Using PayPal for deposits and payments

I was having a hard time deciding how to best use PayPal to give the credit card option to clients. It would be easy if it was just for a deposit but don't I want to give them the option to pay the whole thing with PayPal?

It would be nice if they could just enter the amount in a blank box and then hit pay. That way they could pay a deposit two weeks before and then go back and pay the rest the day of.

So...has anyone set it up yet so I can take a look at how it works?

D.

I used to have a button on my website for paying the deposit (it's always a set amount to keep it easy for me), but I didn't put it back in the recent redesign of the site. I might put it back, but not many people used the button... more often, I'd send them an email request for payment. You just put in their email address and the amount required, I usually add the details of the party in the note section attached to the request so that they know that I've got it all and there is a record of what this money is for.

If they want to pay the whole amount via credit card, I could send them another request, but I've only had one event where they did and she paid it the day before the event. There is a paypal app for iphone that is WONDERFUL (even easier than their regular website) and I could request it at the beginning of the party, they go inside on their computer (or on their phone app) and pay it before I even leave *pop* confirmed payment received! Yes, there is a per transaction fee, but it's not huge and it's not terribly often that people use it.

I work for paypal so any questions on this matter and I am glad to help!
I love it as an option and the business version you can send invoices very easily and set the due date. Plus it is a secure site and they don't have to have an account to get your invoice just an email. They can then sign up for one or just pay you in a different way.

Mine is set up so they can put the amount in, I just used the 'donation button' and changed the name of it....

www.suzysparkles.org (paypal link on right, check it out)

I have it set up so they can enter the amount. I called someone there and they helped me with that.

I just ask them for the retainer...

Thanks for the info. I just received payment on my first invoice! I like it because you can put the disclaimers about refunds and I also reiterate the details of the event (date, time, amount attenting, theme) in the notes.

Love it! I also like that you can change the amount for a bigger event. That's what I was having problems with with the paypal button method.

D.

the iphone paypal app is awesome.... SOOOOO easy to send a request to their email.

We use the PayPal for about half of our transactions....but, I have had a few issues when companies making larger purchases don't have their cards set up to make online purchases with business debit cards. It will not allow them to pay. I had to go pick up a large check today because of that. PayPal informed me to have them call their financial institution and verbally acknowledge that it was a verified on line transaction, but, in this case I guess the secretary had permission to use the card to pay but not permission with the bank to process that way or lift any limits.

I had never had a problem and then last week and this week, I like using PayPal because it verifies the funds and is safe and immediate. I was bummed out. So, any advice on this would help me out? I thought of adding Pro Pay so that I could process regular credit cards but it does have an annual fee.

Sara...since you work at PayPal what would you recommend in that weirdo situation? I have had it happen twice in two weeks, but, only those two times in all the years I have had PayPal? The PayPal rep yesterday told me that it was because of the increase in theft and that a lot of banks are starting to do that.....

Over the past two weeks, I have sent money requests through my PayPal app on my iPhone, and had the customer not be able to make the payment from the link they received.
I ended up resubmitting a request from my desktop, which she was able to complete.
I've been using this app for months now, with no problem until now.
So I called customer service, and spoke with a man who just did. not. get. it.
I had to repeat myself many times, trying to explain what was happening, and basically he couldn't do anything for me. The long and short of his understanding of my problem was this. I sent the request from my iphone, and the customer opened the email on her tablet. They were not compatible.

Bull hockery.

If my payment request generates a link to pay me, it should not matter the devices on which the request and payment attempt were made.

Finally, I came to the conclusion that PayPal is not to be trusted as a tool for my business and told him I would like to place a formal complaint. Clearly, my payment request for a deposit is essential for my way of doing business. If the customer has problems with it, and can't process the payment, how easy would it be to walk away from the deal and find another painter. I could lose potential business. Not cool.

So I was transferred to the guy's supervisor, who seemed to actually understand my problem. Apparently, the iPhone app has limited function, compared to the actual website, but they do offer another app called PayPal Here, which has a card reader (like the Square) and it has all the features of the website. This app doesn't cost anything, but you have to answer questions about your business. It was pretty simple to set up.

By the time I was finished speaking to the manager, I wasn't pissed off anymore, and actually was moving on to the next best PayPal thing. Pretty good customer service, taking me from from someone who was mad enough to seek an alternative, to staying and getting even more.

Why I couldn't have spoken to him in the first place is beyond me.

I'm impressed you got a human. I have switched all my businesses over to pay pal. I WILL make one suggestion if you carry a high balance. Always withdraw the cash and put it in an account NOT associated with pay pal in any way.

IF there is ever a discrepency, they can put a hold on the account AND the bank account it is associated with. This is rare... BUT it's a huge pain in the rump if it happens.

Thanks, Dean. I never leave my money in my Paypal account. I withdraw it immediately.

I buy paints with it because it's about 10% of my gross. Haven't had that big of balance though...I usually only take deposits with it but that is a good tip Dean.

D.

I usually only take deposits, too, and since I withdraw the money the minute it clears, I don't usually have a balance.

But since I'll be getting the card reader, funds will go into my Paypal account and I could feasibly have a bigger balance than usual after a festival. I'll be careful to move it, as well.

leapinglizards wrote:I'm impressed you got a human. I have switched all my businesses over to pay pal. I WILL make one suggestion if you carry a high balance. Always withdraw the cash and put it in an account NOT associated with pay pal in any way.

IF there is ever a discrepency, they can put a hold on the account AND the bank account it is associated with. This is rare... BUT it's a huge pain in the rump if it happens.

So...I'd have to withdraw my $ from my business acct to keep it safe? Guess I'd open a separate acct just for Paypal then, since I have a personal acct. & don't want to mingle business $ w/it. Did I get that right, Dean?

If your business account is held by a separate bank than PayPal, you are fine. Just don't let your PayPal account have much of a balance, or they can put a hold on funds whenever they choose.

Or link paypal to a credit card rather than a bank account.

If you have a bank account or CC linked to paypal, they can withdraw, charge or hold THAT account as well while disputes are processed.

This is why I withdraw the funds to a totally disconnected business account. If you can transfer funds from pay pal TO an outside bank account, then they are authorized at any time and without notice to withdraw funds in event of a dispute as needed to cover the dispute.

Good to know.

So should I open a separate bank account for Paypal? Open a separate cc?

Sheesh. I didn't know that. If they make a withdrawal on my connected account, and there are no funds, it will overdraw me!
Not cool.

I use Manager Sal for my contracts and it links to Pay Pal . This has made my life so easy.
http://www.managersal.com/home.php