Premium Member Without Credit Card

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

In Europe a credit card is not as common as in the USA. I had a discussion per email if there is a possibility get Premium Member and to pay for that with pay pal without a credit card. It wood be given to the administration. I think a lot people consider to get premium member but get stuck on the demand of a credit card. Will it be possible in the near future? You will have more Premium Members and the people can take use of the advantage of being a Premium Member.

Groetjes Jurgen & co

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I didn't think that Paypal required a credit card. I am pretty sure that you can setup a Paypal account based on a checking account.

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I believe Groundspeak accepts checks too. However, they will not activate your premium membership until the check clears.

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I've been trying to purchase a Premium Membership now for 3 days and keep getting error messages. I continue to email Customer Service with Groundspeak with attached screenshots of the messages I keep receiving and continue to receive the response that the system was experiencing issues when I was trying to complete the transaction. Well, It's been 3 days now and it doesn't matter what time of day I try it, I still can't get it to go through.

I'll keep trying and/or just send them a check.

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I used a money order when I first joined back in 01

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I believe Groundspeak accepts checks too. However, they will not activate your premium membership until the check clears.

Up here in the northernmost Europe (Finland ), credit/debit cards and direct bank account payments are common, while checks haven't accepted by shops for about a decade. It is possible to get a check or money order from a bank, but it costs up to 10-20 euros to get just one. I'd believe most people under 40 would not even recognize them

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

I didn't think that Paypal required a credit card. I am pretty sure that you can setup a Paypal account based on a checking account.

You can set up the PayPal account, and pay almost anything you want with it.

But to become a premium member you need a credit card. I don't know why, but it should be fixed.

I had the same problem ... I had to send the money directly to the gc.com mail address, and then send another mail telling them that I payd for a membership.

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

So if you use a Paypal account to pay for your Premium Membership you have to have a Credit card? Um, I just did this and It was taken out of my checking account. I didn't think the reciever of a paypal payment could tell what was used, that kind of the reason for paypal. Am I missing something?

Edited October 20, 2005 by Polar B's

Posted October 20, 2005 · October 20, 2005

So if you use a Paypal account to pay for your Premium Membership you have to have a Credit card? Um, I just did this and It was taken out of my checking account.

That's because the checking account is related to the debit card and that uses the Visa network. In europe (at least in germany) we don't have the debit card system (we do have something similar, but it doesn't use the Visa network). If I pay with my german paypal account I have to make a bank transfer to send money to paypal which then sends the money to the seller. This normally takes some days:-( I guess american sellers don't like the system because there is no proof of the billing address, which is normally supposed to be the same like the shipping address?

Don't know really, but I had also some problem once. Now I have a german and an american paypal account...

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

The problem is that GC wants to see a credit card not pay pal. Other possibility's are to expencive because of the extra cost that the banks charge. The question is simpel. Why dos GC wants to see a credit card?

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

That's because the checking account is related to the debit card and that uses the Visa network. In europe (at least in germany) we don't have the debit card system (we do have something similar, but it doesn't use the Visa network). If I pay with my german paypal account I have to make a bank transfer to send money to paypal which then sends the money to the seller. This normally takes some days:-( I guess american sellers don't like the system because there is no proof of the billing address, which is normally supposed to be the same like the shipping address?

Don't know really, but I had also some problem once. Now I have a german and an american paypal account...

Really?? I always thought it was just because it was an American bank... I mean I can have paypal take money out of my checking account, or charge to a credit card (issued from an American bank I'm sure) and then it send the money to whoever. I don't have a debit card...

To recap what I've seen in this thread it seems:

To buy a PM with Paypal in some countries you need a credit card which is uncommon.

(Debit cards are common, but not visa system ones, and paypal doesn't take those.)

To a buy a PM with a credit card, you need a credit card which in some countries is uncommon.

(Debit cards are common, but not visa system ones, and whatever system Groundspeak uses probably doesn't take those.)

To buy a PM with a check you need a check, but they're uncommon and costly.

Right? or did I misunderstand?

So to make things easier to buy a PM one of three things should happen:

Paypal needs to change the way it works and accept non visa debit cards. (you listening paypal!?)

Groundspeak needs to find a credit card system that can accept non-visa cards (does one exist?)

Some countries need to change the way they transfer money so it gets easier and cheaper to get checks ( don't think that will happen either)

wonder choices

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

Really?? I always thought it was just because it was an American bank... I mean I can have paypal take money out of my checking account, or charge to a credit card (issued from an American bank I'm sure) and then it send the money to whoever. I don't have a debit card...

