Web Features
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@dkeyes: i believe that payment is only available by cheque for all users, irrespective of your location. But this is something that I would really like to see implemented by Blurb: payment of profits via PayPal. On top of having to wait up to 45 days after the end of the calendar month for a cheque to be issued (which I am pleased to say my first one only took 35 days to be issued, and only 8 days to reach me via mail), those in Australia (and I’d imagine it’s similar in other countries that don’t have USD, GBP or EUR as their currency) have the issue of having to pay around $10 (that’s what my bank charges) for the privilege of having a foreign cheque paid into our bank accounts, PLUS we have to wait 28 days whilst the cheque is cleared. I realise this is something out of Blurb’s control, but paying profits by PayPal would reduce the excessive waiting time between earning the profit and being able to access it, and save us losing out on more of the profits due to high bank fees. Obviously there would still be merchant fees if applicable through PayPal, and the issue of exchanging currency from USD to AUD, but transferring funds from my PayPal account to my Australian bank account only takes 3-5 business days. I suspect that Blurb would still charge a processing fee irrespective of the payment being made via cheque or PayPal, but it would make things much more user-friendly for international authors, and no doubt also be a popular option for all users of Blurb. |
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i agree about the idea of paypal i live in france but am from the states and to have a check mailed to me would be a pain if i only make $25 and i get charged $5 for the processing and then have to wait a long time for the check and then get it transfered into euros plus the fee that would be minus the difference for usd vs euro… it feels like i would only be making 2 euros..ok maybe more lol but not by much paypal would help with the wait, a sort of direct deposit idea… though it still doesn’t help the rest of us (out of the states) with the amount of money we recieve. i would still like to be able to put a hold on any low amounts of money i make till i can have the fees be worth it
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I think for 2009 there are two things Blurb needs to be focusing on – Customer satisfaction through consistency and improved functionality in relation to customer payment and shipping. If they don’t make any headway on either Blurb won’t be around for very long. |
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I’d like to support the above opinions.. Payment through Paypal would be so much easier for all of us. After all it’s an international way of payment these days.
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I also would like to agree on a Paypal payment option since it would make life a lot easier for international writers. This is my first book so right now would just be happy to earn enough to get a check :-) |
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Can someone form Blurb tell us, if Paypal is something that’s going to happen in 2009? I really want to make some books but don’t own a credit card. None of my friends own one too.. So it would be really comforting to know if i just have to wait untill later this year or that I just have to find some other company to print it. I really hope you can tell if Paypal is one of your plans.. Thanks! |
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Hi, Yes, I am pleased to say that PayPal is definitely on our roadmap for 2009. In fact, you should see some announcements around it coming up as soon as this summer. Hope that helps. – Kathy |
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I do support this issue as well. I just try to cash a cheque of 30 Euro and they asked me a 18 Euro processing fee. That is to much money for the bank. Either using Paypal or receiving a cheque once per year (or above a preset amount) would be useful. |
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It is August 1st and I’m considering creating some art books. Is PayPal an option for being paid royalties now? Cashing an international check is over 30 days to process, and expensive… that is assuming a check actually arrives. |
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If Blurb can issue payments through Paypal then it will instantly become more popular since one of the major drawbacks is the money lost to the banks. Hope this happens soon
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Hi, I totally agree that this would be a great option to offer. We’ve revised our roadmap plans, so it doesn’t look like we’ll see this PayPal option for Set Your Price this year. Thanks for your patience around this. – Kathy |
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This is really a bad news. I definitelly reinforce that Blurb should reconsider the priorities and make sure that we can receive the payments via PayPal now! As lots of people already mentioned above, for us who live outside of the US, the check option just make the profit to disappear…besides the workload. Pleeeeeease, make it happen!
Adriana |
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I agree with all these people. I just received a check for 19 Euros from Blurb, but found out that it costs me about 12 euros to cash it :-(
BLURB: PLEASE PLEASE offer payment by Paypal. SHouldnt be that difficult :) |
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I read earlier that Blurb are working on having a PayPal payment plan in the works.. I support this.. I would just like to add my suggestion that the first payment a member received should be by check, with payments thereafter by PayPal.. I say this because an online company I work for use the received and cashed payment by check as a way fo identity verification. Having members positively identified will go a long way towards scaring the copyright theifs off.. Mst people will think twice before stealing someones and claiming their own name to if if they were satisfied that they are easily traced if found out. I know IStock.com use photo ID verification for this reason.. lol, a pain in teh butt, I dont want to go there.. i suport PayPay payment options, BUT, please consider teh advantages of having members verified in a sense by having a first payment sent registered post and check.. |
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I’m so ready to make many books of my original photo-art, but still waiting on PayPal payment before doing so. And please DO NOT require the first royalty payment by check. That doesn’t verify anything and just means that we’d miss a payment. and if you require that check cashed first and we can’t cash international checks, you’ll be excluding those who truly need a PayPal option. If you want to verify send a postcard with a confirmation code to their address or better yet EMAIL it. Letters often don’t arrive. |
