7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Merchant account question

by anifunk
5 replies
I didn't know where to post this question but I need help and thought I might find it here.

I have a website with a merchant account that accepts the major credit cards. The American Express card was separate from Visa, Mastercard and Discover, and I was being billed separately for accepting it. I recently canceled American Express and am trying to find out if I can still allow customers to use American Express on my website using PayPal. If so, do I need to set something up in PayPal to do that? I already accept PayPal on my website. I tried to find the answer to my question on the PayPal site but had no luck.

Can someone help me or point me in the right direction to find the answer to my question?
#account #merchant #question
  • Profile picture of the author Paul Buckley
    trying to find out if I can still allow customers to use American Express on my website using PayPal. If so, do I need to set something up in PayPal to do that?
    Yes you can and no you don't.
    Signature

    "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something." -Plato

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1772821].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author anifunk
      Thank you, Paul, for your answer.

      I have another question. I now have Authorize.net as my credit card payment gateway and I get billed every month plus they take a percentage of every sale. My understanding is that PayPal doesn't charge a monthly fee and only takes a percentage of every sale.

      The reason I have Authorize.net is because the "learning center" I joined when I was first learning about becoming a website owner told me that's what I had to have. They didn't offer other options like PayPal. Now I'm suspecting it was because they got affiliate commissions from it.

      My question is this: Is it wise to drop the Authorize.net and just go with PayPal to accept credit card payments? Something I read on my website builder's FAQs was that sales may be lost due to the customer being directed away from my website to PayPal but, again, maybe this is because the "learning center" wants the affiliate commissions.

      Even so, I don't want to do something I might regret later.

      Does anyone here use strictly PayPal for accepting credit cards on a website?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1776360].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Popstar
    A merchant account makes you appear to be more professional than just having Paypal. You can go with Paypal only, but you'll probably lose sales.

    Then again, it depends what niche you're in. If you sell Internet marketing products, your customers will probably be more comfortable using Paypal than in some other niches.

    Unless it's a financial hardship, I'd keep the merchant account if I were you. But that's just my opinion.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1777669].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author anifunk
      Originally Posted by Popstar View Post

      A merchant account makes you appear to be more professional than just having Paypal. You can go with Paypal only, but you'll probably lose sales.

      Then again, it depends what niche you're in. If you sell Internet marketing products, your customers will probably be more comfortable using Paypal than in some other niches.

      Unless it's a financial hardship, I'd keep the merchant account if I were you. But that's just my opinion.
      Would I appear less professional even if I'm able to accept all major credit cards through PayPal, using PayPal as my merchant account as opposed to Authorize.net?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1791854].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Online Bliss
    antifunk,
    I would definately add paypal as an alternative to Authorize.net
    Let them choose.
    Anyone who has been on eBay recognizes paypal
    and thats alot of people! :rolleyes:
    Signature
    You've got it Made
    with the Guy in the Shades!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1777804].message }}

Trending Topics