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GOSH DURN IT FA AN' Th' FANDOM!!
2 years ago
Don't Panic.
Grrrrreetings Fellow FA Artists, Writers, 3-D printing enthusiasts, Crafters, Fusuiters and other highly creative persons.
It seems that situations have been forcing me to consider opening up a "PayPal" or some other such digital account so I can openly trade with other artists who are selling their wares here on FA, and of course make purchases at retailers who accept digital transactions only. For myself, things have been kind of like a seeing a Ferret with a hand grenade, and one wonders how the critter got ahold of it, and Heavin help us if he knows how to use it. There are so many wonderful things I'd like to get, but unfortunately, it's either that the artists I'm interested in prefer to make digital transactions, or I have to deal with foreign exchanges for exotic items from other countries. If anything, I have been wanting to commission some of my favorite FA artists for original art, or at least buy a print or two, and of course buy model kits and supplies I can't readily get at the local hobby shop.
(Okay... I'll be honest with you all. Even my getting to the close by Burbank House of Hobbies it's something of a "Logistical," problem for me. -thus the "Ferret with a hand grenade" reference.)
So... Would it be a wise idea to create a digital account separate from my savings that I can "Feed" a few dollars a month to, strictly for electronic purchases, and also get the provided security in order to protect my other accounts? One of the reasons I've been reluctant to use my credit cards for online purchases is because of the abundance of cyber-fraud situations out there which can, for at least the unwise, make internet purchases a veritable "Minefield" of deceit.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
"Dook-a Dook-a Dook? Pretty! Shiny Ring Thing! I STEAL IT! No one will ever know!!"
"Peace."
Grrrrreetings Fellow FA Artists, Writers, 3-D printing enthusiasts, Crafters, Fusuiters and other highly creative persons.
It seems that situations have been forcing me to consider opening up a "PayPal" or some other such digital account so I can openly trade with other artists who are selling their wares here on FA, and of course make purchases at retailers who accept digital transactions only. For myself, things have been kind of like a seeing a Ferret with a hand grenade, and one wonders how the critter got ahold of it, and Heavin help us if he knows how to use it. There are so many wonderful things I'd like to get, but unfortunately, it's either that the artists I'm interested in prefer to make digital transactions, or I have to deal with foreign exchanges for exotic items from other countries. If anything, I have been wanting to commission some of my favorite FA artists for original art, or at least buy a print or two, and of course buy model kits and supplies I can't readily get at the local hobby shop.
(Okay... I'll be honest with you all. Even my getting to the close by Burbank House of Hobbies it's something of a "Logistical," problem for me. -thus the "Ferret with a hand grenade" reference.)
So... Would it be a wise idea to create a digital account separate from my savings that I can "Feed" a few dollars a month to, strictly for electronic purchases, and also get the provided security in order to protect my other accounts? One of the reasons I've been reluctant to use my credit cards for online purchases is because of the abundance of cyber-fraud situations out there which can, for at least the unwise, make internet purchases a veritable "Minefield" of deceit.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
"Dook-a Dook-a Dook? Pretty! Shiny Ring Thing! I STEAL IT! No one will ever know!!"
"Peace."
I do have a PayPal though, it's handy at times but usually it gathers dust
What you might be able to do is make a paypal and a Google "Gpay" account which can be used online or by tapping at most places.
From the artists end they should:
1. Invoice for amount only! No taxes, no fees, nothing, just an invoice for the amount they charged for the art!
2. Ask you for your PayPal email and put it into the prompted field.
3. Add a vague description of what they’re doing, something like “Character Coloured with Background” is good enough, and if it's for more than 1 character they can type in “2″ where it says amount, or just say “2 characters”.
Warning: they should NOT type in anything even remotely related to explicit content. They shouldn't even label it as furry art. Keep it completely bare basic and vague.
4. Click send.
For commissioners:
5. Check your PayPal.
6. Accept the invoice and hit pay (It'll add the required amount automatically).
7. Under address, go ahead and hit 'No Address Needed'. This'll update the invoice and assist in convincing Paypal that this is a 'digital' service and that you do not expect anything mailed to you!
8. Pay, and you're good to go, no hassle, no angry Paypal breathing down your neck.
I do not need a credit-card anymore, but i can now directly transfer money from my bank account to my PayPal account. (using a service called iDeal in the Netherlands.)
It seems as if several of my fans and friends have gotten me into a "Half Nelson," and are trying to get me into the 21st century, like it or not.
Thanks.
I do have my Paypal linked to only one credit card and to a bank that is NOT our main bank account. If you can open up a Credit Union account, that's a good option to link to PayPal (if you're a veteran, there are veterans credit unions.)
It's handy to have for conventions. I use it with the Square app; shuffle money to and from the Paypal account.
By the way, my editors pay me via Paypal.
What works for me is I have my PayPal connected to an account where I maintain a very low balance. If it should ever become compromised, my losses would be minimal.
However, I should note that PayPal has been extremely secure and I'm not aware of any significant data breaches. But still take the usual precautions (e.g., choose a secure password for your account and change it periodically).
PayPal is also convenient (and required) for services like TeePublic. All my sales go directly to my PayPal account.
(the only weird problem I've noticed is that recently, when I try using my Paypal account for purchasing games or DLCs on Steam, it asks me to add a credit card to my Paypal account to complete the purchase, but that is more likely on Steam's end)
So, yeah, I would say go for it; it'll be a very handy tool to have for making online/international purchases >^_^<
but here, things are different. in the EU it's a bank service tied to the bank, JP Morgan, placed in Luxembourg, and thus follows different rules than paypal of the US.
a method to deal with russian artists is to use a service they set up named Boosty, but it's a bit buggy in times. other artists use the services of friends located outside of russian territory, they have their own means to transfer money if I recall right.
myself, I have some different problems, especially with selling foreign, as even today, neither DHL, nor Hermes, deliver to some select countries unless it's a simple letter envelope, DPD doesn't ship outside EU at all, FedEx charges you an arm and a leg, and only UPS has reasonable prices and rules, though a package starts at 45€ shipping... I don't know what the problem is still, seems some contracts were canceled when Corona hit, and never renewed?