| jeffweico | 07-21-2013 11:12 AM | Here is the biggest difference between PayPal and a real merchant account:
PayPal will shut you down without warning and without explanation. Yes, they will give you some generic information, but will never tell you what their specific issue is.
A REAL merchant account provider is much less likely to shut you down without notice. If a problem comes up, they will usually discuss it with you. If you are deemed a risk, they will let you know from the beginning and explain what your monthly sales limit is upfront, or let you know there will be a "rolling reserve" on your account. You can talk to a human being who most likely is not reading off a script.
The tradeoff is, a real merchant account provider will want more information from you. An SSN/EIN is a MUST and they WILL run a credit report. They will want to know what exactly you are intending to sell and MAY - UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES - ask for your supplier information. There can also be monthly costs involved, in addition to the transaction fees, although those costs are usually pretty low thanks to competition.
Usually, the only way to lose a merchant account without notice is if they feel you are committing fraud or selling counterfeits. It could also happen if they suddenly receive a ton of chargebacks. But chargebacks are pretty rare - YES, they happen, but normally only in a small percentage of cases.
Unfortunately, on eBay, customers have been conditioned to use PayPal and look upon sellers who do not offer it suspiciously. By advertising themselves as the safe way to pay, they make customers think that paying by credit card the normal way is UNSAFE. |