ukrik:
Is this one time setup fee of XXX? can you set it up yourself so you do not have to pay these fees?LOL. It's an account activation fee. The "setup" isn't something you do. It's something they do.
ukrik:
Here is a breakdown:
Paypal Website Pro
Monthly fees 30 USD
2.9% + 0.30 USD cents per sale.
Payflow is $XX a month + 0.XXc per transaction
Isn't it cheaper to use PayFlow Pro in a long run?
On the surface any credit-card-gateway service (whether Payflow or Authnet or FirstData and so on) looks cheaper than a service such as PayPal.
The truth is that all credit card processing services have costs associated with them. And, every individual card type has different rates attached to it (ie: corporate cards and points cards cost higher service charges to the merchant than a simple credit card that has no bells and whistles). Sometimes those somewhat-higher-fees are not understood by new merchants, and some of those merchants even think they're being cheated. They're not. That's just the way it works. Some say they weren't told ... but really they were ... it was just in fine-print wording because the exact details are rather difficult-to-describe. It's just standard industry practice.
Now, I say all that to say this:
PayPal looks more expensive because they have a very simple flat rate-structure, and they clearly advertise those details. Nothing hidden or difficult to explain.
So ... you can do the research yourself. You'll probably find they come out fairly even in the end. One may be slightly less costly than the other. And that may flip-flop from month to month.
Don't squabble over a dollar.
Pick a vendor. (Even pick from the Recommended Services list at the top of this page!) When you've picked one, research them. Talk with them. Negotiate your rates with them. If you're new to credit card processing, work with them to get them to educate you on the many aspects you have no clue about, for there will be many. Once you've researched a few and satisfied yourself on a choice, sign up. Get approved. Take payments. Enjoy.
And remember, even if you do have a credit card gateway service enabled, you should still accept PayPal ... there are many customers out there who have money sitting in a PayPal account and they'd rather use that money than use their credit card. Don't lose out on a sale just because you didn't offer PayPal.
*
And, no this post was not intended to be an ad for PayPal. Just helping round out the many misconceptions about credit card options.*
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