I am looking to setup an easy method for people to pay for my software. Since it is essentially a freeware with a pay option, most people will not be motivated to purchase…unless it is really easy.
So the most basic approach seems to be PayPal. But some users don’t have an account (such as myself for the longest time).
What about credit card transactions through a third party? Is there an easy way to do that for both myself and the end user?
Lastly, what about the ability for someone to just send a text message and pay that way? The software will be in the $40 range so perhaps they could just send a few texts?
Any other thoughts on making a really convenient method that is also not a burden on me? I won’t be tracking licenses or anything, it’s just on the honor system, so I don’t want any payment efforts.
Have you noticed it to be very slow? That is my main gripe. People are so finicky that they might just give up before it connects.
I hear what you are saying and I don’t need anything flashy, but a company logo would be nice. Is that possible?
I prefer using PayPal to handle the payment (rather than on-page referrals) as it means you aren’t liable for any fraudulent issues relating to the security of the purchase (as it’s done off-site). While you may think it’s generic, you probably forget that most average people LIKE things to be recognisable and easy to navigate around, the less flashy clutter and glitter that exists, the easier it will be for them to make their purchase - and considering they may have used PayPal before, it’s likely they will know how to handle the interface. Plus if you host the payment yourself, it means PayPal members can’t simply sign in and pay quickly! 
Yep, thanks, got the custom logo going a few days ago.
I was wondering about the connection as well, but I witnessed this on several different computers in different environments. Oh well, not that big of a deal.
Thanks, I am not calling it freeware or anything.
I setup paypal, and its pretty good. But there a couple of things I don’t like.
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VERY slow link to paypal site. Everyone that tried it out though the link was dead.
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Once at the paypal site, it doesn’t look very good…pretty generic. I think you can also use an option to accept directly on the site, but would people be worried about security? How would it look? Any examples of that?
Nope, it’s always worked perfectly fine for me, perhaps it’s just your connection!
As for a custom logo, yes you can! In PayPal’s options there’s a store customization set of settings for the pages.
I second the PayPal option, but there’s also Google Checkout and Amazon Payments which are both popular too. All three are relatively easy to setup, all have API’s to connect too, though PayPal is the only one which allows payment (in most countries) without an account. As for paying by alternative methods, PayPal offers paying by email and phone through their premium accounts, it might be worth investigating. In regards to iTunes, that won’t work, iTunes is only for Apple approved software for iPod’s, iPhone’s and iPad’s or for Apple approved media, not for third party desktop products. In regards to ease of use, once you’ve got PayPal setup, it should be really easy to work with, I use it myself and I don’t even have to monitor the thing as I’ve got it entirely automated.
PS: If you’re required to pay for software, you can’t call it freeware, that’s fraudulent advertising.
You will have to setup PayPal for the site. PayPal needs to have a place to send the funds. The one site I have done with PayPal, the organization setup the PayPal account, and I just put the button on the site.
When the visitor clicks on the button, they fill in the amount and their credit card information, or optionally they are offered the ability to create a PayPal account.
Thanks. To be honest, I though that was the case, but was finding the Paypal difficult to navigate and it seemed to kept nagging me to set up and account.
I suppose there must be a direct link so that the user can skip all of that and go directly to payment.
That is a good start for sure. I wonder about other, even more convenient methods as well?
I am not sure if the txt msg approach is even viable though. Or perhaps something through an iTunes account since many people have them now.
You do not need an account to use PayPal for a purchase. You can use your credit card.