PayPal for writers
In Wednesday’s post, I mentioned that one way people could sponsor Bianca’s novel writing was to donate via PayPal. Today I’m following up with a post on what PayPal actually is and how it can be used by writers.
What is PayPal?
PayPal (www.paypal.com) is a website which allows money transfers to take place over the internet. Having a PayPal account is kind of like having an online bank account. You can ‘deposit’ funds and then use them to by goods and services. Other users can also transfer money into your account.
It is free to set up and pay for purchases with a PayPal account, however there are transaction charges to withdraw funds and accept credit or debit card payments.
Paying for products and services with PayPal
It’s probably fair to say that most of the websites I buy things from regularly don’t accept payment by PayPal. However, when I can use this service, it means that I don’t have to worry about submitting my credit card details directly to a supplier or about having the right currency for the transaction.
It seems that online products and services, such as Skype and eBayare more likely to accept this type of payment. So if you’re setting up a website to promote your writing for example, you may be able to pay for your domain name and hosting via PayPal.
Receiving money with PayPal
Perhaps more useful for writers is the ability to receive money through PayPal. If you’re selling something via your website – such as an e-book (or a printed book), or even seeking sponsorship for your novel – you may wish to allow your site visitors to pay you via PayPal.
If you are writing articles or other content for publications or websites based overseas, you may also be able to ask for payment into your PayPal account. You can then transfer the money from PayPal into your local bank account, in your local currency, without the need to worry about receiving foreign cheques. There is a list of supported currencies on their website.
Your thoughts
Have you used PayPal to send or receive money online? Were you happy with the experience?
I use Paypal regularly and have never come across a problem with the service. I love the notifications and transaction records Paypal provides and it’s so easy to use. Paypal feels much safer than trusting bank details to online web forms and unknown websites. Paypal can access my Visa account if there are not enough funds in my Paypal balance to cover an expense and it takes only a couple of days to transfer funds from anywhere in the world through Paypal directly to my regular bank account.
Paypal is my preferred payment option for incoming and outgoing.