Merchant Accounts | Affiliate Marketing | Online Payment | Blogging Cash

How to buy from eBay and ClickBank Using PayPal in Nigeria

2010-06-08T17:51:00.000+01:00

eBay is popularly known as the largest online supermarket in the world. It is like a one stop market place where you can buy and sell anything. eBay is the only place online where both large corporations and individual businesses have equal opportunity to do business and what matters is not the size of your business but your reputation especially in the way you have dealt with your previous customers. Any body can buy or sell from EBay no matter what you are interested in. What matters is your feedback –positive or negative.

ClickBank is another big market place for buyers, sellers and affiliates. There are immense opportunities for affiliates and sellers to make an enormous amount of money doing business with ClickBank. Unlike eBay, ClickBank only deals on digital products like, software, eBooks, audio files, or video files. Most eBay purchases will be sent to you in form of download links and you only need to click on the link to download it.

Unfortunately, Nigerians are not allowed to do business on either of these websites. The reason for this is not something I will like to talk about anymore. This has caused a lot of teeth gnashing for Nigerian online entrepreneurs.

Luckily many Nigerians who need to buy from these websites are now having home grown alternatives. Today there are websites where you can give them your order and they buy and deliver to you here in Nigeria.

Online2menow.com

This website specializes in helping Nigerians buy and ships any product from any website outside of Nigeria especially those based in the UK and US

Ecasharena.com

helps you buy from any website across the world as long as they accept PayPal. It is arguably Nigeria’s number one website that helps people buy with PayPal account. They also help open, fund and withdraw from a PayPal account.

www.shopfromamerica.com

specializes in buying goods and shipping to Nigeria to you as long as the website is us based.

The problem is online payment is a serious one especially with web hosting firms who have had to rely on liberty reserve and interswitch despite the high cost of acquiring the interswitch license. These websites have at least provided temporary succor.

WAYS I MAKE MY MONEY FROM BLOGS

2009-08-09T15:23:00.001+01:00

Blogging for money has probably become common knowledge to you if you have been around the ‘make money online subject’ for a while now. However, I have done extensive research on the subject and I know now that there are many ways you can get started on your money making career just as I did. I believe that this year will see many more bloggers making more money from blogging.
Here is a piece of advice for what it’s worth: Spread your revenue generating points across many options, as it is not wise to put all your eggs in one basket. This is even getting easier to do with the new and better opportunities that this year has brought. These are some of the opportunities:
a. One of the latest and newest trends in the world of blogging has been the addition of newer and more effective advert programs; the most popular is still Google ad-sense. However some other vibrant advertising schemes are now springing forth. Some of these are Chikita’s eMiniMalls and widgetBucks, TextLink Ads, Azoogle ads, Intelli Txt, DoubleClick, Tribal fusion, Adbrite, Clicksor, AdHearUs, Kanoodle, Pheedo, TextAds, Bidvertiser, FastClick and ValueClick. The good news is they come with a variety of options to choose from. There are still some future advantages to benefit from with MSN Adcenter and YPN, both with beta testing and with other advert systems currently in developmental stages. Note: YPN exists only for US publishers. You might also want to sample BlogAds – which is one of the first blog specific ad networks. Another resource you might want to explore will be the use of RSS adverts. Although I am yet to come across any blogger who has made money through this avenue, I believe that with the form of awareness that blogs are currently getting, it will only be a matter of time before bloggers begin to get some profit through this medium.
b. Sponsorship: Now, like I said earlier on, the new improvements in the whole bloggers’ planet have heralded some new improvements. Now, bloggers can receive sponsorship from advert agencies that wish to advertise directly on your blog. Another option will be when you are paid to write on specific topics. You could either be paid to write sporadically or regularly, depending on what the company in question is looking out for.
c. Make use of Affiliate Programs: there are affiliate programs that you would like to promote on your blogs. You might want to subscribe to the large affiliate programs like Amazon, Commission Junction and LinkShare. However, you should be aware that there are a lot of smaller affiliate programs that thousands of bloggers are subscribed to.
d. Digital Money Making Terminals: This year has also seen a lot of bloggers making money from digital resources like e-books, tele-seminars and courses. These have shown great promises as additional sources of income to bloggers. I once ran an online course on my blog and it fetched me quite a lot of side bucks.
e. Network Opportunities for bloggers: A blogger can now join a bloggers network. This has the advantage of increasing the blogger’s reach while still earning money in the process. Here, bloggers can make money in two ways: writing for himself or writing for others. It is quite good to write for yourself but writing for others comes with some advantages. For instance, when writing for others (companies, for example) you don’t have to bother about the setup, administration, SEO optimization, promotion and other technical stuff.
f. Blogging for Businesses: With the increase in fame of blogging, many businesses are beginning to turn to the blogging side. While some may convert some of their internal staff into bloggers, some of them will employ freelance bloggers to write for them. If you are interested in this form of income generation, you might want to check out bloggers for hire.
g. Writing, But not blogging: now, bloggers can branch off the blogging field and milk other opportunities. Now a blogger who knows his stuff can write for magazines, non-blogging websites as well as for good old newspapers. You could even write and publish books. In fact, recently I met two of my friend bloggers and they were lamenting that they were the only bloggers they knew who didn’t have publishing contracts.
h. Donations from Appreciative Audience: I know that once upon a time, Tip Jars and donation buttons did little nothing for the blogger’s pocket, but these days, bloggers are now making money from donations and tips from appreciative readers. A real-life example is Jason Kottke of www.kottke.org . He was able to quit his job and become a full-time blogger from donations he received.
i. Blog flipping: This is simply “Selling Blogs”. You could design a blog, write on it, and sell it. It works, believe me. You could either sell it as an individual, or via a network.
j. Merchandising: I mean from this that you could sell branded products like T-shirts through programs like Cafepress. While my merchandising was not an earth-shaking success, I can tell you that it is quite a good avenue of revenue generation. It works especially well on blogs with fanatic followers.
Consultation fees: Some bloggers can now make money online via consultation fees. Once you have established yourself as an expert in a certain niche, you might just as well earn money speaking on your related field and being a consultant there. I have a friend who charges $200 an hour on a subject that he knew nothing of barely 18 months ago.

