Hi,
We probably all know PayPal or MoneyBookers. They turn into a nightmare sometimes, but they usually work. I am exploring other providers.
We could gather and share here some experience and knowledge. I am looking for Ireland oriented gateways, for businesses targeting Irish customers.

1/ What about plate-forms accepting Laser card?
2/ Do you know/use them?
3/ Did you try them with VirtueMart?

All the Best,
Hervé

Good post Hervé

What issues did you have with Paypal, I use them practically daily and have never had an issue.

I'd certainly be interested in co-building payment gateway plugins for irsih based providers if anyone wants to sponsor the project or help with the coding.

Thanks, PayPal is like many other high-tech or web providers. They are at the point where you judge them when you run into troubles.
For example, I had an issue with the referral system: 5 weeks of email exchanges, with many times automated answers, sometimes twice the same, previous email of the exchange NEVER read, useless service over the phone, been provided wrong customer service phone number (UK premium numbers without country code, being written to be for Ireland, and very dear to call outside UK), just to name a few. And I give up, it is not sorted, and too much time consuming.

So yes, if you do not have any issue, you will be fine. But once a website is live, I am not usually dealing with financial issues, then imagine for someone, like many of my costumers, who is not used to online practises. And I feel like not recommended Paypal to them now.

Plus no Laser card feature, which is bad regarding our national market and for small transactions, a not-so-nice interface when you are not sure to have the credit card page or PayPal account login page displayed, because Paypal pushes the use of the Paypal account.

And just from end-users/customers feedbacks, some people just do not complete the order because they:
- do not know Paypal,
- have been presented the account login page (thanks to a previous paypal cookie)
- would prefer to have a regular credit card screen, from a bank or well know financial institution
- do not trust PayPal from a previous experience
- have a bad experience with eBay, and associate it with PayPal

Ok I stop, the point is not on the Paypal con's. I do not want to scare people. And I will be delighted to have/promote a good alternative, this is sane competition, and help with the tests, and maybe the coding. It is a matter of time, but I think it worth it.

All the Best,
Hervé