Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ecommerce and paypal

A wordpress site where customers can log in to their account.

brenton — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:13:01 -0800

A wordpress plugin to make a "customer login" section. Ok, I know it's weird to ask this on mefi, but after failing elsewhere on the net, I thought I'd give it a try.

My wordpress site sells one and only one product, which is renewed weekly (aka a subscription).

I want the customer to fill out some data that I want, then they're taken to paypal to pay (and they have to fill out some new data [like credit card info] which I don't care about seeing, though some of it is redundant [name] so it'd be nice if that was pre-polulated in the paypal page). (By the way, this is a small operation so I can't afford to "upgrade" paypal beyond "website payments standard.")

Then later, customers can come back, log into their "my account" section, and make changes: like updates to their name or address, or canceling their subscription.

Also, I want access to all the data about all my customers.

There has to be a wordpress plugin that does something like this. I've tried a few e-commerce plugins, but they all failed in one way or another... what advice does metafilter have for me?

Should I pay VAT on an item shipping to the UK from the USA?

Del Chimney — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:13:41 -0800

I just bought an item online. I am in the UK. The seller is in the US. Payment was made through Paypal and I was charged VAT (UK Sales Tax). Is this a mistake? Google searches are throwing up conflicting information. Since the seller is in the USA then can they claim VAT? Has Paypal automatically added it to the total amount due just because I am in the UK?

I assume that I am due a refund but am not sure if I should be approaching the seller or Paypal themselves in order to get one.

Can anybody shed any light on this? Cheers.

Web payments from Africa ?

Sturdy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:57:54 -0800

I've a website that sells software I've produced. We currently use PayPal to receive payment. I'm starting to get good interest from customers who don't have credit cards. Can the hive mind recommend some good low-commission agent or SMS services - Also country specific money transfer services in Uganda and Nigeria please. It's not a reverse 419 I promise ! Say the software sells for $15. With a few hundred a month in sales.

PayPal works perfectly 90% of the time, but I've had quite a few genuine inquiries from people without a credit card. Due to the low cost bank transfer isn't a option. I'm in the UK.

I've thought of:

Send the customer to Western Union or MoneyGram agent - They have the coverage but not ideal as I'd have to give them my personal details and I'd have to go collect the money. Also lacking in any website integration.

Cash in the mail :)

I've been looking at some SMS services like Daopay but they appear to charge massive commission and some of the other SMS payment companies look shady.

Bonus points for any country specific services - Most Nigerians send money to Europe using X.....

Open Source Shopping Cart

pinto — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:28:10 -0800

Simple e-commerce solutions. I have a fully built site, with individual webpages pointing to specific product items. I simply want to add a backend shopping cart functionality that resides on the server, without relying on PayPal. Whats the best opensource solution that allows me to pass a variable (ie, add a "Buy This" button to already-designed pages) to a shopping cart php function (inventory isn't necessary at this point) and allowing checkout/payment? Is this possible or is PayPal the easiest way to go without completely
rebuilding my site in an opensource commerce engine (ie OsCommerce)?

I know this has been addressed to some extent before , but I don't think I need a sweeping e-commerce solution, just a cart, checkout, and merchant services (visa/mc) hookup.

Can I "own" PayPal transactions?

subpixel — Mon, 21 May 2007 17:03:06 -0800

Can I develop a shopping cart that allows people to pay via PayPal but keeps the transaction on my site? What I thought I had seen, but can't find, is an example where:

1) customer adds item to cart + hits checkout
2) customer is asked to login to a paypal screen
3) customer completes order at store domain (the cart has captured the paypal account info above)

I want them to pay!

wsg — Wed, 24 May 2006 13:50:36 -0800

What's the simplest way to charge someone to download a song from a web site? Can it be done with Paypal?

I'll buy that for a thousand dollars... but no credit please.

lockle — Fri, 19 May 2006 13:00:50 -0800

My work wants to accept payments online but doesn't want to accept credit cards. Most banks issue debit cards that work as credit cards. Is there a way to determine the difference? Several years ago my boss went through some tough financial times that almost made him declare bankrupcy. He is a religious and moral man and after taking several credit courses, has become convinced that the whole concept of personal credit is immoral in some aspect.

In addition to the moral implications of accepting credit cards, there are some business decisions. I work for a company that does landscaping, landscape lighting, irrigation, and installs Christmas Lights during the holidays. There have been one or two occassions where customer was unhappy with an aspect of the work and rather than working with us to resolve it or with the BBB, they instituted a chargeback.

Currently when a customer accepts the service, we go and physically pick up a check or ask them to mail it. This year for the holiday lighting services, repeat customers will be able to just log into the website and select what service they want again this year.

We would like to be able to offer them the convience of online payment without accepting actual credit cards.

Gold stars for anyone that can suggest a payment processor that would allow us to just accept cards on the PULSE (ATM) network as well as electronic checking.

Two related ecommerce questions:

Manhasset — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 07:16:42 -0800

1) Are there any internet payment methods besides PayPal that are gaining market share? 2) Are you aware of any web services that handle the fulfilment side of selling intellectual property (e.g. download & payment collection)? If it makes any difference, I'm in Canada and server is Unix and in USA. Thanks!

International E-Commerce?

paul_smatatoes — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 18:03:55 -0800

I helped a friend set up a couple PayPal buttons to sell some things online, which worked great until we ran into a new kind of customer: the international. How can people outside the US who don't want/have Paypal accounts buy her stuff online?

Should I be worried about verifying with PayPal?

Mercaptan — Thu, 09 Dec 2004 18:42:31 -0800

I'm buying some phone accessories from someone on a web forum, and he insists on my being PayPal verified. As someone who otherwise does no business with PayPal, should I be leery of becoming verified? It worries me a little as it involves me giving PayPal my banking information.