Yahoo has announced that Yahoo Bill Pay will close between September and October this year.
Yahoo Bill Pay launched in September 1999 and was promoted as giving Yahoo users the ability “to securely pay bills from any computer connected to the Internet”.
The service is to be shut in two stages. September 14 will be the last day bills can be paid using the service. Previous transactions will remain available for viewing until October 31, when the service will be completely shut down.
The closure of Yahoo Bill Pay is the first announced closure of a service by Yahoo since May, when Yahoo announced the closure of Webjay, Yahoo Photos and Yahoo Auctions. Yahoo Bill Pay joins the TechCrunch Deadpool.
NOOOOooooooo! Oh… Yahoo Bill Pay?
I really didn’t know that existed. I might have even tried it had I known. Regardless, I’m kind of glad Yahoo’s trimming the unused stuff.
Does this mean they cut a deal with Paypal or was it just not working as hoped?
Looks like Yahoo is just ‘pruning’. Whatever doesn’t seem like a cash cow anymore has to go. I am guessing part of plan is to get the ’search’ part fixed first.
If Yahoo! thinks that “search” is really the issue, then they have bigger problems than was previously thought. “search” is nothing more “ad-placement”. honestly that’s the only way to get it done these days: have a system that profitably sells ads while providing something relevant.
Its good that they are trimming the company and becoming more streamlines but they need to figure out what they are. I dont know what Yahoo’s main focus is, search, content, something else? Hopefully they will continue to streamline and get back to what made them successful.
Kewtr (comment 1)
To be honest I’d never heard of it either before today
I used Y! Billpay a loooong time ago, and it was a pretty decent service. Problem is, almost all banks offer the same service for free now on their own websites. Once my bank started doing so, I dropped Yahoo! BP. It was a service that outlived its usefulness to most folks.
I have used yahoo BP for four or five years and I will miss its departure. It was very helpful to me and was well worth the relatively low cost. It had many features [eg monthly, quarterly etc reminders] that are not available from banks in my area of the country. I am looking for a worthy successor – so far, without much success
I think the title is missing the word “down”
Australia Post has also emailed us, as Postbillpay users, to say they’re shutting their bill paying service. A shame.
I think its good that Yahoo! some of these services, they should just concentrate on what they do best and that is search.
I havn’t use this service . May be Yahoo! making some different plans to increase its profitbility.
Pooo. All these bill pay services are shutting down and while banks are now offering similar services, they lack the depth that is really needed. I wanted a centralized banking account, and I haven’t found that yet, at least not one that offers all the options (cash back on credit card, great savings rate on savings and checking, etc.)
I’ve used Yahoo billpay since the beginning. Anybody know of a good alternative? My bank charges twice as much for the same service.
This is no problem. A service called Yodlee is where it’s at. They are the king of online personal finance management. As far as security goes, they’re the ones the BANKS go to for the billpay and PFM software. I’ve been using them for years and they keep getting better. Are they perfect? No, but I’ve yet to find anything better.
I am a long time user of Yahoo Bill Pay. It is not totally surprise that they ditch the service. Yahoo Bill Pay’s service is terrible! When you try to schedule payment it fails frequently for unknown reason. They post a message saying they are working the hardest they can to resolve the problem. You know this is probably not what they are doing back in the Yahoo HQ. More likely the exce are busy debating if it worthwhile to keep this service. When the service does work, payment need 7 days to be transfered. If you don’t want you monthly payment to be late you better be diligent in managing your bills.
The only reason I still stick with them is because they are free. My bank charge a ridiculous $6 fee for an online service that actually saves the merchant money. Eventually I sign up automatic payment with individual merchant one by one. But it is less than ideal because I have to create 10 accounts with 10 password and have my credit card number stored in 10 places. Only my water bill is still with Yahoo because it does not have automatic transfer. I will use Yahoo one last time before reverting back to licknig stamp.
Personally, I will miss Yahoo BP. I have used it for several years…yes, I often would get upset because it would go down so often, but I learned to just put it down and come back to it later…after all, yelling at my computer was not accomplishing anything..I still prefer BP to ‘licking’ stamps…I will just have to find another BP service…
I’ve used this service for many years, and I’ve never had any problems. It was an excellent service for me–only $4.95/mo. All the alternatives I’ve researched are more expensive or only work with companies that offer online billing. With Yahoo, I could use it with any company or any individual. The bank I use is far more expensive. I haven’t seen any suggestions for an alternative. If you know if any, please post the info.
I am so upset about yahoo BP shutdown i am still searching for an alternative to it also because the ones i find cant not pay to individuals only ebiller companies.If anyone has a better option should pls post it here.Thanks
Dear Sir. where do i pay yahoo bill from PC to Phone International.