I'm just curious,so bear with me, but it's possible the aswers here might help other merchants and maybe even make it easier for folks to buy stuff. There are a lot of ways to pay for stuff online. I'm curious about what you all, the customers, prefer. There's paypal, paystone, bitpass, 2checkout, lordy knows how many others. There's the old fashioned way of sending a check or money order. There's credit cards. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, Discover, and several various local ones to different countries. There's bank drafts and EFT. What do you guys like? What forms work best for you, and, if I can be so bold, why?

I, personally use my "debit" card. That way I don't over-spend. LOL! I have to select the payment (for the product) as a credit card, but the bank takes it right out of my checking account. No finance charges or interest.

I and a lot of other people I know, refuse to use PayPal. And those merchants who only use PayPal never get any of my business no matter how good their stuff is. Credit or debit is the best.

Well, I do use PayPal. I've never had any problems with it, and I would rather use PayPal than give a merchant I don't know my credit card number. PayPal takes the money out of my bank account like the debit card does but I don't have to reveal any personal information to a stranger...that's the main reason I use it. That I don't carry around debit/credit cards with me, and PayPal allows me to buy from any computer that has Internet connection (probably not a good thing). It also gives me a nice record of what I've done in terms of shopping, and someone to complain to if I have problems with the purchase. I've been using PayPal for about two years now and probably spent thousands of dollars (I would have an attack if I figured out the actual number) at this point and never had any issues with it. I guess I've just been lucky.

I have also used "Pay-Pal" on a number of occations, and I agree with "dialyn" .........I have never had a problem either? I guess I tend to go to the same "merchants" all the time, so "what-ever" information they have, is the one I use. If it be "Pay-Pal" I do that route .......if it be my "debit" card........I use that one. (: Either way, it's the balance that's in my account, at the moment, that determines the amount that I will spend.

I prefer direct payment with credit card. I use Paypal when there is no other option because I can use my credit card there. I don't have a personal account with them and never would as I've heard that some people have had huge problems with their accounts. The only issue with PayPal is that if you want to use a credit card other than the one you have listed with them, you need to go there first and change it. I refuse to store more than one card with them or anyone and I change them frequently because of security/hacking issues they've had in the past. I much prefer to not have credit card information stored anywhere and to use whatever card I want when I'm ready to buy.

I use Paypal, credit card and debit card.

I'd probably consider one of the other services if i found a merchant using them but i haven't.

As for problems with paypal, the only ones i have ever heard of are people who have their PayPal accounts frozen (while they have money in it) for some reason and can't get to their money. Personaly i'd never leave much money in a paypal account, it doesnt do you any good (not earning intrest). Back when I was selling off some stuff on e-bay i always keep the ballance below $100.

I prefer credit card then PayPal. If neither option is available I won't buy. Why? Because they're easy and I'm lazy. P.S. I've never had a problem with PayPal either.

I am not saying everyone has a problem with PayPal. Obviously they wouldn't be in business if that was true. However if you are a merchant trying to maximize sales, you only hurt yourself by making PayPal your only payment option. I have used PayPal in the past, but lately it doesn't seem to work too well for me. Every time I try to use it, I have to reverify my bank account for some reason. This is not convenient as is using a credit card. Also there will be a lot of people that don't trust PayPal or won't go through the trouble of setting up a PayPal account. That hurts business, not helps it. It doesn't matter that some people have no problems with PayPal, limiting your options in billing will only lower your sales in the long run.

Message edited on: 10/19/2004 13:09

I've read enough "horror stories" about bad experiences with PayPal that I was extremely reluctant to use the svc. I do know one online merchant (whom I used to beta test for) that had to close his online store when PayPal abruptly reversed ALL the payments they'd made into his checking account to "investigate" some customer complaint and dragged their feet for over 3 months before resolving it. He had checks bouncing right and left, and severe financial problems as a result. If you do use PayPal, make sure you set up a special checking account (I use a free one from Washington Mutual), and just keep a nominal amount in it - xfer funds into your "real" account whenever it exceeds $100.00 or so. Seems the only prudent way to protect yourself from their arbitrary policies. I've not had any problems personally other than the one secondhand experience, but I only use them for really exceptional products at sites that have no other payment options. . . . just my 2 cents worth . . .

