Paypal Forcing Currency conversions ?!?

steph

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In the last few days or so, every non-CDN paypal payment I get,
automatically gets converted into CDN funds. ( I live in Canada BTW...)

ie, Someone pays me in US funds, but because I live in Canada,
Paypal forces the BUYER to convert their US payment in CDN funds.
... and Paypal takes their hefty conversion fees !


Neither the buyer or seller has any choice in the matter.

I have both US and CDN balances in my Paypal account ,
and was always able to receive payments in either currency.

Now, every payment I receive is automatically converted into CDN funds,
and there is nothing I can do about it.

This REALLY sucks because :

1- I get dinged 5% conversion fees on every transaction
2- I can not build a US balance to buy US-priced goods,
so I'd have to re-convert CDN funds into US funds and pay conversion fees TWICE !

Has anyone else noticed this ?

Either US buyers buying from non-US sellers and being forced to pay in foreign funds,
or CDN sellers getting US payments automatically converted in CDN funds ?

---

I was already having serious issues with Paypal's "dictatorship rules" ,
but this could seriously make me reconsider using them at all...

Anyone ?

Steph
 
I just realized this today on Paypal. I do know that some credit cards do the same, so maybe Paypal is just following suit.
 
Wow that is brutal. Did you speak with anyone there to see if there is a setting or something you can put in place to keep either form of currency?
 
i've had issue since they removed the "classic site" option, you can no longer pay either out of country without and invoice.

Also one thing i hate now you can even put notes with the payment.

we need an new alternative.
 
technology is not your friend. the online transactions the more control these companies, government, etc. have over you and unfortunately they can hold you hostage and there isn't much if anything you can do. it sucks.:mad:
 
Dont know if this is a option, but have you ever thought about opening a bank account in the US? and maybe getting a PO box as an address? this might be more trouble or money than its worth, but then you could set that US account up with Paypal and use that...i dunno, just thought of it off the top of my head.

-Brian
 
Did you speak with anyone there to see if there is a setting or something you can put in place to keep either form of currency?

Yup.... spent an hour on the phone with some poor dweeb
who had no idea of what I was talking about.

He said Paypal had done "some" changes recently,
but didn't know what, or what the impact was.

I told him how stupid this new policy was
and to make sure he told his boss. ...then I hung-up...

sigh....
 
Last edited:
Dont know if this is a option, but have you ever thought about opening a bank account in the US? and maybe getting a PO box as an address?
-Brian

Done and done...

I've had both of these for years ; never had a problem.

"Now" , that's not good enough...

S.
 
I also had this issue this week ($ to Euros), though the exchange rate offered seemed reasonable enough. (Europe will soon have one less Bubble Bobble pcb..)
 
That sucks.
I've always had both CAD and US balances for the reason you mentioned.

My last US sale was about 2 weeks ago and it came in as USD.

It's already tough selling internationally due to higher shipping fees. Add pp fees for non-gifted transactions and it ads up. Last year those fees alone were a few hundred.

I've done a few etransfers for Canadian sales but have never tried in the US. A quick google search says that we can etransfer to the US but I haven't seen anything from US to Can.
 
That sucks.
I've always had both CAD and US balances for the reason you mentioned.

My last US sale was about 2 weeks ago and it came in as USD.


I first noticed it yesterday (Thurs Oct 20th)

Everything was fine before that.


MartyMcfly said:
I've done a few etransfers for Canadian sales but have never tried in the US. A quick google search says that we can etransfer to the US but I haven't seen anything from US to Can.

I don't think E-transfers work between the US and Canada.

And if by chance they do, I would expect over-priced service charges
like $3-4 per transaction. (...which might seem excessive for a $10 order... )

Steph
 
Wondering if there's a work around. Any chance you can create a 2nd PP account with a different email, strictly for US transactions? Maybe not the best solution, but might save headaches in the long run.
 
Bob Roberts has been doing it the old fashioned way since forever. He might have had the right recipe all along.

Anyway, I'm not running the parts business anymore but I still feel your pain Steph.
 
Wondering if there's a work around. Any chance you can create a 2nd PP account with a different email, strictly for US transactions? Maybe not the best solution, but might save headaches in the long run.

I doubt that you can create an US pp account via the US site from Canada. I forget what questions they ask when creating an account but I'll bet you 1$ (US that is) that they've covered that angle.
 
Wondering if there's a work around. Any chance you can create a 2nd PP account with a different email, strictly for US transactions? Maybe not the best solution, but might save headaches in the long run.

I would need more than a simple e-mail address.

I would have to provide a US address and create my account as a US resident.

That's getting dangerously close to fraudulent declarations,
which opens up a whole other can of worms.

The best solution is for Paypal to rescind such a stupid policy.

I can see no other reason for this other than to line their pockets
with forced conversion fees.

S.
 
there is always the chance if someone you know and trust 100% lives in the US to use their paypal account and have them either send you US cash via mail or money order...

-Brian
 
Bob Roberts has been doing it the old fashioned way since forever. He might have had the right recipe all along.

Anyway, I'm not running the parts business anymore but I still feel your pain Steph.

i have always said technology is not your friend. technology has benefits but you give up your control and everytime you find a work around its only a temporary fix because they will close it up soon. i hate working with paypal but its a necessary evil but we pay for it.
 
I just had another marathon phone call with Paypal
(... although props to them for having REAL people,
... who speak proper English no less, answer the phone
with no 20 minute delay... )

This fellow was adamant that my situation was unique
and that it "must" be a glitch somewhere that can be resolved.

This was somewhat comforting to learn that it did not seem
to be a new policy, but rather some kind of anomaly,
but I pointed out that others (on this forum) had also witnessed the same issue,
... so it's not just me.

He said he would open an "investigation" and provide me with a reference number.

If/when I get this info, I will update the post and ask anyone
who experiences the same issue to let Paypal know.

... the plot thickens....

Steph
 
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