Credit Card Payment For Low Ticket Items

[Simplesoft]

I'm currently running a free site and would like to begin covering my costs / maybe picking up a few extra bucks each month. I have thought about ways to generate revenue and I would like to 1) allow my site's users to purchase advertising space and 2) allow my site's user to purchase extra storage space on my site. Now, the problem that I'm facing is which CC payment system to use. Most transactions are expected to be anywhere between $3.00 - $5.00 US, with an occasional $25.00 homepage advertisement. After searching around webmaster world and G, I have found many of the alternatives to be unfavorable to my needs. Ideally, I would like a solution with no – minimal monthly fees, a fair % rate and API tools.

Any CC payment system suggestions or EVEN alternatives to using a CC payment system?

Thanks boys and girls

[Simplesoft]

Also, I should have mentioned. Is anyone using paypal's micropayments?

[RailMan]

if it's almost all micro payments, you might be better off just using affiliate banners etc - save yourself a lot of time and hassle, and could earn the same or more than by taking CC payments

[surfin2u]

Why are you setting your prices so low?

[Simplesoft]

surfin, quite honestly, I'm not really familiar with pricing. So, I figured $25 a month for a banner or two will cover some costs.

Affiliate programs, are they worth looking into? Anyone willing to inform of the revenue potential of these programs?

Thanks

[RailMan]

>>Affiliate programs, are they worth looking into?

considering you are only planning to take a few small payments, yes. you might earn more, you might earn less - but either way, you'll save yourself a lot of hassle compared to setting up your own merchant account etc.

[RailMan]

>Anyone willing to inform of the revenue potential of
>these [affiliate] programs?

sorry, should really have pointed you to the affiliate forum at [webmasterworld.com...]
many people make a living from carrying affiliate links / banners etc etc - of course, they put a lot of time and effort into it - you should be able to cover some costs without much effort ......

[surfin2u]

surfin, quite honestly, I'm not really familiar with pricing. So, I figured $25 a month for a banner or two will cover some costs.

Your prices should be based on the value that you are delivering to the buyer, not on what you need to pay your bills. If your ads give the buyer huge value then charge plenty for them, if not then keep them free while you build up a case for proving their value. Once you can prove what they're worth, then you and your customers will be able to know what a fair price is.

[surfin2u]

Thanks for stickying me your site. It looks like a great site. I think you should do very nicely with it.

I suggest that you try to come up with ways to prove that your ads work. You can use this proof to help sell advertising to new clients and also to keep your existing clients.

PayPal works very nicely for monthly subscriptions for ads and your $25/month price will be no problem for them.