GUIDE TO DISCOVERING MERCHANT SERVICES

2009-08-09T15:22:00.000+01:00

It is quite an important thing of note to make good financial decisions and deductions in the process of accepting payment. It is essential for you to have a working understanding of the merits and demerits of credit card services.

PROCEDURE 1:
The FIRST DATA MERCHANT SERVICE option:
First Data Merchant Services offer resources and tools for selling online and collecting money, whether it is for large retailers or small businesses.

PROCEDURE 2:
Analyze and compare the fees of several online payment processing companies, and make a selection based on the fees that suit your business. The only problem, unfortunately, is that there are usually some hidden fees that suddenly materialize after the initial grace period is expired.

PROCEDURE 3:
Try to do away with Merchant credit card processing lenders who accept only a limited form of payment. It would greatly benefit your retail venture if you are using a lender that accepts a wide range of payment. A good example is First Data Merchant Services.

PROCEDURE 4:
Another way to get a good credit card processor would be by word of mouth advice – from a merchant who has benefited from a credit card processing method. It shouldn’t be hard to detect that he is in love with his credit card processor if indeed it has been of benefit to his business.

OPENING AN ONLINE RETAIL STORE

2009-08-09T14:10:00.000+01:00

Some advantages that come with having an online retail store are the cheap overhead and ease of management. In fact, the rates of profits accrued from online retail stores have doubled over the past years. Customers say that the low prices, the convenience and multiple choices and options are the main catches that make this venture as blooming as it has become. If you are interested in opening your own retail store, here are the basics:

What you Should have:
Digital Photos of domain name hosting account payment processor e.g. PayPal or merchant accounts.

Now, the basics:

PROCEDURE 1:
Make your business become a business. In other words, acquire the basic documents that make your business accredited. These include: state licensing and tax identification numbers. Some of them may be important for you to get wholesale pricing. If you are not sure of what you might need, you might want to contact you area’s Small Business Association.

PROCEDURE 2:
Draw out and strategize your business goals. This will help you have an idea of the developmental aims you hope to achieve, as well as to monitor growth. It will also be useful to bankers and to your financial supporters, if any, if they are considering venture capital.

PROCEDURE 3:
Apply for business savings and checking accounts. You should also get a payment processor for online payments like Google checkout or PayPal. Although some banks offer merchant accounts for credit card processing, it could cost a lot of money by way of sign-up cost and monthly fees. It is best to research thoroughly before embarking on any of these options. One of the good things about online retail stores is the variety that comes with the payment options – you could provide various means of payment. Check the fees first, though.

