Large Corp. Wants to Paypal me...

[Caleb Reynolds]

I just finished a project for a large corporation. Right after they decided to hire me, they asked if they could just paypal me.

That does not seem normal for a corporation, so I told them I'd prefer a check. However, should I consider paypal in the future from a corporation or firm?

Thanks for ya'lls input

[Mike Watson]

I'm taking PayPal from a Fortune 500 company right now. You're right, it's bizarre. Fact is that when corps are that big, it's hard to get someone added to the vendor list ... COI and various paperwork... so they can PayPal you and expense it. Like you, I found it odd. Did it anyway. It's worked out okay. Had another client request something similar (take payment by credit card) and I asked that she go through the trouble and add me to the vendor system. (All that paperwork is my burden, not hers, anyhow.) She did and now I am the go-to video guy for that company. If you can, that's what I recommend.

[Chris Medico]

I had a large company tell me AFTER the job that they used paypal. The problem for me is I don't use paypal so I ended up having to have the payment sent to someone else who then wrote me a check.

I learned now to ask that question BEFORE doing any work.

[Nate Haustein]

Happens quite a bit. If the fee bothers you, add a 2.9% processing charge to the bill, use a service like Square so they can pay you with a credit card, or just happily accept the PayPal transfer with a smile and a thank you. They seem to want to pay you quickly, which is always good...

[Don Bloom]

I did a couple of jobs for a Fortune 100 company and they did PayPal because the jobs were under a certain amount and they could pay me about 4 weeks faster than going thru the invoice/check routine.
Had another one that paid via credit card, again small enough amount (under $5000.00) and it was a corporate card.
Sometimes you just gotta roll with it. Money is money!

[Chris Medico]

Originally Posted by Nate Haustein

Happens quite a bit. If the fee bothers you, add a 2.9% processing charge to the bill, use a service like Square so they can pay you with a credit card, or just happily accept the PayPal transfer with a smile and a thank you. They seem to want to pay you quickly, which is always good...

I can handle billing for CC fees. I'm not able to use paypal. I'm banned from using their service.

[Nate Haustein]

Was replying to the OP, but that's too bad Chris. However, if I had my way, I'd avoid PayPal all together anyways!

[Mike Watson]

Originally Posted by Chris Medico

I can handle billing for CC fees. I'm not able to use paypal. I'm banned from using their service.

Oh this has got to be a good story. Is it forum appropriate or should it wait for NAB? ;-)

[Chris Medico]

I'm booked on gigs so I won't be at NAB this year.

The story is pretty simple. I had a verified account tied to a bank account that I used mostly for individuals wanting to pay me for services. Since I had heard horror stories about paypal pulling money out of peoples accounts I opened an account just for paypal and kept no money in it. I got a letter from paypal saying that I had to maintain a minimum balance in the account.

I had never had a chargeback in the years and years of using it. I used it only for small jobs. Nothing over $2-$3k. Mostly real estate work and sports photography (literally for soccer moms and dads). My purchases were always larger than my incoming money by quite a large margin. Even so somehow they flagged me and demanded I keep $5k in my account. I searched around on paypalsucks and on google and hadn't found anyone complaining about having to keep a minimum balance so I refused.

They closed my account and blacklisted my SOC number. Now if I open a paypal account it will close after they do their background checks. The only way I can buy something using paypal is by using a disposable visa card.

I still have no idea why they were requesting to keep such a balance in a linked account when I used it so sporadically. I didn't care enough to waste the time and money of a lawyer to figure it out. So I'm paypal free. ;)

[Chris Hurd]

Holy cow, Chris -- that's a bad rap and totally undeserved. Thanks for sharing your story.

I second the motion from Nate to add the PayPal transaction fee to the invoice so that it comes out of their end and not yours.

[Mark Williams]

That is weird. I have used paypal for payments for several years. Also have a paypal business debit card. I rarely keep over $100 in my linked bank account so if it gets raided there won't be much there.

[Mike Watson]

Have heard the same stories. I don't link a bank account, I have them mail me a check every once in a while.

[Bruce Dempsey]

Do not restrict or limit the ways your customers can pay you - pretty basic

[Caleb Reynolds]

Well they did issue me a check fast. Before the project was completed even.

Thank you all for your information. I love this place!