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2012-12-26

How PayPal Makes it Easier for Many Small Online Retailers


Any small business owner can attest to the fact that starting up… and maintaining a business can be difficult and stressful. It all takes time away from the family, financial resources out of the bank, and adds premature gray hairs to the scalp. I know this, because I either have to invest in hair coloring soon, or give up my business.
While this is true for most businesses, it does seem like online businesses have a little less stress, especially if you compare an online retail business to a traditional storefront. You might not think so at the moment, but online retail stores do not have to worry about a cosmetically appealing storefront, keeping it clean and safe, or the expense of running it. However, even without the added stress mentioned above, there’s enough stress that most of you will want to find easier ways to conduct business. PayPal does that for you, so read on to learn more…




PayPal to the Rescue

Online banking has been around for awhile now, and I have utilized it very well for both personal and business. The ability to check balances is great in knowing what has been paid, and what has not. It’s great to be dealing with finances in real time, and not when the bank sends out a monthly statement.
I can order bank checks online, reconcile my accounts, and transfer money…anytime I want. So, when I discovered PayPal, I was excited that business life can get that much easier for me, my clients, and other business owners.
So, if you are planning on taking your store online, or opening an online business retail store, take note of how PayPal can help boost your sales, and make your job so much easier.

A Little Background is in Order

Founded in 1998, PayPal is the number one processor for electronic payments and transfers of monies. Their worldwide service has been providing financial services for many businesses and patrons for years, and has left their competitors in the dust.
PayPal was founded by Confinity, merged with X.com in 2000, and originally took on the name X.com. However, after a while, the name PayPal was adopted after a worldwide survey showed that people simply didn’t care for the original name.
In 2002, another giant…eBay, took over and has owned the company since. PayPal now has over 150 million user accounts, utilizing their services around the world.

Quick and Easy Access to Payments

Providing your customers with an easy to use method of payment will get your payment to you sooner. In fact, you get it immediately as it goes directly into your account, rather than waiting a couple days or more, as with most merchant accounts.
You can leave the money in your PayPal account to use when paying your vendors who utilize PayPal for their business. Of course, you will need to transfer at least a portion of it to your bank account, which is also very easy to do…just a click away, actually.
If that isn’t easy enough, try using a PayPal debit card to transfer your funds to, which in turn, earns you 1% ‘cash back’ when you use it to make your own purchases.
Did I mention you can do all of this while sitting in your office…or, at home in your PJ’s?

Making it Easier for Your Customers

I love using PayPal, and will, whenever I see the option online. I am in love with convenience…and it doesn’t get any more convenient than going online, finding what I want, and clicking a button to purchase it.
PayPal is used and appreciated by many people. Some of the reasons it’s so popular include the following:
- It’s a free service to use
- No fear of security, because they work endlessly to monitor and prevent fraud
- Plenty of currencies to choose from, as 24 are allowed by PayPal
- Easy to use, especially with their mobile apps

As I said, it doesn’t get any easier.


Keep the Costs Down

PayPal is affordable, which makes it great for people just starting up a business. There are many other expenses to worry about…but, this isn’t one of them.
Unlike merchant accounts who charge up to $200 just for the startup fee, PayPal doesn’t charge anything to get started. Merchant accounts also charge a monthly fee on average of $25 a month, plus a ‘per transaction’ fee as well.
PayPal, on the other hand, offers different types of accounts which range from $0 to $30 per month, with many business owners taking advantage of the free account. There is a minimal ‘per transaction’ fee, but even that is less than most merchant accounts charge.
Along with the above savings, PayPal also gives you a break on statements and withdrawals. And, by ‘break’, I mean no fees at all for these transactions.

A Secure Way of doing Financial Transactions

PayPal also takes pride in the safe environment they offer merchants and customers. They include an automatic screening for fraud, along with their ‘Seller Protection Policy’. These help to protect everyone from any fraudulent activity lurking out there, waiting for their next victim.
Peace of mind, that’s what that is.


Author Bio:
Kathy Barber is a freelance writer, who has recently wrote on topics such as online business, addiction, home brewing, and business finances from accounting to how to create an outdoor oasis. She often gets her inspiration from what she reads online. For example, after visiting www.personalchecksplus.com, she decided to write a series on personal finances. Kathy is married, with a young son, living in Michigan. She enjoys photography, camping, boating, and entertaining.