posted on December 16, 2001 09:11:06 PM new
Currently, we have that "deal" with PayPal where we list them as our only on-line payment option (to the exclusion of BillPoint, C2it (like that matters), etc. In return, we get a lower % charged on payments (1/2 a % or so). (We also take checks (up to $25), Money Orders and Cashier's Checks.)
About 1/2 of all of our closed auctions pay via PayPal and almost all of our higher priced ones. Before PayPal offerd this "deal" we listed BillPoint, BidPay, etc. as payment options.
Like many other sellers, the number of hits, bids and the amount of closing bids has been down lately (and the number of NPB has been (way) up).
The big question is: by excluding these other vendors are we excluding (too many) potential bidders? By, once again, accepting BillPoint could we expect to make up in more closed auctions with (potentially) higher winning bids the difference in the % off PayPal offers?
Anyone with any experience along these lines, please advise.
posted on December 16, 2001 09:20:14 PM new
i am not aware you have to offer paypal only to get a good discount rate from paypal,i know some of the conditions is that you give paypal 1000 worth of business per month,you can also show that you have a competitive offer ,say from merchant account.
to receive cashback from your debit card,you have to be preferred paypal member who only offers paypal on ebay.
bids are down because of the economy and too much supply in cyberspace.
whether not offering billpoint,c2it etc is affecting your sales on ebay,i dont know,but i do know you cannot offer checkout.
whether not offering checkout is turning your bidder away,some said yes.
veteran bidders can do both-checkout or no checkout,new bidders i dont know??
personally it is just bidding is down,in the future,i dunno ??
posted on December 16, 2001 09:46:57 PM new
I really don't think that offering Billpoint makes much of a difference. I offer both Paypal and Billpoint along with checks/MOs, and Billpoint has always been a distinct minority of all my payments. I figured that ebay's Checkout feature would tend to favor Billpoint and end up increasing the total number of Billpoint payments I received. But my last batch of auctions proved the opposite - the majority paid with Paypal, followed by snail mail payments, and finally there was one Billpoint payment. Even though many of the people used the Checkout feature, most chose the "other payment" option. No matter what ebay does, Paypal's popularity just seems to keep growing with auction buyers.
posted on December 16, 2001 10:30:10 PM new
I offer both Billpoint and Paypal.
Most of my customers go through Checkout and pay with Billpoint within a few hours of the end of the auctions. I adjust the shipping costs in the Checkout Details for multiple purchases.
Since I specialize within the antique sector, the majority of my customers are the end customers (the collectors), not the sellers. I feel that is why I have a high percentage of customers who use Billpoint instead of Paypal. Just about every one of my customers who uses Paypal is a seller also.
I think it speaks well of my auctions. An eBay seller gets higher prices by selling to the end customer, lower prices if the auction was purchased by a dealer for resale. Obviously, I am doing it right if the majority of my buyers are the end customers.
I should add that I know there is a significant number of buyers who select eBay Payments in their search criteria. If you don't offer Billpoint, your auctions won't show up in those searches.
posted on December 16, 2001 10:31:28 PM new
I offer both Billpoint and Paypal.
Most of my customers go through Checkout and pay with Billpoint within a few hours of the end of the auctions. I adjust the shipping costs in the Checkout Details for multiple purchases.
Since I specialize within the antique sector, the majority of my customers are the end customers (the collectors), not the sellers. I feel that is why I have a high percentage of customers who use Billpoint instead of Paypal. Just about every one of my customers who uses Paypal is a seller also.
I think it speaks well of my auctions. An eBay seller gets higher prices by selling to the end customer, lower prices if the auction was purchased by a dealer for resale. Obviously, I am doing it right if the majority of my buyers are the end customers.
