Disappointed with PayPal
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238317)
Walnut Creek, California
January 29, 2016 4:43pm CST
As you may know, a package was stolen from my front porch 10 days ago. It was only a $5.05 tube of Elmer's Carpenter's wood filler, but I let the local police know, just in case the same person had been stealing from others.
I called PayPal to ask if I was covered in any way by them. After answering several automated questions, I received the inevitable "We are experiencing unusually high call volume today..." message and was put on hold. (Have you ever called ANY bank or business that was NOT experiencing unusually high call volume today? Actually L.L. Bean has been my exception to that rule).
After waiting on hold for half an hour, I finally gave up and went to Berkeley to volunteer at my friend's preschool. I got my dose of hugs, and along with several "Why are you late? We though you weren't coming!"s. One boy had brought his ukulele to show me. But I missed half-an-hour of being "daddy" in fantasy games and building stacky towers with my young friends.
And I never got to ask PayPal whether I'm covered against theft by them.
What's the longest you've ever waited on hold before giving up? I've found PayPal to be a professional and reliable service. But today I am very disappointed with them.
20 people like this
20 responses
@allknowing (153530)
• India
30 Jan 16
I normally resort to email and my job gets done quickly
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238317)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Jan 16
@allknowing I'll be sure to post or comment about it.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
30 Jan 16
I absolutely hate being on hold! The longest I had to wait was 45 minutes? I was calling my car insurance! I would expect Friday not to be a high call volume day though? Usuallys Mondays is worst! You would think such a big company like PayPal, they would have great customer service line.
I hope you're able to reach them via e-mail quicker! (I read below you emailed them!)
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
31 Jan 16
@TheHorse I hope PayPal responds soon! Is there an open a claim button when you purchased your order?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238317)
• Walnut Creek, California
31 Jan 16
@infatuatedbby I'm trying to figure out the proper way to go. The seller did no wrong.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
30 Jan 16
I think for me the best customer service is by far Discover Credit Card, they always speak in clear English and are always so darn nice. I have sat on the phone for over 30 minutes and it makes me so crazy.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238317)
• Walnut Creek, California
31 Jan 16
@fishtiger58 I use only one credit card as well. It's from B of A. I've had no issues with it or them.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
31 Jan 16
@TheHorse So do I, I cut up all my credit cards except Discover, I am a customer for life, and it's because of their customer service.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
29 Jan 16
I only telephone the automated systems as a complete last resort because I always need about 3 cups of coffee before a human answers.
It is quite insulting that they constantly keep repeating how important your message is to them, whereas if that was true then they would employ more staff. It also gets annoying to have the same message repeated informing you that you can check online, as though you would waste your time on the telephone if the website could help.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Jan 16
Have you saved any of the emails from PP? They give you info on what they cover in some of them if you.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Jan 16
@TheHorse ....I get a lot of emails from them telling me what they offer.
@Dragonairy1 (1722)
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
31 Jan 16
I usually give up after about 10 minutes, I'm not really that patient.
1 person likes this
@Dragonairy1 (1722)
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
31 Jan 16
@TheHorse I think sometimes you've waited that last ng you don't want to give up 
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238317)
• Walnut Creek, California
31 Jan 16
@Dragonairy1 Yeah, I've been here 29 mins. What's wrong with 30?
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22405)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
30 Jan 16
And the saga continues... There has to come a point at which the effort outstrips the value of any return. Some companies are good, trusting that you would not be calling them if there was not a problem, others taking the approach that the caller has to prove everything - incident numbers, e-mail threads, the whole 9 yards...
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238317)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Jan 16
I have found that the BEST company in this area is L.L. Bean. I returned some pillowcases that I ripped after something like three years. I had NO record of the purchase. But they did, and sent me replacements really quickly.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
30 Jan 16
When I first moved into this house, AT&T kept me on hold for three days. You read that right. They used up all my cell phone data for the month ignoring me. I was livid, but what can you do? I eventually was able to explain what happened to a supervisor. I was not charged for my installation. So although I was tortured for three days, it saved me almost $200.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
30 Jan 16
@TheHorse I was trying to get a landline set up. So I had no choice. These evil people do not understand the term, customer service. I don't know anyone who likes them.
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Jan 16
We are now on a part pension and our CentreLink (welfare/dole office) has had us hanging for 45 minutes. Written responses take a month to be dealt with and internet access is hopeless. The only other alternative is driving the 30 minutes to the nearest office - then waiting half an hour there.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
Her Majesty's Revenue Service for Expats... will remind you why you are an expat
1 person likes this
@Rohvannyn (3098)
• United States
13 May 16
Working where I do, I've had to deal with some pretty extended hold times. One time I waited nearly an hour to get through to California Medicaid to help a guy who REALLY needed his insulin.
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
30 Jan 16
With UK call centres I've never waited more than a couple of minutes so far...although I rarely have the need to phone them.
Anything more than 5 minutes and I'd give up as I don't have the patience.
Sometimes with those ones that say push 3 for xxx or push 4 for xxx I just wait until the options are exhausted then they all seem to say "for anything else wait for an operator" so I wait and they seem to be fast.
1 person likes this
