Billpoint - Billing Tailor Made for Ebay
Written: May 16 '00 (Updated Jun 11 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: International payments, transaction summaries, creates an invoice
Cons: Expensive, there are free alternatives
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| matt3n's Full Review: BillPoint |
Billpoint is an online billing and payment system that allows Ebay buyers to pay sellers securely and easily. But why should sellers pay Billpoint's fees when they can accept payments for free through PayPal and other services?
The Fee
Billpoint charges sellers $0.75 per transaction plus 4.5% of the selling price of items sold. Although somewhat high, this is in line with what credit card companies charge businesses to accept credit card payments. Sellers may combine several purchases by one buyer into a single transaction to save on the flat transaction charge.
Buyers pay nothing, and sellers, by law, are not allowed to add credit card fees to a customer's bill in most states.
So Why Pay So Much?
Although it sounds very similar to Paypal, Billpoint offers a number of additional features that frequent sellers may find appealing.
International Payments Unlike PayPal, Billpoint accepts international payments. This can be a big advantage, depending on the item, because it vastly expands the number of people who can pay you easily and securely.
Made for Ebay Sellers can set up a Billpoint profile on Ebay that allows them to simply check a box when they want to accept payment through Billpoint. Buyers are sent an invoice with a link to make their credit card payment and buyers need not register with Billpoint. Registering with PayPal takes time because they confirm e-mails and addresses (for large payments), which may turn off potential buyers who are concerned about privacy.
Frequent bidders can also set up a profile through Ebay that allows them to pay with a few clicks.
Finally, sellers can add shipping charges to an invoice, cancel invoices before they are paid, and even give refunds.
Account Information Very frequent sellers may appreciate Billpoint's transaction summaries, which simplify accounting by putting all selling information in one place.
My Opinion
Before I researched it, paying for a service offered free elsewhere seemed like a rather silly idea. However, I can now see why certain sellers should consider using Billpoint. It allows international users an easy way to pay for items, expanding the pool of bidders. It simplifies sellers' lives by automatically sending an invoice to the high bidder and providing a transaction summary. It allows buyers to pay without registering, or to store their payment information with Ebay, all for free.
So if you sell a lot, Billpoint may be for you. You just have to determine if the benefits are worth the high cost - a very individual decision. And if you are a buyer who is comfortable using a credit card online, I can't think of any reason not to use Billpoint.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
matt3n
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Member: Matthew Niva
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 15 members
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