Diners - Paypal

[Hammando]

For those who don't already know you can link your Diners (Discovery) card with your PayPal account.

Handy as opens up new ways to use the card with more and more online vendors and even Telstra accepting PayPal.

Only problem is if you try and buy something in aud it converts it to usd first. So you have forex fees for no reason.

Initially the lady I spoke to at diners said this was wrong and they would refund any forex charges. So i did a few transactions rang diners to get the forex refund, they honored it but said the lady was incorrect and they won't refund going forward.

I've complained to Diners and spoke to a helpful manager Spencer (I find most of the regular call centre staff completely inept, and unable to comprehend, let alone answer the simplest of questions) he is trying to find out why it is happening and how to get it fixed. He's promised to get back to me next week, I'll report back.

If you'd like to use Diners for Paypal I suggest complaining to see if they will get it fixed.

In the meantime not bad for spend in usd.

 

[Newk]

Thanks for that info. I did a couple of transactions and stopped because of the foreign currency thing. Would be great to get it fixed. I'm in awe that you even tried to talk about complex issues with Diners phone representatives. Doubly in awe that you got one who seems to have understood the issue.

 

[edcba]

Any update?

 

[albyd]

I'm also interested in this - I did ask them a few weeks ago and the guy on the phone confirmed it but couldn't explain why it was so. Otherwise, a great tweak.

 

[Hammando]

Obviously I got no joy with Diners. They are so hopeless it's not funny.

The diners only works with PayPal because it is a Discover card thus why it all goes through in usd.

They had no idea how to rectify.

 

[albyd]

Thanks for the heads up - guess that explains it. Guessing using the DC issued MC will work without this issue (with less points too). I'll keep using my other card with PayPal in the meantime.

 

[Deen]

guys... just a heads up. I emailed PayPal about this as I knew Diners would be no help at all. I was advised that Paypal automatically selects USD as the currency for Amex and Diners cards, unless you tell them otherwise. The agent then said he would manually change my preference to be AUD. haven't bought anything after that but will let you know if Diners add the extra 3%.

 

[albyd]

Thanks for the heads up Deen. Keen to see if we can open paypal up as another avenue to use our Diners cards cost effectively.

Albyd.

 

[Hammando]

guys... just a heads up. I emailed PayPal about this as I knew Diners would be no help at all. I was advised that Paypal automatically selects USD as the currency for Amex and Diners cards, unless you tell them otherwise. The agent then said he would manually change my preference to be AUD. haven't bought anything after that but will let you know if Diners add the extra 3%.

I'm pretty sure I tried this, I remember speaking to PayPal about it, but it didn't work unfortunately.

I hope you have better luck.

 

[edcba]

Waiting to hear when Diners Club will make the effort to get PayPal to accept Diners Club $A charges.

 

[albyd]

I hope so. Looks like they think they solved the acceptance issue by introducing the companion MasterCard. I imagine I'm not the only one using a higher points earn alternative like Prestige where DC doesn't work.

 

[Deen]

is that CITI Prestige? whats the earn like and where can you transfer points to?

 

[albyd]

That's right citi prestige 2 citi points per dollar which outside of toasters and gift cards, translates to 1.33ppd on SQ, VA, CX and 1ppd for QFF (signature would be better value of chasing QFF points as same earn rate).

Way I see it, almost same earn as DC and bank Amex purchases with convenience of a Visa and less incidence of surcharges. Greater return than what most Visa/MC offer. Diners MC is otherwise better than most.

Have gone down DC path as need some SPG points and they're not on the Prestige program.

More on Prestige here http://www.citibank.com.au/aus/credit_cards/cards_prestige.htm

Nice sign up offer right now 70k QFF or 46k in other airline points for $700 annual fee.

 

[Deen]

that annual fee is a killer though.... at the moment I am happy earning the 0.625 SPG points from the Diners MasterCard as it works out around 0.8 once you factor in SPG's 5k bonus.

 

[albyd]

I'm still waiting for my first few months DC points earn to credit so haven't started working on SPG transfers. What's the 5k bonus about? I agree DC MC earn is decent for SPG which is why I signed up.

DC annual fee is quite hefty too for the dual card better earn product. I agree Prestige is a bigger annual fee ask so need to put a fair bit through it (valuing other benefits to zero) to get your money's worth.

 

[Deen]

when you transfer 20k SPG to most of their airline partners (like AA, SQ, etc) SPG gives a 5k bonus on top.

so for e.g. 40k DC = 20k SPG = 25k AA (i.e. 1.88 AA points/ $ if you used DC exclusively or 0.78 AA points/ $ if you used the MC exclusively)

 

[Newk]

Waiting to hear when Diners Club will make the effort to get PayPal to accept Diners Club $A charges.

don't hold your breath

 

[Deen]

no luck.... purchases are still being currencied in USD and I was told upon further enquiry, that all DC/Discover cards are currencied in USD and cannot be changed. I really don't mind the 3% fee but its the cough foreign exchange rate that Diners use that make it worse.... end up paying around 10% more on an AUD purchase. question is, is it worth the extra points compared to using the MC?? works out to about 5c a point for the premium

 

[quokka77]

5c per point is definitely not worth it.

 

[kooky]

3% seems to work out to buying AA points at about 1.6c/pt which seemed worth it, considering I think the cheapest you can buy them for is about 2.3c/pt when they have a sale on. So maybe you could go up to about 4% and still break even, but that would be about it?