Using credit card and paypal here. Credit card has set a limit (by myself, not the bank, mind you) I try not to max out each month (which is kinda impossible with the great stuff merchants hand out to us every week ;)), and paypal began for the sole reason that back that day my dA account was only able to be paid for via paypal. I have heard the horror stories about paypal myself, and I made it a habit never to have a huge amount of money in it, usually it's roughly around 50 bucks, in good times around hundred. The one time I had troubles with paypal was when some dude who bought something from me over ebay didn't get his stuff within 3 weeks and I never gotten any emails from him at all. He filed a complaint with paypal, and within three days he had his stuff and the complaint was solved. Lots of fuss about an amount of 3 bucks, but hey...;) I understand him a bit. So, anyway, long rant...I'm usually reluctant to give out cc info when I don't know the shop. That's what's paypal is for.

I use PAypal and credit cards, but would prefer PAypal overall... I had one problewm with PP...if you cancel out of a purchase, which happens sometimes...it takes a very long time to get your funds back...as much as 2 weeks.

1. Visa 2. PayPal :] Fish

For International tranasactions. Credit Card (preferred) and Paypal. For National transactions internet transfer, "Netbank", from my savings account to the merchants saving account.

Paypal and 2checkout :)

I'm none too fond of the concept of someone having my credit card number either, lol. There's been too many situations I've come across where merchants holding those records are hacked or something and those numbers exposed. I'm asking really so we can all see what forms are popular -- and the folks posting here so far are some of the best and brightest around, so I know these are good posts. As the treasurer and whatnot of a small company myself, I've interested for personal reasons as well, of course -- I want to provide my customers with the same sort of thing I expect for myself -- which is options! Xena -- what do you think of 2checkout? I was looking at it and finding it interesting, and I've seen more than a few merchants using it. The others -- Paystone and Bitpass, for example, are pretty new -- not quite a year old yet. Paystone even gives you a call and checks up on you to make sure you're legit! Those two work mostly by you, as a customer, depositing funds into an account that is then drawn from when you make purchases. Their benefit is small amount sales -- quarters and the like -- for merchants with low fees and stuff. Not bad, but as noted, also not very well known. Paypal has horror stories of the same type that used to be said about banks prior to the depression. Meaning that it's pretty safe if you are watchful and careful (keep most of yer funds in the matress). So far it's pretty heavily on the side of paypal and direct debit/charge. Please, keep the posts coming, as I'm interested in knowing.

As far as I know (which isn't very far!) the Paypal horror stories are mostly old now, and a lot of it seemed to be user error and drama queen squalling. I have had at times as much as $4000 in my Paypal account, and for days/weeks at a time, waiting for exchange rates to drop :) Hey, if the Aussie dollar would sit at .53 forever I'd be happy LOL 2checkout .. I'm opening my own store soon (if Daz ever stops making cool new characters for me to model for, which leave me no time to do anything else!) and 2checkout was the only one I felt confident using. I have received email from them quite promptly so I know there are some humans behind the email addresses :) Plus, my shopping cart software comes with a module for 2checkout (and Paypal IPN), so that was also an incentive to investigate them as an alternative. Of course, I'd be happy to be a Paypal only store, as you can use your credit card to purchase through Paypal if your cc is linked to your Paypal account, but figured the -alleged- horror storied surrounding Paypal tends to scare a lot of people off, and like you I want to be able to offer my potential customers choices :)

***Making note. Xena opening her own store. Checking bank account. Tapping foot. ;) ***

I use 2checkout.com the only real drawback is the HIGH percentage cut (about 10% in the end overall). On the plus side for me, their headquarters is about an hour drive from here...so if they give me any problems they will be seeing me face to face :) Also kept the PayPal option, because people still use it sometimes. --Rebekah--