PROCEDURE 5:
Buy out a domain name for your business. The best domain name to buy will be a “dot com” website. However, some problems may arise when the domain name of your choice may already have been taken. Here, you would have to allow for a little flexibility and settle to a name closest in form to your original domain name. For example, www.justinbooksonline.com may be your preferred domain, but it may already have been taken. Then you could settle with a domain like www.justinbooks.com. The key is selecting a domain name easy for customers to remember and access.

PROCEDURE 6:
Define whether you want to host your store or whether you want a hosted store. Hosting sites like Yahoo! Stores offer excellent hosting services which are favorable for first-timers. However, they charge a hosting fee of $39.99 plus a percentage of sales. This might put the merchant in deficit even before he has embarked on business.
Another alternative is the free shopping cart option. It may not be ideal for those with limited programming knowledge, but for those who have the knack for it, it will go a long way. The top shopping carts are OS commerce and Zen cart. To use this option, a hosting account is required.

PROCEDURE 6:
Select a host for your store. In selecting a host, ensure that it is one that works with Linux hosting. Most top shopping carts run on Linux programming. For a new merchant, it may not be too necessary to get a lot of bandwidth. Websites like www.GoDaddy.com offer services to first-time retail stores, and even offer automatic uploading of their shopping carts.
When getting hosting, ensure that you buy a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate that will run credit cards through a secure and encrypted server to verify the trustworthiness of the online merchants. A lot of clients will not like to do business with a merchant who collects their data without encrypting it first. So the $20 cost of getting the certificate may well be worth it.

PROCEDURE 7:
Now you are through, it is time to start uploading your products online. Take your own photos and upload the digital photos online. It might also be convenient to have descriptions of your product in a spreadsheet, but this will not improve your search engine ranking. Write your own copy, or pay someone to do the deed.

PROCEDURE 8:
Next, you affix prices to your products competitively, knowing that there are others online that are selling the same products as you. You might want to compare the prices of other merchants, as well as other incentives and discounts. In pricing your products, make sure you include gateway charges, processor fees as well as other overheads in calculating how much you’ll charge.

PROCEDURE 9:
Have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page showing answers to troubling questions, showing shipping details as well as contact information. This makes you seem more ready to serve, and puts customers at ease. Most customers tend to fear the risk of fraud where shipping matters are concerned. It is therefore important for you to clarify matters for your clients.

PROCEDURE 10:
Increase your information worth by buying guides, reading reviews and blogs. This will help make your business more humane, as well as optimize your search engine visibility, which is what will actually get you those customers in the first place.

PROTECTION FOR YOUR CREDIT CARD

2009-08-09T14:04:00.000+01:00

Whatever the use of your credit card, it calls for sleepless nights to think that you have much personal information lurking vaguely in cyber space. It just seems like more companies these days are requesting for your account information, putting you on edge, especially with the popular stories of scams stripping people of all their cash online. Here’s the key to a hypertension-free account: simply use a different service and don’t put your main bank account at risk. You’ll require an internet connection.

PROCEDURE 1:
Sign up with www.mynetspendcard.com. This will give you a prepaid VISA card, which works like any other credit card or debit card, and in addition to that a bank account number that works just like a checking account. The checking account will work on sites like Amazon.com and commission junction that make use of checking accounts. You can also rig up the checking account to initiate automatic bill payments and receive direct deposits. You can transfer funds between PayPal and NetSpend easily and conveniently, and it that way, you might not even have to give PayPal your main checking account number.

DEFINE THE KIND OF ACCOUNT YOU WANT:
You could either choose to use an account that charges a fee per card use at an ATM or terminal, or you might prefer to pay monthly charges, which would allow you unlimited card use.

DEPOSIT OF TRANSFER FUNDS INTO YOUR NEW ACCOUNT:
After creating your account, you can then transfer funds to the newly created account. If you use referral code 1840599934, NetSpend will fund your account with $5 to get you started.

Ensure that the amount in your account is keep as low as possible, in anticipation of the worst. This will prove to be a good idea if the worst happens, so the effect will not be quite crushing. This will help to protect your main account also.

It is advisable not to give either NetSpend nor PayPal your main account number, as sin the case of PayPal, in a dispute (even if it is with a scammer), PayPal will withdraw funds from your account to cover the dispute costs. It could drain your main account if it is linked to PayPal. It is safer not to link your main account to your credit card account.

TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ON MERCHANT ACCOUNT CREDIT CARDS PROCESSING, SEO WEBSITE ANMD WEB HOSTING.

2009-08-09T14:01:00.000+01:00

PROCEDURE 1:
Don’t make the mistake of showing a credit card processor your processing statement without them first showing you their rates, which include the mid-Qual and non-Qual rates. These rates are some of the things your merchant credit card processor might want to keep away from you…..

