Perks with a Spanish PayPal Account
- By Maxine --
- 15 Sep 2020 --
- comments are disable
If you’re thinking of creating a Spanish PayPal account, there are a lot more advantages than just being able to pay online.
Free returns
Get free returns for items bought online and paid for in full via PayPal, including international returns. You need to activate this free service to be able to use it and you can request up to 12 returns per calendar year, with a maximum reimbursement of 30€ each.
This service can only be used if the seller does not offer free returns. You must use it within the 14 days cooling-off period.
Tip: Use courier comparison site PackLink for a quote for national or international shipping.
Credit card security
Rather than having to input your credit card details on lesser-known (and potentially less secure) websites, paying by PayPal means keeping your credit card details private.
Contactless payments
Download the PayPal app to your mobile, click on scan and pay (escanear para pagar), scan the QR code supplied by the shop/chemist/delivery driver and then key in the amount you need to pay. You’ll get an immediate payment confirmation to show the seller allowing you to take your goods or services.
Buyer protection
When you order online sometimes things go wrong. You end up with a product that you either never asked for, it’s broken or it’s not what you expected. PayPal’s buyer protection service promises to get your money back including shipping charges.
This service also covers intangible goods such as digital downloads, accommodation, flights or concert tickets.
How does it work? First open a dispute with the seller (you have 180 days from purchase date to do this) via the Resolution Centre. If you don’t get a satisfactory solution you have 20 days from opening the dispute to elevate it to a claim. Once PayPal has taken a decision, if this is in your favour you’ll receive your refund.
Exclusive discounts
In order to encourage people to use PayPal, with an account in Spain you’ll receive regular promo emails. Discounts normally range from 10% to 25% for items such as fashion and electronics. They’ve also had promos for bus tickets, restaurant takeaways and online services.
Discounts that last a few months can also be found on the PayPal website.
Send or request money
Once you have an account, you can set up a PayPal.Me link, just choose a name for your page: PayPal.Me/(YourName). Share the link with friends and family by email or SMS, all they need to do is click on the link and introduce the amount they want to send. You’ll receive the money immediately.
The free service only applies for single currency transfers from bank accounts linked to PayPal accounts. If you’re changing currency it may work out more expensive – see our post on currency transfers for cheaper options.
You can also set up a page for group payments, for example if you’re collecting for a present, just use the Money Pools (Fondo Común) service.
MSS Tips
As PayPal has so many customers, it’s also one of the biggest targets for scammers. Never click on emails supposedly from PayPal that say that your account has been frozen or blocked asking you to click on a link. Open a new window in your browser and type in the PayPal website and check your details.
Check your account regularly. If anyone gains access fraudulently, they will typically start off by taking small amounts and, if nothing is done, they’ll move on to larger amounts.
