Poll: Have you incorporated new payment methods for your clients in the last two years?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jul 4, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you incorporated new payment methods for your clients in the last two years?".

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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 17:42
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Jul 4, 2018

Same old, same old: bank transfer, check, or PayPal, in that order of preference.

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:42
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
No, on the contrary I have reduced the number payment methods I offer. Jul 4, 2018

When I first started out translating I offered clients the option of three payment methods: bank transfer, cheque and PayPal. Now my invoices only mention the possibility of bank transfer and I only offer PayPal as an option if the client expressly requests it. I have ditched payment by cheque altogether, since I have switched banks to a financial institution that doesn't offer an over the counter service (unfortunately I don't have any trust left in our traditional high street banks here in the... See more
When I first started out translating I offered clients the option of three payment methods: bank transfer, cheque and PayPal. Now my invoices only mention the possibility of bank transfer and I only offer PayPal as an option if the client expressly requests it. I have ditched payment by cheque altogether, since I have switched banks to a financial institution that doesn't offer an over the counter service (unfortunately I don't have any trust left in our traditional high street banks here in the UK following their outrageous misbehaviour that was exposed during the financial crisis and now bank with a little known Swedish bank which is a more responsible institution with a much lower appetite for risk, where I accordingly feel that I can have the confidence that my money will be safe) and sending them cheques in the post is a right pain.

[Edited at 2018-07-04 08:33 GMT]
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neilmac
 
mustafaer
mustafaer  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 03:42
Member (2005)
Any other payment methods? Please share because paypal, skrill don't work with Turkey. Jul 4, 2018

For small amounts this is a real big problem if you are living in Turkey.

 
Catherine De Crignis
Catherine De Crignis  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 01:42
Member (2012)
English to French
+ ...
Paypal Jul 4, 2018

I now occasionally accept Paypal payments.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 00:42
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Jul 4, 2018

I only accept bank transfers, no cheques, no Paypal.

Christopher Schröder
Peter van der Hoek
Vera Schoen
Deborah do Carmo
 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Almost Jul 4, 2018

I accept bank transfer and cash, and now my direct clients practice relatively new (for me) advance payment.

 
Elena and David Dickens
Elena and David Dickens
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:42
Member (2016)
English to Italian
+ ...
Transferwise Jul 4, 2018

Just recently but it's already proving to be great!

Kaisa I
 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 21:42
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
Added Payoneer Jul 4, 2018

Though few clients embark on the idea of change, it works almost like PayPal.

The key difference is that PayPal deducts 6.5% in fees on any amount I receive and, when I transfer funds to my domestic bank account in BRL, the overtly adopt a 3.5% lower-than-market exchange rate. I must reckon they improved in speed, as transfers from their account to local banks - which used to take 3~5 banking days - now take place on the next banking day.

Payoneer fees are only 1% of th
... See more
Though few clients embark on the idea of change, it works almost like PayPal.

The key difference is that PayPal deducts 6.5% in fees on any amount I receive and, when I transfer funds to my domestic bank account in BRL, the overtly adopt a 3.5% lower-than-market exchange rate. I must reckon they improved in speed, as transfers from their account to local banks - which used to take 3~5 banking days - now take place on the next banking day.

Payoneer fees are only 1% of the total amount, one-tenth of the fees charged by PayPal.

For the time being, AFAIK Transferwise does not offer services to Brazil.
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neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:42
Spanish to English
+ ...
Nope Jul 4, 2018

Bank transfer only.
But I'm open to suggestion, within reason.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 21:42
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Payoneer and Skill Jul 4, 2018

I started with the standard: PayPal and Bank Transfer.
In time, both proved to be the worst choices in the market.
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
The key difference is that PayPal deducts 6.5% in fees... on any amount I receive and, when I transfer funds to my domestic bank account in BRL, the overtly adopt a 3.5% lower-than-market exchange rate...

My calculations are 7.4% deduction, and 4.5% spread. Quite worse than Lemersdorf's.

I've added Payoneer and Skrill, which take a lot less money away from me, and e-mailed all my clients trying to change the payment system.
Unfortunately, many refused to change and still use PayPal. It's only a matter of time before they all realize PayPal is not the best choice at all. Let's wait.
On the other hand, my two best clients agreed to change to Payoneer, so I'm happy with that.

[Edited at 2018-07-04 15:03 GMT]


Luiz Barucke
 
Luiz Barucke
Luiz Barucke  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 21:42
Spanish to Portuguese
+ ...
Added Payoneer, trying Transferwise and still using PayPal and Skrill Jul 4, 2018

Mario Freitas wrote:

I started with the standard: PayPal and Bank Transfer.
In time, both proved to be the worst choices in the market.
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
The key difference is that PayPal deducts 6.5% in fees... on any amount I receive and, when I transfer funds to my domestic bank account in BRL, the overtly adopt a 3.5% lower-than-market exchange rate...

My calculations are 7.4% deduction, and 4.5% spread. Quite worse than Lemersdorf's.

I've added Payoneer and Skrill, which take a lot less money away from me, and e-mailed all my clients trying to change the payment system.
Unfortunately, many refused to change and still use PayPal. It's only a matter of time before they all realize PayPal is not the best choice at all. Let's wait.
On the other hand, my two best clients agreed to change to Payoneer, so I'm happy with that.

[Edited at 2018-07-04 15:03 GMT]


I agree with both.

About 2 years ago, I used PayPal (simple and expensive), Skrill (simple and cheaper) and Bank Wire (impossible, too bureaucratic for me... I gave it up). Skrill was a better option before, but it does not issue a prepaid Mastercard for my country anymore.

Last year, I started to use Payoneer and now it's my preferred method. It's cheaper, simpler and very flexible, since it allows me to use a prepaid card and transfer to my bank account with lower rates (1% when I receive the money; 2% over XE exchange rate when I transfer money to my bank account). And I get the money in my account as a local transfer (no red tape).

As Mario mentioned, PayPal is still my major (not preferred) method, because most of my clients do not use Payoneer or Skrill, but I hope this will change in the future, because PayPal is really expensive (about 6.5% to receive the money and a ridiculous exchange rate... more than 10% at the end).

I'm now trying Transferwise, but it does not work with USD for users in my country, which is a big problem.

And of course, I use local bank transfers for local clients. They are not so common, but they exist.



[Editada em 2018-07-04 16:03 GMT]


Mario Freitas
 


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Poll: Have you incorporated new payment methods for your clients in the last two years?






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