s a long PEE… lol come on dying to know what happened.
December 6, 2011 at 3:48 pm
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
December 6, 2011 at 5:55 pm
What is she reading in there?!?
December 6, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Fuck Tales From Finland.
December 6, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Well I wish she’d hurry up and Finnish!
December 6, 2011 at 7:42 pm
All of our comments on the PayPal facebook page?
December 6, 2011 at 3:20 pm
Jeez, how much did you drink? I’m sitting here hitting refresh and you’re taking some kind of world record pee break.
December 6, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Global Bitch Slap.
I am happy the kids will not suffer.
I, however, am still leaving paypal in the dust. They have buggered me, my mother and my step father in the last 4 months, with no reacharound. They suck, and not in a good way.
Glad that things are looking better despite the backhanded ‘apology’
December 6, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Oh and my post on Ebay’s FB page got a reply
Vylet: What Paypal is doing is obscene
Like · · 16 hours ago ·
7 people like this.
eBay: Vylet, thank you for your concerns. I just wanted you to know that the situation was resolved today: https://www.thepaypalblog.com/2011/12/regretsy-issue-resolution/ ~terri
They were fast to tell me it’s fixed but I am still waiting to hear from the real source
52 minutes ago · Like
December 6, 2011 at 6:08 pm
It’s not fixed until it’s fixed; with all accounts unlocked and made whole – and even then Paypal is still broken. They wrote their own death warrant with this last bad act. It will take time for Paypal to go under – convenience has its own inertia- but it’s got competition now and everyone is on to them and looking for a way out.
December 6, 2011 at 6:32 pm
I agree. It seems like they made the announcement before anything was actually done, which tells us that PR damage control for them is a higher priority than actually doing the right thing.
Patience. HKpril is probably on the phone with the fuckers right now.
December 6, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Way to go fat jealous a-holes, you helped this awesome dude have a better christmas…..way to go.
(Thank you)
December 6, 2011 at 4:09 pm
That is one happy, beautiful smile.
December 6, 2011 at 6:28 pm
He is precious.
December 6, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Ahem. Excuse me a second. Damn allergies making my eyes water.
December 6, 2011 at 3:57 pm
I still won’t be completely happy until April’s personal “Peggy” has been sodomized with a pinecone. From a redwood tree.
December 6, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Don’t be surprised at this level of support. Hot-damn Ms Killer, you rock so hard that I imagine a whole bunch of us would at least *think* of jumping off a cliff if you asked. And then of course, we’d laugh and say no, and feel a bit odd for a second until you said let’s go the the pub and get smashed. You go the extra mile, so in return, so will we
December 6, 2011 at 4:05 pm
I love that the assholery of PayPal has now made NATIONAL news with a whole article on the NBC website comparing them to Scrooge! You are my MF’ing heroine! (Feel free to put that on a sampler.)
December 6, 2011 at 4:25 pm
International news
check out Sukita’s post
December 6, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Yeah, front page of the Sydney Morning Herald website.
December 6, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Now we just get to wait for the final update about Finland…
December 6, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Wow, this must be the longest pee ever. But you just keep doing whatchu gotta and I will patiently wait for your post
December 6, 2011 at 7:06 pm
She got lost on the way there. Or on the way back. Maybe fielding calls from John Stewart and/or Stephen Colbert….
December 6, 2011 at 4:57 pm
CF4L SAYS YOU CAN GO TO HELL PAYPAL
December 6, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Woman, you’ve been peeing for over an hour. Need updates lol
December 6, 2011 at 5:11 pm
“I truly believe that had you not all made your voices heard, no one from Paypal would have ever felt compelled to make this right. There is no real support or appreciation for the consumer anymore. The customer is always wrong.”
This is as true as it gets with Paypal. I had my account locked and for months could not even get them to tell me why. After about a dozen phone calls I was told I filed fraudulent bankruptcy forms with them. I have been luck enough to never need to file bankruptcy and I never owed Paypal any money and therefore would never need to file any type of bankruptcy form with them. After several months I finally gave up. Proof positive that without public outcry they couldn’t care less for you as a customer.