Rebekah, it's better than the 50% most online stores take though ;D

Too true about that :) --Rebekah--

Ok one thing I would like to correct (in Rndeosity Buys) We merchants do not see customers informations. We only see their username as a purchaser, Renderosity gives us our cut from the sale. So if anyone has their credit card emptied after a purchase from renderosity CHECK IF CLINT H. has bought a Ferrari. (Just joking) :). About XENA's point for the 50% cut, Well trust me it hurts to give 50% away but the reality is, I can program an online store in 10-15 days for my self but the question is, can I bring thousands of people visiting it? Or how much will it cost me to make the advertisement and etc to bring thousands of people visiting everyday? SAD BUT TRUE, RENDEROSITY I STILL LOVE YOU. lol

The 50% cut is why I don't sell much here. I have the majority of my store at Poser Pro's, and am now beginning to sell a lot of things at Daz. If I sell things in my own store for a 90+% profit (Paypal takes VERY little) as opposed to the 50% I get from say here, yet sell half as much I'm still doing quite well. As for the thousands of visitors to Renderosity ... the Product Showcase is there to be advertised in, and unless the rules have changed ANY store can advertise in there. Plenty of eyeballs :D And thousands of sales is a rarity unto itself. Hundreds of sales is not uncommon, but thousands generally isn't normal. Of course I only know what people have told me of their sales, not all sales of all merchants.

Actually umtov, if I like your work and feel that you are a merchant with great quality, I would rather buy off of you directly than through a 'third party'. I know that you're getting more of the profits. So, hearing that Xena is going to open her own store, and if she makes it possible for me to use my debit card, I will DEF buy straight from her because I like her work and she deserves to be compensated for it as much as possible. It's why I'll only buy Thorneworks products through FaerieDreams now, unless they specifically broker a product through Daz.

PayPal. I keep some money in there, so only spend what is already transferred. It is a Money Market account, currently earning 1.6%... which is better than my bank. It isn't linked to a credit card, so my address won't show as verified, but that doesn't bother me. It does take a few days to move money to it (I don't pay my bank for instant transfer), but having to plan means that I think before hitting the button. Purchases result in a small flurry of emails, but I like having the paper trail. IIRC, if a credit card is used with them, the recipient has to pay a small fee, but since my funds are already there, there shouldn't be that cut. Second choice is my debit card. It is good for international sales, because someone else can handle the currency conversions. ;) I was looking at a couple of LOTR items from Australia that have never been sold up here... and I bet New Zealand is full of neat stuff which will never make it to market in the states. Third choice is to write a check. Again it forces a limit to what I spend... and that is a Good Thing. Carolly

a couple of LOTR items from Australia that have never been sold up here And our dollar is about .73 of the USD, and our international postage is generally cheaper that most other countries, so it's smart shopping to buy stuff from here ;)

1. PayPal. Why? Because my US earnings get paid to my PayPal account and if I spend from there I get to avoid currency conversion fees (otherwise I get charged for changing the money to Aussie dollars and then again for changing it back to USD when I buy from you). 2) Visa. Why? Because it works. I only use it if theres no PayPal option though.

My preference is to use a credit card. Discover, if possible. They give you cash back on purchases, make it easy to track spending, and you can use it to pay for the annual PC fee at DAZ, unlike Visa and MC. I've also never had any trouble getting charges approved or chargebacks made if necessary. With Visa and MC, overseas purchases don't always go through. They either call me and ask if I really made the purchase, or I get a letter telling me to call them if the charge is legit. Once they accused me of subscribing to porn sites. (Actually, I was trying to buy Vue d'Esprit.) I can understand the need to be careful, but IME, they're very inept about it. Charges from France are less likely to be fraudulent than charges from the U.S. It's misguided to treat all "foreign" charges the same. Not to mention a PITA for customers who buy online a lot, as I do.

I will use PayPal if absolutely necessary. I know many small merchants cannot afford to accept Visa and MC directly. But I'm very, very leery of using PayPal. They have access to your bank account, but they are not regulated as banks and credit cards are. They don't vet their employees as carefully as banks do. They recently lost a couple of class action lawsuits, so maybe that will force them to shape up.