Paypal Merchant Services Review
Overview
In the modern age, nearly every person has heard of Paypal. While most people view the company as the means to buy things online or to send money to friends and family, a few have become curious about Paypal Merchant Services. Paypal brings a flexible model to merchant services that is causing traditional merchant service providers to rethink how they do business.
Pros
Unlike most merchant services companies, Paypal does not require a contract, and there’s no early termination fees. Additionally, Paypal is compatible with nearly every kind of POS software, from in person registers to ecommerce payment gateways. They have some competition from companies that are trying to copy their model, such as stripe merchant services, but so far no one has been able to do merchant services Paypal way. The flexibility Paypal offers, as well as its low operating costs, make it among the best credit card merchant services for small businesses.
Cons
There are some problems with Paypal Merchant Services, however. As a newer company, Paypal is still quick to hold or freeze funds if they are suspicious of fraud or other criminal actions. This can be a deathblow for small businesses that are just getting started, as they will be unable to access their cash flow to fund operations. Additionally, customers have complained about the amount of time it takes Paypal to review issues and unfreeze accounts. One way around this is to use Paypal as a backup option and also operate a traditional merchant services provider, but that seems to moot the point of using Paypal at all.
Verdict
Paypal is a good option for small businesses and mobile businesses like food trucks. It has the flexibility to alter the way merchant services are provided, but time will tell if Paypal can become the best option for standalone merchant services without needing the backup of another company.