Nationwide CC and Paypal

JohalaReewi

If you register your Nationwide CC (or other 0% on foreign currency transactions card) on Paypal and purchase goods via Paypal in a foreign currency, Paypal converts the amount to GBP at their exchange rate and then passes it to your credit card. This means that potentially you are not getting as good an exchange rate as you would if the amount were billed to the card in the original currency. However, I have just received an email from Paypal showing how to get Paypal to not convert to GBP for foreign currency purchases.

From Paypal:-

When you select a currency balance and click 'Make Primary', this currency will become your default currency for sending (and requesting) payments. You can edit the default currency when you are sending money (and requesting money). To designate a primary currency, follow these directions:

1. Click https://www.paypal.com/uk/MULTCBAL or copy and paste the link into the address bar

2. Select the radio button next to the currency you would like to designate as your primary currency.

3. Click 'Make Primary'

You can then perform your overseas transaction (in say USD) and Paypal will bill your card in that currency. Afterwards, you can change the default currency back to GBP.

dollywops

Many thanks for this post. I will definitely use this information next time I make a foreign currency purchase on paypal.

JohalaReewi

Paypal helpdesk speak with forked tounge !!

Tried to do what Paypal suggested and it still wanted to bill my credit card in GBP even though my primary currency was USD

However, on the final page under the bit where it tells you how much it is going to charge your card and what Paypal's conversion rate is, there is a hyperlink to 'conversion options'. When you click this, you can choose to accept Paypal's conversion rate, or have Paypal bill your card in the original transaction currency and you use the credit card conversion rates and charges.

dollywops

Thanks for this. I was going round the houses with Paypal on the phone, and finally found your post.

dollywops

Lopo

The Paypal site explanations and layout is deliberately too complex so people end up getting confused then duped....

ebay with the general fraud issues and paypal are a little scummy like that since they effectively belong to each other ownership wise.

They really need to be regulated in some manner.

2 pence worth!