PROCEDURE 2:
Most times, when representatives are sent from the bank to the merchant, they are not usually employees of the bank, but independent contractors. The use of these representatives is the most expensive way to process credit cards, as you would be paying the salaries and overhead of the financial institution.

** You might be wondering why our credit card processing rates are relatively low compared to other companies. The answer is not far-fetched – we do not only process credit cards. JRN Associates in conjunction with the bank of America is the world’s number 2 Merchant service, providing services that help small business owners. Our services include: e-commerce, ATM Machines, SBA business loans as well as web design and affordable hosting. While doing business with, you can rest assured that you will never have cause to complain because of your host company (us). We will always provide outstanding credit card solution and alternative for you to take your business to that desired level.

BECOMING A CREDIT CARD MERCHANT ACCOUNT DEALER

2009-08-09T13:59:00.000+01:00

The internet is becoming virtually the most important resource for small scale businesses these days, offering a range of portals for marketing of products and services, including the additional opportunity of making extensive research on how to start a business in any location. With this comes the need to set up a business that makes use of credit cards. Some business owners may find it too tedious or confusing to do this and this is where the services of a merchant account broker come in.

PROCEDURE 1:
HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH BANKS
It would boost a broker’s portfolio if he knows a lot of banks for different purposes, as many business owners might be looking for certain banks due to their varying credit rates and because some banks do not yet offer online services. Here, the broker would be able to provide lists of banks that fill the need at that point in time.

PROCEDURE 2:
GET A LUCRATIVE SLOT:
Inn relating with your clients, you would soon discover that there are some areas in the business terrain that their needs are not met. It would be profitable to specialize in such areas. For example, EBay sellers will always be a spot in dire need of brokers.

PROCEDURE 3:
ADVERTISE YOUR SERVICES:
The internet will be the appropriate place to kick-start your publicity campaign. You could create your website and use search engine optimization (SEO) methods to increases its visibility on Google using well-defined keywords. In this way, businesses looking for a broker will be directed to your site when they search online.

PROCEDURE 4:
KEEP YOURSELF INFORMED ON THE BANKING AND CREDIT CARD TRENDS:
This will undoubtedly give you an edge, because if you know the recent trends in the credit card and banking industry, it would give you the opportunity to make the best out of every opportunity.

OPENING A MERCHANT ACCSOUNT

2009-08-09T13:55:00.000+01:00

Whether is just a growing establishment or an already thriving enterprise, only a few easy steps are required to secure a Credit Card Merchant Account. The basic requirements would be: a one-page application, a copy of your business license, an estimate of your monthly sales (including your average and maximum amount per sale) and information on your bank account. A merchant account is usually processed and approved of within two days of submission.
RATES AND TERMS:
There are basically two rates accrued to the merchant:
1. Rates from Card Use: this is usually in form of percentages (usually between 1.6 and 3.5 per cent of transaction amount)
2. Per Transaction fee: (usually charged as 15 to 30 cents per card use)
Rates from volume of sales are divided into three categories:
a. Swiped: This comes from the credit card a merchant swipes across his credit card terminal
b. Card Won’t Swipe: Usually as a result of a damaged magnetic stripe.
c. Card Not Available: Here, the customer can’t produce his card. The merchant then has to manually input names and account numbers into the credit card terminal.
The lowest rates are gotten from the swiped cards, while the highest rates are derived from the customer who can’t produce his/her card, because of the higher risks involved.
TRANSMITTING AND APPROVING:
After swiping is done, there is a transmission for the terminal to the processor, and in under five seconds, the processor analyses the data, checks account numbers and names, accepts or rejects transaction based on account money and afterwards responds to the merchant. Accepted transactions are given a unique identification number used for identification and tracking. At the end of the day, the merchant sends a summary of all the transactions and the daily totals to the processor.

HOW MERCHANTS RECEIVE THEIR MONEY:
The credit card processor compares daily totals for transactions with the totals processed and if they are balanced, z wire transfer is initiated to the merchant with the merchant’s amount minus the processing fee. The merchant should receive payment within 2-3 days of request.

It is usual for the merchant to receive monthly updates showing processing transactions, daily totals, processing fees and other related information.

SELECTING AN ONLINE PAYMENT PROCESSOR

2009-08-09T13:51:00.000+01:00

Many forms of online payment prove to be a pain in the neck to customers as well as to business owners. The technicalities involved could scare away a first-timer. That is why, in selecting an online payment processor, it is imperative to select one that is cost-friendly, secure and easy to use for you and your clients.

