[sloper22]

I'm very close to buying a plasma from PlasmaExtreme. It seems that instead of just giving them credit card information you have to pay through PayPal. I've seen some posts from people that are hesitant to purchase in this manner, but the source of their hesitation isn't clear.


What are the drawbacks, if any, of using PayPal?

 

[Davis]

I recommend that you check with your own credit card company, but my experience is that extended warranties and other credit card protections will not apply to a paypal purchase. I wouldn't consider making a purchase that large from a vendor that doesn't accept credit cards.

 

[Ou8thisSN]

i think the concerns are relating to fraud protection. Its hard to talk to someone at paypal. But I had a great experience with Plasmaextreme, through paypal, no problems. If you pay by credit card, I think you'd still be protected by their fraud protection

 

[beanagee1]

Paypal will stand behind to ensure delivery of the product but not the quality. Once you accept the delivery, you are on your own. If the product was defective then you need to find different means to fight.

 

[steuert]

As far as I can tell, there are no advantages to PayPal except slightly lower charges to the vendor involved and less stringent financial requirements for a participating business than a regular CC requires.


Sometimes you can get the extended CC warranty on stuff purchased through Paypal, sometimes not. You have to contact your bank for particulars and then get their policy in writing. There are other disadvantages to Paypal; in fact IIRC there is a whole website devoted to complaints about them, some serious and some trivial.


I agree with Davis - I wouldn't consider making a purchase this big from an online vendor without the advantages offered by a regular CC, no matter how good the deal looked otherwise. IMHO it's a cost of business that must be borne by online vendors, just as a B&M dealer must have a physical store, a business license, regular hours of operation, and some paid employees to run the place.

 

[wpozo]

I happen to work for a CC company...and can tell you that there is no question that the Fair credit billing act (circa 67 i think...)....is the most stringent law that will protect consumers. Paypal operates as a seperate (somewhat liable)...entity.


Same thing for you debit card users....(BAD HABIT)>...less protection.

Check the fine print on all your agreements and you'll see that the best cards are the ones you pay for.. (CHARGE CARDS! not credit cards).....


cheers,

wp.

 

[wpozo]

OH and btw - amex and i think diners (or discover) will protect you in some cases for paypal.not full protection (partial) ..but be aware - it makes no sense to use paypal if you already have a cc. (reason - lawsuit settled last year - look it up on google) ....



I took the logo off the debit card to make sure...I never make the mistake of giving the wrong card. If you have a citi mastercard...youll notice that warranties on products are very limited... Other cards are less restrictive...Check with your cc co.

 

[woodgab]

I, too, am planning to buy a plasma and was strongly considering PlasmaExtreme. I may still do it, but having only bought $5 type items with PayPal I never understood how they operated.


PlasmaExtreme gets great lip service here. Their policies are clearly stated on their website and do seem to reflect that once the "Bill of Ladding" has been signed and the delivery service leaves, you are substantially on your own. This gives me visions of having to do a furious shakedown on a somewhat technical device immediately after it arrives.


I almost always go the online, or mailorder, route. In this case I think dealing with a business-to-business oriented service, selling almost entirely commercial products, one has to adjust their expectations of service to what's more accepted among businesses. Its not a comfortable way to go for most consumers, but I think the vendor in this case still has A LOT to lose by screwing anybody.


Chris

 

[sat_uplinker]

 PayPalSucks has some horror stories. I havn't had any problems with it however.

 

[R Harkness]

How's about this one:


I used Paypal (debited from my Visa) to pay for a $3,000 receiver. The dealer took my funds and promptly disappeared (went bankrupt), so I never received the product. He kept stringing me along though, so it was just past the month protection of Paypal when I found out about his scam. When I talked to Paypal they wouldn't do a thing "talk to Visa" they said.


Then, get this, when I talked to Visa regarding my buyer protection (very vividly outlined in my card agreement) THEY wouldn't cover me either. Their reason? "Visa doesn't view the vendor as the recipient of the funds - Visa views Paypal as the recipient. And Visa won't waste it's time going after Paypal. You're out of luck."


So....the two companies that were supposed to offer me protection against just this sort of scam both laid the responsibility on each other resulting in neither helping me out.


Nice, huh?

 

[shadowspawn]

PayPal is one large, staggering horror story. As a frequent eBay seller and buyer, I have an elaborate system to protect myself from PayPal and the people who I do business with who insist on using it. I could probaby write a dissertation on how to use PayPal without taking on the risks of financial ruin.


Your primary dangers with PayPal are:


* As a buyer, dealing with fraudulent sellers, and not being able to seek the protection of the Fair Credit Act (if you do seek your legal protections, PayPal will ban you for life).


* As a seller, dealing with fraudulent chargebacks, which PayPal will wash their hands of.


* As either a buyer or seller, having your PayPal account emptied by hackers, which occasionally (but not usually) is an "inside job".


* As either a buyer or seller, having your PayPal account frozen, and/or your bank account raided by PayPal, over a dispute of some kind.


* Having no legal recourse to any of this, as when you accepted PayPal's Terms of Service, you agreed that in any dispute, the dispute must be settled by an arbiter of PayPal's choosing, and not in a court of law.