December 6, 2011 at 5:13 pm
I hope it all gets sorted, although there’s nothing they could do now that would entice me to reopen my account with them all the same.
December 6, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Looks like PayPal shot themselves in both feet whilst they had said feet in their mouth. (I think the vulgar terminology for this is a “clusterf***” – if you will pardon my French.)
By all reports, the apology apparently came out initially as a non-apology, with the word “sorry” being belatedly added to it.
Unspeakable arrogance. I think that this and their whole approach – as per the Regretsy blog – is probably indicative of how they may really regard some of their customers. Their customer support rep. kinda leaves little room for doubt about that.
Hence, the apology statement by Anuj Nayar (as Director of Communications, PayPal) would appear to be a damage control FAIL. Even the title – “Regretsy Issue Resolution” is corporate doublespeak.
Forbes.com suggests alternatives for a PayPal boycott: WePay, Skrill, Ukash, Dwolla, Amazon Payments, Google Checkout, or the decentralized crypto-currency Bitcoin.
December 6, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Bitcoin is such a fascinating experiment … my Tech friends and my Economist friends have all talked my ear off about it.
December 6, 2011 at 5:52 pm
I’m starting to get worried. Helen’s been taking an awfully long pee.
OH GOD! DID THEY KIDNAP HER IN THE BATHROOM?!
December 6, 2011 at 5:59 pm
She’s been PeePal’ed.
December 6, 2011 at 6:21 pm
How fvcking long does it take for one woman to empty a bladder? I want updates, dammit.
December 6, 2011 at 6:23 pm
I dunno. Maybe she’s been holding it since Amsterdam.
December 6, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Maybe she fell in. Or fell asleep.
December 6, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Hmmm. I sent 2 links to KEYE, KVUE, and KXAN this morning, one was the last post about this, the other was the geek blog. I hope they got through
December 6, 2011 at 6:01 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070786/PayPal-turns-Scrooge-shuts-blogs-Secret-Santa-program-poor-children.html
you made the daily mail without flashing your spanks!
December 6, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Today I got a form e-mail response to the letter I sent paypal yesterday claiming that it was resolved. I won’t believe it’s resolved until Helen tells us it is – however I’ve never been so proud of being a fat jealous loser as I am today!
Well done fellow losers!
December 6, 2011 at 6:16 pm
I’m just happy my donation, although it was defiantely one of the last made before the original Donation requirement was filled, went through without a problem.
No returnsies!
December 6, 2011 at 6:29 pm
I was extremely concerned about this. There are a lot of us who depend on PayPal for many purposes, including merchants who cannot afford to lose customers because they have no way to pay other than PayPal. There are other options, but it takes time for customers to register with other payment services…if they will ever trust a payment service again.
I honestly hope that PayPal does not just smooth this over and carry on with the same fuckery. I am not going to be satisfied until the instructions for taking donations and using buttons and such are crystal clear.
And I am going to register for other payment services, because honey, it is good to have options.
December 6, 2011 at 6:43 pm
A donation is one thing but what about the fees? My guess is that they will make some pathetic little donation from their petty cash box, then keep the fees and hope we don’t notice.
I miss a lot of this because I’m in Australia and am asleep when you’re all getting worked up, but it’s made the media here. My daughter, who is a teenager therefore knows everything, says that The Whole World Knows About This, Mum. The power of the people in general is one thing but the power of the teenagers is a bigger force.
December 6, 2011 at 6:51 pm
They should make a donation that is AT LEAST as large as the total amount of money raised plus fees. Anything else is pissant.
And in other dreams, I wish for a pony.
December 6, 2011 at 7:49 pm
I’m also from Australia, and I spent my workday being angry on the internet. Not very conducive to actual *work*, but y’know. I’m 23 though, and, like most in their midteens-20s, am permanently connected to a smartphone
December 6, 2011 at 6:50 pm
PayPal may be trying to recitfy their fuckitude, but I closed my account anyways. I’d rather not deal with anyone who has that kind of attitude if I don’t have to, and I really don’t need to in this case.
