We have discussed at some great length whether using PayPal was a good idea for taking payments - but what about making payments?

I am considering using some affiliate software that makes payments via paypal - would you sign up for an affiliate program if it only offered payments via PayPal?

Hi SR,

Sorry to drag up an old thread but it hadn't been answered at all.....

It would put me off to a certain degree as I'd prefer a bank transfer for my payments, that way I'm not paying to accept the funds, nor would I have to transfer it from PP to my bank so I'd save 5-9 days too.

Of course, if I was an avid Ebayer I'd want to top up my PP account......

To make the most people happy I'd offer it as an option but not the only option.

The affiliate scheme I've just developed for my site accepts end user payments from PayPal and also premium short messages (PSMS / reverse billing) but offers affiliates their payment through bank transfer.

I have found fees to be an issue with paypal, rather than writing a cheque, but this is not always feasible internationally!

That said some places are hard to get paypal to as well - I have just signed up someone in Russia - cannot do paypal for him...so I am using other methods (if you really need to know, PM me)

Perhaps offer some choices, paypal, direct deposit and cheque. I know one affiliate network passes on the fees and deducts them from the payment!!

We tried paypal for payments and boy what an improvement when we ditched it. Have you thought about a shopping cart that integrates a payment portal? Try checking out ecartsoft.com. They're reasonable and have a lot of options. Hope this helps.

SR - I wouldn't touch Paypal with a barge pole. I allege they are dishonest and unyielding. They have an alleged history of suspending accounts (hence freezing the funds for 180 days) for the slightest hint of anything THEY consider 'unworthy' of their service.

About 6 months ago they banned (and suspended) all accounts that were connected with Affiliate programs that went further than 1tier. They held that it costutituted MLM, which is absolute bunkum!.

How can multi tier affiliate programs be MLM when there is no product being bought or sold by the downline (a la Amway, Tupperware and Avon), They, like so many have, through ignorance and stupidity, failed to understand that Affiliate marketing does not involve the buying and selling of ANYTHING - It is a referral service - 'spotters fee' if you like. The MERCHANT is the only person who sells!!

IMO, Paypal sucks, always has - always will!!. The Internet will be a better place when they are DEAD and gone!!

P.S. I was instrumental, along with many others in convincing a large affiliate program management to convert to using ePassorte (Visa Debit Card system) for affiliate payouts. In the end, they thanked us all, as it cut their costs by half (compared to paypal, with a little 'p'). The payments are 'instantaneous' and can be accessed at any ATM in the world. Youy also get a 'Hard card' for real world use and a 'Virtual card, for online use. You can fund it yourself with credit card, bank transfer or cheque.

Kindly and mild-manered greetings,
Steve

I have a person i will be using a system similar to epassporte. They still charge to send the card to the person, and they still have fees not that much cheaper than pp

I notice that epassporte does not reveal their charges on their site....

travelagent wrote:

I've been using PayPal for the past 3 years and have had absolutely no problems with them -- if a site doesn't offer PayPal as another payment method for me, I leave and find a similar site who offers a similar/same service or product and purchase from them.

Mark my words, mate... They'll turn on you one day - with no explanation, no recourse for appeal. Too many people have been screwed by them - Merchants and buyers alike. That's what made Stormpay so popular and grow until it was a direct threat to Paypal's popularity - then of course, it self destructed, but.... what can you do - AlertPay seems to be the front runner for replacing Stormpay and CanPay etc.

Frankly, I don't trust any of them. At least with ePassorte, they can't take your money or feeze it - There is no charge to receive money and I think there's a flat rate of $5 to deposit into your own or another account (depending on country - that's what it is here).

Given that most Affiliate Programs don't payout till at least $100 and many $200, that's not so bad and it's certainly worth $5 alone simply not to have to wait for days or weeks for bank transfers (which have a minimum $10 fee in most countries), or Cheques, which take at least 5 - 7 days to clear or 21 days AND $10 fee for Intenational cheques (in Aust at least). All this compared to $5 and INSTANTANEOUS transfer and access to you funds with ePassporte.

You still have to wait for quite some time top get funds from Paypal by cheque or transfer etc, so...

I say you can't beat it.

Regards,
Wiz

Wizard of Oz wrote:

Youy also get a 'Hard card' for real world use

I have a PayPal "hard card." Works just like a debit card.

Like TA, I have been using Paypal for a long time  - without ANY problems. Are you under the impression that Paypal is not instant? Maybe internationally it isn't, but anytime I've had to get a transfer from someone it went through instantly.

