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windymillers

Well-known member
Messages
68
Location
East Midlands
When I start up next January I will let any customers know that I accept cash or cheque on the day, bank transfer

if they are out when I clean and also payment via Paypal.

I do not have a website yet (or paypal link) and I have not ever been paid through Paypal  before.

Are they able to go to the Paypal website, sign in and send payment to me as long as they have

my work email address?

 
Yes - pretty much. You can send invoices (payment request) if you have an email address for them or the phone number they have listed in there PayPal account. To be honest I wouldn’t bother as the fee’s aren’t very favourable! I stopped accepting PayPal because of the amount they take from you.


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Fees are a joke plus anyone who pays you through this system can ask for a chargeback months down the line. My advise is to stay well away from PayPal 

 
I love PayPal, I just put my prices up to cover any charge and the time and petrol money it saves going back to collect cash is worth the charges anyway, it's been a game changer for me. Each to there own though.

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The best method for getting paid is GoCardless (IN MY OPINION) 

Paypal, BACS, posting a cheque etc you are relying on someone to do something. They will..... when they been reminded 5 times.  

Nothing more dissapointing to a noob than doing loads of work and not gettig paid for weeks.   

GoCardless sorts this out from day 1. 

 
Darren, when someone is starting up for the first time how is it possible to only offer one payment method, that being Gocardless, which I may say that nobody has ever heard of where i come from. I love the concept, but as soon as I mention direct debit to anyone, it's no chance. It would take a very long time where I live to make a round on Gocardless only! 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cristian I know it may seem impossible starting out but lay the foundation for your business right now and you will save yourself hours and a lot of money down the line.
Aslong as you present yourself as a professional in how you dress your work material and the way you speak.
Saying " to make life easier for all my customers I use an online payment system called gocardless I'll text you the link to sign up now" people will sign up with little problems i never use the word direct debit I've signed up 35 people half before I'd ever met them I've been doing this over the last 6 months or so. I've had one person refuse to sign up so I didn't carry out work.
If it was something you really are worried about say to your customers if your in and you want to pay cash that's fine but just in case your not sign up to gocardless .
Hope this helps I've had customers in there 70's sign up .
Only you can give them the impression your untrustworthy or not . Professional services use professional payment systems .

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Darren, when someone is starting up for the first time how is it possible to only offer one payment method, that being Gocardless, which I may say that nobody has ever heard of where i come from. I love the concept, but as soon as I mention direct debit to anyone, it's no chance. It would take a very long time where I live to make a round on Gocardless only! 
Could I have that link for go cardless I'm fed up of chasing payments

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Darren, when someone is starting up for the first time how is it possible to only offer one payment method, that being Gocardless, which I may say that nobody has ever heard of where i come from. I love the concept, but as soon as I mention direct debit to anyone, it's no chance. It would take a very long time where I live to make a round on Gocardless only! 
Around 4 years ago no one had ever heard of GC were i live either and some were and are very sceptical north east of england old mining villages and growing small town were windys etc have cash collected only for years its all about how you sell it and it does undoubtedly take time. 

Damo who comes on here was way ahead off me years ago on GC sign ups and has a massive client base but last time he was on here chatting about GC he had a lot less clients signed up. You can still have a decent mix of GC, bacs and cash I have 220 on GC and over 100 paying cash and bacs 

 
Thanks for the replies, I am glad I asked.

I have purchased goods from Ebay via Paypal and there were no charges for me as the buyer so I did not realise Paypal would charge me for receiving payment. How much is it as a matter of interest? Is it a set amount or a % of the job cost?

The option for the customer to initiate a chargeback is a bit of a concern though.

Regarding Go Cardless, do you need to buy any equipment from them?

I have zero customers so am going to drop leaflets in late January and then a couple of days later knock on the doors that I leaflet dropped.

If they already have a window cleaner I will leave it and will try to find out the going rate is for my area so as not to undercut.

I will tell them how I would like payment but I wont be in a position financially to not take them on as a client if they wont pay by Go Cardless.

 
Thanks for the replies, I am glad I asked.
 
I have purchased goods from Ebay via Paypal and there were no charges for me as the buyer so I did not realise Paypal would charge me for receiving payment. How much is it as a matter of interest? Is it a set amount or a % of the job cost?
 
The option for the customer to initiate a chargeback is a bit of a concern though.
 
Regarding Go Cardless, do you need to buy any equipment from them?
 
I have zero customers so am going to drop leaflets in late January and then a couple of days later knock on the doors that I leaflet dropped.
If they already have a window cleaner I will leave it and will try to find out the going rate is for my area so as not to undercut.
I will tell them how I would like payment but I wont be in a position financially to not take them on as a client if they wont pay by Go Cardless.
Or, in theory are you? You're the boss? So why not make the decision to? Yes nobody likes to turn away work but sometimes it may actually be better to? In the long run you'll thank yourself for doing it, I know I wish I had!

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i have some on paypal,   insist they pay through family & freinds,    no commision taken out.   they take too much commision to have it as main online payments

 
As far as I can see, accepting payment with Paypal costs 3.4% to as low as 1.9% + 20p per transaction, so 54p on a £10 job.

Yes the friends and family option does not incur a charge.

 

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