Using credit card or Paypal to buy gift for family overseas

usignuolo

My son and daughter in law live in the US. My son has suggested I buy my d-i-l a baby carrier for my new grandson, as a surprise present. The one they want is only available to buy on line and the seller's website specifies they only deliver in the US, which is fine as I want it delivered in New York.

I went online and ordered it and tried to pay with Visa, but it turned out their website only accepts billing addresses in the USA with valid credit cards registered in the US. I then phoned them direct and and they confirmed this was so, they will not accept overseas orders, even over the phone, with a valid Visa debit or credit. All cards accepted have to have a registered US address.

The girl on the phone suggested I use their online Paypal option. I tried to do this and selected Paypal but this was immediately rejected, before I got as far as inputting my Paypal details, with a message saying that I could only use Paypal for delivery to my home address. I am not sure whether this was triggered by the seller's website or paypal.

Is it the case that Paypal cannot now be used to buy gifts for delivery to someone else?

forgotmyname

Add their address to your paypal account as an alternative. When the item arrives remove it again.

Or send them the money via Paypal gift and get them to order it?

InsideInsurance

The merchant has control over if they allow the delivery address to be different to the verified address on your account or not.

As suggested above, let them buy it themselves and give them the money for it is probably the easiest solution

reclusive46

Do you happen to have an American Express card? They don't support cross border address verification, so if you put your son's address it'll go through anyway.

RichL74

Why not pay money into sons bank account let him go out and buy it or order it and he can say you paid for it rather than jumping through all those hoops.

InsideInsurance

reclusive46 wrote: »

Do you happen to have an American Express card? They don't support cross border address verification, so if you put your son's address it'll go through anyway.

It depends what checks they are doing. The BIN will show its a UK issued card.

knightstyle

I have lots of addresses registered on my Paypal account for this, USA, France, New Zealand, Australia and 99% of transactions go straight through.