I would like to get a discussion on this issue going on at this blog.As a blogger who has subscribed to payperpost and social sparks, i have found it increasing difficult to process my payments and this means that many Africans (see davidajao's post )just like me are loosing money due to the limited presence of this most important service.Payperpost recently informed me that each payment they sent came back with a response that one can only send but not receive payment in Kenya.That is queer considering their site in listing which places one can access their services in Africa states that one can send money to Kenya (Paypal Approved Countries Link)
There are actually quite few countries privileged to send, receive and withdraw money among whom include India,United Arab Emirates,Indonesia, Slovakia.Romania,MalaysiaBulgaria ,Latvia etc. As for Africa im yet to hear of a Country you can send, receive or withdraw money not even South Africa...i stand to be corrected!Noteworthy is that in September 2007 the Paypal blog boasted of the new international withdrawal functionality i.e at http://www.thepaypalblog.com/weblog/2007/09/paypal-introduc.html but that really was not good news as the status quo is still the same for Africa.We were left out as always seems to be the case.
I believe that maybe Paypal does not recognize the potential and opportunities available in Africa and it is time we trumpeted this cause and let them know they are loosing out and costing us!If you are a blogger, website owner or administrator please link to this post or do a post and link to this post so that we can get them to do something about this.Our inactivity and passive view of such important matters limits our opportunities to effectively trade in the world wide web!
Paypal was founded in 1998,San Jose California and now boasts of operating over153 million accounts worldwide ,available in 190 markets and 17 currencies all over the world except in Africa.Due to its inadequate presence in hinterland Africa,the E-Commerce provider is losing out on massive profits which it could rake in due to emerging robust markets in Africa.Other services such as Alertpay.com may just exploit this lacunae.That may not necessarily be the case if Paypal responds to our request.Please add your voice to this cause by linking and commenting on this post or digg this post vide the link i will provide shortly.We most definately need Paypal to provide all its services and benefits in Africa and soon!
Paypal we also need to send, receive and withdraw money in our bank accounts in Africa too!The faster the service is provided the better.Africa's commercial and economic systems are far much better than the war ravished economies in Eastern European Countries to whom Paypal has given preference in their snailspeed worldwide expansion program!
Here's another link showing why we need Paypal: from Blogger Jasonbagleyin South Africa, dont you just feel his pain in the post?
Please Digg this at: http://digg.com/business_finance/Is_Paypal_Effective_In_Africa
Sponsored Conversations
Thanks for the AfriGadget post, exciting and very surprised!
ReplyDeleteOkay, one of the drums I always beat is about the lack of a true ecommerce solution in Africa. Paypal isn't coming here (I've spoken with them). We need to build our own payment gateway. Our own "AfriPay" system that is both carrier and bank agnostic. That's when we'll have viable transaction activity happening. Oh, of course this is tied through the mobile phone.
Hash , thats harsh!i hope that they reconsider, if indeed thats their position.I love your suggestion for Afripay, unfortunately most traders out there prefer paypal, which means that even if a local outfit comes into operation it will be an uphill task to market and operationalize it!
ReplyDeleteLacunae wow nice word. We learn something every day.
ReplyDeleteMy blog has also been accepted for Pay Per Post and registration for me hits a complete stop when I get to where they ask for a Paypal e-mail.
But paypal seems to really have hogged - almost monopolized internet payment. Wherever you try to register its paypal paypal paypal. I guess I'll go your way Collins, get someone with a paypal account abroad and use it. Seems the only way for now as Hash says he's spoken to them and they ain't coming to Africa.
Hi Wanjiku,i am lawyer and a jang so the english has to flow! but do i say!true true, paypal has monopolized the market, Hash's idea is novel but the fact that Paypal is the medium of choice out there limits the prospect for an afripay service!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Paypal has really monopolized the market despite the different privacy issues they had in 2006/2007.
ReplyDeleteHash should tell us why Paypal will not setup in Kenya... I have been told that it's the Kenyan government who is bocking everything by not allowing banks to cash money from such companies, or something like that ??
Another alternative to Paypal is called MoneyBookers, they do payment worlwide and are popular in the casino business.
Payperpost.
*********
Just a tip, most of these companies also have a bro-company in Europe. If you want to earn a bit, then you better go for one based in Europe. Hey !!! 1USD = 1.5 Euro.
I do payperpost also... I am usually paid between 20 to 60 euros per targeted article but don't do more than two per month. It's called ebuzzing and they also have a company based in UK for English-speaking bloggers but I can't tell if they have a lot of clients in UK. Anyway, it's 10 euros min and registration is free.
For the payment issue, it is always good to ask for a special derogation so that they do a wire transfer instead of Paypal... Most of them don't do wire transfer because bloggers cash the money as soon as it is there (no trust), thus increasing bank fees and administrative costs. But if you write to them and explain them you are not like others and would like to keep your money in credit up to a large sum (like 500 euros), most of them will accept.
I am totally discouraged too, for i have a client i want to connect to paypal for how much it is praised but he is already reluctant to do it. After all, he is more interested in recieving funds than sending. What a mess!! i am going to post an article here - NEW KENYA about PAYPAL anyone interested please in a few days. Am dissapointed. Lets show them we can do business too. or we encourage some blessed guy somewhere in Kenya to have a better paypal company that bothers about everyone. see ya.
ReplyDeleteProbably the Afripay system suggested by HASH is Ghana's BSL that has has Paypal, Ebay and much more in it but from an African perspective.Check them at http://www.bslglobal.com/. Since most companies online prefer paying to a paypal account, BSL will have to strike a deal with paypal so that folks in Africa should be able to transfer cash between the two systems.
ReplyDelete