PayPal is broken - the after math

Based on my analytics traffic I am not the only one to receive the "Message 3004" error. I find this especially interesting as I am (at time of post) ranked 10th in the results on Google.com and one of the results that ranks higher than mine actually has a link to the answer. Unfortunately for me, that page would not have loaded when I was experiencing my trouble.

For those who cannot follow that link the summary is below (emphasis mine):

"Account Basics - Logging In - Error Messages

What is Error 3004?

Error 3004 is associated with the slow loading of some web pages on the PayPal website as we periodically upgrade our system to provide members with the best online transaction features available. Some customers may be unable to access the website or complete transactions for short periods of time.

We apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience."

This is a similar message to the one that I got from my support email to Paypal. Unfortunately it does not well describe my the trouble that I was experiencing. I tried to logon from numerous locations, different computers, and different isp's. I tried on my home DSL connection, on my works DS3 connection and even on a 115kbs cellular data card. The common thread was me, not slow loading pages (though the page did load slowly). Given the low volume of issues that I have found with this (my blog post being so highly ranked being my evidence) it seems to me that some users that are low volume purchasers are being put into some kind of purgatory, and this may be related to the server upgrades it may not be. I have average about 5 Paypal transactions a year. Because of Payperpost.com, I have received funds more than I have sent funds this year.

Paypal really needs to revise their information campaign, and that stinker of a hard to find 800 number needs to be fixed. 1-866-571-3012 (Monday - Saturday 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Sunday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PT)

On the whole, in a land of few (read about 6) online payment options other than credit card it is sad how PayPal has been allowed to languish. No one seems to want in, or more to the point the eBay/Paypal exclusive partnership makes it hard for any other online payment options to gain credibility.

Tags: Paypal Customer Service Convictus