Recently there was a discussion in a forum I am a member of as to whether or not offering PayPal as a payment option is a good idea. There were several opinions as to whether PayPal is a good choice or not. Some people thought it was a great idea while others are convinced it’s not worth the effort.
Years ago, I resisted offering PayPal as a payment option due to basing my opinion on limited information. After doing some research and having my sister convince me it is a must have, I decided to give it a shot.
That was over two years ago. Wow! Was I way off base by not offering it sooner. I have to wonder how much business I lost due to not offering the option sooner. I know there are times I have not made a purchase (especially on a low ticket item) if PayPal payment wasn’t available.
I have products and services that range from a few dollars to several thousand. 70 – 80% of low priced items are usually paid through PayPal with 40% or so on mid-range items and 20 – 40% on higher end products and services.
I recently contracted a web designer for a fairly high investment. I am very pleased to have the PayPal option for payment.
I had a transcriptionist I utilized for about a year who preferred PayPal payments. This made payment very easy and fast.
When the transcriptionist moved out of the States and decided to close her business I found another excellent resource. However, there is one downside; I have to pay her by check. Writing a check is an added step I would be happy to do without.
I would invite anyone who is wondering whether or not PayPal is a good option to offer to your customers to try it for a while and then make your decision.
What is your experience on either side of using PayPal – as a service provider or as a customer?