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I’ve just created a book on Blurb, immediately ordered 10 copies, and planned on producing many more & selling lots of them through my business. I’ve just discovered that paypal payments on my profits are not allowed and think this is totally unacceptable in a digital age. I originally chose Blurb over lulu because of better prices, nicer interface and better upload options, but I am not around to cash paper cheques, and my bank imposes a charge on me to do so. For this reason, I would echo everyone else for blurb to provide a paypal facility asap, or risk people placing their products elsewhere. Unless Blurb can provide a definitive answer and date of implementation quickly, I’m afraid I’m already running out of the door, and telling my friends accordingly. |
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I’ve recently returned back to blurb after a 2 year hiatus. Just got hit with this so-called “small processing fee of $5” So, my paltry profit has just been cut. Now, I understand that blurb in the business of making money. And that this print on demand business model and pricing is mostly geared toward blurb making money off of the authors buying their own books… but to also make money off of us when and if we see any profit at all? That seems kind of shameful to me. Honestly… leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Actually… it makes me a little sick to my stomach to be honest. I mean REALLY? After I bought some of your books that are pricy even at cost… and paid to advertise it on facebook… you’re going to charge me $5 to cut me a check on top of everything?! Are we all just suckers to you blurb? I guess so. It is what it is. Figured I would have learned my lesson the first time. Oh yeah.. the printing looks nice. Thanks a lot blurb! I’ve now learned my lesson. |
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Quote: "I agree with all these people. I just received a check for 19 Euros from Blurb, but found out that it costs me about 12 euros to cash it :-(" Come on Blurb…this is totally unacceptable! Provide a better payment service for your customers! |
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I want Paypal too. There are hardly any banks left here where I live, where I can cash a check, have to drive about 20km to do that, which leaves me with nothing in the end when they charge 12 euros on a check of 19 euros on top of that. Come on Blurb, this is century 21! I don’t even pay my groceries with real money anymore. |
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What is a cheque? ;) Sounds familiar. Like something my great grandparents would have used. Paypal is the way to go! |
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The Paypal feature is long overdue. I’d be interested to hear when the current Blurb "roadmap" predicts we will get this much-needed feature.
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Hi everyone, I am here to tell you that we are commited to offering a PayPal option for our Set Your Price this year. It’s definitely on the roadmap. We’ll still offer checks as a payment option, but we do hope most people choose the PayPal option. More news to come around SYP later this year as well, but for now, please know that we will be getting this done this year. Thanks for your support while waiting. Stay tuned. – Kathy |
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Thanks for the update Kathy.
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Is this Blurb Company still in the dark ages?
We are well into the electronic transfer age, and checks are a thing of the past. Over here in Holland, I will loose two thirds of my profit to the banks, and as a matter of fact, the banks here don’t even like to handle checks. The UK and other European countries are going the same way, paying by check is on its way out. Direct electronic transfer is the only way to go.
In this day and age, the banks have screwed us all over; let’s not pour more gasoline on to the fire!
So Blurb! Get with the times, and change your method of payment!
This topic was started on the 13 April 2008………… that’s almost 2 years ago!
What’s the hold up?
Until a system like PayPal is introduced here, I will not advertise my book (which will be advertising Blurb for free as well) and most likely go else where.
So Blurb! It is long over due to get it sorted out!
I don’t want to hear any more promises, I want to see a result.
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Ok, thank you Kathy, I’m glad to hear that Paypal is going to be an option. I have one more question though: Could you think up a way to hold the payments for those who want that, until our proceeds can be paid through Paypal, so we won’t end up with cheques we can’t cash in at the bank? In my country (The Netherlands) it costs about 60 euro to cash in a checque, so if you send me a cheque for 25 euros next month, there’s no way I can get hold of that money. I would rather have it stay with Blurb, until the Paypal option is a fact.
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I agree also with Titia, I have the same (Nederlands) problem, and I would like the payments held by Blurb until the PayPal is sorted out. |
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another thumbs up for adding paypal. Like others I decided (long ago already) not to promote my Blurb books, because cashing a cheque is too expensive (Netherland). One needs to sell a lot of books per month in order to make money, and even then most of the profit goes to the banks (that already are drowning in our money anyway). And I guess within a year or so, cashing a foreign cheque is no longer possible here. |
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Kath, I hope this time Blurb will do what they say and will not change the road map again (see 2009)! All this had a good side too , because it made me look deeper into the e-books potential and that’s what I am investigating further. |
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Great to hear it’s on the way this year. Cheques are dead or dying in vast areas of the world, and the UK announced plans to even phase them out entirely by the end of the decade. Not being able to allow profits amass is disappointing, though. Other online companies use, such as Prinfection, allow profits to be held until either a preset amount is reached, or simply until the user decides. I’d be really happy to see this, although if PayPal payment does become a reality it won’t be such an issue of course. Thanks for the great service. :)
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I agree with all above… have started to sell a book and realized with HUGE disappointment the method of payment… it goes by date, then this silly check is being issued .. and it takes FOREVER to get it. Not to mention how much you have to pay in order to get the cash. I am wondering in what century we are. Checks are LONG time gone (at least here in Europe….). Pls offer any kind of electronic payment system.. better offer a few, so people can choose from. This thread is 2 years old… this does NOT speak of customer friendliness… doesn’t it? |
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Still no response from Blurb on this matter……. what seems to be the hold up? |
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Hi all, Rest assured that we’ve heard your requests and, per Kathy’s post above, a Paypal option is in the works. We’ll let you know when it’s ready. As this thread is getting rather long and there’s nothing new to add at the moment I’ll be locking it shortly. Regards, |
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Can I get paid thru PayPal instead of a check?
