How to Accept Payments on PayPal

As an online seller, you need a widely accepted payment system to receive payments from your customers. This is especially true when you sell internationally.

In this article, we’ll look at how to accept payments on PayPal. However, PayPal is not the only player on the block in the game of international transfers and selling online. Wise Business is a multi-currency account that can help you receive and send money across borders with fair and transparent fees. But more on that later.

What do I need to accept payments on PayPal?

For consumers, it's as simple as registering an email address with PayPal to receive payments.

However, if you run a business and want to use PayPal for it, you must open a PayPal business account. This gives you more flexibility and freedom to run your business without getting restricted. Unlike personal PayPal accounts, business accounts can process a higher transaction volume and handle more money without getting frozen or suspended.

To upgrade your personal account, click on the settings tab, and select account options. Here you can choose to upgrade to a business account, and follow the steps set out.

Your business can also receive debit and credit card payments, as well as direct payments from customers with personal PayPal accounts.

Besides that, a PayPal business account also comes with various tools that you can use to set up online payment buttons or complete electronic shopping carts. Your funds can be easily accessed with a business debit card or can be transferred to your main personal or business account.

How to Receive Payments on PayPal

Receiving PayPal Payments through your website

As an online seller, if you sell majorly via your website, you can add a PayPal payment button to your website. This will allow your customers to make payments to your PayPal account right from your website. Here's how to set it up:¹

1. Log into your PayPal account and go to “PayPal payment buttons.”
2. Select the kind of button you want to create. If you sell one or a few items, you can use the “Buy Now” button. If your website sells multiple items, you should choose the “Shopping Cart” option. The shopping cart option allows your customers to add an item to the shopping cart.
3. Enter the item name and price. You can also customise the buttons by adding extra features. Once you're done, click “Create Button”.
4. Click “Select Code” to select the button code. Copy and paste this code into your webpage code and the button will appear on your website.
5. All the buttons that you create will appear in the “My Saved Buttons” page if you would like to make some edits in the future.

How do I receive international payments on PayPal and not lose money on fees

If you’re an international trader, it's essential that you allow payments in your customers’ local currency. This section will show you a cost effective way of receiving international payments on PayPal so if you want to save some money on your sales, pay close attention to this section.

PayPal doesn’t allow international payments by default so you’d have to enable this from your business account.² But before you do so, add foreign currency accounts for the currencies that you want to receive on PayPal. Here’s how:

1. Click on “Money” from the main menu then click “Manage Currencies”
2. Select the currency that you want to hold then click “Add Currency”

This feature will allow you to hold funds in different currencies rather than having it converted automatically to your local currency. While that sounds convenient, it can get expensive since PayPal charges a conversion fee of 3% on top of the exchange rate.³

Now, in order for you to withdraw the funds without having to convert it first, you’ll need a multi-currency account. You can get one from Wise Business to make sure that your funds are always converted at the real mid-market exchange rate without mark-up and with fair and transparent fees.

Get started with Wise Business 🚀

How to accept payment on eBay with PayPal

eBay is one of the most popular online marketplaces. Its popularity and the volume of people that use the platform makes it attractive to sellers. If you are a seller on eBay, here is how to set up your account to receive payment via PayPal.⁴

1. If you have a PayPal account already, go to My eBay - Account - Site Preferences
2. In the Selling Preferences section, click the Show link that’s beside Payments from Buyers, and click Edit
3. Under PayPal preferences, select “Offer PayPal as a payment method in all my listings”
4. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.

Even if you don't have a PayPal account yet, you can still accept PayPal on your eBay listings. All you have to do is select PayPal as a payment method when filling the Sell Your Item form. Then enter the email address that you want the payments to be sent, and you can receive online payments from your buyers. You will be asked to sign up once you receive your first payment.

Sources:

1. PayPal help article - How to add a PayPal button
2. How to accept foreign currency with your PayPal Business account
3. PayPal Merchant Fees - Seller Fees | PayPal UK
4. eBay help article - Accepted payment methods.

Sources last checked August 28, 2023