Some of you may have decided a full-fledged shopping cart and merchant account is beyond the scope of your business.  Merchant accounts can be hard to get and the monthly fees can really add up. If you have a limited number of articles for sale or a limited budget there are some alternatives available to give you the ability to take payments from your customers online.

There are two major payment services available and several less-known ones.  The two most popular services are PayPal and Google Checkout™.

PayPal

PayPal makes it easy for anyone to take payments on the Internet with no need for a merchant account. Your customers don't even need a PayPal account.  There are no set-up fees and no monthly fees or annual commitment.  You pay PayPal a transaction fee based on your sales volume for the month. For a volume of $0.00 USD - $3,000.00 USD you pay 2.9% + $0.30 USD per transaction.  For example, you’ll pay $3.20 USD on a $100.00 USD transaction.  Customers shop on your Web site and check out on the secure PayPal site using their credit card, debit card, or bank account payments. They can make secure purchases without revealing credit card numbers or financial information to you. You can even bill your customers through email - no Website required.  Funds are available immediately in your account.

PayPal provides the programming code for Buy Now buttons and an optional shopping cart for you to add to your Website, no downtime required. PayPal has been in business for several years and has over 100 million accounts, serving 103 countries. Customers are comfortable with PayPal and feel secure using it. 

Google Checkout™

Google Checkout™ is a checkout process that debuted in the summer of 2006. You integrate it into your Website, enabling your customers to buy from you quickly and securely, using a single username and password. Checkout™ charges their credit cards, processes their orders, and you receive payment in your bank account.

The service is free for your customers. It allows its users to shop from multiple online stores with a single login and emphasizes safety and user control of the online retail experience.

If you are a Google AdWords advertiser, you can earn free transaction processing through Google Checkout™ based on your AdWords spending. For every $1 you spend on AdWords, you can process up to $10 of sales through Google Checkout™ for free.  If you're not an AdWords advertiser, or if you've exceeded your free transaction processing amount for the month, you are charged 2.0% plus $.20 per transaction. There are no setup fees or monthly account fees.

Google Checkout™ merchants and customers are protected from fraudulent transactions. The service identifies and filters out such transactions, and under their Chargeback Resolution policy, Google evaluates all chargebacks you receive and, whenever possible, fights them on your behalf.  It does not share full credit card numbers or purchase history with sellers. The user shops as usual, and when it's time to checkout, clicking the Google Checkout™ button starts the process to complete the order.

As with PayPal, integrating Buy Now buttons is as simple as copying and pasting HTML code, generated by Google Checkout™, onto your Website. The time this integration takes depends on the number of products you sell. 

Alternatives

If the two major services are not appropriate for your business, or you need a back-up system, here are some other solutions that are available.  Some require set-up fees and higher transaction fees.

1.      Bidpay: http://www.BidPay.com
This service is for those who buy and sell at online auctions.

2.      CCNow: http://CCNow.com
A shopping cart solution that allows you to take all major credit cards

A shopping cart solution that allows you to take all major credit cards without a merchant account.

3.      Ikobo: http://www.IKobo.com
Merchant fees are $2.99 plus .29 per transaction, and no extra fees for international transactions in 170 countries.

4.      2CheckOut: http://www.2CheckOut.com
Set-up fee is $49.00, and .45 per sale and 5.5% of the sales amount. Includes free shopping cart and codes to add to your Website or will work with your existing shopping cart.

5.      ProPay: http://www.ProPay.com
Accept payments by credit card via the Web or by phone. 

6.      Money Bookers: http://moneybookers.com/app/
Create order buttons for your Website and be paid by credit card. Fees range from 2% to 8%. No setup or monthly fees. You can accept payments from over 30 countries.

[These links are listed as a convenience and do not imply an endorsement of their services.  We take no responsibility and give no guarantees or warranties, implied or otherwise, for content or accuracy of these third-party sites. ]