Electronic Transfers Made Easy

[LowGear]

I know there's more to easy money transfer out there than PayPal.  Your experiences might be very enlightening for the rest of us.  I'm in the US but I here about phone transfers in Africa and bank to bank transfers in the EU.  What are you doing in your country and what's the overall spin?

[glort]

Here in oz you can do direct deposits. All you need is the persons BSB and account number. It's free and instant to overnight depending on the bank. You can go to a bank and pay them cash, by CC or transfer from your account to another. If you are paying any way bar cash, you can ring, give your account details and the recipients and it's done. This is a VERY common way of doing business.  Did it several times this week in my fathers business.  People transfer money, Ring bank, confirm it's there, send goods. If you are a bit more net savvy you can get an email as soon as funds arrive as well as daily statements.

Direct deposits by advising of your branch number and account number are 110% safe but it seems in the US giving someone your account number is like giving them your account password.

The US system of banking is an absolute Nightmare compared to ours.  I work for an American guy once- twice a year. First time he tried to pay me directly I think it cost him a lot in fees stuffing around. Now he just gives me his CC number and I put it through my merchant account and it's simple and straight forward. Before his bank wanted routing numbers and couldn't get it through their thick heads we don't have them and just kept going on like robots about it. Clearly a pack of pelicans that had no international trade experience. Told my wife she didn't understand banking which was pretty funny given she was a bank manager for a branch that had one of the biggest turnovers in the country outside the city head office and rattled them pretty quick.

We also use CC numbers over the phone a lot. Give them your CC number. The 3 digit code on the back and that's it. It's put through as a phone order.  You can buy anything over the phone like that pretty much.
If a card is stolen or does not have the funds/ credit it simply does not go through. If it does Vendor is in the clear so sends order.

I won't touch Pay Pal. It's a complete effing rort. Ever read their "Guarantees" on fleabay? An insult to a persons intelligence  and a complete sham. Apart from that, they couldn't run a chook Raffle in a pub and think they are god with the way they want to take command of YOUR money and there is nothing you can do once they get hold of it.

If I can't pay by an ordinary Visa/ master card, then I simply take my business elsewhere.  Simple as that.
If someone can't pay me the same way, then they don't get a thing till I get the cash or a bank transfer.

[Derb]

Hi Glort. That is also the way we do money transfers over here. Domestic and international. Never had one go amiss yet. Quick, cheap and cheerful. Cheers.

[LowGear]

Aloha glort and Derb,

Sounds almost too wonderful.  Derb - where is here?

I use PayPal because it's the biggest donkey in the coral and VISA / MC numbers are kind of private if not risky here in the land of golden brick roads.

Cheers,