Announcement Dear German Members who want a Premium Membership

[Art Andrews]

I am sorry to inform you that your country hates you.

A number of you have complained that you cannot obtain a Premium Membership because PayPal requires you to have a Credit Card on file (not just a bank account) for recurring payments. After doing some research, we found German members of Steam and Spotify making the same complaints. We then called PayPal to try to better understand the issue. Unfortunately, due to German law (not PayPal), a credit card is REQUIRED for this type of transaction. This means there is nothing we or PayPal can do. With that being said, we are looking into alternative payment solutions, but right now, if you do not have a credit card and you are in Germany, you will not be able to get a Premium Membership.

 

[TomVDJ]

I don't think it's German law. I think it's European law. In Belgium I have the same problem, so I'm afraid it will be the same for all European RPF members who don't have a credit card linked to their PayPal account... .

 

[Alan Castillo]

I don't know if there is a problem at all.

If Paypal insists on a credit card for recurring payments, then don't try to do it recurring.

Once a year, just pay 'manually' like any other Paypal payment you make.

 

[R2Dan]

was just about to suggest what Alan said. May not be as comfortable, but it would work just fine

 

[Alan Castillo]

May not be as comfortable,

:thumbsup

I cannot see how pressing 4 buttons once a year could possibly be classified as uncomfortable :lol

 

[Roland]

I haven't tried it, but I always thought the yearly payment is recurring, too. Isn't it?

 

[Alan Castillo]

I haven't tried it, but I always thought the yearly payment is recurring, too. Isn't it?

Payments for Premium go to a PayPal address.

Just liaise with Art and send the payment 'manually' (ie not through the board / system).

He can then activate your membership manually.

Same as is done when a member gives membership as a gift to another.

I guess

I am sorry to inform you that your country hates you.

... but Art loves you :lol

 

[TomVDJ]

When subscribing through the site, you can't "disable" the recurring. If Art doesn't care to handle our subscribtions manually, than that's OK for me too.

 

[Alan Castillo]

If Art doesn't care to handle our subscribtions manually, than that's OK for me too.

:confused

 

[TomVDJ]

:confused

I mean, If there are in the end a few dozens of members who can't use the automatic premium subscribtion method, and RPF staff has to handle these manually (check if payment has been made, modify the account, etc...) I can imagine this is quite some work, no?

Anyway, if it can be handled that way, I might consider signing up for a year of premium membership next month...

 

[Alan Castillo]

I mean, If there are in the end a few dozens of members who can't use the automatic premium subscribtion method, and RPF staff has to handle these manually (check if payment has been made, modify the account, etc...) I can imagine this is quite some work, no?

At a rough and ready estimate, as you say, there can be no more than a couple dozen members who would need this done till another solution is found.

To do it once a year, I am assuming, would be no problem.

However, and just speaking for myself, if someone asked me to do it once a month, I'd send him packing :lol

Anyway, if it can be handled that way, I might consider signing up for a year of premium membership next month...

I'm pretty sure it can be handled that way as a temporary stop-gap measure. But of course, Art has the final word as there may be a technical issue I am not seeing.

 

[Roland]

Alan Castillo

How did you pay? Was Art offering you a "manual payment" or did you pay recurring through the forum without any credit card issues on PayPal? If you had the same issues, then it could be actually an european problem and that would affect much more than just a couple dozen members. A huge loss of money for the RPF.

Maybe it's time to start a new thread with a survey/voting. The questions could be:

- I'm premium member and PayPal didn't ask for a credit card
- I'm premium member and PayPal asked for a credit card
- I'm not premium member because PayPal asked for a credit card
- I'm not premium member because I don't want to be

 

[Art Andrews]

Our understanding is that this is ONLY an issue with Germany.

 

[Roland]

Our understanding is that this is ONLY an issue with Germany.

That's what they told you. But as you can see, Tom from Belgium has the same problems.

 

[Alan Castillo]

@Alan Castillo

How did you pay? Was Art offering you a "manual payment" or did you pay recurring through the forum without any credit card issues on PayPal? If you had the same issues, then it could be actually an european problem and that would affect much more than just a couple dozen members. A huge loss of money for the RPF.

No problems my end. I paid through the board system via Paypal, which is linked to a credit card.

I then set it recurring, on my Paypal itself.

 

[TomVDJ]

That's what they told you. But as you can see, Tom from Belgium has the same problems.

Indeed, it's exactly the same problem for me in Belgium. If it has to do with legislation, than I guess this is European law. European countries have to take over laws that are decided in the European parlement, and this is more than half of all laws in European countries. So my best guess is that Europe decided that online subscribtions should always be paid by credit card, to improve security...

Art, is it possible for us to do a regular paypal payment and that our subscribtion is then handled manually by RPF staff? Or are you guys looking for an alternative way to subscribe? In my case, payment through paypal (not with credit card linked, just payment out of paypal funds), is the only way to pay outside the EU.

 

[Roland]

No problems my end. I paid through the board system via Paypal, which is linked to a credit card.

I then set it recurring, on my Paypal itself.

How is that possible through the board system? It was actually non-recurring from the beginning, before you set it recurring? And how do you pay now, PayPal funds or does PayPal take the money from your credit card?

(Sorry for peppering you with so many questions! )

 

[Alan Castillo]

How is that possible through the board system? It was actually non-recurring from the beginning, before you set it recurring? And how do you pay now, PayPal funds or does PayPal take the money from your credit card?

Yes, my Paypal is linked to a Credit Card, not a Bank Account.

Checked my Paypal records / emails.

The first payment receipt from Paypal, for the payment I made on 30 October 2011, through the board system, says :

Dear Alan Castillo,
You sent an automatic payment to The Replica Prop Forum. Here are the details:
Amount: $36.00 USD
To: The Replica Prop Forum
For: Premium Members Subscription


Then, I have another separate message from Paypal, dated that same day, confirming that I set up a recurring payment myself :

Dear Alan Castillo,
You just set up an automatic payment profile to The Replica Prop Forum. Here's the information:
To: The Replica Prop Forum
For: Premium Members Subscription
Profile ID: xyzabc (edited)
About the automatic payment you just set up:
Amount to be paid each time: $36.00 USD
Billing cycle: Yearly
Payments start: 30 Oct 2011
Next payment due: 30 Oct 2012

From then onwards, it sends it automatically because I set it up to do so on a 'yearly cycle', and it will continue to do so unless I cancel it myself in Paypal.

(Sorry for peppering you with so many questions! )

No problem, its not a state secret :lol

 

[Roland]

But their first receipt also says "automatic" payment. Is this not the same as a recurring payment? Maybe it wasn't necessary to set it recurring yourself.

 

[Alan Castillo]

I don't think so.

If I didn't set it myself in Paypal, it would only have sent it once. I think it was obligatory, for convenience sake, for me to physically set the cycle myself in Paypal so as not be reminded etc etc.

It was almost 3 years ago anyway, & I've lost a few grey cells since then :lol