Online Payment Processors
This is an expanded version of the notes from the 2009 SCaLE meeting.
Google Checkout
http://checkout.google.com/
Pro:
- Low Fees, even if not 501(c)(3)
- Discounted fees for 501(c)(3) organizations
- Automatic transfer of money to designated account via ACH
- E-mail support within a few days
Con:
- No last-resort phone number
- Useless reporting, data export
- API use requires SSL certificate
- Allows only one discounted account for each 501(c)(3) and will randomly suspend one of two, even if fees are paid
- 501(c)(3) discounts now require use of AdWords
PayPal
http://paypal.com/
Pro:
- Wide user base
Con:
- High fees
- Varying US/Foreign fees
- Account blocking solution to nearly all issues such as chargebacks
- Additional e-mail addresses will periodically disappear
- Canned-answer tech support
- Broken reporting export
- Relatively high rate of fraud
Click ‘n’ Pledge
http://clickandpledge.com/
- Many donation types
Network For Good
http://www.networkforgood.org/
- Is a nonprofit
- Is hard to reach
Pay Simple
http://www.paysimple.com/
- Low fees
- No reporting
- Has API
tipjoy
http://tipjoy.com/
- No comments yet
Trust Commerce
http://www.trustcommerce.com/
- Had API
- Was great
- Now too big
authorize.net or your own credit card processing
http://authorize.net/
- May require full-time security person
- Be cautious of gray-market processors
Notes
European IBAN transfers are nice. All other methods are flawed.
$1 or $.01 payments are usually tests for fraudulent use, often with a chargeback to another account
Many users initiate a chargeback based on the weird entry on their credit card statement, such as “SPI” instead of “PostgreSQL”
Tip: Save money and account standing by sending checks to those who request chargebacks.
Tip: Some banks will offer a “lock box” post office box to which you can send checks and they will deposit them, directing all other mail to a specified address. Cost at Wells Fargo, California: $250/month More information.