PayPal was a game-changer in online money transaction mechanisms in the world. Though the platform still doesn’t universally work everywhere, the majority of the countries and regions of the world use the platform for different transactions.
One such transaction can be using PayPal for art commissions. Artists can set up an invoice system to receive payment for their art commissions. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide for you to follow.
How Do Art Commissions Work?
Art commissions are basically gigs that involve someone requesting art from an artist in exchange for payment. These can be anything from creative arts to a recreation of a famous painting. Here’s how it works.
Requesting Artwork
At the onset, a client will request artwork from a potential artist and explain their requirements. This part can be tricky and long as it is important for the artist to thoroughly understand the vision and requirements of the client to craft the perfect piece.
Usually in this stage, there will be a lot of back and forth between the client and the artist to set up the basic groundwork and outline of the project. Here the artist and the client will also agree upon a quote and the potential time required to complete the artwork.
Making an Initial Deposit
The artist at this stage will request to deposit a partial amount for the gig as safety money. This is to avoid any kind of fraudulent activity and to ensure that the efforts and time of the artist are protected.
Delivery
At the last stage, the artist will deliver the piece and receive the remaining payment. Throughout the creation process, there should be several interactions between the client and the artist to ensure both parties are satisfied with the outcome.
Is PayPal Safe For Art Commissions?
PayPal is one of the most widely used and trusted online payment platforms which is used across the globe.
As a result, it is completely safe to use PayPal for art commissions. In fact, using PayPal for art commissions is completely within the guideline of PayPal for business use.
PayPal also uses state-of-the-art encryption and verification procedures to ensure there are no unauthorized transactions or access to accounts.
However, there are some security measures like reclaimed payment that can be used to defraud clients.
While it is completely safe to use PayPal, you should also be careful to set up your account in a way that doesn’t make you vulnerable to payment loopholes.
How To Set Up PayPal For Art Commissions?
Setting up PayPal for art commissions is pretty simple. It can be divided into two steps, setting up PayPal itself and setting up an invoice for the commissioned art. Let’s consider you don’t have a PayPal account and start from there.
Step 1 – Signing up for PayPal
First, you need to visit PayPal’s official website to start the registration process.
On this page, click the sign-up button to get started.
Step 2 – Personal or Business
The second thing to do is to select whether you want your PayPal account to be personal or business.
The question is, are you a professional full-time artist who will use the PayPal account only for art commissions? If yes, then go ahead with the business account.
If not, choose the personal option. You can use all types of business transactions with your personal account too so don’t worry about it.
Step 3 – Selecting Location and Information
On the next page, you will need to select your region from a drop-down menu. After that, you will be directed to the personal information section where you will have to put your contact information legal first and last name, address, contact number, and email.
The email is important as it will be the key identification option for transactions.
Step 4 – Link a Card or Bank Account
After the personal details, you will be asked to link a card with your account.
If you do not have one or do not wish to link your card, you will have the option to link a bank account with the PayPal account.
Step 5 – Creating an Invoice
Now that you have your account set up, the next step is to create an invoice.
From your dashboard, select Invoicing from the Quick Links menu or select the same from Pay and Get Paid menu.
Step 6 – Fill in the Billing Detail
The next step is to fill in the billing details. Here you will need to put the name of the client. You will also need to put in the amount to be received, the due date, and details of the good.
If it is multiple commissions, then you can put in multiple goods by adding a new row.
You can also keep an option for partial payment and tipping by the client. After that, all you have to do is copy the link of the invoice and send it to your client.
And that’s how you set up PayPal for art commissions
What Is Better, Stripe Or PayPal For An Art Commission?
There is no direct answer to this as Stripe and PayPal are both leading financial transaction infrastructures of the internet. They are fast, secure, and offer a great service.
Let us point out some key features of both services so that you can decide which one to go for.
Stripe is known to be a developer-friendly platform with several integrable features. The platform supports a host of currencies and has customizable payment options. It also has a transparent and straightforward pricing scheme.
On the other hand, PayPal is a more diverse and widely recognized platform for online transactions.
The platform safeguards both the buyers and sellers against fraudulent activities and the fees depend on conversion, volume, and type of transaction itself.
In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and convenience. Go for the platform that best suits your needs as both will offer great service.
Where To Get A Verified PayPal Account For Getting Art Commission
Now it’s all great and all to use PayPal for art commissions. Needless to say, with an international payment gateway like PayPal, the options to take art commissions, especially digital ones, opens up by a long mile.
But unfortunately, there are still countries and regions where PayPal doesn’t offer service. So what do you do in that case? Well, Merchantta is right there for you with verified PayPal account services.
The platform offers real verified PayPal accounts complete with every detail based in the UK. You can be sure of the authenticity as they use real information of participating UK citizens.
For a one-time fee, you can get yourself a verified PayPal account from any corner of the world and start receiving your art commissions.
Tips To Avoid Art Commission Fees On PayPal
Here are some effective tips to avoid art commission fees on PayPal. Note that the art commission fees are deducted from your end.
So you cannot explicitly charge the client for the fee. However, there are some workarounds.
- Ask your client to pay via friends and family payments as PayPal doesn’t charge any fees for such transactions. However, this method is not feasible for large-scale transactions or if you’re using a business account.
- Add the fee discreetly with the quote as part of the pricing strategy.
- Ask the client for bank transfers.
- Negotiate the payment options. Some clients might be willing to pay the fee as is with complete transparency.
- Offer alternative payment options.
Additional Tips To Avoid Being Scammed On PayPal For Art Commission
Getting scammed by clients for PayPal art commissions is nothing new. Here’s what you can do about it.
- Properly vet the clients before taking on the commission. Check whether all the information and contact details are legit or not
- Clearly outline the terms and conditions as well as expectations
- Take an upfront deposit as safety money
- Always provide watermarked and low-resolution images for updates
- Create a contract agreement
- Track and insure in case of physical art commissions
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, that covers everything there is about PayPal art commissions. Now let’s take a look at some of the frequently asked questions regarding the same.
What fees does PayPal charge for art commissions?
PayPal fees depend on various factors like goods, country, conversion rates, etc. You can get some idea of PayPal’s fee structure from their website.
How should I handle international art commissions?
PayPal supports a wide range of regions and currencies for international transactions. So if you’re taking an art commission from abroad, settle for an international currency like the USD for transactions.
Is it possible to refund payments in PayPal art commissions?
Yes, it is possible to refund payments in PayPal art commissions. PayPal offers refund options subject to their terms and conditions.
Final Words
PayPal can be a great platform to receive art commissions. It opens a wide range of options like undertaking digital and foreign clients without having to worry about payment hassle.
While there are charges applied with the platform, you can defer them and find alternatives if need be.
As for the service itself, it is fast, secured and you are protected against scammers as long as you follow the proper guideline. Be sure to include invoices as it is a legitimate proof of transaction.
