The Payment & Checkout Discussion Thread

[Morkey]

I am currently locked out of Paypal.
Please tell me this is not our only option.

[Zane]

Unfortunately it is...

[Andrew]

You know what...I share your frustration completely. I hear you and it's time to get that taken care of. I'm going to hi-jack your thread a bit and change the title. For those of you wondering the original title was "Paypal? really?".

I am looking at other processors and can hopefully find a way to offer Amazon and Google again using their new options. If Shannon and I can come to a consensus, I would like to implement Bitcoin and (maybe) other crypto-currency. As far as why there aren't more options at the moment? The short answer is I've been deathly sick this year and only "very sick" the last three years. I've actually been ill for 8 years now, but that's another story. When I could work, it has been on keeping the lights on only. I may talk about it soon but I'm not interested in doing so publicly at this time. The good news is I'm starting to feel better, and have finally been able to get back to work in a meaningful way.

So- both Amazon Simple Pay and Google Checkout no longer exist - we really enjoyed those products, and it pained me to no longer be able to offer them but both Amazon and Google decided to shut down those services. I am looking at new ways of getting both Amazon and Google on board as they have never had any issues with our products.

Unfortunately, a lot of processors have very restricting rules on what can be sold, and sometimes even when we have met those rules they have turned around later and said they will no longer process us. There have been some strange middle ground of processors that said they would but only if they were able tell us what we can/cannot sell. Obviously that doesn't work with us or all of you.

We offered Dwolla as an alternative for years, and not a single person used it. I do believe I could just turn that one back on with a few changes, but seeing that no one ever used it...not even once, I don't think anyone wants it.

So here's the "what I would like as a checkout option" thread, inspired by Morkey. Speaking of which Morkey, here's your chance as you never said what you'd like to use. Everyone, you have our ears on what kind of payment options you'd like to see. At the end of this discussion I will implement as many as I can, at which point I will shelve the issue until there are more options out there.

[apollolux]

Amazon would indeed be groovy, though I currently have no problem with Paypal. For those here who have a problem with Paypal, is it using a logged in Paypal account that is the issue or is it trying to use a credit card through Paypal's interface without being logged in?

[Morkey]

Thank you Andrew.
Good to hear you're on the road to recovery. Apologies if I'm causing you extra work.

Paypal worked fine until they decided just letting you tap in a cc# was not enough.
Now it seems you have to start an account if you don't already have one.
I had an account some years ago and all was well till I tried to add another address to that account.
Then I must have been added to their fraud watch list as it all went south from there.
Not only was I not able to add that address, it became so inconvenient to use that I stopped.

I'm not sure what's out there. Amazon has been relatively painless (for me).

Clickbank comes to mind. I have no idea if they still exist but if memory serves, they did
digital product purchases only which would apply here.

I've never used Dwolla (that I know of) but if it doesn't cost you a monthly fee (just per transaction & it's reasonable), that sounds like a viable option.

This being a very recent change on Paypal's part, there may be others choosing not to use them.

Digital currencies are sounding more appealing.

Thanks for your attention.

[Andrew]

I believe I can turn on Dwolla within the next few days. As far as Amazon I have to make very sure we meet their new selling policies, but it looks like they no longer restrict their new services to physical goods. With Amazon, there is a big surcharge on foreign transactions. That gives us 3 options

1) offer Amazon only to those using USD
or
2) put a several percent surcharge on foreign Amazon transactions (if there is a reliable way to do that)
or
3) average out the cost and include it in future price increases

I've taken a lot of time to research bitcoin and I think we will definitely offer it so long as it meets our following criteria:

1) No significant losses converting BTC to USD
2) No additional work necessary (instant, automated, etc)
3) The total fees for transaction and conversion to USD do not meaingfully exceed our most expensive processor(s) - at this time being PayPal

One forum member InTheZone mentioned bitpay, which does look like it matches or requirements. If he could chime in on this thread it would be apprecaited. I'll be looking over other bitcoin merchant services.

[fab10]

Bitcoin would be perfect. PayPal is nothing but trouble. 


 

I believe I can turn on Dwolla within the next few days.  As far as Amazon I have to make very sure we meet their new selling policies, but it looks like they no longer restrict their new services to physical goods.  With Amazon, there is a big surcharge on foreign transactions.  That gives us 3 options

1) offer Amazon only to those using USD
or
2) put a several percent surcharge on foreign Amazon transactions (if there is a reliable way to do that)
or
3) average out the cost and include it in future price increases

I've taken a lot of time to research bitcoin and I think we will definitely offer it so long as it meets our following criteria:

1) No significant losses converting BTC to USD
2) No additional work necessary (instant, automated, etc)
3) The total fees for transaction and conversion to USD do not meaingfully exceed our most expensive processor(s) - at this time being PayPal

One forum member InTheZone mentioned bitpay, which does look like it matches or requirements.   If he could chime in on this thread it would be apprecaited. I'll be looking over other bitcoin merchant services.