MarcForrest.com

Tag: PayPal

  • FNB & PayPal Launch #PayPalSA

    FNB & PayPal launched their product offering in South Africa this morning. I’m sitting in the press conference. Here is a bit more info about the offering. I will be updating my blog a bit later with some more info.

    Fast Facts

    FNB’s customers can now sell to PayPal’s global customer base of more than 81 million active accounts in 190 markets around the world and move the proceeds to their FNB accounts.
    This new service allows customers to top up and withdraw funds to their qualifying FNB accounts from their PayPal accounts.
    FNB’s customers simply need to open a South African PayPal account and link it to their qualified FNB account to receive PayPal payments in 21 different currencies. FNB will convert the currency to South African Rand when the money is transferred into their accounts.
    This solution also enables customers to top up their PayPal accounts anytime they want to send money or shop online with PayPal’s global base of merchants.

    Press Release

    First National Bank (FNB) and PayPal today announced that customers in South Africa can now sell to PayPal’s global customer base of more than 81 million active accounts in 190 markets around the world and move the proceeds to their FNB accounts. This new service allows customers to top up and withdraw funds to their qualifying FNB accounts from their PayPal accounts.

    “We are especially pleased to make this announcement on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as South Africans will be able to join the global eCommerce marketplace. Our agreement with PayPal also enables international businesses and individuals to transact with South African service providers via a secure and convenient payment gateway”, says Michael Jordaan, FNB’s Chief Executive Officer.

    “The exclusive top up and withdraw service with PayPal allows South Africans to make payments and receive money internationally without sharing their financial or personal information,” adds Jordaan.

    FNB Customers can simply open a PayPal account and link it to a qualified FNB account and receive PayPal payments in 21 different currencies. FNB will convert the currency to South African Rand, when the money is transferred into their accounts.

    This solution enables customers to top up their PayPal accounts anytime they want to send money or shop online with PayPal’s global base of merchants.

    “FNB and PayPal have a similar focus on innovation, so it makes sense that we would work with FNB to make online payments even easier for merchants and consumers in South Africa,” said Oded Zehavi, head of PayPal’s business in Israel and South Africa.

    “With South Africa’s solid financial infrastructure and its status as the continent’s largest economy, we’re optimistic about the future of eCommerce in this market and look forward to working with FNB on the opportunities ahead,” says Zehayi.

    “The launch of PayPal sees FNB take another step forward as South Africa’s most innovative financial institution. It responds directly to our ‘how can we help you?’ brand promise,” concludes Jordaan.

    The PayPal service will be offered in partnership with FNB and has received approval from the Exchange Control Department of the South African Reserve Bank.

    For more information, visit www.fnb.co.za or www.paypal.com

  • Big Big Brandplus for eBucks

    Disclaimer: I was in no way asked to write this post, or compensated in any way

    I have always loved eBucks. The fact that I am getting rewarded for spending money makes a huge difference to me. Every year I used to accumulate my eBucks till December then “splash out” on a Woolworths Gift card which we would use to help buy kids presents and things around Christmas time.
    When the opportunity came up to attend the South African PayPal launch next week, I really wanted to make an effort of getting to the event. I wanted to be part of this ground breaking event, so I went through all the options of getting up to Jozi for the day. At first there was a slight possibility I would have had a sponsored flight, but on Tuesday morning I had a brainwave.
    I know Kulula has partnered with eBucks so you can use your eBucks to buy plane tickets. So I went onto the eBucks site, and searched for flights to and from Jozi for the day. As I was searching for flights I saw Kulula had a special on flights from Durbs to Lanseria for R299 each way, which would work out to R600 return. I contemplated hauling out the credit card, but then checked my eBucks balance. I had a balance of about R560 in my eBucks. Just short. So I went through the process of purchasing the tickets,with the intention of part paying,  and to my surprise I found that I qualified for a 20% discount. Bingo !!
    So I used my eBucks to buy the ticket to Jozi, which worked out 100%, and in essence cost me “nothing”.

    Then yesterday afternoon I tweeted about my score:

    Seriously, about 10 minutes later I got the following tweet reply from @eBucksRewards:

    How awesome is that. Coming from small town like Ballito, where I only have to deal with 3 car traffic congestion, I was rather (petrified) worried about having to deal with Jozi traffic. So now. I have a Avis Point to Point transfer picking me up at the airport, dropping me off at the PayPal event, and then dropping me off in Centurion where I will spend the night.

    Now that’s a BrandPlus in my books. Well done to eBucks for listening and using twitter to engage with their clients. This is how social media should be used, and I think they doing just the right job :) Thanks eBucks.

  • PayPal in South Africa

    I have just finished paying for my plane ticket up to Jozi to attend the launch next week Thursday, of the PayPal & FNB partnership in South Africa. The function takes place in Jozi, and I will be putting all the info I have about the partnership on my blog as soon as I have it.

    What does this mean for us, South Africans ? Well now we will finally be able to accept money through PayPal into an FNB account. This is huge for South African’s as it now allows us to do online business with the rest of the world, without incurring high bank costs for Credit card transactions, as as has been in the norm in the past. This means that anybody will be able to see anything online, and receive money without any hassles.

    It looks like both FNB & PayPal have started adjusting their systems to allow for this, and I’m sure we will soon start seeing the benefits of this partnership. Like I said above, as soon as I have any further info, you can get it here first ;)