How do you accept credit card payment?

ggg · 10-13-2002, 02:33 AM

For a small-median website,
how do you accept customers paying by credit card?

I know PayPal is easy to use,
however, it requires customers to have a PayPal account,
which makes people feel unhappy.

However,
Paypal didn't charge you monthly(annual) fee;
the processing fee is charged only when payment is made. (?)

Do you guys have any idea good solutions?

Thank you.

**stuff** · 10-13-2002, 02:51 AM

http://www.2checkout.com , I have seen that people use this. All Hosting companys i have been using are using this.

**DotComster** · 10-13-2002, 03:28 AM

2Checkout.com and HostCharge.com are the most widely used, some hosts also have special deals with the major merchant accounts.

The costs vary and you need to do a lot of homework before you chose one. Never seen a perfect one either yet - and credit card companies have changed their rules this week to - still not clear how that's going either.

ggg · 10-13-2002, 06:11 AM

Here are my some survey:

PayPal.com
(U.S. Dollars)
.2.9% + $.30 : Standard rate
.1% cross border fee for International payment

2CheckOut.com
.$49 Merchant Account Setup Fee
.$0.45 per Transaction
.5.5% of Transaction Amount

HostCharge.com (Basic Package)
.$0 setup
.$0 Monthly MCC access charge
.08.00% Discount rate (commission per transaction)
[With a minimum commission of USD 00.40 per transaction]

It looks like PayPal is the best choice.
However, user has to have a paypal account to pay by credit card?!

So HostCharge become the second choice (for personal/small business)

However, I don't really understand the terms on HostCharge:

If someone received international payments by credit card,
say $100 and $10
then how much the guy has to pay HostCharge individually?

Anyone can answer this?

Thank you.

**cxz** · 10-13-2002, 03:35 PM

.

**alldig** · 10-13-2002, 04:04 PM

I use 2checkout.com. A great service.

**jeffpugh** · 10-19-2002, 11:25 AM

Does anyone use:

worldpay.com
cybersource.com
ccnow.com

Also, has anyone seen any articles written reviewing and comparing these companies?

Thanks.

**KarenV** · 10-19-2002, 11:37 AM

I use PayByWeb.com for my merchant account. Fees are a little lower with them and they will find a good gateway for you.

And keep in mind the rates charged reflect the goods you are selling. Getting a merchant account for adult, gambling, mlm and now travel can be rather difficult.

The gentlemans name who can give you a good understanding of how merchant accounts work is Joseph Kelly and his number 727-588-4333 x 115.

Hope this helps.

KarenV

**Bob** · 10-19-2002, 12:27 PM

I personally HATE Paypal. I think their fees are way out of line.

When they started, they marketed themself as "Accecpt credit cards from anybody with an email address". They charged a nominal fee and a percentage. They still have their fees set up in a similar fashion to any merchant account (30 cents plus 2.9% per transaction).

This is VERY flawed in my opinion.

Not all transactions are credit card related. People do keep balances in their PayPal account (which they invest in a money market, draw 6-7% on and then they think they are doing us a favor by giving us 1.7% or whatever it is).

Anyway, lets say I have $1000 in my PayPal account. I want to buy a name from a fellow DNForum member. We agree on a price of $500. I go to paypal, send the $500 from funds that are already available. The money arrives in the destination account, MINUS the fees that supposed to be merchant fees.

What did paypal do?

NOTHING besides make a subtraction from my account and add one to the other member. NO MONEY CHANGED HANDS. All they did was add two records in a database... yet they still collected their outrageous fee for doing this. . .

Ever notice when you need to buy an item and you do not have the funds to cover it, they STRONGLY try to get you to transfer the money from your bank account? (the default is set to transfer from a bank account. You have to go through 2-3 more screen to change it to a credit card). Reason? Because then they will have to pay merchant fees on a credit card transaction. They try to entice you not to use a credit card by "entering you in weekly $1000 sweepstakes giveaway".

Every try to get ahold of PayPal customer Service? Unless they changed things, don't bother. You will never get through. They intentionally do not give out their information. . .

But alas, Paypal is the preferred method of payment here, so I am stuck using it.

If you want a straight merchant account to accept credit cards, do not use PayPal.

-Bob

**uncle** · 10-19-2002, 01:48 PM

I couldn't agree more. not to mention paypalsucks.com etc

**GiantDomains** · 10-19-2002, 02:24 PM

Go with authorize.net. Ask them for a list of their resellers (they do not sell directly)...

Look through the resellers list, and find the lowest price..

When you reach a heavy sales volume, you will be happy you chose authorize.net...

**mef666** · 10-19-2002, 02:28 PM

Can you, than, please explain this (taken from paypal site):

Open an Account: Free
Send Money: Free
Receive Funds: Free (for personal) and for premier /business account you have that fee...

what his means.. this means that it can be avoided - paying to paypal.

how?

he creates 1 personal account. from premier/buss. acc send to his personal. using paypal creditcard or bank acc he can transfer funds with minimum loss (i don't remember do you pay to transfer funds to bank acc).
This approach can be used to avoid paying to them....

Ivan

**lux** · 10-19-2002, 02:30 PM

Regarding PayPal:

Once you've received more than $100 in credit card payments, you must upgrade to a premier or business account.

**mef666** · 10-19-2002, 02:33 PM

but is it "send money" considered to be a credit card payment?

**mef666** · 10-19-2002, 02:37 PM

of course this is valid if you have already funds on your premier account

ggg · 10-19-2002, 06:12 PM

I'm really curious about authorize.net

Which reseller did you use or recommend?

THanx

**GiantDomains** · 10-19-2002, 06:20 PM

http://authorize.net/reseller/merchant_info.php

Fill this out, and you can access a database of resellers.

Authorize.net is the internet standard for mid-high volume sales...

Virtual merchant (paypal, 2checkout) accounts will leave you broke.

**mef666** · 10-20-2002, 01:25 AM

there's another thing to be considered..
do you have so many visitors on your site? do you have mid volume sales?

first start, subscribe to any of them. If your site works fine, you can easily select some other cc processor depending on your income...

isn't that right?

ggg · 10-20-2002, 02:23 AM

Originally posted by mef666
there's another thing to be considered..
do you have so many visitors on your site? do you have mid volume sales?

first start, subscribe to any of them. If your site works fine, you can easily select some other cc processor depending on your income...

isn't that right?

You really point out the questions.

For small (personal) business,
monthly (annual) fee did hurt.....

Say if you're not making income for more than $500, or even $200 per year?

Seems pretty stupid, right?

**mef666** · 10-20-2002, 02:28 AM

yup...

look I'm not telling you to pick one on blind eyes, but select one which will not take you a lot ($ & time) to/for setup and get started.

it'll be easy to change it later on...
at least this is my opinion..