Online Payments

TinkerBellaBella

Hi,
Can you tell me the cheapest option or a free option to set up taking payments for a virtual business please?
I would prefer to email a payment link for the customer to pay the invoice.
Any advice would be much appreciated. 
Thanks

MattMattMattUK

TinkerBellaBella said:

Hi,
Can you tell me the cheapest option or a free option to set up taking payments for a virtual business please?
I would prefer to email a payment link for the customer to pay the invoice.
Any advice would be much appreciated. 
Thanks

It is almost always free to receive a payment into your business bank account by bank transfer, that would be the cheapest option. 

FIREmenow

Could I ask a follow up to the OPs question:

What are the pros and cons of offering card payment versus giving details for a bank transfer?

Context would be a sole trader, requiring up-front payment when booking an online appointment for a service 

Many thanks

martindow

Paying by bank transfer is potentially very risky for a buyer.  I would be very loathe to pay someone I didn't know and trust in this way.  If they don't provide the service or goods I've paid for they have my money and my only recourse would be to make a court claim.  

If paying by credit or debit card I would have S75 protection or the possibility of opening a charge back claim with the card company if anything went wrong.  Potential customers will be much more likely to pay if cards can be used.

soolin

As a consumer I would treat any business asking for a bank transfer as potentially dodgy and almost certainly avoid them. Even for my small business I have a sum up card machine for face to face sales and offer PayPal online.