The last year has been one of the most challenging for all online entrepreneurs. I am talking about home based software developers, web designers and big companies with thousands of employees. The Internet is constantly evolving, growing day by day. Those who cannot keep up, are left behind. However, those who manage to improve their business model, those who incorporate the latest technologies, those who adapt, they will all get a share of the "apple pie".
I've been approached lately by someone who was complaining about loosing too many customers because of immediate refunds. My client was selling an e-book with cooking recipes. Payment processing was done by Paypal, one time fee, nothing fancy so far. I decided to purchase the ebook myself for testing purposes. I clicked on the "Pay by Paypal" button around 7 P.M., and in 3 minutes I received my payment confirmation. So far, so good. But wait, there is more: no sign of the cooking ebook. I had to wait until the next day, around noon, when the seller checked his inbox and emailed me the recipes in a PDF file.
I finally got it why so many customers asked for a refund. They needed those recipes the moment they decided to pay, not 16 hours later. The first solution was simple and in reach: don't sleep, check inbox every hour and send that PDF file A.S.A.P.
Seriously now, a viable alternative would be to switch to another payment processor of transactions that involve electronic goods: Regnow, ShareIT, Plimus. At this point I am pretty sure all of them support Paypal payments, among with the majority of credit cards available world wide. The major drawbacks are the higher commissions, and their tight payment schedule, that includes a single payment batch per month. No more instant withdraw to your credit card like it's available at Paypal. Furthermore, you have to setup your product in their online catalog, pay for download bandwidth and many other disadvantages, compared with the simplicity of Paypal.
Well, there is a working solution that involves Paypal. Their system allows sellers to send a custom email to buyers. This can be done with the help of PayPal IPN (Instant Payment Notification). IPN is a notification platform that can send a notification each time a transaction is affected. This includes payments, subscriptions, eChecks, disputes, chargebacks or refunds. That's pretty much everything. The only problem is that it's quite complicated to setup, you need PHP knowledge and at least a medium understanding of how those type of things work.
For those who don't know or don't have the spare time to learn about using IPN, I have a recommendation: some web form processor services that are available on the Internet offer a similar feature. I mean you can do the following: setup a web form asking for your client's name, email and what product he wants to buy. Next, integrate Paypal with your form (everything is done in an online wizard). Attach prices to your products so that your buyer can see how much he has to pay. In the end, before saving your web form, look for the PayPay payment notification options. Basically, you should be able to setup a standard email template that will be sent to your buyer each time he completes the payment process. This email will include a link to a page on your website where your client can find and download the ebook or software you are selling. Instantly. If you want to send electronic goods the moment you are paid for them, I suggest you have a look at 123ContactForm Paypal Payment Notification guide.
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