PROCEDURE 1:
PICK A FAMILIAR AND TRUSTWORTHY PROCESSOR
One thing you should be aware of is the fact that your prospective customers will shy away and get suspicious of a phony-looking or unprofessional processor. Therefore, it would be to your advantage to use a professional processor to gain customer trust and ease of transaction. Examples of these professional processors include: PayPal, BidPay and ProPay

PROCEDURE 2:
DECIDE ON THE FEES:
The fees you pay for using these Payment processors are usually the ways these companies make their money. Depending on how you do business, it will affect how much you make. For example, if you make little sales yearly, it would make sense for you to allow the payment processors take a percentage off every sale instead of paying a monthly fee.

PROCEDURE 3:
DECIDE ON PAYMENT PROCESSES:
Merchant accounts transfer your payment straight to your bank, giving it FDIC insurance, but in the case of PayPal, payment is made via PayPal to you.

PROCEDURE 4:
DISPUTE RESOLUTION:
In the advent of a conflict, PayPal will represent both the buyer as well as the seller, while in the case of Merchant accounts the business owner is represented by the bank.

PROCEDURE 5:
GET SECURED:
It would be a rational and wise decision to scout for an online payment Processor that is Fraud-proof and offers security to you and your customers. For example, PayPal automatically rejects mismatches in AVS or CCV. Merchant accounts on the other hand give you the option of using gateways to trace and detect suspicious activity.

PROCEDURE 6:
ANALYSE, DEDUCE AND DECIDE:
After getting a list of prospective online Payment Processors, narrow your choices, suing such criteria as their fees and features, reviews and feedback. You may even consider getting opinion from a current or previous user of the processor.

***It is a good idea to have a backup online payment Processor in the event that technical difficulties with the default one. The use of Merchant accounts instead of Private payment processors will tend to give your business a professional look. It is common knowledge that people complain that PayPal froze their accounts, or prevented them from accessing their money. You should be informed that PayPal does not have to play by bank rules, so be careful.

COMPARISON OF MERCHANT ACCOUNTS

2009-08-09T13:47:00.000+01:00

There is quite a handful of websites that offer unbiased comparison of merchant accounts and the services that they offer. Some of them are: www.consumerGUIDES.info, www.InfoMerchant.net. For online merchant accounts, you may get comparative reviews on WebTools.com

Small business credit cards have steadily And efficiently become an important tool for the growth and development of small businesses, as they offer an easy and convenient source of funding for the development of your business, provide payment and receiver services for small businesses, serving as an avenue for people to pay for goods and services you market online. It would be a wise financial decision to use this guideline and other resources in searching for and utilizing a small business credit card service.

You can receive payment online without a PayPal account or a Merchant Account

Have you ever been frustrated by the processes involved with getting a PayPal account or with the long, arduous journey it seems to take in receiving payment through this payment solution? The good news is there are better alternatives, more reliable, and less stressful. So stop complaining and start considering your options

PROCEDURE 1:
WHAT ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR IN AN ACCOUNT?
Why are you stressed out with PayPal? What qualities are you looking for in an alternative account that PayPal doesn’t have? What are you going to be using the services for? For simple buying or selling, or even both? If you are considering using it mainly for selling, do you need the simple “Buy now” option or the more advanced “Shopping cart” option? You should include those qualities you wish PayPal had for your own ease and convenience.

PROCEDURE 2:
Search for PayPal alternatives online. You could use Google search engine, using keywords like “PayPal Alternatives”, “PayPal Reviews” or “PayPal Complaints”.

CNN money has, however, run an analysis and has come up with verified PayPal alternatives. You might want to consider their five topmost choices which are: www.digitalriver.com, www.2checkout.com, www.Trialpay.com, www.e-junkie.com and www.Alertpay.com.
However, if you want to run your own search, be sure to check out your findings with Better business bureau or with such websites as epinionns.com before you begin to give out personal information. You might also want to read reviews from websites and magazines on the particular PayPal alternative in question, and also, it is important to ensure that it is verified, either with Geotrust or Verisign.

PROCEDURE 3:
PAY AND RECEIVE PAYMENTS THROUGH YOUR NEW ALTERNATIVE!
After you have finally gotten some desirable PayPal alternatives, the next thing to do would be to compare them side by side, using the list from PROCEDURE 1 as a guide. The PayPal alternative that most satisfactorily covers your requirements is your new Payment Solution!