December 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm
I don’t care if they bend over like the goatse guy to rectumfy their fuckitude. I’m right there with you, closing my account.
December 6, 2011 at 7:03 pm
GAWD I hate PayPal – way to backpedal because of the outcry over your asinine behavior and complete lack of business sense or acumen.
December 6, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Oh maaan, we made the Philip DeFranco Show!
I hope that link works…
December 6, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Interestingly, neither of my donations — either the original or the second round — got refunded. Aw, shucks, that just means I helped the kids twice, such a pity! Presumably, I was far enough down the list that poor Bronc never got to me. I hope he didn’t give himself carpal tunnel processing all those refunds.
Of course, this means you can sue for medical bills, too!
December 6, 2011 at 7:22 pm
I want to close my PayPal account, but I can’t, not just yet. See, I’m a Fiverr seller, and PayPal is THE ONLY PAYMENT OPTION. So I wrote the good people at Fiverr an email:
Dear Fiverr
I love your website. It’s a funny and smart business. Sure, you have your glitches now and then, but who doesn’t?
I have made enough money from my gigs to buy amazing Christmas presents for all my friends and family. I truly would not have been able to do this without you. Thank you for this awesome opportunity.
Sadly, I have suspended my 3 gigs (including my featured and crazy profitable gig of hula hooping) until you provide sellers with an alternative to PayPal. They are a truly horrible company, with heinous business practices. (If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately you’ll have heard of the shitstorm the was caused when PayPal lied, stole, and lied again about donations to Regretsy’s Christmas Toy Drive.
December 6, 2011 at 7:23 pm
Continued from above…
This isn’t the first time they’ve done this sort of thing, and it won’t be the last.) I cannot in good conscience have dealings with them any longer, and the same goes for you, Fiverr, as long as your torrid affair with them continues.
I am not asking that you severe ties with PayPal immediately or ever. I am asking for you to give sellers another option (any option!). Please review the following list of PayPal alternatives, I’m sure you can find one that would LOVE to work with you.
AlertPay.com
Dwolla.com
WePay.com
Payments.Amazon.com
Google.com/Wallet
Sincerely and with a heavy heart
(Pietarian)
December 6, 2011 at 7:25 pm
sever, not severe!
Fuck!
December 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm
i hope mr. paypal suffers from a massive goatse.
December 6, 2011 at 7:35 pm
You mean all of our trolling of Paypal actually worked? Spreading negative publicity, calling in poop orders, and generally wishing cancer on everyone involved got their attention? Bombing the bejesus out of their facebook page until they gave up on deleting posts made them concede? I’M FINALLY GOOD FOR SOMETHING. I’VE BEEN TRAINING FOR THIS MY ENTIRE LIFE.
December 6, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Welcome home, friend.
December 6, 2011 at 7:41 pm
It’s like Cheers, except with real alcoholics!
December 6, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Regretsy isn’t the only victim:
Reposted from Amy Havens Hines
“We are totally shut down right now due to the same thing. We launched a new product line where a portion of all products enable us to donate to various charities on a monthly basis. We were right in the middle of collecting donations to provide the children who were spending their holiday in the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters our coloring books when PayPal shut down BOTH our incoming orders with a 21 day hold (we are now unable to pay our vendors) and our donations. Do you have any media contacts who might be able to help us? I AM DESPERATE! This has devastated our business. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you know anyone who might be able to help us, please have them email info@nawtydawgbigheart.com. Thanks for your help:) Amy & Ecco D’Oro”
This woman, and others, don’t have our power. Can we take them under our wing and cause the same outcry for them?
December 6, 2011 at 11:15 pm
I got here too late and there’s too many comments, so I just looked at the pictures instead…
I’m glad some progress appears to have been thought about. Obviously we should have all just personally sent you cash and/or cans in the mail and have you do an epic bartering quest to get the toys from then. Would have been easier…
December 7, 2011 at 7:13 am
There have been a number of suggestions for PayPal alternatives. If anyone does in-depth research and finds a viable alternative payment process can they please post it here or in the forums?