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onisuu — Invoice Guide for PayPal
#guide #invoice #paypal #how
Published: 2017-01-13 06:37:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 148212; Favourites: 2020; Downloads: 767
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reblog on tumblrscreenshots from www.paypal.com
Hello! Since I have received some questions about how to go about using invoices on paypal, I labelled some things from a screen cap of the pages to hopefully guide artists on how to create and send an invoice to their customers/commissioners.
I have a business account on paypal, so I apologize if some of the screenshots look different from what it looks like for a personal account. ^-^
You can hide your address under "My business information": click edit, and under Address, select "Don't show on invoice".
*note* the paypal fee is actually about 4% but I rounded it up to 5% in this guide, because sometimes the fee is a little higher if the customer is outside of your own country so rounding up helps account for those situations. Basically, the take home message is -- increase your advertised prices instead of asking your customer to pay EXTRA on top of what was advertised. It's against the PayPal TOS to make buyers top up and pay the fees as a surcharge on top of a product's price.
reference>> From Section 8 of PayPal User Agreement
"For Purchase Payments, the recipient of the payment will always pay the Fee."
- The artist is the recipient of money from the customer, who is paying for the artist's services.
Also, you can choose to increase your commission prices to even numbers so they look neater and less random. (like $20 instead of $19.73)
Here's a guide to Buying Art with PayPal (paying for a service)
Related content
Comments: 358
ahh thank you so much for replying! and my account's been around since may? i actually checked the email they sent me and they clarified that they are holding it for 21 days before releasing it to my account for security reasons! i think that's been sorted out, haha. also, thanks for the marvelous invoice guide too!
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Hi. Sorry for asking. May I know the steps of making commission through paypal?
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hi! if you are wanting to pay for a commission, ask the artist to send you an invoice and you can link them this tutorial if they need it.
If you are wanting to charge a customer for their commission, you'll need to know their paypal email, then you can send an invoice to them.
Usually, I'll talk with my customers on deviantart first to figure out what they want to order (and the price), get all the reference pictures gathered together, as well as discuss when the commission will be finished. When both of us are happy with the order, then I send them an invoice that lists the price of each item they are ordering, and they can pay it when they receive it. I start on the art after they paid the full amount.
Please let me know if you have more questions
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Oh, that's really helpful. Thank you
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Hi! I opened commissions and I'm using the paypal.me link thing and the buyer has to pay me $3 but they need to pay an extra $3 dollar fee in return (all in all making it $6 that they'd need to pay), how do I solve this issue? Should I decline the commission or -? Sorry, if it isn't related to the guide, I just wanted some help is all since I'm new to paypal and stuff. qwq
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woah, the fee is as much as the commission? I wouldn't use that method of payment if that's the case : (
I've no idea why the fee is ....100% of the commission price, even though you're using paypal.me which should be charging the same fee structure as the regular site. *_* (where the fee should be around 4-5% of the total amount that customer pays)
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Hi, I've been using invoices to charge for digital work (which I do not ship out), and figuring out how to manage the shipping thing has caused me pain. Do you happen to know what it means, or what I should do, when I don't even have the "Add tracking information" or "Edit tracking info" option in my invoice details at all? Like even if I did want to ship something, I can't add tracking info because the link is not displayed. It only shows me the "Print packing slip" link and nothing else. Are you familiar with this issue?
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hello! Ah, that is strange, I hope I can help~
When you click on the transaction in the PayPal summary page, make sure to click on "Payment from ____________" and not "Bill to ____________".
The Add tracking info should be on the left side of the page, below the client's address.
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Hmm... Nowhere on my summary page does it say "Payment from ______" or "Bill to ______". There's a list of the transactions, and they are just say "[DATE] [Name] Payment received +xx.xx USD" and when you click on a transaction it there's a drop-down thing with the info. Where there should be "Edit tracking info" and "Print packing slip", there is only "Print packing slip". This is really weird. But thanks for trying to help. :') I appreciate it.
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huh, that is so different! Are you using the web browser to look at the page? or is it a paypal app? Also, is your paypal a personal account or a business one? ^^
Maybe it's showing the "classic" layout of the site~ I'm not sure if at the bottom of the page there is an option to display the site differently?
Awh, I hope a solution can be found!
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PayPal FAQ says to view the invoice details in old account view/classic site view if you don't find the tracking information link, which I did, and it still wasn't there. Went to check again and now the option to view the invoice details in old site view isn't even there anymore so that's dandy.
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Hi! I just did my first invoice and the buyer has sent the money, however, Paypal shows the payment as "pending" in transactions, and the invoice is showed as unpaid. Is there any way to fix this problem?
