Paypal facilitates funds transfers between individuals the same way credit card companies do between customers and merchants. Both charge the same fee and offer protections. IMO, skirting the fee by using a friends discount is stealing and if you get burned you deserve no protection. To say those suppliers can afford it is no better than loading up your cart when the EBT card is on the fritz and saying the store owner is rich, he can afford it. Paypal, funded by a cc and using goods and services is as safe as anything we have.