basic
01-07-2005, 06:39 PM
Hello All:
Several issues -- maybe you share your info. Thanks!
We're going to add dedicated server hosting + server co-location offers with level(3) bandwidth to our present hosting plans, with datacenter locations in the U.S. and Germany. That means an increased number of European customers (for the dedicated servers, at least). So we are looking for billing options for European customers ... and as you all know "direct debit" is very popular in Europe (makes up maybe 50% of all online transactions, if not more).
BIBIT.com, a Netherlands based company, seemed so far -- and we looked into this issue since quite some time! -- the only good solution, as they are able to offer direct debit and lots of other local payment solutions for pretty much ALL European countries. But this week I discovered that CyberSource.com *seems* to offer somewhat similar services, at least for direct debit. Yet, I wasn't able to get any sort of answer from them, not by phone and not by email ... seems they only reply to companies if their name is IBM -); Anyway, I wonder if any of you are using them, and if there are any other banks that have merchant accounts that integrate CyberSource ... and if so, if that indeed means (for a U.S. based company) that they can bill European customers per direct debit? Any info or suggestions?
Another, unrelated issue:
PayPal and seller protection:
There is no seller protection for virtual, non-shipped goods, as far as I understand. As you know there are a lot of small part-time hosting businesses that might want to pay via their PayPal account for a dedicated server. Is there anyone among you offering dedicated servers -- or other services where the sales amount is maybe around $200 or more, where you allow PayPal payments -- I mean, for non-shipped goods. And if so, what do you do to about the risk factor with such amounts?
Thanks!
John
Several issues -- maybe you share your info. Thanks!
We're going to add dedicated server hosting + server co-location offers with level(3) bandwidth to our present hosting plans, with datacenter locations in the U.S. and Germany. That means an increased number of European customers (for the dedicated servers, at least). So we are looking for billing options for European customers ... and as you all know "direct debit" is very popular in Europe (makes up maybe 50% of all online transactions, if not more).
BIBIT.com, a Netherlands based company, seemed so far -- and we looked into this issue since quite some time! -- the only good solution, as they are able to offer direct debit and lots of other local payment solutions for pretty much ALL European countries. But this week I discovered that CyberSource.com *seems* to offer somewhat similar services, at least for direct debit. Yet, I wasn't able to get any sort of answer from them, not by phone and not by email ... seems they only reply to companies if their name is IBM -); Anyway, I wonder if any of you are using them, and if there are any other banks that have merchant accounts that integrate CyberSource ... and if so, if that indeed means (for a U.S. based company) that they can bill European customers per direct debit? Any info or suggestions?
Another, unrelated issue:
PayPal and seller protection:
There is no seller protection for virtual, non-shipped goods, as far as I understand. As you know there are a lot of small part-time hosting businesses that might want to pay via their PayPal account for a dedicated server. Is there anyone among you offering dedicated servers -- or other services where the sales amount is maybe around $200 or more, where you allow PayPal payments -- I mean, for non-shipped goods. And if so, what do you do to about the risk factor with such amounts?
Thanks!
John