Guest post by Regina T
One of the greatest freedoms about being a “mommy blogger” is the able to post and discuss topics that you love. Your hobbies, your kids, your home, and your family are all fair game and create interest amongst other parents sharing very similar experiences.
Of course, a great secondary reason to start a blog is to bring in a bit of extra cash to help your family. In some cases, this means selling used items around your home or crafting items to sell to your blog readers. It can also mean writing and selling eBooks or guides for immediate download. But how do you collect payments from potential buyers?
This is where being able to process credit card payments can be extremely helpful for mom bloggers. Whether or not you just sell the occasional item or have an entire inventory, the ability to make a sale when you want is extremely helpful. No waiting for checks or money orders to arrive in the mail. Customers are able to make payments directly from your blog! A great company to check out is Advantage.
While it might seem a bit intimidating to add a credit card processing feature to your blog, there are many different options to choose from. PayPal is easy, but not optimal if you plan on processing more than a handful of payments monthly. Having a merchant account is better for larger order numbers, but requires getting approved by a processor before starting. (A simple Google search can help you find a merchant account provider to start your application with.)
The most important thing to remember when deciding between the two is your needs. Keep in mind what your goals are for selling from your blog and make a credit card processing decision based on the level in which you hope to ultimately operate.
I sell my handmade items through my blog – I’m going to check this out. Thanks for the tips!
I’ve always used paypal. I usually only sell my things on ebay though.