Non-PayPal transaction has just been acknowledged by PayPal

[patrocles]

I've just had an annoying, frustrating, and confusing experience buying glasses online from Glasses Direct. At the checkout, I was offered the option of using a debit/credit card or PayPal. I chose the former, and nominated a VISA credit card whose details are stored on my computer and which I've used many times without issue. It was rejected twice, and the site's online chat advised me to try another.

This I did, using a debit card issued by first direct bank less than three months ago, and which is not registered with PayPal. Imagine my surprise, after completing the transaction successfully, to receive an email from service_at_paypal_dot_co_dot_uk  acknowledging the sale. Logging into my PayPal account (which I haven't used in several years), there are no transactions showing. Anyone seen this before and know what's going on? All responses gratefully received!

N.B. The VISA credit card which was rejected IS registered with PayPal, or was when originally issued, but has been superseded at least twice by new cards with different expiry dates and CVC codes. Also, to reiterate, I did NOT use the PayPal option.

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@patrocles 

Yes, if you used a card and did not log in via paypal then you paid as a guest user.

If you bought something online with a debit or credit card and didn't log into your Paypal account then of course it won't show on that Paypal account because you bought as a guest buyer.
However your seller may have processed that payment using their Paypal 'card reader' and so Paypal would show on your bank or card statement.

[patrocles]

Ah, thanks @kernowlass - it sounds as if the vendor used PayPal, not me. What made things more confusing was that the 'Try Again' button at checkout, displayed after the credit card was unexpectedly rejected, was positioned under the debit/credit card option, but when clicked it opened the PayPal dialog (which I then closed, and had to go back to the start of the checkout process 🙄)!

P.S. Lovely to get such a quick response from a Cornish person - I grew up in Newquay!

[kernowlass]

@patrocles 

I was in Newquay last week !!