ploughman
|
posted on August 27, 2001 01:38:01 AM
Am about to come off a nearly 3-month hiatus from selling and was wondering where the PayPal vs. Billpoint market share battle stands. Of those who use them, how much % of your buyers are using PayPal and how much Billpoint? Is it all but mandatory now to have both or is PayPal still in the lead?
|
mballai
|
posted on August 27, 2001 03:54:27 AM
I see no reason to kiss up to PayPal, unless you want the little table scraps they give. List both and let your bidders decide how they want to pay. Bidders in my territory are a three-way split between the two payments and conventionally mailed ones. Money is money.
|
dottie
|
posted on August 27, 2001 04:34:52 AM
I offer PAYPAL in all of my auctions.
I'd say at least half pay via Paypal.
Since I believe that healthy competition is just about the only thing that keeps eBay/Billpoint in check... AND, eBay has the upper hand regarding it's ability to rope in new users (at the time of registration) to the BillPoint service (especially when / if they ever go with an automated CheckOut process) I think its EXTREMELY important for those of us who'd like to keep the COSTS associated with these online payment services low... that we MAKE SURE that the competition remains STRONG.
In every area where eBay is the leader... they've bullied their customers (in my opinion)... and I just don't want to see that happening with the OnLine Payment Service too.
Also, Paypal has a TOLL FREE number 1 888 221 1161 that I've used at all hours of the day and/or night and I've ALWAYS recieved Prompt, Courteous Assistance to any and all questions.
Ask yourself this: "Where's the TOLL FREE number for Billpoint?"
It's PAYPAL for me and my happy customers!!!
- Dottie 
|
Eventer
|
posted on August 27, 2001 05:09:07 AM
BillPoint has picked up of late for me. I used to be heavily PayPal, now BillPoint has come on strong.
I've dropped PayPal out of my options w/the latest round of auctions due to their ever increasing costs. If they want to stay competitive w/Billpoint, they need to do something about the high cost of using them on their under $15 transactions.
|
kyms
|
posted on August 27, 2001 06:07:14 AM
Last night I had 20 auctions end with winners, 12 paid with Paypal...I am not sure how the others plan to pay, but over half still want Paypal. I still love that debit card...
|
vargas
|
posted on August 27, 2001 06:20:41 AM
I'm with mballai, offer both -- my bidders use both. Billpoint use increased greatly over the summer, at least among my bidders.
|
uaru
|
posted on August 27, 2001 07:29:59 AM
PayPal lets you know whether or not you are shipping to a credit card holder's billing address... BillPoint doesn't.
PayPal offers a debit card, funds are available for use the next day... BillPoint doesn't.
PayPal allows sellers in Australia, UK, France, Germany to use their service... BillPoint doesn't.
PayPal offers a shopping cart for website stores... BillPoint doesn't.
BillPoint allows you to be tied even closer to eBay's company store... PayPal doesn't.
The last time I actually counted the options on a large match I found PayPal offered 3 times that of BillPoint.
|
ragmop
|
posted on August 27, 2001 07:41:33 AM
I offer both and for the first half of the year it was about 50/50 but recently I have been receiving 2 PayPal payments for every billpoint payment.
I enjoy the PayPal card and use it for all of my shipping.
For those concerned about fees the 1.5% rebate helps.
|
gina50
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:22:36 AM
I would say that out of all my buyers who use on line payments ~ 75% use Paypal & 25% use Billpoint
What I like about Paypal is since I also buy items on ebay, I can use that money to pay for those items instead of running up my other card !
|
hcross
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:26:49 AM
I was just offered the merchant account rates with Billpoint, with that you get deposits the next business day. I applied for the Paypal merchant rate with my Billpoint email, if I don't get it, I will go with Billpoint more. I don't understand why I did not qualify for the Paypal merchant account to begin with, I know other sellers who do not have nearly the volumn I do who got it.
