posted on September 15, 2000 08:13:48 PM new
We have nearly 400 auctions ending every week. We figure that about half of our customers pay via PayPal. This equals up to thousands of dollars every week that we receive from PayPal. Since this change with PayPal has started we are wondering if it will be worth staying with their program.
Below are some of our main concerns. Any input you could give on this thread will be appreciated.
We sell several high dollar items, and we are worried that some people may not be able to purchase these items without paying by credit card. (computers, video cameras, electronics)
We already pay our employees to process PayPal payments throughout the day, and now we are faced with several thousands of dollars each month for transaction fees.
We know that many consumers who purchase high dollar items may have no choice but to pay with a credit card. Not everyone has $1500.00 cash to spare for an impulse purchase. Other concerns are that closing prices will drop considerably, due to less consumers bidding on our auctions if we accept checks or money orders only.
Again, any input on this thread will be greatly appreciated.
posted on September 15, 2000 08:23:44 PM new
You close 400 auctions a week then you should upgrade to the Business account if you wish to continue using Paypal. Do you think you can convice anyone you are closing 400 auctions for charity. Its for profit right. (Well your intentions are for profit. If you sell them at a loss, you must need serious help).
If you can't afford the fees, there are other services out there that offer free services...make that FREE. As for sales dropping, it might or might now. But what's the point of staying if you are not happy. Either close or upgrade like everyone else. Or start accepting checks & money orders use Yahoo Direct or join the chorus of people who cry, 'I made Paypal successful & now they are forgetting the little guys'. I don't know what the latter will get you
posted on September 15, 2000 08:31:53 PM new
There are several services out there that are still free--many of them are listed in the PayPal threads. Yahoo PayDirect--who clearly states that they could start charging at some time, though they might not.
Exchange.com offers free services including AMEX, Diners Club, Debit Cards, etc. that some of the others don't.
There are hosts and hosts of others. You could just say that you find that you cannot afford to use PayPal any longer, but can happily accept x, y or z and give them a list to choose from.
I guess those are your options in a nutshell...
1) Pay Paypal their due
2) find other free services that you find okay
or
3) go back to checks and MO.
posted on September 15, 2000 09:00:49 PM new
Yahoo PayDirect--who clearly states that they could start charging at some time>>
I love Paydirect but it is still very new. There guidelines are detailed and Yahoo is a stable very stable company and I like that they at least have the common respect to say from the start that they may start charging they aren't pulling any punches, or doing a bait and switch (even if Paypal didn't mean to they are) It has been pointed out to them quite a few times they never advertised until recently that they were only free for the hometime little hobbyist. They advertised they were free for sellers. It seems to me and I don't sell that much yet through paypal to really affect me that they are trying to make themselves look like good guys doing the little guy a favor(and BTW the AW news piece was really slanted towards the favor of Paypal what is the deal? ) and sellers that used the service as they advertised like paypal is trying to make look like the bad guys takening advantage of the system. (in other words as a friend of mine would say they are scr***** you with your pants on) If you run 400 auctions a week you really want a service that unprofessional like papyal to take in 50% of your money before you get it. Someone stated give paypal their due. People are not using paypal for anything other then paypal claimed they were there for and now they are crying wolf because they underestimated on the float etc. . . I would guess. If you run 400 auctions and use this always will be free will never be forced to upgrade to a business account don't take them at their word your money will always be safe or get to you. Who can blame you for taking their word, but the proof is their that they are not living up to it. Their word is a word that is not honorable. If you are dealing with that much money in light off all we have seen out of paypal I would close my account and go else where because I wouldn't feel safe with paypal, to much to risk on an unprofessional hap hazard way of dealing with business. Like I said I don't use it all that much. Much less then a couple hundred dollars a month not a big gamble for me, but it is for you. If people really want your item they will send check money order Etc.. . or go to something like Paydirect or another pay service and if you do have to pay my advice would be pay a little more for a service that is realiable and trustworthy. I am sure many will be following suite as I expand so will I. Hope that helps.
posted on September 15, 2000 09:22:47 PM new
Well, when x.com was a separate company offering $20 referral fees and offering checking, etc., they had a bundle of problems and I steered clear as many of us did.
Then, x.com, a floundering online banking service, merged with PayPal who had a HUGE instant customer base and so now, x.com wants the PayPal group to pay for their floundering online banking "value rich" services that we rejected in the first place. Such is life.
"(and BTW the AW news piece was really slanted towards the favor of Paypal what is the deal? )"
Guess who was a business partner with PayPal? After all, it was AW who introduced us to PayPal and touted their FREE services.
Again, it is not the cost, it is the fact that PP has consistently lied and said it would be free to auction sellers and buyers and now it isn't, as well as the .25 flat fee when they stated there would never be a flat fee and they are saying that they will charge 1.9% on other transfers unrelated to charge card charges, when they stated that all they were doing was passing on their actual charge card processing fees. What charge card processing fees when no charge cards were involved? The list goes on and on ad nauseum (sp) and it comes down to either
1)stay until they figure out what constitutes a business and what they will base their enforcement on and kick you off or upgrade you without your permission
2) upgrade and pay the fees whether you like it or not and cross your fingers that the next set of lies won't cause you anymore pain in the pocket and hope that they have really DEEP pockets as the word is spreading and at the very least, people are cleaning out their accounts and according to what I have been reading, the transfers are "pending" for a lot longer than normal. Kinda like a run on a bank...
3) find other services that are still free to fill the space and offer your customers or a service that you have to pay, but you feel is more secure and trustworthy.
