Confused about Credit Card Payments, PayPal Pro & Cardinal Centinel - UK Based

Hi, I am in desperate need of some plain English advice RE using PayPal Pro.

I have PayPal Express on my cart, the buyer can either use their PayPal account to checkout or enter their CC details on the PayPal website.

I have also finally set up PayPal Pro (with PayPal telephone aid). So now I can process Visa and MasterCard directly on my site and the buyer does not know PayPal has been the Gateway.

However, I do not have Cardinal Centinel 3D secure set up....... My question is simply.......... do I need it?
PayPal support are giving a non-definitive answer, simply saying it is up to me.

Should I have 3d Secure via Cardinal Centinel implemented or not? Will it offer me better charge back protection or is it not necessary as I will only accept Visa/Master Card?

I have read some awful horror stories on this site and other e-commerce related sites RE PayPal freezing PayPal accounts for months because of suspicious activity or charge backs. Well this would cripple me and put me out of business if this happened.

I really just want a plain English answer as this is way over my head and PayPal are not being helpful at all!!

It is really up to you which one you choose(not both)

Pay credence to the horror stories and your personal experience with PayPal

Last I heard was that UK merchants using PayPal Pro and wanting to accept mastercard, would need to also have 3D-Secure, and that its cost was included in your PayPal merchant fees.
And the Cardinal folks have instructions on how it all works, how to set it up, etc.

A couple years ago PayPal would reject any Mastercard transaction that didn't have a 3D-SecureCode response. If they're telling you differently, then maybe they've changed things.

Not sure what relevance the topic of "freezing accounts" has here. If your industry is prone to fraud, then you'll want to take all appropriate precautions including enabling fraud protection features where applicable, and budgeting for delayed release of funds during investigations, or choose a safer industry.

ray-the-otter:

I have read some awful horror stories on this site and other e-commerce related sites RE PayPal freezing PayPal accounts for months because of suspicious activity or charge backs. Well this would cripple me and put me out of business if this happened.

Not sure how PayPal feels about the following idea of mine...

Why not have a SECOND paypal account - fully verified and under a different name. (To be used in "emergencies")

If they "freeze" the main account, simply re-direct the payments to the other account by disabling PayPal Pro module, and linking to the "emergency" PayPal account using the PP Express module...

Keep this going until PP "un-freezes" the main account.

Hi, thank you for the feedback.

I think, considering that PP automatically hold 40% of all my non-ebay £sales for 60 days, lackadaisical approach to 3d-secure/cc payments and their judge dredd style approach to disputes. I might give sagepay or cardsave a bash, they seem to have Zen Cart modules. Think I will just keep PP for eBay.

ray-the-otter:

I might give sagepay or cardsave a bash, they seem to have Zen Cart modules. Think I will just keep PP for eBay.

Maybe not cardsave, as I phoned up to ask about integration with 1.5x and they would not answer any questions until I had signed up to them :ohmy:
anyone got any recommendations ?

It partially depends on where you are selling. But in general, if you are worried about fraud risks and you have access to 3D secure type solutions, use them. With 3D Secure, the fraud liability shifts away from the merchants to the issuing banks so you are protected in cases of stolen or unauthorized purchase. You can still get hit with other types of chargeback reasons.

I bring up geography because 3D Secure type solution is more widely adopted in the EU as some issuers require that their cardholders sign up. With better consumer awareness of the technology, they are more likely to go through the process during the checkout process. In the US, there has been adoption by merchants but in general, consumers are not as aware of the technology and there is a perception that it increases shopping cart abandonment. There are some conflicting studies on this but that remains to be an issue people worry about.

There are other ways to protect yourself from fraud without 3D Secure.