The Free Internet Cafe for the Blind & Visually Impaired, the first in the whole of Africa, which opens the World Wide Web, making The Gambia a leading light in Africa, with this technology by allowing free and total access to surf the net send and receive emails and for students to enhace their studies with the aid of this pioneering software. No more do they need to rely on a third party to read to them newspapers, magazines, books, letters and world wide information. Nonvision.KingfisherGambia.com - PayPal (expert)
 

www.paypal.com/

PayPal

PayPal website (opens in new window )

Level: expert

What is PayPal

PayPal is a method by which you can purchase items off the internet, securely. The idea is that the sites you buy from do not see your card details this way, and so reducing the chances of fraud.

PayPal also offers you a degree of protection, for instance if your goods don’t arrive, you may well get your money back.

Many websites are perfectly safe to shop off by simply entering your details into their own encrypted systems, however, PayPal guarantees your safety and also makes paying quicker. This is achieved by registering an account with them, and then when you checkout products from a website, if PayPal is an option, you simply enter your username and password, thus removing the need to enter card details all the time.

Not all websites offer the choice to pay by PayPal, however the number that do is rising constantly.

PayPal is not just a way to buy things, however. You can also transfer money to friends and family, securely, however there is normally a small charge for this.

Using PayPal

When you first go to the PayPal homepage there is plenty of information for you to peruse. You will find links to frequently asked questions, sections giving you more information on PayPal’s various services and partners, and the option to log in or sign up.

Signing up with PayPal

The sign up process works quite well with WebbIE. On the first screen you will be asked to select your country, chances are this will default to United Kingdom.

You are then given a series of options, the first being "the account for people who shop online", this is the most common, and will fulfil most people’s needs. Alternatively you could choose to sign up if you are thinking of buying and selling online, or if you’re a business.

There is a "get started" button under each option, so once you’ve decided what kind of account you require, press this.

If you choose the personal option, you can always upgrade later.

The next screen will ask you to enter your personal details and card number, this is so that it can be stored for use when shopping. You don’t have to enter your card details now, it can be done at a later stage.

There are also a series of links to view PayPal’s privacy policy etc.

Once you’ve done this, you are registered, and should shortly receive an email from PayPal confirming this. If you chose not to enter your card details, you will be asked to do so now, or, link a bank account instead – this means that anything you buy will be taken directly from the account instead of via the card.

Your PayPal Account

The beauty of PayPal is that you can verify details and change things as fast or slow as you like, for instance, only the essential details are required to sign up, verification, adding cards etc can all be done as and when you choose.

You should, however, firstly confirm your email address by following the link in the email provided by PayPal.

When you next sign in, you will be taken to your homepage, which will show you an overview of your account. It will tell you things like whether you are verified or not, show you any recent transactions, and give you options on adding funds, accounts, spending limits etc.

Verification process

The verification process can be quite tricky, basically you will be asked to provide your bank or card details, maybe both. PayPal will then deposit a few pence into the account, and you will then have to check this, return and enter the amount into PayPal. They will prompt you, so you can complete the process at your own speed, but it may take a while to verify everything. You can, however, use your card via PayPal without verification – but verifying the card is actually yours makes things more secure.

You will be prompted for verification each time you log onto PayPal, but it doesn’t generally affect your use of the service.

Other PayPal matters

Near the top of the page, your homepage, you will find a series of links, to send money to someone, add funds etc. If you click on your account, more options will appear near that link, or, further down the page. You should remember that "my account" generally refers to all money matters, so look at this like a bank account, it is the page you first get when you log in.

Profile

Again, near the top of the page you will see a link for Profile.

This provides all your personal details, such as address, phone numbers and the option to edit these as well as add cards and bank accounts.

The best way to do this is to jump to the second heading "profile summary" or search for those words. Then, simply arrow through the links, and select what you want to add, change or edit.

Once you’ve chosen the link, the page will generally give you edit boxes to fill out, although of course what’s required will vary depending on what you choose, for instance changing your password will be quicker than adding a new card.

Navigation suggestions

PayPal uses headings to signify the main sections, otherwise arrowing around and using the find function are the best ways to navigate here

 

The Free Internet Cafe for the Blind & Visually Impaired, the first in the whole of Africa, which opens the World Wide Web, making The Gambia a leading light in Africa, with this technology by allowing free and total access to surf the net send and receive emails and for students to enhace their studies with the aid of this pioneering software. No more do they need to rely on a third party to read to them newspapers, magazines, books, letters and world wide information.