An increasing number of businesses and individuals are refusing to accept PayPal over the last year, because the track record has been deteriorating.


All that being said, I would NOT HESITATE to do a deal with PlasmaExtreme using PayPal. PlasmaExtreme has a very good reputation, and I think you would not be exposed to the normal PayPal risks by dealing with PlasmaExtreme.


Honestly, PlasmaExtreme is probably taking a greater risk with PayPal than you would be, since they are a known quantity with known business practices that are documented in this forum, and even though you are a very good and honest person, they don't know anything about you....

 

[Lamm]

I have not seen a Plasmaextreme advertisement on this forum for while. Are they no longer sponsors?


To find vendors who take credit cards directly, check out the current sponsors AND do a seach on google or nextag or some other engine. This way you can find the best price and avoid paypal hassles.

 

[jcilarry]

I have used pay pal as a buyer and seller over the last few years as I buy and sell used audio gear on audiogon, as a hobbyist so we are only talking about a few dozen transactions. Buying on pay pal you are simply working without a net as amply evidenced by earlier posts. It is up to you to make a judgement ahead of time regarding how trustworthy the seller is. There are a bunch of highly recommended venders that do take a regular card and I have wondered why PE doesn't.

 

[mattg3]

I bought my plasma from plasmaextreme.us by wiring the money from my bank.No problems at all.

 

[monsoon]

I've just completed my paypal transaction with plasmaextreme. I agree with the comments made here about paypal. I also put trust in the opinions of the many members here that have delt with plasmaextreme in the past. Lisa at plasmaextreme has been very helpful and even knocked down the cost of their already very low special on the TH-50PHD6UY when I asked for the unit without a DVI blade. I have not found a better price, including the current power buy.


I'll keep a cable box and dvd player and various cables handy to give the unit a quick test drive BEFORE I sign for it. If anything looks questionable then the unit goes back on the truck and plasmaextreme gets a call.


Yes, problems can arise, but the price vs. risk is within my comfort level.


Check out Mounts and More for an additional saving (over plasmaextreme) on the flat fixed wall mount. Shipping is free, they accept CCs and they seem to be very professional.


I'll post follow-ups when I receive both screen and mount.


-monsoon

 

[monsoon]

I received a shipping notice and tracking number from Lisa today. The notice included this statement at the bottom:


* IMPORTANT NOTElease inspect this product immediately and record any visible shipping damage to the packaging and/or product on the bill of lading when signing for this product. Please test this product and report any damages to the product to Plasma Extreme within 24 hours. Failure to report damage within 24 hours will VOID your shipping insurance.


24 hours seems reasonable and customary and I'm encouraged by the inclusion of this statement on the shipping notice. I'll still be testing before the truck leaves my driveway though.


Shipping is being handled by AIT


Stay tuned...

 

[monsoon]

Great news!


I received the unit today at ~11:45am. Both outer and inner box was in excellent condition. Unit inside was in excellent physical condition. Fired it up with S-Video from cable box and Pr Pb Y from DVD player. The unit seems to be in excellent operating condition. I'll give it a PC feed tomorrow with 15pin to 15pin cable. The guy who delivered it was very helpful. He helped me unpack the unit and move it over to where I'll be hanging it. He was very patient with me while i flipped through a few channels and watched a couple minutes of LOTR II. He even let me drive the delivery van while we got him unstuck from my driveway .


I'll rate the experience of dealing with plasmaextreme/paypal/AIT for this particular purchase as a 10. Things could not have gone more smoothly. The experience with Mounts and More is also a 10 - the were very professional and I received the wall mount in perfect condition this past Tuesday.


Now if only Comcast was as easy to deal with... they wont bring me an HD box till Tuesday morning... 2 days after SBS

 

[steuert]

Not sure what the condition of your shipment and the helpful attitude of the delivery guy has to do with PayPal, which is supposed to be the topic of this thread. The problems with them occur when something goes wrong or you want the extended warranty offered by many CC companies.


IMHO the appropriate ratings would be: plasmaextreme.us, AIT, and Mounts & More, all = 10; PayPal: "yet to be determined."

 

[jjtoma]

Yes, the title of this thread is paypal, but it has to do with


PlasmaExterme.US.


A earlier thread was closed due to bashing, there were 2 or 3 dealers


hiding in that thread. Trying to put false doubts in the minds


of customers here.


I just concluded a paypal transaction with them, delivered


without any financial hiccup.


Lisa & Brain were very easy to work with, they keep me in


informed every stage along the process.


I got a Panasonic TH-50PHD6UY, when the Panasonic


TH-37PWD6UY becomes ready available again I will


purchase it from them also.


Jim

 

[steuert]

Now I'm even more confused. IIRC, the earlier, closed "bashing" thread to which you refer had to do with plasmaextreme.us's referring prospective purchasers to another outfit ("PCVideoOnline," or something like that), which they called a "sister" company, that had bad reseller ratings. Hard to see how this was orchestrated by "2 or 3 dealers, hiding in that thread, trying to put false doubts in the minds of customers here." Or, maybe I'm just overlooking something obvious.