posted on June 30, 2001 11:30:22 AM new
In a thread on the eBay outlook, someone asked a question that I think needs an answer...I'd sure like to know:
"From the policy updates page:
Members with a proven online sales track record or a competitive offer from an established merchant services provider may apply for the Merchant Rate.
Hmmm, I wonder what "proven online sales track record" means in PPspeak? I'm not a powerseller but I've been with ebay and PayPal for a couple of years, 1100+ sales, no negs, and no chargebacks - wonder if I qualify for the "lower" rate?
Feel free to jump in Damon if you're around."
So, Damon...what exactly IS a proven online sales track record? Will PayPal extend the merchant rate to sellers with less than $1k a month in PP transactions? If so, how do we go about finding out?
Argh
posted on June 30, 2001 12:04:48 PM new
"or a competitive offer from an established merchant services provider may apply for the Merchant Rate."
Sellers who've been with eBay for at least few months can usually obtain the "merchant rate" from Billpoint, so I wonder how PayPal is going to handle this issue. I bet they'll weasel out of it claiming that no other online payment service provides a "truly competitive" offer due to PayPal's so-called "protection plans."
- Dan
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posted on July 2, 2001 02:50:42 PM new
I'm bumping this back up in hopes that PayPalDamon will see it and answer it.
Argh
[ edited by argh on Jul 2, 2001 02:51 PM ]
Please fill the application out when it is available (around July 14). We will also match the rates from an established merchant services provider, such as Billpoint, if the user can provide proof.
posted on July 3, 2001 12:34:31 AM new
Damon, thanks for the reply, but that doesn't really answer the question.
I'm confused. I've avoided signing up for Billpoint so that I could qualify for the cashback deal on my PayPal debit card. Yeah, I know I could still offer other payment services in my EOA, but according to your terms (unless PP has changed them again), sellers can only mention PayPal as an online payment on the item description pages. I didn't see the point of offering other online payment services when I could only do it on my EOA notices (and I wanted to keep my life simple).
It sounds like I'd have been better off if I hadn't been just using PayPal. I am an established seller - with PayPal. I even verified with you guys. You have umpteen pieces of my finanicial info. I have never had a chargeback, hell - I've never even gotten a negative feedback (500+ positive, twice that if you count repeats).
Why on earth do I need an established record with PayPal's competition when I have a perfectly good one with PayPal? Are we more reliable when we use your competitor? This just seems a funny way to reward your customers for their loyalty.
This is simple. If I end up with the higher rate, I will no longer be a PayPal customer, because at that point, Billpoint is CLEARLY a better deal (they don't ding us for the % on sales under $15 like PayPal now does).
So Damon, again: "Members with a proven online sales track record .....may apply for the Merchant Rate."
What constitutes a "proven online sales track record"?
Memebers from Mars MAY apply for the merchant rate. What I want to know is what is a proven sales track record.
Thanks Damon, I hope you can shed some light on this one!
posted on July 3, 2001 06:12:46 AM new
What Argh said!
After months of de-emphasizing PayPal, I somewhat reluctantly verified and started accepting PayPal under the seller protection plan terms. Now, after 2+ years on eBay, and a feedback of almost 400, I'm not a "merchant" but I'm also not "personal"--what I am is ticked off.
posted on July 3, 2001 07:31:41 AM new
PaypalDamon said:
Please fill the application out when it is available (around July 14). We will also match the rates from an established merchant services provider, such as Billpoint, if the user can provide proof.
Does this mean if we fill out the form, Paypal will give us the same rates Billpoint does, including the under $15 for a flat 35 cents fee? Or just means that if you have Billpoint Merchant account, you can have a Paypal Merchant account by documenting that you have the Billpoint Merchant account?
posted on July 4, 2001 12:43:56 PM new
Having to fill out forms to receive competitive rates....
What kind of marketing tactic is that? I have to jump through hoops to get better rates? I think not.
PayPal is aware of Billpoint's rates. If they want to compete with Billpoint, the burden should be on PayPal, not the customer, to initiate the competition.
If I told my customers that they could get better prices if they filled out an application and documented all their purchaces and issued proof that they were a good customer, I'd wouldnt be able to walk right.
posted on July 14, 2001 04:58:41 AM new
Damon, does Paypal start charging the new rates today (7/14)? I wasn't able to find a link for a form or application to get the lower rates. Do you know when this will become available?
posted on July 14, 2001 08:21:55 AM new
I don't think the question was actually answered, so I'll give it my interpretation. If a PayPal member applies for a PayPal Merchant Account, and can show proof that they have a Billpoint Merchant Account, PayPal will give them a PayPal Merchant Account. Which means PayPal will charge you PayPal Merchant Account rates. It does not mean PayPal will charge you the Billpoint Merchant Account rate.
posted on July 15, 2001 04:14:26 PM new
Time to bump this back up to the top now that the application form is on PayPal's web site (NOT easy to find).
