New payment processing for members

Hello members,
Paypal closed my account because too many people opened complaints about their packages being late. And Paypal also withheld all my money, and won't release it for 6 months! The only way I found to get around that was to refund my customers, since that's the only thing still enabled in my account settings. Then after refunding them, they all paid me through my new shopping cart system. And I managed to get basically all my money back fom paypal that way. People warned me paypal sucked, but I didn' listen.

Anyway, turns out to be for the better anywy, because now I've switched over to using a payment gateway that lets me process credit cards directly through my shopping cart at checkout, without the customer needing to sign up for anything. I was using Google checkout for a while but now I've finally got a payment gateway enabled to process cards like a professional website, with no hassles. Only downside is that I have no idea what the transaction limits are and what the monthly fees will be. But my new shopping cart also has an entire catalog feature with all my products, so even when people buy my books they are taken to the catalog with all the other products that hopefully entice them to buy something else.

By the way, my new book called "Ascension" is now available on the books page which includes photos of the Volpierre process. I'll also be selling the elixir made by that method in my store catalog. I already have it listed, just no inventory for that item yet. And it's extremely expensive because it's only for people who aren't alchemists and can't read my new book and follow the simple instructions. I can't let it be cheap because then it would be too wide spread and end up in the wrong hands, plus I don't want anyone buying it who doesn't believe in it to begin with. And to shell out the kind of money I have it listed for, the customer would have to already believe in it.

As for the memberships, I'll be putting everyone on a recurring billing cycle who hasn't already paid for this year. Please contact me via email with your information and use the membership fee button in the catalog to sign up for montly billing. This way it also makes it impossible for members to remain here who don't pay the monthly 5 dollar fee, and nearly half the members here are freeloader who haven't paid any fees for this year yet. I don't use this fee to make money for myself -- I make more money in one day from my online store than I do from a year of member fees combined -- I only require this fee so the only people who are part of this forum are people who care about being here. We've seen on all the free alchemy message boards how poluted they become with negative people that just don't care. Requiring members to pay a fee easily takes care of the that problem.

I went ahead an setup a payment button for membership fees in my new store catalog. So everyone who's a member and doesn't want to be deleted needs to use that payment button if they haven't paid for this year yet, and for those who've already paid up to this month, just remember to go back to the store catalog when the time comes to pay your fees.

Once you make a payment, I can then set you up for recurring billing each month using the credit card number you provided.

Before I delete anyone, I'll be sure to send you an email to notify you of your membership account being deliquent in case you weren't keep track of how many months you've paid off. A few members here have paid for several years, so you're in the clear for a long time. But so far nobody has even responded to this thread so I'm guessing most of the members no longer care if they get deleted and we'll be down to about 5 people by next week probably.

The reason I'm taking care of this situation now is because I'll be sending out samples of the Volpierre method to all the members of this forum, and I want to eliminate all the members who just don't care anymore before I do that.

You can see in the store catalog that I've already sold a few bottles of the Volpierre elixir and already sold the first bottle of the next batch I'm currently completeing, and each one sold for $4,200 because a lot people out there are dead serious about wanting the real elixir and they know I'm not gonna give them some bottle of garbage like all that "Daviid Hudsonn" nonsense. And yes, the Volpierre elixir I'm selling does indeed pass the test of transmutation, that's why it's priced so high.

Hi Nick,
Since I'm paid up to and including March,
can I not just buy blocks of months, like, a
year or half a year? I know the amount is
nominal but currently am using a secure
credit card and am not so keen on the concept
of auto withdrawals. I only use my bank for
that purpose.

It sucks Pay Pal screwed you around,
it was a convenient method.

About the Elixir, it must be a tough line to
walk, deciding if someone has divine purpose.
But that not to suggest having excess $ devours
a person of genuine integrity.

Glad to see the store is working for you.

I tried paying the membership in the catalog but it would not let me check out because the order was under $40. The checkout also didn't give me a chance to enter credit card info either.

