Now we got google checkout

[mc0081]

Checks are still a risk. Not only do you have to wait for them to clear, but you will find banks doing things like putting holds on them too.

We are working out way to a paperless monetary system. Checks are the dark ages.

There is still risk involved in accepting checks. Non-sufficient funds, closed accounts, fraud, etc.

The risks are much lower wtih credit cards.

Hi, Vic,

Thanks for your suggestion. So in your opinion, on-line business should avoid using check whenever they can. In my website, currently the customer can choose to pay by check and then they need to mail the check manually. After we receive it, we take it to bank for clearance. Is there any better way to handle this such as the echeck system some utility company use for the customer to pay monthly?

Alex

[Vic - WolfPaw Computers]

With all the payment options for electronic payment, I see absolutely no reason a business today should risk dealing with checks.

Bounced checks cost you and your customers money. There are Electronic check options, but many cost as much as $1.50 per transaction.

It just is not worth the hassle and expense to pickup a few sales.

IMHO.

[Southlander]

Another option for taking checks is to use a check "guarantee" service. They will insure the face value of the check and pay off to you if it should not clear for any reason. Then they go after the check writer, and you do not worry about it.

Using this method you would not have to wait until anything "clears" before you ship. As soon as you have your approval you are guaranteed to receive the payment (less the insurance fee of course).

With a good deal, you can insure the checks for less than you could pay in processing fees were they credit card payments, in some cases for much less.

For example one service provider -- Crosscheck -- even has a web-based approval interface.

http://www.cross-check.com

[wmgilligan]

This modules sounds interesting. Can you let me know where to buy this module and where to get the ACH software?

Appreciate it.

Alex

www.mivacentral.com
Let everyone else complain and tell you what you shouldn't do. Can they really say their is to much risk? District Attorneys will file charges for bounced checks - much more protection that a chargeback!

And as a wise person once told me (he has retired to a waterfront condo overlooking his boat in Hawaii and sold his multi-million dollar web site) "Give people as many opportunities as you can to give you their money".

Bill

[windycityparrot]

Checks and the internet

I have to agree with Vic - we're moving towards a paperless society. We just diabled the "I agree to send a check" module not because we received any bad checks but customers would check out with an $800 cage and "agree to send a check". We'd call and email and get disconeccted phones and bounced emails. All it did was skew our stats.

Our soulution was to place a link that offers a PDF order form they can fill out and mail with their check. We get one every month or two usually from some one in their 70's "who just doesn't trust the internet."

We used to have a module that would capture checking information from the end-user and ACH the funds to our bank much like a credit card. The fees were too high to justify the service and customer support was non existant.

[Southlander]

I would think it would depend to a degree on your target market. For example a site catering to the tastes of 18-25 year olds could easily not take checks and not suffer while a site that sells nice clothing to women that are 40+ maybe would do better to provide a method of paying by check.

So, like so many things in life.. it depends on your situation.

[jason - jmh web services]

Back on Topic

There will be an official module released for Google Checkout shortly for v4 with v5 coming after that. Google hired Scott from Sebenza, and much of what peopel have thought about the process has not been accurate. The Google Checkout module is great.