Your input on payment processors

Direct payments or third party payments?

[thetmz]

Hello,

I am running one ecommerce site that has only 2 different products in stock. It has only PayPal payment option (account outside US and UK - so no direct payment option PayPal Pro is offered by PayPal). Products are mainly sold to US and CA customers and PayPal works for that great. We had only 2-3 complaints why we are not offering direct CC payments.

We are planning to run another ecommerce site in a month which will have a lot of products and will be focused on EU markets. Do you think PayPal is enough to have as an option? Is it worth getting authorize.net to have as an option for new ecommerce site and pay monthly fees and so on?

Your input is welcome,
thanks

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

My perception is that Paypal seems to be going from strength to strength. Everyone seem to be aware of it nowadays.

[thorsten iceland]

Hello thetmz,

If you are using PayPal alone (not Payments Pro) you will see a 30-40% increase in sales (or even more) if you add the ability to take credit cards the normal way in addition to PayPal.

Whilst it's true that adding PayPal to a site that already accepts credit cards directly can increase your sales, you are most definitely losing sales if you accept PayPal only.

Customers don't like registering for anything, particularly not PayPal. If you are selling products with a large potential sales demographic direct credit card acceptance is a must.

You can increase sales by adding other alternative payment methods also, but adding direct credit card acceptance is the best way to increase conversions.

You may find these threads useful also:
[webmasterworld.com...]
[webmasterworld.com...]

[Gate2Shop]

There can be issues depending where your target market is, there are many providers that are already established in the EU so they have a better handle on it than PP.

[piatkow]

I have twice been to sites that forced me to register with Paypal. The second one wouldn't accept my credit card because it was already associated with an account.

The opposition is only two clicks away!

[justgowithit]

I have twice been to sites that forced me to register with Paypal.

Did you create an account or head for the closest competitor?

[wezza]

I currently use paypal and visitors no longer need to register for a paypal account to buy from me.

[thorsten iceland]

wezza wrote:

I currently use paypal and visitors no longer need to register for a paypal account to buy from me.

Yes, this processing of cards directly is convenient for the customer, but what PayPal do not tell you is that the risk of fraud is entirely on your shoulders as a merchant.

At least with Verified PayPal accounts there is a certain speed bump against fraud as customers have verified that they at least have access to the credit card statement or bank statement.

That is not true of the new method. You have liability for fraud and also chargeback fines which PayPal passes on, and no way to control that risk by way of authorization form, etc. as it is not your merchant account, but PayPal's, that is being used. (That is not true of PayPal Payments Pro however.)