First, and I am sure I'm not the only one who'd like to know the answer to this, why does PayPal want SS numbers?
Secondly, according to the policy updates page days ago:
"Members with a proven online sales track record or a competitive offer from an established merchant services provider may apply for the Merchant Rate."
Well, now that's not exactly what the requirements really are. From the latest on PayPal's web site:
Merchant Rate pricing is reserved for members in good standing (i.e. who are not restricted and do not have unresolved chargebacks) who meet the following criteria:
Been a PayPal member for at least 90 days, and
Received $3,000 in PayPal payments over the previous 90 days (an average of $1,000/month)
OR
Received a competitive offer from an established merchant account provider
OR
Proven long-standing, high-volume eBay seller (eBay user ID and password must be provided on the Merchant Rate application)
Uhm, ok, long-standing I can see....but if sellers are high-volume, then wouldn't they just normally have qualified for the merchant rate in the first place?? What happened to what Damon told us on this thread, "The two factors that can be used in getting the merchant rate:
1) have solid eBay feedback
2) show us a competing offer (from Billpoint for example)
Users will have to apply on the 14th demonstrating one set of these values. "??
So apparently having solid feedback does not matter (since I can't find that anywhere on the info for the application).
Damon: can you please tell us why what you told us and what is now on the web site differ so greatly?
Lastly, even if people do somehow qualify for the merchant rate even if they don't do $1K a month, keeping it will prove to be troublesome:
From PayPal's web site:
Maintaining your Merchant Rate
After qualifying for Merchant Rate pricing, all members are expected to:
Maintain a volume of $1,000 per month with PayPal. Members may be downgraded to the Standard Rate if their monthly PayPal volume drops below $1000 for two consecutive months.
Keep their PayPal account in good standing. Members may be downgraded if their account becomes restricted or they have unresolved chargebacks.
So again, we're back to the $1K a month. And I don't know about tying merchant rates to restriction problems. PayPal seems to have a bad track record of restricting accounts first and asking questions later (although that does seem to be getting better).
Sigh...I really do not want to start taking BillPoint but it's sure not looking like I can avoid it at this rate.
posted on July 15, 2001 05:33:06 PM new
> After qualifying for Merchant Rate pricing, all members are expected to:
> Maintain a volume of $1,000 per month with PayPal. Members may be
> downgraded to the Standard Rate if their monthly PayPal volume drops below
> $1000 for two consecutive months.
What's the point of jumping through hoops to obtain PayPal's merchant rate if they're going to switch you back to the standard rate two months later?
Billpoint certainly doesn't ask me to do this to receive their merchant rate.
- Dan
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posted on July 16, 2001 07:03:35 AM new
This idea of keeping 1K a month in inflows really bites - I have some months where I'm lucky to get that much in total sales, not just Paypal payments... and some months are INCREDIBLY slow for me.
If I lose the Paypal merchant rate, I'll be switching over to Billpoint out of financial necessity - and just funnel my money from Billpoint into my checking account over to Paypal to continue to pick up the 1.5% cash back - with little/no fees to offset I'll be making money.. 8)
posted on July 17, 2001 05:06:04 PM new
> I just clarified the feedback issue for the merchant rate with Product.
OK, but if user has qualified for PayPal's merchant rate by virtue of a competitive offer (e.g. Billpoint), does the user lose that rate in two months if they don't meet the $1000/month transaction volume?
- Dan
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posted on July 17, 2001 08:21:08 PM new
Hi PPD, since I posted this same question in another thread and it is being ignored for some reason, I'll post it here too.
I do not wish to provide paypal with my SSN. I have since been told that you request the SSN to do a credit check. Please offer me a reasonable explanation of why you wish to do a credit check on me given all of the following:
- You are not a bank and are not offering me a bank service or extending me credit
- I have been a PP user since nearly day one of its operation
- I am both "verified" and "confirmed"
- I have a CC# and a bank account # on file
- I have a billpoint merchant rate
- I have the feedback requirements you posted above
- I am one of the few users on this board who tries to defend Paypal, at least much of the time