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hi! It sounds like you just gotta wait it out! Some accounts might have a pending period because the customer or your own account is still fairly new. The pending period tends to be about 2 weeks or so. I think after you've done a certain number of transactions, the pending period gets lifted ^^
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Hello! What does the "Order Processed/Service Rendered" tell paypal? Does it tell them that we already took care of shipping before hand? Or does it tell them we didn't need to ship an item at all?
I'm worried about a possible chargeback for the item, and not having the proof that I shipped an item to dispute it because it was a digital good (if order processed/service rendered implies shipping has taken place in one way or another). Then being in trouble with paypal for using the service incorrectly because I told them I processed their shipment/didn't provide a tracking number(?).
I think it's really cool that you made this and are more than willing to answer questions. Thank you!
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hi! You will use "order process/service rendered" to mark the transaction as finished after you send the digital art to your client. you will be able to screenshot the message if proof is needed and provide a link to the finished art if a chargeback is issued.
This option tells paypal that the client paid for a service - so no shipment is made nor is expected. You can also include on the invoice's "Note" section that the client is paying for the service of having custom digital artwork made, and the finished art will be sent electronically. You can also include your terms of service in the invoice so it lays out what the customer is agreeing to by ordering art from you.
you only need to worry about tracking number if you choose the option 'order shipped' or other related options ^_^
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<3 thanks for clearing that up! much appreciated
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Hi! Thank you so much for making this tutorial! Can I ask a question? What does "due on receipt" mean? It's an option under "due date." Does it mean that if I send the invoice to the customer now, he/she has to pay it now too? My customer won't be able to pay until the first day of next month.
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hi! yes, that's right! Due on receipt means you are expecting the client to pay as soon as they get the invoice. This is preferable if you charge commissions upfront, so you are paid before you do the work.
If you know your customer will pay on a specific date, then you can set the date. Or choose pay within the next 15 days or 30 days...etc, of you want to give them a timeframe to make the payment.^_^
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Thank you so much!!! You are helping so many newbie artists! <3
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i have a question; do you have to send the digital art file through the invoice in order to "complete" the order?
or does the option for editing the order status only show up once the invoice is paid?
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You can send the art via any method (dA, email, other social media etc)
you can edit the tracking info as soon as the invoice is paid
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Sorry, just to reconfirm ((because I'm paranoid and have to recheck everything like 15 times ))
I should go back to the invoice and click "Edit Tracking Info" after I finish the commission and send it, right?
Just worried and wondering if Paypal will bother you about it if you do this a few days/a month after getting paid??
Also, does the "No shipping Required" only appear for the Buyer if they're not paying through invoice?
I just tried researching a bunch and my head's not working quite right; sorry to trouble you with all my questions!!
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hi, yes go back and select 'add tracking info' after you've delievered the art. then choose 'order processed'.
Sometimes I forgot to do it too but paypal isn't gonna chase you down if it slips your mind. It's good practice to mark the transaction as processed so if an issue comes up (like client wants to do a refund and tries contacting paypal about it) then there is a time stamp when you marked the transaction as finished.
That's correct - No shipping required only shows up when the client is sending money themselves (no invoice).
I'm glad to help, no worries!
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thank you!! i'm relieved to see i understood the info correctly
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Whats the safest way to receive money w/ Paypal?
invoice?
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Hi!
Omg this is very helpful. Q_Q I love you!
I have a quick question, that's all.
So when I created an invoice, do I need to add "shipping" option? (just regular digital commissioned art, no prints)
Because when I even add, it is asking me to set me own shipping price.
Thank you for this useful tutorial!
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hehe I'm glad it helps! you can leave out shipping!
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I need an info: What's the risk about omitting the last part? (Order status: Processed)
Because when I first started using Paypal, I didn't use this option.
If I risk fines or Paypal account closure, I'm gonna change the status on every single invoice I did! O_O"""
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I just use it to indicate to PayPal that the order is finished. I don't have an answer for whether there is a risk to your account if you didn't do that step on previous transactions. If none of your customers have disputed a transaction or had problems with not receiving their art, then it's not a big worry for you :3
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ah okay then!
I normally manage my orders by mail and use Paypal JUST for the invoices... when the commission is done I normally advice the customer by mail too, sending the file... so if nothing happened 'till now, I guess I shouldn't worry ^^
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Thank you for the very useful tutorial! I'm new to both PayPal and commissions so this was very useful. :0
However, I was scrolling through the comments section but did not find the question I want to ask, so here it is: If I check the box for 'allow partial payment', which is down-payment I assume, do I have to send the invoice to the client before starting the commission, whereby the client will pay the minimum amount I typed down? And when the commission is finished, will I have to send the same invoice once again to the client for them to pay the remaining half? Or is this process automated and sorted out by PayPal?