MarkCCDC wrote:

Wizard of Oz wrote:

Youy also get a 'Hard card' for real world use

I have a PayPal "hard card." Works just like a debit card.

Like TA, I have been using Paypal for a long time  - without ANY problems. Are you under the impression that Paypal is not instant? Maybe internationally it isn't, but anytime I've had to get a transfer from someone it went through instantly.

I know it's instant into the account, but you still have to get the money out. Can you go to an ATM and withdraw your money from paypal immediately after it's gone in?? Can you use your 'hard card' at an ATM to withdraw the funds straight away, with no fee?

When I had an account, the only two ways to get your money out were cheque or bank transfer which both take time and cost money.

Wiz

I dont ever withdraw money - its a MasterCard so I just use it like a debit card. I get  a 1% cash back on any purchases I make, and no fees to use it. Plus I can overdraft without incurring any fees (shh).  I can do a bank transfer too, that doesnt cost anything but it does take time.

Wizard of Oz wrote:

When I had an account, the only two ways to get your money out were cheque or bank transfer which both take time and cost money.

Wiz

I do bank transfers all the time which are free.  Internationally I can certainly see this costing a fee...

SiteReference wrote:

Wizard of Oz wrote:

When I had an account, the only two ways to get your money out were cheque or bank transfer which both take time and cost money.

Wiz

I do bank transfers all the time which are free.  Internationally I can certainly see this costing a fee...

Yep, it costs about $10 per transfer (to the sender). They generally don't pass it on, but a couple of programs I'm in have $500 minimum payouts for International withdraws. Some are $200, which is OK. The only FREE way I can get paid from outside Oz is by cheque or ePassporte, but then, each cheque costs me $10 to cash thru my bank account.

Banks have always been rogues anyway, so it's no big surprise and wasn;'t when I first started out in Affiliate Marketing.

P.S. Mark, I noticed your recent article "Google Confusion - And Some Clarity" in SEO news. Excellent article. Nail on the head stuff. I'm not a person that really enjoys reading articles unless they are pretty rivetting. This one was a pleasure. Great stuff and also my thoughts exactly.

Steve

Wizard of Oz wrote:

P.S. Mark, I noticed your recent article "Google Confusion - And Some Clarity" in SEO news. Excellent article. Nail on the head stuff. I'm not a person that really enjoys reading articles unless they are pretty rivetting. This one was a pleasure. Great stuff and also my thoughts exactly.

As much as I would love to take credit for a well-written article, I'm afraid this one isnt me. But thanks for the compliments!

MarkCCDC wrote:

Wizard of Oz wrote:

P.S. Mark, I noticed your recent article "Google Confusion - And Some Clarity" in SEO news. Excellent article. Nail on the head stuff. I'm not a person that really enjoys reading articles unless they are pretty rivetting. This one was a pleasure. Great stuff and also my thoughts exactly.

As much as I would love to take credit for a well-written article, I'm afraid this one isnt me. But thanks for the compliments!

I know it's not yours. It's SR's (Mark) to whom I was talking. Sorry, should have said 'SR' instead of Mark (which is obviously your name too).

Sorry.
Wiz

Didnt know his name was Mark too.

Wizard of Oz wrote:

P.S. Mark, I noticed your recent article "Google Confusion - And Some Clarity" in SEO news. Excellent article. Nail on the head stuff. I'm not a person that really enjoys reading articles unless they are pretty rivetting. This one was a pleasure. Great stuff and also my thoughts exactly.

Steve

Glad to hear it - but that article did appear in the SR newsletter first.

well, I have been using paypal for about 1year. In fact, I prefer to use paypal coz its easy for me. More often than not, when I look thru affiliate programs, I would also pay attention on their payment mode if they do pay via paypal.

It makes me feels good to have my fund in paypal be transfer into my local bank account fast. I like to see my money fast rather than got to wait for weeks for a check to arrive in my mailbox.

SiteReference wrote:

Wizard of Oz wrote:

P.S. Mark, I noticed your recent article "Google Confusion - And Some Clarity" in SEO news. Excellent article. Nail on the head stuff. I'm not a person that really enjoys reading articles unless they are pretty rivetting. This one was a pleasure. Great stuff and also my thoughts exactly.

Steve

Glad to hear it - but that article did appear in the SR newsletter first.

I know it did... but I've got about 8 back issues of SR, SEO and other newsletters to get to when I get a spare few hours. I usually just 'skim' when I receive them and only read what 'grabs' me, then I get back to them and have a better look later. They just keep piling up.

I caught that article while skimming, mainly because it was by you. But I must say, it was and enjoyable few minutes.

Thanks,
Wiz