hi i'm setting up a web designer site i would like to come up with a way of billing my customers. Because i'm fairly new to it all i don't know how the process works and because i will bill them once i've done the work im not sure if a online order form would be the best option. Also with this process does it just take money from their account and put it straight into mine or do i have to do it manually if so how is this done.
Also does checks work i.e. they send me the check then i cash it in etc.
also if it was an order form the prices aren't always going to be the same for each customer so how would i go about setting the individual price so i can charge them the right amount.
also once i get the info how do i go about taking the money from their account and putting it into mine.
thanks any help would be great as i'ma complete novice at this field.
also one last point if i did use a program to maske the payment i don't really want to pay for it do you know of any free programs that offer this
thanks
frodo

because i will bill them once i've done the work im not sure if a online order form would be the best option

Never, ever let a design customer have the work prior to collecting the money. In a service business you must either bill and collect in advance or at least get a partial deposit then collect the remainder when you make a picture of the work available for them to review.

As far as how you bill...you can use a variety of methods including PayPal, revecom, 2checkout.com until you reach the point of affording a merchant account.

Make sure you have terms and conditions which clearly indicate any guarantees or lack thereof and that the services are non-refundable.

You need a detailed order form which clearly shows what the customer is requesting.

hi thanks but how do i go about getting a agreement in terms of cost set up by the customer sending me an letter stating the agreement our can you do it by the web if so how -
also in most hosting companies do the customers send cheques to the address of the company or do they do it by paypal etc, how would i go about setting up for the customer to send 50% of the money and then later another 50% would this be hard to set up in an order form
thanks
dave

Take a look at this tool:
http://smesource.com/ASP/BillingOrchard.cfm

looks handy.

Originally posted by frododesigns
hi thanks but how do i go about getting a agreement in terms of cost set up by the customer sending me an letter stating the agreement our can you do it by the web if so how -
also in most hosting companies do the customers send cheques to the address of the company or do they do it by paypal etc, how would i go about setting up for the customer to send 50% of the money and then later another 50% would this be hard to set up in an order form
thanks
dave Most people by an online credit card processor, such as 2checkout, revecom, worldpay, etc...

Originally posted by iamdave
Most people by an online credit card processor, such as 2checkout, revecom, worldpay, etc...


The only problem with online credit card processors like 2checkout, revecom, worldpay, paypal, etc is that they are not great with service providers and chargebacks. Many times, the processors will not side with service providers because the product is intangable, and there is no real definition of the Terms, thus the business or designer gets screwed.

For example, a designer has a client sign a contract, and then gets a payment through something like paypal. Now, when the client recieves the design job, and say they dont like it, but in the contract the payment must be paid for the initial design, then more money for each design after that. The client doesnt like the initial design and goes to paypal and asks for their money back, or goes to their credit card company and does a chargeback.

Since Design is intangable, the designer has only his contract to go on, thus paypal rewards the client, and the designer is screwed.

So, your best bet is to go with a merchant account, or escrow service or even plain old Checks/Money Orders.

Just an FYI,

Jim