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  5. Are you accepting Pay Pal from clients for payment on weddings and portraits?

Are you accepting Pay Pal from clients for payment on weddings and portraits?


12 years 1 month ago #208630 by Cliff
I've been getting more people asking to pay via Pay Pal. The reason I have not done this yet is that Pay Pal charges to much to use their service. If I accept Pay Pal, I would need to charge the client more to cover the fee's that Pay Pal charges me. If I ask for the client to cover those fee's I look petty and cheap? Any thoughts on this?
Photo Comments
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12 years 1 month ago #208632 by Darrell
I use paypal, and the cost is lower than taking credit cards, just the cost of doing business. If you have to recoup the money just increase the price to all clients my 1% or so. If you take paypal and it prevents one bounced check than you saved the cost of paypal.. :beerbang:
You will not be judged as a photographer by the pictures you take, but by the pictures you show.
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12 years 1 month ago #208645 by photobod

Darrell wrote: I use paypal, and the cost is lower than taking credit cards, just the cost of doing business. If you have to recoup the money just increase the price to all clients my 1% or so. If you take paypal and it prevents one bounced check than you saved the cost of paypal.. :beerbang:


:agree: :agree: :agree:
www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn
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12 years 1 month ago #210550 by DavidM
I accept what ever method of payment the client wants to pay me with. But yes, Pay Pal works
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12 years 1 month ago #210869 by Clicky
I do not use paypal. I accept payments up until the day of the shoot. I don't use paypal for the exact reason you mention...the fees.
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12 years 1 month ago #210880 by Henry Peach
Paypal charges 3% last time I looked. I decided people probably wouldn't notice if I raised my prices 3%. If they ask for a cash discount I'll give them a 3% discount.

I am looking into Paypal alternatives. Not that I've ever had any problems, but I'm tired of reading how they screw people collecting money for charities, etc... (Regretsy.com and so on).
mattneedham.zenfolio.com
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12 years 1 month ago #210882 by Darrell
I don't understand why anyone would rsik losing a sale over 3%.. I make 60% of my money after the shoot when family members want copies of the pictures.I think papypal is a great option..
You will not be judged as a photographer by the pictures you take, but by the pictures you show.
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12 years 1 month ago #210903 by geoffellis
So for example... on a 100$ portrait session... you would lose about 3.20$ to processing fees? Not exactly a huge loss.

On a 1000$ wedding, you would lose 29.30$ - Looks like a lot... but its not much more than a credit card... and its still only 3%

When operating a business... you should consider all costs when determining fee's/pricing. That said... if only 1 in 3 clients are using paypal for payment, then raising your prices by 3% makes very little sense... you only need to raise your prices by 1% to cover the cost (avg)... on the other hand if people are all clamoring to use paypal... and your bottom line/margins cant take the hit...

anyways... payment processing is just another of the many factors you should have already considered when determining your prices...
www.geoffellis.ca
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12 years 2 weeks ago #218380 by mclayton
I do not have a photography business but I own another type of business. I accept paypal. I don't like it but it is one of the most popular options for payment processing.
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11 years 8 months ago #246602 by lvotey
I just accepted PayPal for the first time from a client who lives out of the country. I require at least half the cost of the session up front in order to book the date and that was the easiest way for her to handle it. It was her suggestion and I agreed. Happy that I did. It never occurred to me before but I'll offer it as an option from now on.
I hope you'll come visit me:
www.facebook.com/pages/Lyana-Votey-Photography/141034044488

www.LyanaVoteyPhotography.com
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11 years 6 months ago #254636 by BrandyMaeD
I have been using PayPal for years! Almost all of my clients pay via PayPal. They can use their debit and credit cards. Yes there is a fee, but I get payment instantly. Unlike checks, I know their PayPal payment won’t bounce a week later. Once I have it, it’s mine. This is GREAT for my clients who need an installment plan, as they can pay online when they can up until our session. I say bite the bullet, and accept PayPal!
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11 years 6 months ago #254746 by Connie K Photos
I use Pay Pal and don't mind them, I guess I'm neutral in opinion about them right now. Till they do something to annoy me. :rofl:
Photo Comments
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11 years 6 months ago #254767 by aldyn
www.wepay.com is a similar service to PayPal, however the sender of the funds pays the convenience fee. My husband uses it sometimes when he collects $$ from people in his soccer league. It's a way that people can pay electronically if they want to but they have to pay for the convenience of doing so.

Of course, you have to weigh the business decision. If a photographer wouldn't use paypal for me because of the 3% fee they'd be charged, I'd probably think them cheap. As others have said, it should be factored into your cost of doing business.
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11 years 6 months ago #254769 by Darrell
:agree: :agree: If anyone would turn down a payment option because of 3% it would make me wonder,,
You will not be judged as a photographer by the pictures you take, but by the pictures you show.
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11 years 6 months ago #255219 by MadFlasher
Accept PayPal. It's huge and it makes the customers feel safe. The fees kinda suck, but it's worth it.
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