Hey Nick,

I'm pretty sure that I'm paid through the early part of July. That said when the time comes, I would still like the opportunity to pay several months in advance instead of auto pay. The fee's to this forum are one of my higher priorities.

I've added a button to the homepage of this forum that can be used to sign up for monthly recurring billing. The reason I've decided to use this system is so that I know for sure that every member is actually paying their fees and I don't have to keep a list and mark down each person's payments myself. Now when someone's card is declined, it will automatically notify me, and I'll be able to give that person a chance to sign up with a new credit card before I delete their membership.

The shopping cart only shows the entry for credit card information after you click the checkout button. If you use the Google checkout button instead, then you have to enter your credit card information with your Google account.

In the shopping cart settings there's a place where I can change the minimum store order, and I finally found it. I had it set to $9 because that's the eBook price and it was the lowest cost item until I added the membership fee.

DO NOT ENTER MORE THAT ONE as the quantity. Some people used the button and entered 6 months which completely defeats the purpose of the button, because it's gonna charge your card next month for $5 still. So there's no reason to enter more than 1

And also, like I said, EVERYONE HAS TO USE THE RECURRING BILLING to remain a member of this forum. For the sake of keeping things organized, I have to require every member to use automatic billing of their cards so there is absolutely no way a person can remain here without paying. So far only 2 people have signed up for recurring billing, but a lot of members have also paid for over a year already. And any donations made by members are also considered as payment for monthly fees.

I will be verifying the payments each member had made last year using Paypal by looking up their email address. If the email address you used to make payments is different from the email address you have for this forum, then please email me and tell me what email you used to make payments, so you don't get accidentally deleted.


And as for Paypal, I don't even care that I lost that account because it's not an easier method of payment. The method I have now processes credit cards directly without requiring the customer to sign up for anything, which is probably another reason my business has increased drastically since I added the new shopping cart. And now I also allow people to send money to my PO BOX when they buy items in my store, so they don't even need a credit card or a bank account.

Ok Nick,

the message is clear, boy you're a tough nut to crack.
no problemo, you set the rules, if we choose to play we follow.

So, I'm paid to end of March, I'll set up the new method of
payment for April going toward.

PS.
It is a shame we lost many of the regular contributors, I don't
understand how suddenly their passion stopped.

Spring will be soon and the Dew will be too

Should i just pay for the membership test Nick? And have it paid that way?

I cant seem to spot where to activate the rec billing... All i see is the Test being sold and a donation button???

Sonofsol,

Scroll down and there is a second button for the membership.

I dont know if its because im using Firefox, could you link to it?

I use Firefox also and I had no problems getting to the link.
Did you use the correct button?
I'ts the second button about halfway down the home page.
looks kinda like this.

MEMBERSHIP SIGN UP FOR RECURRING BILLING

Then the button below it says

add to cart

Nick moved the membership button to this forum.

Hi Nick,

I've tried a couple times now to set-up the membership instead of waiting until March but have been unsuccessful. I saw your note; re:credit card and tried the Google checkout but to no avail as well. You are probably aware of these facts but thought I'd inform you as well.

Kirk, everyone else has been able to use Google checkout just fine, so I don't understand why you're not able to. Try deleting your cookies in your web browser, then when you're at the shopping cart page hold down CTRL+SHIFT while clicking the reload button on your browser. Sometimes that does the trick.

I'll have the normal credit card checkout button added back to the shopping cart once I complete this ridiculous audit nonsense they're doing on my merchant account. I only had the account open 7 days and they already froze it and are doing an audit on it. I may even just go ahead and add the button back right now since I can still accept money with my merchant account, I just can't transfer it to my bank account. But the audit is nearly complete anyway, so it might make things easier if I just add that button back.

