Alternative to Paypal for eBook selling?

[Retraction]

Okay some little kids decided they wanted to do a chargeback on my $150 eBook. They fucking won. I just learned Paypal doesn't protect virtual goods and if they do via their CC company, they win 100% of the time. Looks like Paypal's off the table since I can't deal with these kiddies chargebacking me all the time. I need something else that doesn't have these silly chargebacks.

 

[Deleted member 720373]

I don't think there are many options apart from cold hard cash to protect yourself. Unfortunately these days because of consumer protection laws they can charge back pretty much every time. Perfect for scammers who want freebies.

Someone else may have a solution but I don't know any.

 

[SirSmash]

"I need something else that doesn't have these silly chargebacks.", We all do... However if they pay with a credit card they will always be able to change back an eBook and they will win no matter what processor you use. It's a virtual item so there's little proof you ever delivered it, that they could open the file, etc. So they'll win.

About the only way to ensure they can't charge back is to use BitCoin but for reasons that should be obvious your sales numbers will probably drop to almost nothing.

Put it up as a business loss, it happens to people who sell physical products, it happens to people who sell virtual products, there will always be someone willing to steal your product. That's part of business and at least in the virtual world you really didn't lose much. I have a business that sells physical products and one that also sells eBooks, it hurts far more when someone steals a physical product as it's an actual loss of money.

 

[superduper7]

i would use bitcoins

 

[Retraction]

"I need something else that doesn't have these silly chargebacks.", We all do... However if they pay with a credit card they will always be able to change back an eBook and they will win no matter what processor you use. It's a virtual item so there's little proof you ever delivered it, that they could open the file, etc. So they'll win.

About the only way to ensure they can't charge back is to use BitCoin but for reasons that should be obvious your sales numbers will probably drop to almost nothing.

Put it up as a business loss, it happens to people who sell physical products, it happens to people who sell virtual products, there will always be someone willing to steal your product. That's part of business and at least in the virtual world you really didn't lose much. I have a business that sells physical products and one that also sells eBooks, it hurts far more when someone steals a physical product as it's an actual loss of money.

Thanks for the advice. I provided Paypal proof that the buyer downloaded the product, but I still lost.

Anyway, I made up that loss. I just got another sale so yeah, nothings really changed. I plan to use some anti fraud measures in the future to avoid more chargebacks.

 

[Wilson Grant Fisk]

If they pay by CC then they will always have the option to chargeback.
Unfortunately chargebacks are part of business but you can minimise fraudulent transactions.
Here is a possible solution here:

[h=2]Why You're Going to Lose A Chargeback[/h] [h=4]PayPal[/h] PayPal has built their business on security and safety for buyers. This makes them nearly 100% biased toward siding with buyers when it comes to chargebacks and disputes. This is not the court system where vendors are innocent until proven guilty. In every case we have ever heard about (and trust me, we talk to a lot of vendors) PayPal seems to start with the logic that "The seller is wrong."
We have never heard of a single case from any of our thousands of vendors where they won a PayPal dispute even with IP addresses and download logs. If a customer disputes your charge through PayPal you will lose the money, period.
Edit: A couple vendors have responded and said that they won a PayPal dispute in cases where the person who filed the dispute didn't actually follow up on the dispute process, so PayPal decided in the vendor's favor. So hey, at least if the person that does the chargeback is lazy you might have a chance!
We're a PayPal partner. They're our #1 payment processor in use with DPD and they probably wouldn't like that we wrote this, but it's the truth.
Just about everybody who is buying stuff online has a PayPal account. If you don't accept PayPal then you're turning away a huge number of sales. PayPal knows this, so they have very little motivation to change their dispute practices.
[h=4]Credit Card Processors[/h] For Visa and MasterCard the credit card processor dispute and refund polices are controlled by the issuing bank so the enforcement of chargebacks vary broadly. One chargeback might be handled by Wells Fargo and another by Chase or Citibank.
In the vast majority of cases we have heard about the only way they will side with you in any dispute case is if you can provide a tracking number and proof of delivery for the order.
By tracking number we mean a USPS, UPS, or Fedex tracking number in the US (or other carriers internationally). By proof of delivery we mean "signature required" where the person who ordered the product actually signed for the delivery. Letting UPS leave it on the doorstep without a signature doesn't count for proof of delivery- "The neighborhood kids must have stolen it! I didn't get it!" works for a dispute.
For Discover and American Express the policies are set by the credit card company. From what we have heard with other vendors, American Express seems to be more willing to hear the vendor's side of the story, but as with all internet transactions the deck is still stacked in the buyer's favor. Unfortunately, we really don't have enough experience with Discover to offer valid feedback on them.
The trump card for all disputes? Simple- the buyer only has to assert that the item was not as described. Easy. The credit card company says you didn't sell them what they thought they were getting, the buyer get's their money back, and that's it. They win the dispute.
[h=2]What can you do about it?
[/h] Sadly, not much.
However, a tactic that has been said to work by some vendors is this:
Buyers are looking for instant digital delivery and you're looking for peace of mind from chargebacks. A simple solution to this is to bundle your instant download with a tangible good. When a customer makes an order of your digital/tangible bundle, they get the instant delivery they are looking for and you ship them an item (which could be just a sheet of paper with download instructions, or a CD with a copy of their order) via the cheapest method you can with proof of delivery. In most cases in the US, that's Postal Mail with signature confirmation.
When a dispute comes up you can reference the proof of delivery and hold off the "I didn't get it" claims.
Of course, this comes at a price. Instead of just hanging out and collecting payments for your instantly delivered download without any action on your part you now have to mail something out in a timely maner. But, if you're plagued with chargebacks it might just be a viable alternative to eating the lost sales.

http://getdpd.com/blog/2012/10/24/the-truth-about-chargebacks-and-disputes-on-digital-deliveries/




Just out of interest, what is the subject of this $150 Ebook and how many pages does it have?

 

[Retraction]

If they pay by CC then they will always have the option to chargeback.
Unfortunately chargebacks are part of business but you can minimise fraudulent transactions.
Here is a possible solution here:


http://getdpd.com/blog/2012/10/24/the-truth-about-chargebacks-and-disputes-on-digital-deliveries/




Just out of interest, what is the subject of this $150 Ebook and how many pages does it have?

Thanks for that snippet. I was also thinking of just printing out my eBook and send it via mail.

My eBook is 25 pages and it details a method to get affiliate sales. It is very legit and that is why it costs so much.

 

[zebrahat]

Paypal and credit cards open you up to a chargeback, that's just the way it is. Bitcoin is not widespread or universal. The only other widespread method of purchase is a bank based transaction, such as a personal check, money order or e-check. If you find a processor that makes that kind of transaction as efficient as possible, you've found your viable alternative.