need help from the online selling pro's

Hi all,

I need some help and you guys are my best source for info.

I am ready to take the plunge into online selling. I don't plan to use Etsy or eBay, or any of the
other selling portals out there, - I plan to use my own website and sell from there. My dilemma has
to do with accepting payments online from my site. I've looked into a PayPal business account
(Website Payments Standard) but its all very scary. I keep thinking there are plenty of things they
don't tell you on the PayPal website and its this fear of the unknown that has kept me from moving
forward.

Is there anyone here who has and uses this type of PayPal business account? I'd like to pick your
brain for thoughts, impressions, find out how hard it will be to set up and/or use, what the fee's
REALLY are, and if you suggest them or another?????

You see, right now I sell plenty here in the land of the living, by word of mouth, at work, to
friends and neighbors, etc.... However, my mom (who lives in Vegas with my brother and
sister-in-law) was wearing one of my bracelets to a party and several of the ladies there wanted to
buy it from her. When she told them her daughter made it and makes jewelry, they wanted to know if
I had a website (which I do but is not completely up yet) or if I sold online anywhere. Now, these
ladies are very very well to do, and its nothing for them to plop down $300.00 for a bracelet "just
because", so I figure I could sell loads to them but I must have an easy and secure way for them to
pay before I start filling up their jewelry boxes.

Hence, my dilemma! I'm a chicken-****! heheheh No, actually I really don't want to sign up with a
payment service and end up paying huge fees or have to mark up so much just to cover the cost. So,
I wanted to hear from those who have already run the gauntlet and can impart some wisdom.

Sterling

opps, forgot to mention that my email address associated with newsgroups ("Sterling"
) is NOT VALID.

I do this because I don't need for one of my valid addresses to be harvested. I get plenty of spam
as it is.

If you'd rather email me, then send to petieis**AT**cox.net - and don't forget to remove the ** and
add the @ sign (ya'll know what to do)


Sterling

Sterling,

been there, done that g.

As Google is censoring again I can't get my reply posted,
I'll send the rest (what I haven't deleted already) by email.

Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry
http://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at: http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/

Thank you Maren!!

You were the only one who answered my post and I really do appreciate your willingness to help me...
you put my mind at ease.

Sterling



"Maren at google" wrote in message
...
Sterling,

been there, done that g.

As Google is censoring again I can't get my reply posted,
I'll send the rest (what I haven't deleted already) by email.

Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry
http://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at: http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/

On Sep 15, 5:12 pm, "Sterling" wrote:
Thank you Maren!!

You were the only one who answered my post and I really do appreciate your willingness to help me...
you put my mind at ease.

Sorry to hear that, because I wouldn't really consider myself an
online selling pro. I take lousy pictures (OK, I don't have a very
good
camera, I don't have time, and my setup depends on sunlight),
a large part of my website is hidden behind a robots.txt file,
and if you look at my Paypal rating you'd think I never sell
a thing ... (but I'm not paying for adwords, ebay, or even
etsy, it's only my websites and Craigslist - and I sell more
beads and such things off-line than online).

Aloha,
Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry
http://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at: http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/

Hope it's not too late to put in my 2 cents. I've been using a PayPal cart
on my site for a long time... maybe since 1997ish? And I haven't had any
problems. There are not any extra fees, just the usual PayPal charges for
their transactions. I've sold a lot that way and recommend it. You are
welcome to look at my site and see how I've set it up.

--
Karleen Cole
Member International Jewelry Designers Guild (IJDG)
Vibrant Jewels web sto http://www.vibrantjewels.com/jewelry/welcome.htm
Vibrant Jewels JustBeads Auctions:
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=21770
CLICK HERE to join myYahoo Group:
Ebay Auctions: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZvibrantjewels
"Sterling" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I need some help and you guys are my best source for info.

I am ready to take the plunge into online selling. I don't plan to use Etsy
or eBay, or any of the
other selling portals out there, - I plan to use my own website and sell
from there. My dilemma has
to do with accepting payments online from my site. I've looked into a
PayPal business account
(Website Payments Standard) but its all very scary. I keep thinking there
are plenty of things they
don't tell you on the PayPal website and its this fear of the unknown that
has kept me from moving
forward.

Is there anyone here who has and uses this type of PayPal business account?
I'd like to pick your
brain for thoughts, impressions, find out how hard it will be to set up
and/or use, what the fee's
REALLY are, and if you suggest them or another?????

You see, right now I sell plenty here in the land of the living, by word of
mouth, at work, to
friends and neighbors, etc.... However, my mom (who lives in Vegas with my
brother and
sister-in-law) was wearing one of my bracelets to a party and several of the
ladies there wanted to
buy it from her. When she told them her daughter made it and makes jewelry,
they wanted to know if
I had a website (which I do but is not completely up yet) or if I sold
online anywhere. Now, these
ladies are very very well to do, and its nothing for them to plop down
$300.00 for a bracelet "just
because", so I figure I could sell loads to them but I must have an easy and
secure way for them to
pay before I start filling up their jewelry boxes.

Hence, my dilemma! I'm a chicken-****! heheheh No, actually I really
don't want to sign up with a
payment service and end up paying huge fees or have to mark up so much just
to cover the cost. So,
I wanted to hear from those who have already run the gauntlet and can impart
some wisdom.

Sterling