# PayPal Merchant Services, use it?



## guest5779 (Aug 8, 2006)

I know some people are adamently against PayPal, but their merchant services aren't a bad deal.

For those who use them, anything that they are missing? Things you wish they offered but don't? Do they have invoices? Any form of inventory management? Thanks!


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

I think inventory management is done on the shopping cart side.

I think Lou (badalou) uses their merchant services product and likes it.


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## guest5779 (Aug 8, 2006)

Awesome, hopefully he'll stop by to comment.

On an unrelated note, I think I've posted more today than in the last few weeks combined. I'm so busy with work and school, sigh.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We use them and aside from not being able to test before going live and a few changes they have made over time that broke our shopping cart software we are pretty happy with them. It sure beats a merchant account that charges you up the wazoo.


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## normsbrand (Jul 26, 2006)

error426,

I have been looking at PayPal Merchant Services as well. It appears that they are the cheapest to start off with. 

What Shopping cart are you planning on using. I have been looking at WA ecart, cart weaver, and a couple of others. I have found out that there are some that do not work with Paypal Merchant Services. 

I am thinking about using Mal's Ecommerce cart. Anyone had any luck with it?


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## jdr8271 (Jun 16, 2005)

Just use paypal shopping cart, over mals ecommerce. They are both outside carts hosted by outside companies. There is no use in using mals if you are just going to hook it up to paypal.

Paypal is fine. The problem is the chargebacks.


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## normsbrand (Jul 26, 2006)

even with the PayPal Merchant account? I was thinking that the Merchant Services is like a cc gateway. $20 / month plus 1.9% and .30 per transaction.


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## Iced Out Apparel (Oct 3, 2006)

merchants are like 25 a month plus if u want internet sales its like 10 bucks more


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## jimiyo (Jul 23, 2006)

i just switched my storefront to Shopify.com's freebie. it has inventory control. Sweet eh? it takes 3% commission. and highly customizable and professional looking. compared to my former, hand coded html, it defintely looks better... and also integrates google checkout. if you are like me and just strating out and need to keep costs down... this is awesome.


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## guest5779 (Aug 8, 2006)

normsbrand said:


> even with the PayPal Merchant account? I was thinking that the Merchant Services is like a cc gateway. $20 / month plus 1.9% and .30 per transaction.


The standard merchant services are free, only the premium accounts are $20 a month. Though I don't see any real advantage to going that route.


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## guest5779 (Aug 8, 2006)

jimiyo said:


> i just switched my storefront to Shopify.com's freebie. it has inventory control. Sweet eh? it takes 3% commission. and highly customizable and professional looking. compared to my former, hand coded html, it defintely looks better... and also integrates google checkout. if you are like me and just strating out and need to keep costs down... this is awesome.


Well you still have to use a merchant (which is PayPal or Google). Otherwise Shopify is very cool. Now if they could only do both storefronts / cart system, and the merchant services!


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## promptees (Oct 9, 2006)

the only problem with paypal is the customer has to take that extra step to buy your merchandise. take two steps if they don't have a paypal account. you have to have a really desirable product if people are going to go through the hassle of registering and going through a 3rd party to buy yoru shirts. merchant accounts are the way to go imo. even though they charge premiums it's muchmore convenient for the customer.


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

promptees said:


> the only problem with paypal is the customer has to take that extra step to buy your merchandise. take two steps if they don't have a paypal account. you have to have a really desirable product if people are going to go through the hassle of registering and going through a 3rd party to buy yoru shirts.


Just to clarify, customers *do not* need to sign up for a Paypal account in order to buy from you using a credit card.

If you have "Website Payments Standard", when your customers are ready to pay, they will be redirected to the Paypal website. This can be confusing for people who haven't used Paypal before, but if you explain the checkout process on your website FAQ page you shouldn't have too many problems.

"Website Payments Pro" allows you to process payments without redirecting your customers to the Paypal website. It's more seamless and easier for inexperienced shoppers to use, but it costs more to implement.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_profile-comparison


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## promptees (Oct 9, 2006)

website payment pros seems like a convenient way to process a transaction. my site will be accepting paypal but and i was under the impression that they had to sign up or be redirected to the paypal site which would be a minor inconvenience to the customer. but if the designs are nice enough i'm sure the customer would go to any lengths to get the product anyways


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

error426 said:


> On an unrelated note, I think I've posted more today than in the last few weeks combined. I'm so busy with work and school, sigh.


I went over half a year without posting, it happens 


As far as Paypal goes, I think the main thing you want to do if you use them is to regularily drain your Paypal account into your bank account. This will help to make sure you have your money in the off chance Paypal decides to freeze your account or such (that they're now semi-infamous for).


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## guest5779 (Aug 8, 2006)

Haha, I've actually already designated a schedule for doing just that! 

Here's to having no issues!


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## tkn77 (Sep 24, 2006)

I have been using the free paypal service for over a year now and it's great. but now i'm considering upgrading to the professional service paypal offers because it makes your look more professional by making paypal invisible, plus more convenient for my customers.

I really like the shopping cart system of www.bustedtees.com or www.defunker.com does anyone know what they're using?


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## Twinge (Apr 26, 2005)

tkn77 said:


> I really like the shopping cart system of www.bustedtees.com or www.defunker.com does anyone know what they're using?


I imagine they process it in-house as opposed to using any gateway service like Paypal. Their cart was also probably custom made for them (BT and Defunker are owned by the same company).


One of the main advantage of getting a professional Paypal setup, IMO, is that people can buy without having to sign up for a Paypal account.


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