I should add that I know there is a significant number of buyers who select eBay Payments in their search criteria. If you don't offer Billpoint, your auctions won't show up in those searches.
posted on December 17, 2001 04:28:00 PM new
Paypal took away my merchant rate so I started advertising Billpoint and lost my cashback. My Billpoint rate is 1.75% with deposits the next day. Billpoint doesn't threaten to take away my merchant rate, I never asked for it, they are the ones who offered it to me. I received 14 Billpoint payments on the last round of auctions, 3 Paypal and the rest in checks. I would get rid of Paypal, but I do like the debit card and it is a shopping cart payment option on my website.
It really frosts my butt that they took away my merchant rate, but Billpoint was there in the end.
posted on December 17, 2001 04:49:09 PM new
For what I sell, Billpoint works just fine. I have a personal account for handling some fund PayPal payments in either direction (buy/sell).
PayPal kind of blew it for me. They have a distinctively Microsoft-like attitude towards their users with a Clintonesque regard for honesty and integrity. Look for them to join the ranks of the dot bombs in the near future.
posted on December 17, 2001 05:10:45 PM new
paypal will feel very flattered with such comparison-microsoft and clinton.
they are at a pivotal point right now,with the economy keep on tanking,there may not be a paypal to kick around anymore.
i only have 2 listings on ebay and this is a first in my 6 years of ebay career.
posted on December 17, 2001 07:53:55 PM new
Got things just a little off: what I get from PayPal for having them as the sole online payment option is some kind of "cash back" deal involing their debit card (which I do not use).
Got this a little confused with the different payment plans (levels) they offer: have been getting an email from them about once-a-month (lately) threatening to lower my status if my cash flow does not improve (up-to-former levels)
posted on December 17, 2001 11:15:35 PM new
Damon, I did fax my Billpoint offer in and my feedback was reviewed and I was given the merchant rate, it has been taken away because I did not meet whatever requirements Paypal is making up this month. Billpoint does not make me meet a certain amount per month or they send me threatening emails and I am not going to keep sending proof to Paypal that they already have. On ONE ebay account I have 1143 feedback, I have been a member of ebay since June 2nd of 1998 on that account, what more do you need?
On an unrelated issue, I used my debit card online for a 30 day free trial of something for my husband and I. I cancelled, but every 3 days they try and submit 3 charges to my Paypal card, each in the amount of $79. I have been lucky so far and the charges are being declined, but I have to get my money out of there fast when I know it is getting close to that amount. Should I ask that this debit card be cancelled and get a new one? The company is pretty useless and has been ignoring me. Heather
posted on December 17, 2001 11:18:54 PM new
My bad, Damon, I just checked and I DO still have the Paypal Merchant rate, but they are still sending me emails saying they are going to take it away. Heather
posted on December 18, 2001 11:45:33 AM new
I offer Checks/Money Orders, Billpoint, C2it and PayPal. My EOA asks they not use PayPal unless they have to, I prefer anyother method.
Currently #1 is Billpoint, #2 is PayPal #3 is C2it and #4 is Checks/Money Orders. C2it is growing fast. Matter of fact they almost caught PayPal this week. Their free $10.00 for signing up and you do not have to give blood to get it is drawing customers like PayPal did in the old days. I figure by January C2it with my payments will have passed PayPal.
I use checkout out FYI so that robably helps my Billpoint. There is no way I would give up offering a payment service to get a discount from PayPal.
Yes I have the merchant account at both Billpoint & PayPal.
Like some of the rest of you I am gedtting tired of receiving the trash e-mails from PayPal also and I prey some day I can drop them all together or they will just go under like I believe they will in the next year or so.
posted on December 19, 2001 09:09:58 PM new
OH great, I was offered the BILLPOINT Merchant rate awhile back, of course I tossed out the E-mail, I'm w/ PayPal to stay, hmmmm I suppose I could search my AOL Personal Filing Cabinet, months worth of E-mails & try to find it, the 1.75% rate on PAYPAL would be great.
UPDATE, I just logged into my BillPoint account (yes I still have it, I don't advertise it, keep it around for the people too stubborn to use PAYPAL). I am being charged the 1.75% +.35cents per transaction.
DAMON: How do I go about PROVING this to PAYPAL, so I can get a better rate?? Let me know. Thanks,
