The Author's Inn

The first thing to remember is that you, the individual author, do NOT have to do this. Using PayPal on the site is strictly an individual choice and is only for YOUR benefit.

Second, the instructions here are simplified and it will be up to YOU, the author, to set up your PayPal button as YOU want it. Be sure you read the instructions in the PayPal site carefully and follow them exactly. Once we get the PayPal button installed on your page in The Author’s Inn, you will need to test it yourself to be sure it is correct and that it works the way you want. If you need to make a correction, you will need to correct it IN THE PayPal SITE and re-send me the code to put in place. (Then test it again.)

And, third, this is strictly for YOUR benefit. The Author’s Inn will make no charge for this service and will receive no part of your book sale. All the activity will be between you and PayPal. They will process any sales, will charge you about 50 cents for each transaction, will collect the payment and will send you an e-mail notice to mail your book to the customer. You will then collect your funds direct from PayPal. (The best way to do this, I’ve found, is to just ask them to send you a check, for which they charge $1.50 per check. It’s easier than having them send it direct to your bank, and you don’t have to set up your bank account with them.)

I can help you to some degree if you have questions getting set up in PayPal, but only to a limited degree. E-mail me if you need some help by using the Contact Me button on the site.

1. Set up an account with PayPal. This can be a Regular Individual account, but a Premier account will give you a few extra benefits. You Do NOT have to give them your bank account information. You can do everything without it except get payments direct to your bank account. Don’t rush in getting set up. Read all the instructions and set up the account carefully. You will need an ID name and a Password, so choose them carefully. I have used PayPal for several years and it works well as long as you start well.

2. Once you have an account set up, you need to make a PayPal button for The Author’s Inn site and/or your own site. This can be the same button as long as the information in it (price, shipping, tax, etc.) is the same. THINK before doing. Go to Merchant Services in your PayPal account to do this.

3. If you are only selling one book, whether on your own site or in The Author’s Inn, you only need a Buy Now button, NOT an Add To Cart button. You need to choose a button for Products or Services: selling a book is Products. You will be asked for a Title for your button. I would suggest something like mine: "SANCTION – autographed – postage included." That’s what people are going to see when they click through to make their purchase. I would also suggest you include the postage/shipping in the price you quote so the buyers don’t have to think about a book price, plus a shipping price, plus a tax price, etc. Whether you charge and collect and pay state sales tax is up to you. Check it out. But, it’s your choice. Take a look at my button in the site to see how one looks and works. If you feel so led, you might make a purchase or six while you're there.

By the way, unless you really want people to get the book in just a couple of days, I suggest you use USPS Media Rate (in the U.S. – sorry Canada, etc. I don’t know your Post Office systems), because it only costs between two and three dollars to ship a regular book that way.

You don’t need a drop-down menu, but you might want to put in a text field if you want your customer to specify what kind of autograph they want, for instance.

If you’re going to charge separate shipping and tax, fill those fields in appropriately.

On the Customize Advanced Features, you DO want your customers to be able to change quantities (you do want to sell six books, don’t you, instead of just one?), YES for Special Instructions and YES for Shipping Address. The last two items would be if you want a customer to be returned to your website if they do one of those things.

Then just hit the Create Button button.

4. When you finish making your button, save it, then use the Select Code feature, copy it and paste the code in an e-mail and send it to me WITH an accurate description as to who it’s from and what book it’s for – so I can be sure and not get confused. (Easy at my stage of life. AND, there are several of you out there now.) When I get it, I’ll put it in your page at the appropriate place and e-mail you back to test it.

5. If you have several books to sell, the best way to do it is to set up a multi-product button with PayPal. You will need to set a Title such as Purchase Books for the button because they will make choices inside the drop-down. Don’t fill in the price when you are first asked because you will do that in the drop-down. When you check the Add Drop-Down WITH Prices box you will get a follow-on set of boxes labeled Option 1, etc. Here you just write over the "Option" with the name of the book you are selling, then the price, and keep on doing that with each "Option" until you have all your books in. Use the Add Option 4, etc., until you have them all. Now when a customer clicks on your Buy Now button, they will go to PayPal and see the Drop-Down form with all the books, will select one and then go back to keep adding until they are finished.

5. Again, when you are finished, just copy the code, send it to me and we’ll get it placed on your site so you can test it.

Wow. Let’s just go sell some books, okay. Much easier. However, now you are ready to sell your books through The Author’s Inn with YOU controlling every part of the action and collecting the funds direct. Please don’t worry if you "make a mistake" and have to do-over. Yes, it’s a hassle, but it’s easy enough to do it again and when it’s finished the results will be worth it.

Please remember, I CANNOT do any of this from my end except give you advice and help as I know from my own use. And, I can ONLY try to set up what you create and send me. But, if you’ll do this process carefully, it DOES work. And the buttons will work directly on your own site as well as here in The Author’s Inn. Sales will be made by YOU directly, YOU will ship the product and YOU will collect your money directly through PayPal.

Ready? Set? Go!!! (Again, write me if you need help.)