Telephone Payments

[Bumps & Beyond]

Hi I am looking for advice hints and tips really. I currently only accept payment via paypal on the internet, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that some people want to be able to order via the telephone, therefore I need to get set up. Does any one have experience of this and the costs associated with it. Also who would you recommend to use?

Thanks in advance

[Mike]

Hello Julie

I've just set up Paypal Pro which allows you to take card payments on your site (ie not going through the PayPal portal which I know confuses some people). I take the card details over the phone and then enter the details as though I were a customer to my site paying by Credit or Debit Card. It's usually because they have a thing about computers that they don't use the online method. If they have an email address I set that as well so when payment goes through they get confirmation from Paypal that a charge has been made against their card. If not I just use my email address so the customer wouldn't know any different.

The other way is to get a card machine like Streamline which in my case was set up through my bank Natwest and enter card details on that. You can then enter a "Customer not present" transaction which is really only the same as above. With this method you get a card receipt which you can send to the customer with the order.

Either way it's going to cost you around another £20 or so a month.

Incidentally the set up for Paypal Pro was really easy and straightforward.

[Bumps & Beyond]

Thanks for the advice Mike , I've used streamline previously when I used to work at another Company, I just don't know how cost effective it is for a young Company like mine . I think I will look into the paypal option .

Many Thanks

[petad]

Hi Julie

One thing to note with the PayPal Pro option is that you will also need a security certificate like Thawte. Rich set this up for us when we ordered it through Bluepark, which was painless. Costs about £69.00 last count.

Note that if you have PayPal Pro you can also use their Virtual Terminal, which is just an option via their merchant page, which allows you to take phone orders if you don't want to do it via your own site for any reason.

Pete

[Bumps & Beyond]

HI

thanks for the tip I'll contact Rich about the Thwate

Julie