Maybe I'm wrong with the debit card. But the principle paypal works here is different than in europe, because here you will have to give all information of your bank account to paypal (either via the credit card number or via the checking account with a booking of few cents to test the transaction before the first purchase), while in germany there is no personal information given, you can send the money from any account...

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

The problem is that GC wants to see a credit card not pay pal. Other possibility's are to expencive because of the extra cost that the banks charge. The question is simpel. Why dos GC wants to see a credit card?

GC.com wants to see paypal (Subscribe), but it might be that paypal cannot handle the "european" paypal system. I did pay via paypal but used my american paypal account.

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

Perhaps sombody of GC.COm can give us a answer why the demand a credit card. Paying with pay pal is not the problem.

Edited October 21, 2005 by Jurgen & co

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

… Paying with pay pal is not the problem.

hi jürgen,

here we go:

paying per paypal:

login to your paypal account.
send 30$ via e-mail to paypal@Groundspeak.com
set subject to: Groundspeak Premium Member
enter text: xxxxxx - your gc-id (wheras xxxxx should be GSPRENEW for a one year renewing membership or GSNORENEW for a one year non renewing membership.

you will receive an e-mail by paypal that everything is paid.

lay back and wait for groundspeaks subscription mail.

happy hunting from hamburg.

Posted October 21, 2005 · October 21, 2005

Hi Hans

Thanks for your help. But this i already know this. I was lucky to have a freind with a credit card and he helpt me out. So i am a Premium Member since a while. But I started this thread to help other people who are not a Premim Member yet. And want to become and try to do so on the GC.com site. I tryde to do this and gut stuck on the demand for a credit card. I think GC.COM shout make it as easy as possible for people to get Premium Member. Just hit the button and do your thing without special tricks or detours. The more premium members there are the more money GC can spend on there system to help us with great futures the do not now in the moment on ther system. :lol: If we look in the discusions on the forum in Europe ther are some wisches like a goot map ( like in NL or D), easy way to get discription and picture's, etc, etc. Some new futures would make the preperation, and after caching easy. I know for a lot of people it is not common to use this forum, but the more GC knows wat we want the better the can help us. So if more people would have a membership and send there wishes to GC.com the better and easyer whe could concentraid us on the core issu of our hobby HIDE and FIND cache's. To speak with your words "Happy hunting-the old fashioned way" but with modern tools.

Groetjes uit Hoogezand, Nederland

Posted October 23, 2005 · October 23, 2005

Perhaps somby of GC.COM has a answer for use on this question?

Posted October 24, 2005 · October 24, 2005

Paying without CC from Europe:

At least in Germany and in The Netherlands you can use PayPal without CC.

PayPal has local agencies, and accepts:

1) CC

2) automatic Bank-Invoice (from every German NL resp. Bank account)

3) a prepaid amount (send 50 € to PayPal and refresh if the amount is decreasing - you can recall the money to your Bank account at any time)

SIncerely yours

Skopeia

Posted November 14, 2005 · November 14, 2005

I want to give this thread a kick. So it wont be forgotten.

Edited November 14, 2005 by Jurgen & co

Posted December 3, 2005 · December 3, 2005

'Some countries need to change the way they transfer money so it gets easier and cheaper to get checks ( don't think that will happen either)

As we have already got rid of checks some two decades ago, why would we want to go backwards in time..

(The current online banking system in the Nordic works just perfectly.. if just the rest of the world would follow )

Posted December 4, 2005 · December 4, 2005

'Some countries need to change the way they transfer money so it gets easier and cheaper to get checks ( don't think that will happen either)

As we have already got rid of checks some two decades ago, why would we want to go backwards in time..

(The current online banking system in the Nordic works just perfectly.. if just the rest of the world would follow )

oh, sorry my bad

Posted December 4, 2005 · December 4, 2005

This is the latest information i have from GC.COM:

Hi Jurgen

I know that our administrators are aware of this forum topic. We are in the process of using this feedback to make it easier for our international users to obtain Premium Memberships. Thank you so much for bringing this topic to our attention, and as always, the forums are the best place to propose new ideas! Thanks!

Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Cheers,

Kerry

Groundspeak, Inc. - The Language of Location

Until there's something changed you can use the solution from HHL.

Edited December 4, 2005 by Jurgen & co

Premium Member Without Credit Card

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