Heads up PayPal is changing ToS again
And they are getting even more strict when it comes to not using invoices for charging for Digital Goods.
Whatever Invoices make you uncomfortable or not, you gotta start using them if you want to keep your PayPal and your money. Changes starting this October 19th.
Honestly I don’t get why so many artists are so overwhelmed by invoices, takes just a few clicks to set up.
And is not only “oh you have to use invoices because PayPal says so” if you don’t use invoices you’re putting yourself at risk of being scammed by an user abusing the buyer’s protection.
Since PayPal ain’t got no idea of what those $50 you received were for, but the buyer is saying they didn’t got anything for the money, PayPal will just side with the buyer.
I’m seriously begging ppl, start using invoices. I’m tired of seeing ppl complain their paypal was banned, or is under investigation, or worse, the $100 they got for a very complicated commission, 3 months later get a refund issue.
start using invoices for your own sake.
Here is how you use invoices because I can’t keep playing devil’d advocate, yes I would love to help you get your PayPal restored but just this last month I had to help three persons, and they were MORE than aware of this issues.
Just protect yourself.
Step 1. You login and click here
Step 2. You click create new Invoice. YOU NEVER CLICK REQUEST MONEY, unless you want to risk yourself to get scamer by buyer’s protection exploit and not only lose your money but your paypal account, and any future paypal linked to your irl name.
Step 3 You follow this steps
1. Invoice for amount only
2. Ask your client for their PayPal email and put in that field
3. Add a vague description of what you’re doing, something like “Character Coloured with Background” is good enough, and if you need more than 1 character you can type in “2″ where it says amount, or just say “2 characters”.
Warning: don’t type in “Naruto rawing Sasuke”. That will get you banned.
4. Click send.
Optional steps. Create a template, doesn’t take more than 10 minutes and it will save you a lot of time for future invoices, you can even click on “items” right next to “create invoice” and add a list of services you offer such as “character sketch” “character flats” along with a price, so next time you invoice you just add to the invoice from your list of items and you saved yourself some more time.
More importantly, you protect yourself from buyer’s protection exploit because if PayPal knows you’re doing digital goods, then you will be allowed that you did in fact created a digital good.
Keep PayPal happy, as for right now there are no alternatives to this service, and this is the only source of income for many freelancers.
Stay safe.
Heads up, all commissioning artists