Those who use PayPal have mixed feelings about the service. On the one hand, PayPal is an easy way for contractors and online retailers to send and receive money. On the other hand, PayPal tends to cut into money sent and received by charging a transaction percentage fee. Mixed feelings aside, brick and mortar retailers have found a lot to love about PayPal’s newest venture.

The payment company is now working with more than 20 different retailers within the United States to allow customers to pay for items via PayPal debit card. In addition to PayPal debit transactions, the popular juice chain, Jamba Juice, now offers consumers the option to pay for a juice online with PayPal, set a pick up time, and head to a store to pick up a refreshing juice when convenient. Needless to say, PayPal is definitely branching out.

The Retail Appeal

There are a lot of new payment systems on the market. But, the advantage that PayPal offers over other systems is that retailers don’t have to pay for any additional hardware or software when allowing PayPal payments. So, the whole cost-effectiveness factor is way down. Already, a number of popular chains have joined the PayPal payment craze including McDonalds, JC Penney, Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie and Fitch, and many others. Jamba Juice will be the first retail store to offer pre-payments using the PayPal system.

How The PayPal Debit Card Works

To use your PayPal account to pay for transactions, simply link your PayPal account to any credit or debit card that you already have. Then, swipe your card when buying an item and select the PayPal payment option. PayPal does not deduct any fees when purchasing services, goods, or other items. The only time that PayPal deducts a percentage is when you send money to another user. For some, keeping money in a PayPal account makes sense if linked to a credit or debit card.

The drawback to using a PayPal account might be that PayPal is notorious for freezing funds. So, if you decide to leave thousands sitting in your PayPal account and your account is frozen, you won’t have access to that money. On the flip side, PayPal will not charge any fees for keeping your money in your PayPal account, which can’t be said for a standard banking account.

Clearly, PayPal is onto something with the company new debit payments, and Jamba Juice enthusiasts will enjoy pre-ordering juice and paying via PayPal’s mobile payment system. Currently, the only Jamba Juice location offering this form of payment is in Emeryville, California. It should also be pointed out that you can’t link a PayPal account to a credit or debit card if you live in Canada.

If you live in the United States, though, you can use your PayPal account as much as you like (as long as you visit one of the participating retailers). If you live in Emeryville, give the Jamba Juice system a try. If Jamba Juice works out for PayPal, you will see this same system implemented in Jamba Juice (and possibly other) locations across the United States.