PayPal account for IMF

[Evan Schoenberg, M.D.]

On Mar 10, 2012, at 4:20 PM, Mark Doliner wrote:

> I'd like to open a PayPal account for IMF.  There's a specific use
> case I have in mind that I'd prefer not to mention publicly, but we
> also might want to use this account for other things:
> 
> - I created http://imfreedom.spreadshirt.com/ and
> http://www.zazzle.com/imfreedom a while ago.  We haven't advertised
> these anywhere, but I'd like to start (with a disclaimer that we only
> get a few dollars from each sale, and that plain donations are a more
> effective way to donate).  Royalty payments from Spreadshirt can be
> paid either by PayPal or by direct deposit into a US bank account.  In
> this case direct deposit seems easier to me (and it's possible PayPal
> charges a fee for this).  Royalty payments from a Zazzle store can be
> paid either via PayPal or by mailing a check.  In this case PayPal
> seems easier (and I believe PayPal does NOT charge a fee for payments
> from Zazzle).

Having done this for Adium, I can comment: It's great that folks can get officially sanctioned merchandise and contribute a bit in the process.  That said, it hasn't been a very active storefront for us; my guess is that most of the existing user base doesn't actually go to the website with any frequency.

> - We could easily accept donations through PayPal.  I don't think we
> need to be pushy about this, but it might be interesting to throw a
> Donate button on http://pidgin.im/ and see what happens.

Adium has done this for quite some time, as well.  Again, not hugely active for us, but certainly not harmful, and it has generated plenty of funds to cover the build machines we use and things like Apple developer program membership.

> In short, there are a few reasons why it might be useful for IMF to
> have this account, and I don't believe it will cost us in any way.
> But maybe people have moral objections to PayPal?

"Yeah, but it's the only game in town!"

Just kidding.  I think the low cost of entry makes this a viable impulse-donation system for users, many of whom already have an account.  I've never had issues with them and don't object to it.

> 
> Proposal:
> Shall Mark Doliner or Ethan Blanton (treasurer--might be easier for
> him) open a PayPal business account on behalf of Instant Messaging
> Freedom, Inc., for the purposes of accepting funds for the
> organization?

I vote yes.

-Evan

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