I'm sorry if I'm not being clear but I would really appreciate a bit more insight into the 'allow partial payment' option and how it works. Thank you for taking your time to read and reply our questions!
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hi! I have not yet used this option but I believe you can send one invoice and the client has the option of paying a portion of the invoice and can go back and pay the rest another time, without you sending another invoice.
source: www.paypal-community.com/t5/Ab…
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Thank you! I will try it out and hopefully get it sorted out.
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Great guide! I have a question.
You overlook this part that concerns me a lot in the invoice: "It is the user's responsibility to create an invoice that is compliant with local laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the application of the correct VAT rate(s)"
Is this something I should be concerned about? Or does it not apply to occasional commission artists like me?
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hi! I don't know what that section means, you could contact paypal about it if you want ^^
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Hi sorry to bother you. When I go to Edit tracking info the link actually says Add Tracking Info and when I click on it nothing comes up. I'm kind of freaking out because I don't want to be hit with a fine from Pay pal. I put disclaimers in the invoice saying that it was a digital commission and no shipping was required but Im still really nervous.
Edit: actually its all good now. For some reason I was able to add the information through my phone browser but not on my computer. thanks anyway
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oh okay glad it worked out! ^^
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Hello! Sorry to bother, but I had a question about this! I switched to invoicing recently for my commissions and sent my first invoice for 60$, and it says it'll take 3-5 days before the payment is cleared. Is this normal? Do you know the amount before the invoice starts taking a few days to clear? I'd like to keep this in mind for next time in case my customers want their payments to go through immediately. And what's the difference between a business account and personal? Should I switch my paypal to a business one or is keeping it personal okay? (sorry for all the questions qwq, it's been awhile since I've done commissions and wanted a refresher on paypal)
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hiya! Ohh sorry I'm not too sure why paypal would take several days for payments to clear~
Do you know if your account is still less than a year old?
It could also be that you need to receive a certain amount of money before transactions clear faster.
Or maybe it's just taking a couple business days so PayPal can earn some money from interest by holding the money for a few days (that would make sense for a business to do)
Usually though - customers can pay the invoice and that amount leaves their account right away. And your account will technically receive it but you may not be able to spend or transfer that amount until the transaction has cleared.
You could try emailing paypal's contact for more clarifications, since I'm just guessing here, lol! ^__^
www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/co…
Business account - you can choose what name is displayed to your customer (your business name)
Personal account - displays your real name to your clients
If you are okay with your name displayed to your clients, then it's okay to keep as a personal account.
Otherwise, you can change your personal account to a business one any time via your account settings. (However, you cannot change a business account back into a personal one)
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quick question! the menu for the shipping/tracking info is different from the image and doesn't have an option for order processed/service rendered, it just has order processed. do i select that or shipped instead?
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just choose order processed and you'll be ok! ^_^
don't select shipped unless you actually mailed something
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Hi, I'm sorry to bother you haha. I'm only 14 so I'm not the legal age to set up a Paypal, but I really want to start commissions, and I've got a few people interested. Is there a way I can receive commissions at this age? Parents' paypals are out of the question by the way ;-;
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Hi Alyssa!
Aw, sorry, I dunno how you'd take commissions unless it was with deviantart's Points Commission widget for now, and once you reach 18, then you can make a paypal account and withdraw your earnings to your bank account. But that's like 4 years down the road.
I didn't take commissions for money until I was able to have my own paypal account.
You could try looking into making e-transfers between bank accounts
interac.ca/en/interac-e-transf…
You'd need to have online banking available as an option for yourself though.
Otherwise, I'd just focus on practicing and developing technique and drawing skills for now~ This time you have is really valuable, and you can have a very strong start when you're able to do online transactions and earn income! ^_^)
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Thank you for your reply! I'm sorry, I don't use deviantart much, so I didn't see this notification until now. Thank you for your advice!
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I am glad you covered this. I have never once been asked to pay paypal fees on top of commission prices from the furry community. Though I am hearing from a few close friends that often commission human art that they are frequently asked to cover the paypal fee which is just so bizarre to me. x.x We had a discussion about this but I couldn't pinpoint why/where paypal said it wasn't okay, so I sent them this for a reference guide. Both of them are pretty new to buying art via paypal, so I want to make sure they are playing it safe. Haha.
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When someone sends money will it send you a notification with their username or email?
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