I feel silly even asking for advice on this (paypal)

[klash-anole.livejournal.com]

I've been doing invoices for taking paypal commissions. I love the organization and not having to worry about customers putting incriminating subject lines or doing mistakes like sending money as a gift, etc. The problem is... I cannot figure out hot to turn off the shipping option. I'm afraid this is going to become a problem in the future, since I work exclusively with digital art. Am I overlooking something obvious? If it can't be turned off, is this going to get me into trouble some day?

Comments

[thaily.livejournal.com]

When it asks for an address, the bottom option should be "no shipping required", if I remember correctly.

[garedeuropa.livejournal.com]

It's fine - the customer can select 'no shipping address required'. (:

[mazz.livejournal.com]

Not true, when I get invoices is forces me to put in an address. When I send a payment i can choose "no shipping required" but all invoices I've gotten don't give me the option. :/

[exo-formicidae.livejournal.com]

I havent found it either, and I'm pretty sure I looked over it many times. I always write that it's for digital work in the item information. This way, If I happen to run into a scammy customer, they can't claim to not have recieved the product and demand a refund.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

It gives me the option when I want to send the invoice, like a list of addresses with ticky boxes and the option "no shipping required".

But adding a description in item information is useful too, like I usually write it like "1 character, digital, flat colour, no background, no shipping" and if they pay, well, not much they can object to, they knew what they were buying.

[klash-anole.livejournal.com]

I may do that, adding more to the description. The lack of option for shipping is really the only bad thing about invoices, I do my own taxes and it's so nice to have them organized.

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

Maybe mark as service rather than goods?

There are two ways to request money from the commissioner.
I use the simpler "request money" option.

[kontinue.livejournal.com]

You definitely want to be charging for service rather than goods. If it's including a shipping address, and someone disputes falsely, you'll lose the case without having a tracking number, since goods implies to paypal that it's physical goods. Definitely use services! :)

[kaputotter.livejournal.com]

So to this end, if I send somebody an invoice, is there a way to choose between the two? Seems I'm never given the option anywhere.

[kontinue.livejournal.com]

I'm not 100% sure, actually! Shoot! I never really sent an invoice, I just know that it should always be services for digital work.

[lurkerwisp.livejournal.com]

Alternatively, you can put a high resolution copy of the file on a CDR and mail it to them. PayPal will take your proof of having mailed something as a point in your favor if there's a dispute.

[kontinue.livejournal.com]

That's a smart idea that I never actually thought of! Good one!

[lurkerwisp.livejournal.com]

Helps that CDRs are cheaper now. :)

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

OMG! Genius!

[kaputotter.livejournal.com]

Tough thing about this is not everybody puts their mailing address readily-accessible in PayPal info. So this can only work some of the time. For those few times though it's invaluable. I've done this before and provided PayPal a tracking# to get an abusive client off my back.

[petercat.livejournal.com]

I put the link to the file in the item description. If I leave the shipping field at 0.00, it doesn't appear on the invoice sent to the buyer.

[norala.livejournal.com]

It's been a while but I believe invoices always have shipping. When I did work online I used "request money" and it let's you select more. I'll double check tomorrow when I'm on my desktop.

[kaputotter.livejournal.com]

This is something I've been wondering about! Thanks for the hints.