I was initially thrilled with the debit card, but I am tired of using it to get my fees lowered, you can only find so many things to buy on it. I have not pushed either service in my auctions or eoa, but I am now getting more Billpoint payments. I had given up on Billpoint since they were holding my money up to 7 days from the date of payment, I am much happier now with Billpoint than Paypal. Heather
|
holdenrex
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:27:03 AM
Same percentage here - 75% PP, 25% BP. These two make up half of my sales - the other half are paid through checks/MO.
|
toolhound
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:37:32 AM
I sell aprox. 35 items per week and the average of 16-17 pay with PayPal. I do not take Billpoint and have only been asked to take it 1 time.
|
revvassago
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:49:21 AM
I say neither. Both have alienated a lot of their users, and I for one no longer take either. Only 2 people have complained so far, and one did it jokingly. I don't need PayPal's debit card, since I have one through my bank.
As peachy as they sound, remember, these are not financial institutions, and it will only take the wrong person to complain to paypal about you for them to freeze your account. I for one am no longer willing to take that risk.
|
Eventer
|
posted on August 27, 2001 08:53:01 AM
For those concerned about fees the 1.5% rebate helps
Yeah, if you are willing to make PayPal your ONLY option offered in your auction AND if you are willing to run around making debit charges to their card, only part of which is reimbursed in the form of the 1.5% rebate.
Talk about being tied to the company store.
Taking a $14.95 payment, here's the number:
BillPoint = $.35
PayPal (using merchant rate) = $.63
PayPal (even w/rebate) = $.41
For an auction here or there, the difference isn't worth it but if you run a lot of auctions, it becomes a lot more of an issue.
AND, that $.41 is ONLY available under that premier plan AND assumes you got the full amount of the rebate which you won't in all cases.
Used PayPal since it came out and have enjoyed it. Kept it through the "free forever" hysteria, even kept it through the rounds of upgrades. But this latest round was enough for me.
No thanks...
|
chum
|
posted on August 27, 2001 10:04:21 AM
I take neither and do better than my competition. My shipping for movies is $3.50, and paypal sellers are charging anywhere from $4.50-$5.00 to ship the same video. My buyers will send a check before paying all the handling fees. I also will not buy from a seller that takes paypal if I can help it. I dont use paypal or billpoint, and I am not paying high handling fees for others to use it.
|
hwahwahwahwa
|
posted on August 27, 2001 10:07:58 AM
i am neither pro paypal or pro billpoint,but lets not forget billpoint also charges a 1/2 % point in transferring money to your bank,so if you just have one payment transfer for that day say 14.95,then transfer fee is 7 cents.
not a big amount,but should be added to the fee billpoint charges.
since i apply for a cheaper rate with paypal,the one which said you have to do 1000 at least with paypal or have a competitive offer,i noticed my bidders on ebay are using paypal left and right,i did not encourage anyone to use either one,it seems that 7 out of ten use paypal.
i have a shop on yahoo and i use paymentech for cc processing,if they cant use paypal or billpoint,then i process their ebay purchases thru my shop.
i do not dictate what my customers use,if they prefer abc versus xyz and it turns out i make a little less,i just put up with it.
paymentech is the last resort if they cant use billpoint or paypal.
paypal must be doing something right,why are all these bidders using paypal?
you can apply for a lower rate by going to their site.
|
chris97
|
posted on August 27, 2001 10:49:30 AM
I know it’s technically “illegal” to outright charge the buyer to use Paypal or Billpoint thus the extra handling fees many people have been charging. Would it be illegal to offer no handling fees if you payed by money order, cheque... (e.g. not by Paypal or Billpoint). I’ve heard of people doing this but I’m not sure if you can. I don’t think it’s fair to charge a handling fee to a person who pay’s via money order or whatever if the seller is trying to recoup Paypal/Billpoint fees.
|
Eventer
|
posted on August 27, 2001 10:59:05 AM
chris97,
Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to offer a "discount" for cash/money order.
|
genxmike
|
posted on August 27, 2001 01:57:14 PM
We use BillPoint exclusively. We have about 60% of our payments delivered through BillPoint. Only 1 or 2 requests a week for PayPal.
