What's the issue on transaction charges? |

Sep 5, 2022

The creator platforms typically have transaction costs. Discover when they could benefit your business and also what red flags to avoid as your business grows.

Fees for transactions. If you're using creative platforms, tools as well as software, to develop your online business, you've probably experienced a fair amount of.

These platforms have to make profits so that they can keep their lights on, so they often charge users transaction fees, a flat monthly subscription, or a combination of both.

A transaction fee is an amount that the business takes when you make a sale using their platform. It is almost always a percentage of the profits. If you are able to make 100 dollars in sales by using software with the transaction fee of 5 the company keeps $5 and you keep the $95.

Transaction fees are separate from other platform costs, including payment processing costs or listing fees. They are also the recurring fees for subscriptions. The juggling of all these costs is a challenge, so this is a brief breakdown of the process:

Fees for processing payments: Payment processors (e.g., Stripe, Paypal) have their own fees as well as platform transaction fees. The cost varies depending on the processor you are using as well as your place of business as well as the location of your customers.

Monthly fees for subscriptions: Many tools charge the same monthly fee for utilize the software regardless of the amount you earn. You can choose from multiple plans that offer advanced features for higher price points.

In the beginning, transaction fees can feel difficult for the developers. They can be costly when your income grows and quickly can turn a "free" platform quite costly. You work hard to earn money and you should be able to keep it.

However, on the flipside you can find instances where the cost of transaction fees for a tool -- specifically free onesis a good idea to use in your benefit. In this article, we'll discuss what constitutes a appropriate choice, the things to keep an eye on, and how to calculate the time when you should leave fee-based transactions behind through upgrading or switching platforms.

Fees for transactions on plans that are free can help creators in the early stages reduce costs

If you're building your online company with a limited budget, don't worry. Numerous creator platforms offer the option of a no-cost plan, with transactions fees, as well as their regular paid plans. This can be a good option for those who are just starting out since you only have to pay the platform each time you sell, meaning you can establish your brand on the ground without fronting an enormous amount of money.

Let's suppose you wish to market your first eBook. Platform A is a no-cost tool that charges a 5% transaction fee for each sale. Platform B is a paid tool that costs $100 per month but doesn't charge charges for transaction fees.

It can take a couple of weeks to write your ebook and to iron out your advertising, and within the first month you will earn nothing.

On Platform A You will be charged $0.

On Platform B the cost is $100.

In month two, you grow your audience and you earn $1000.

With Platform A, you will have to pay $50.

If you choose Platform B the cost is $100.

In month three, business slows down, and you earn only $500.

With Platform A, you'll have to pay $25.

When you use Platform B however, you'll need to shell out $100.

An unpaid plan that includes transaction fees may be less expensive in the early stages of your business or if you experience an unproductive month, you won't face a hefty bill. This is much more friendly to creators to those just beginning their business rather than having a fixed monthly cost in the event that you're given the option of upgrading and eliminate transaction fees in the future.

Red flags for transaction fees to be aware of

Affluent transaction fees can be a source of trouble as your business expands. These are the things to be aware of:

    1 Transaction fee that can't be removed by changing plans    

With transaction fees, the more you earn, the more you'll pay.

When a platform only has charges for transactions with its free plan, switching to a flat-rate plan once your sales hit a certain level can help you save hundreds of dollars per month. However, some platforms charge charges for transactions on every one of their plans, making it impossible to switch plans.

If you earn $100 per month on an online platform that charges 5% for transactions, you'll pay $5 transaction fee. If you make $10,000 per month, you will have to pay $500. It's quite a difference.

    #2 Transaction fees in addition to the monthly fee    

There shouldn't be any extra charges if you're paying a monthly fee to use a service.

If your income is consistent, you'll pay the additional amount of $180 for transaction costs each year, over your standard price. You should consider options that offer the monthly fee as well as transaction fees, not both, to maximize the amount you earn.

    #3 Fees for transactions in specific dollars    

Some platforms charge a set dollar sum instead of a per-transaction cost, which can be a challenge to creators who offer lower ticket deals.

    #4 Unusually high transaction fees    

Giving up this amount of earnings, even in exchange to gain more visibility, may not be the ideal solution for many creators.

Find out whether it's the right time to take charges for transactions once and for all.

The right moment to upgrade and banish transaction fees

The point of turning is when you'll spend more using the free option with charges for transactions than with a set monthly cost.

Imagine that you are using a service that offers a no-cost plan (8 percent transaction cost) with a monthly fee of $30. month premium plan (0 0.5% transaction fee). If you earn $50 a month, you'll be charged $4 for the free plan , and $30 for the premium plan.

If you make $500 a month, you'll pay 40 dollars in transaction charges with the free plan that's more than what that you'd have to pay for the more expensive plan. Switching to the free plan is more cost-effective, and you'll likely be able to access more features.

If you make $5000 per month, you'll be paying an astounding $400 in transaction fees on the free plan. Had you upgraded to the Premium plan you'd only have to pay $30 per month, which would save you $370.

Transaction fee calculator

The transaction fee calculator to help figure out the exact amount that you'll pay at different thresholds of income.

Drag down the "Total sales" slider up to the number you're hoping to make, then drag your "Transaction fees" slider up to the percentage that the platform is charging. You'll see the amount owed in transaction fees and how much you'll get from your total sales.

Take a second look at fixed rate options offered by the platform. Examine them against the cost that you pay in transaction costs to decide the time to upgrade.

Calculation result for 8% transaction fee on $4000 in sales: you pay $320 in pays and keep $3680 in sales

Sample calculation based on the sale of $4000 and an 8% transaction fee

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Bottom line: A free plan that includes transaction costs is suitable for beginners, but a flat rate plan is more suitable when your company expands.