Pay with CC on eBay?

[Weezl]

I am trying to do this deal posted on http://milestomemories.boardingarea.com/ebay-staples-gift-card-mar15/ where if you buy a Staples GC on eBay you get 5x UR with the Ink card plus TCB CB and can turn it around for a profit, netting free UR + some cash.

But when I go to pay for the GC on eBay, my choices are only PayPal. So when it takes me to PP, after logging in, it says: "We are not able to process your payment using your PayPal account at this time. Please return to the merchant's website and try using a different payment method (if available)."

Maybe it is because my PP balance is 0 (so that my PPE card backs up PPDMC swipes and earns cash)?

How can I purchase the GC on eBay with my Ink card?

 

[InstinctX]

I've been having issues with PayPal. You may need to call them to remove any potential security issues. If you use VPN, it freaks their system out.

Unfortunately you have to use PayPal to purchase these GC's. In addition, if you got the targeted 4x eBay bucks offer, PP is required. You just add your Ink card & make that your preferred method within PP.

2 x $85 = $170 ... earns $13.60 in eBay bucks
1 x $85 only earns $3.40

I was able to earn the full $13.60 even though I paid for a portion of my purchase with an eBay gift card that I bought to cash out eBay bucks LOL.

Right now, I'm waiting for them to work on remove some fraud blocks so I can purchase more. I'm planning to keep them...there are always money maker deals at Staples. April is the end of their fiscal quarter, so there should be decent deals (many are in store though).

 

[Weezl]

So temporarily change my PP backup from PPE to Ink? Will I still get UR for this purchase?

 

[InstinctX]

I have several credit & debit cards loaded into my PP account. There's an option (click on the Settings icon - upper right) where you can set the preferred payment method.

But within eBay, you can also override the CC...

You will get 5x points ... PayPal Digital Gifts is the merchant that's coded as "Office Supply Store" (you'll see the bonus if you go to Rewards activity, just like you would for regular Staples or ODOMeter purchases.

 

[Belisarius]

I have several credit & debit cards loaded into my PP account. There's an option (click on the Settings icon - upper right) where you can set the preferred payment method.
.

Does this require a zero PayPal balance? I adjusted my payment setting, but it still says my cc will be billed AFTER exhausting my PayPal funds. Having trouble finding an override.

 

[InstinctX]

YES!!! Withdraw any balance to your bank. Else they will use the balance first and then use your CC for the remaining balance.

That's to optimize the 5x points.

 

[Belisarius]

YES!!! Withdraw any balance to your bank. Else they will use the balance first and then use your CC.

That's to optimize the 5x points.

Ah, thanks. I was leery of doing that since I'd read that aggressive ACH withdrawals were a quick way to achieve a PayPal shutdown.

 

[InstinctX]

I think the shutdowns are when you load your PayPal account with MyCash cards ($500 at CVS)...and quickly withdraw these funds.

 

[Belisarius]

Yeah, guess it depends on how PayPal defines "quickly." I loaded up with 4K in MyCash over the last week and I've still got 2K in my account that I'd need to withdraw. Their ambiguity is a hassle.

 

[chuck sithe]

Keep Calm,
Can you tell me exactly how PP Digital Gifts shows up on INK? Does is say "office supply store"?

 

[InstinctX]

The Merchant Name or Transaction Description will display: "PAYPAL *PAYPAL INC 402-935-7733 California"

But Chase's merchant category code (MCC) is for an OSS.

You can verify if Chase awarded a category bonus by navigating to Ultimate Rewards. You will need to click on the upper right, select Rewards Activity... or click on Show Rewards Activity:

Example (sorry, using Windoze right now, the screenshot cropped the right column "Points")

 

[chuck sithe]

"But Chase's merchant category code (MCC) is for an OSS"

Thanks for that.

My question was not so much whether it earns 5x. I wanted to know if we know for sure that it's because of office supply. (I once heard someone mention something else.) Do you see anywhere the office supply category explicitly?

Thanks

 

[InstinctX]

It's been confirmed by FM and also Doctor of Credit. While eBay isn't technically an office supply store, Chase awards category bonus points based on the merchant code used to process your credit card payment. Apparently eBay’s system is setup as an office supply store, at least for certain types of purchases. This only applies for items sold by PAYPAL DIGITAL GIFTS.

 

[chuck sithe]

It's been confirmed by FM and also Doctor of Credit. While eBay isn't technically an office supply store, Chase awards category bonus points based on the merchant code used to process your credit card payment. Apparently eBay’s system is setup as an office supply store, at least for certain types of purchases. This only applies for items sold by PAYPAL DIGITAL GIFTS.

Thanks

 

[Weezl]

YES!!! Withdraw any balance to your bank. Else they will use the balance first and then use your CC for the remaining balance.

That's to optimize the 5x points.

NVM, I just kept trying and it worked this time, option for CC came up.
SORRY!

I have my PPE card as a backup for PP right now, since I am loading Serve with $1K/month using my PPDMC; that way I get the 1% on the PPDMC and the 3% on the PPE used as backup.

So, do I temporarily change my backup from my PPE to my Ink card so that when my eBay purchase takes me to PP and I login, I just go ahead and pay with PP? Even if this is correct, as I said in the OP, I could not get past the login for payment using PP on eBay, presumably because my PP balance is 0. Still confused...

InstinctX, you wrote There's an option (click on the Settings icon - upper right) where you can set the preferred payment method but there I found I had 2 banks and my Ink already in there for preapproved payments. Is that where you mean to set the CC?

In eBay, you also mentioned within eBay, you can also override the CC...
How is this done? My Ink is already in there for seller fees.

Sorry for being so dense!

 

[labboypro]

Ah, thanks. I was leery of doing that since I'd read that aggressive ACH withdrawals were a quick way to achieve a PayPal shutdown.

I sweep my PP balance immediately after every sale, before printing any shipping labels so shipping cost goes to cc. That means I sweep 10-15 times per week on average... so often 2-3 times per day, depending on sales (buy my crap!) I've been doing this for 15 years.

 

[Belisarius]

Executed successfully today. My thanks to everyone for their help.

 

[grebel]

What Labboypro said. If Paypal wants to freeze our accounts, I refuse to let them hold my money for more than a few seconds.

 

[labboypro]

What Labboypro said. If Paypal wants to freeze our accounts, I refuse to let them hold my money for more than a few seconds.

Sadly, they still often float the money longer than (I believe) is appropriate. I have an open congressional inquiry on the matter after a dozen instances where my money disappeared for over a week (I did a sweep, so I had ZERO dollars available in my PP account... but it didn't actually deposit into my linked checking for 7 days... where was it all that time?... banks are required to follow fedregs on float per the Expedited Funds Availability Act, and it's certainly not 7 days. PP is... for now... apparently exempt).

PP is the spawn of Satan, and I eagerly away the day when there is a truly capable alternative.

/rant off (for now)