Hi Nick,

I don't know what is going on but I have tried again,
emptied cache, including Cookies - still no luck
Used my Google account to set-up Credit Card
- ERROR - "client request too large"? - tried this twice.

frustrating

I will wait for your C.Card button OR
just send you a Money Order

I tried bud
and usually have no problems with this interweb stuff

take care

Nick,

Well, the time has come where I need to start the monthly auto-pay. There has been very little activity on the form by members for quite some time now...including you. That said with all the problems you have been having lately. I must ask if the recurring billing you had setup is still working? I certainly intend to continue my membership. I've learned much since joining your forum. Although I've never met any of the other members in person, I feel a kinship with them and distance has no bearing.

Yours truly

Kevin Pawlitschek

Hi Kevin,

I too, am in the same boat. I am a month behind now and have begun
to wonder how to proceed. A donation would probably work but the payment
method is not so clear.

Nick, I'd prefer to know how you'd like to proceed? The forum has been
valuable and offers kinship but the halls are kinds empty these days.
Where has the Professor gone?

Kirk

Hi Guys,

I signed up for recurring billing but it didn't work, it only lasted one month. It never got fixed and now all of the cc processing methods are down. I am overdue since June. Since his store website is down I can't get to his P.O. box that was posted there. But I did find it on a receipt that was in my inbox if we want to send him a money order.

Alchemia de Illumina
PO BOX 55238
Virginia Beach VA 23471
UNITED STATES

I texted him to make sure the PO is active...

No response from the text but I just e-mailed him the same question. If I do not get an answer in about a week I think I will go ahead and send a check to his PO Box. I really think he would still have that open. I know he would appreciate getting some money to know we still care.

Happy summer you guys!

Hi Bluefloor,
I was wondering if you confirmed whether Nicks' P O Box, is active?
Hope your summer is going well.

Hey Kirk,

Yes my summer is going pretty awesome. Living in Montana (very close to southern Canada), I would like about six more months of it, but oh well I am excited about other things .

Nick has not responded to my e-mails. My feeling and thought tell me that he would still have his PO Box open, but that is not a sure thing. It seems he has just gotten into a very busy time and maybe also is getting a ton of e-mails, I don't know. I know it would be nice to send him *something* to his PO Box and that would get his attention that we care. I thought of calling the post offices in Virginia Beach but I don't know if they would give out who the Box is registered to, any experience with this you guys? Well, I will go ahead and send him a check, and some kind of card to make it interesting. It shouldn't end up in the wrong hands and it would be check fraud if it did. Maybe money order would be better that a personal check?? I will do that, maybe you guys will join me. I know he would appreciate.

Let me know what you think.

Hi Bluefloor,

Glad to hear you're having great summer, I hear Montana, is an
incredible State, hope to see it one day. I've driven across Canada
a couple of times but only got down the American West coast.

Yea, I thought of sending self addressed envelope, just to see if
Nick, sends it back. But is not a guarantee it is his PO. I'd hate to
see the site go down.

Bluefloor Kirk,

I think I will wait until Nick contacts us. None of us even know if he still has the same P.O. Box anymore. I want to be sure that Nick is the one who gets the money I send for him! I don't think Nick would just let the site vanish into thin air. This has been such a great site to connect with like minded adventurers of the art! It would be such a painful waste if it..... well I enjoy learning from all the input from so many others and I enjoy sharing what I learn through practical experience... I'll say no more.

Wow.. update.

Just got an e-mail from Nick. He said yes his PO Box is active and has been paid up through the end of the year, and that actually he is in money trouble right now and would greatly appreciate any donations. Any forum members or guests this would be a great time to help him out. I will send as good of a check as I can. I definately appreciate him more than the amount of money I have sent so far but I have been super broke, but if you try hard there is work out there.

Again, if there are any guests that want to be a part of the awesome thing we do here, now would be a good time to help.

Nicholas Collette
PO Box 55238
Virginia Beach,VA 23471

But a warning for those who choose to follow this work: don't get so caught up you forget your normal life and needs. It is easy to do and many have done it..

Kirk,

Yes it is awesome here even though I don't get out and see it nearly as much as I should, yet. When we succeed we will have to get together.

Cheers to all and help Nick if you can, he will pay us back a million fold.

bluefloor -Justin Strong