I've had great customer service from BillPoint but we are also a high volume seller. I've talked with PayPal a couple times and was not impressed.
Of the 2, BillPoint is more likely to be around 5 years from now. That pretty much seals it for me.
|
GreetingsfromUK
|
posted on August 27, 2001 02:58:38 PM
As an International Trader, I just love PayPal. Please read my thread "Is this a record"
|
outoftheblue
|
posted on August 27, 2001 04:05:22 PM
We use both and receive more than twice as many payments through Billpoint.
I'm not exactly pro-Billpoint but I am anti-PayPal. I get tired of doing business with a company that thinks we are dummer than dirt.
Debit card cash back is a joke. Seller and buyer protection is a joke and I don't want to have to do $1000 a month in volume to keep my merchant account.
|
GreetingsfromUK
|
posted on August 27, 2001 04:38:54 PM
Outoftheblue. I time my auctions to stay below the $100 a month for credit cards!!!!!!!!!
|
soldat2
|
posted on August 27, 2001 04:58:28 PM
We've never had BP and only 2 people have asked for it in the last 6 months.
As for PayPal, I guess we're one of the 'lucky' ones because we have had no problems with them. (other than being dropped from the merchant rate for a few days)
The debit card works great! We use it all the time and get the 1.5 % back in our account. We also use PayPal to invoice all of our winning bidders. (that saves me lots of work)
I'm not anti-BP, it' just that PayPal is the best for us at this time.
|
hwahwahwahwa
|
posted on August 27, 2001 06:07:06 PM
sometimes i wonder if we will lose sales because we tell prospective customers we dont accept this,we dont accept that.
i never encourage my customers to use paypal(or billpoint),i am amazed these days how many of them use paypal .
i think paypal will be around just like billpoint,it has made enough progress to just phase away,besides there is no other major player besides the pair!!
of the players who have made e commerce what it is today , paypal is one of them.
|
outoftheblue
|
posted on August 27, 2001 07:06:41 PM
I can't believe how many people are falling for this 1.5% cash back Debit Card BS that PayPal is pushing.
If you sell full time on Ebay as I do it is no benefit what so ever.
It's just a ploy to get you to leave more money in your PayPal account instead of transferring it to your bank account. They get exclusive rights to your auction payments, and they get to keep more of your money for longer periods of time. All you get out of the deal is that pathetic 1.5% back on your debit card purchases.
[ edited by outoftheblue on Aug 27, 2001 07:17 PM ]
|
litlux
|
posted on August 27, 2001 07:17:19 PM
I believe in giving the customer a choice as to how to pay so I offer both Paypal and Billpoint.
In the past seven days, while I have had about the same number of Billpoint and Paypal transactions, I did a tally by amount:
Billpoint = $255
Paypal = $418
It looks to me like the high ticket folks have chosen Paypal.
|
outcast2
|
posted on August 27, 2001 07:51:11 PM
It’s interesting how many PayPal experts there are who do not accept payment through them. Here is an actual months activity.
PayPal Payments $1,092.32
PayPal Fees $25.36
PayPal Purchases $710.78
PayPal Cash Back $12.32
Note: The rebate paid half of the fees. Need I say more?
|
sadie999
|
posted on August 28, 2001 06:53:06 AM
I don't offer Billpoint for some of the same reasons as another poster - eBay already has too strong a hold on my business. (It's one of the reasons I won't list at half.com also.)
Also, if you guys remember way back when Billpoint was first offered, it was only offered to a select few (I assume power sellers). That has always stuck in my throat for some reason.
Along came PayPal and blew eBay/Billpoint out of the water by letting any of us have an account.
Enough cheerleading. PayPal did piss me off with their last round of fee increases for items under $15. My solution: register with c2it and put them in my listings for items I figure will end at $20 or less.
Transactionally, I get about 50% PP payments, and 50% mailed payments. Dollar-wise, I get about 25% PP payments, and 75% mailed payments. Funny enough, my high ticket buyers pay by check and my low ticket buyers pay with PP - which is why the switch to c2it.
|
