Can people pay me using PayPal?

[JohnBL]

Hello.

For 20 years now I have used PayPal to make various online purchases.  Recently, however, I have just had my first (and only) book published as a self-published author.  I plan to sell the book privately (only within Australia) and by potential customers contacting me via email.  I do not plan to publish further books, and neither do I wish to commence a fully fledged online shop or business.  Since I only have one product to sell (my book), I cannot justify the expense of commissioning a complete eCommerce website that incorporates various payment options for my potential customers.

My question to this community is quite narrow.  Given the limitations outlined above, is there a way I can offer potential customers the option of paying me via PayPal without going to the time, trouble and expense of constructing a full blown eCommerce website with a shopping cart facility?  At present I just have an ordinary personal PayPal account.  Would I perhaps need to upgrade this?  If there is a fairly simple and straightforward way for me to offer my future customers the option of paying me via PayPal (I would also offer them the option of direct funds deposit into my bank account), is there some reference of link I can go to to learn more?  My technical and IT skills are fairly basic, so I would not make a great deal of sense of articles that are too advanced and overly technical.

Many thanks for your assistance, and kind regards

John

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@JohnBL 

1.The email address you use with Paypal identifies your Paypal account and is all someone needs to pay you direct to your Paypal balance, you don't need a business account, a personal account is fine. Business accounts are just for high volume sellers or registered businesses.

2. Or if you have set up a paypal.me link you can send that but make sure the buyer ticks the goods/services option to pay.

https://www.paypal.com/au/smarthelp/article/what-is-paypal.me---faq3025?app=searchAutoComplete

3. You can send a money request/invoice from your Paypal account to their Paypal email address for them to pay.

The latter is better as you can then fully describe the item that your buyer is paying for and that may help you if they open a received but not as described dispute.

You may be subject to the new seller hold (info on that in link below) BUT once cleared you can click on withdraw/transfer funds and send it to any linked funding source.

https://www.paypal.com/au/smarthelp/article/my-payment-is-on-hold.-why-is-this-happening-faq3297

[JohnBL]

Many thanks for your advice.  Appreciated!  😄