I contacted afterpay to see if they can help reduce fees, the 6% they charge plus the recent addition of 2% shopify adds on top made me have to remove it as payment method see below:
My email: (edited to remove any personal or Shopify account details)
hope this email finds you well. I am reaching out regarding the reintegration of Afterpay to my Shopify store
Previously, I had to remove Afterpay from my store due to Shopify implementing an additional 2% fee to
use your service, which brought the total fee per transaction to 8% (6% to Afterpay + 2% to Shopify).
As a small business owner, maintaining profitability is crucial. With an average profit margin of 10-15%
per sale, the current payment fees significantly impact my ability to sustain operations.
After deducting 8% in payment fees, there is minimal profit left to reinvest in the business.
I understand that larger corporations like Ali** enjoy lower transaction fees, approximately 3%.
In order to continue utilizing Afterpay on my Shopify store and remain profitable, I kindly request a
reduction in fees to a level similar to what Ali*** and other major corporations pay. Reducing thee Fees to 3% would make it feasible for me to continue offering Afterpay as a payment option to my
customers while ensuring the sustainability of my business.
I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Their reply:
Hi
Just following up on the fee reduction query as well.
Unfortunately at this stage we can’t negotiate your merchant fees.
We understand this probably isn’t the news you were hoping for. However, while we can’t
(renegotiate/refund) your fees, we’re doing everything we can to provide you with the support we know
you need, including continuing to market and connect your business with our loyal customer base, and
importantly, continuing to partner with you to offer customers a responsible way to spend.
It’s important to remember that Afterpay is not a bank or a traditional credit product – we are the
opposite.
We only charge you when a sale is successfully processed – we don’t charge any standing per
terminal, store, or month fees.
We guarantee your payment while assuming all customer risk for you (customer fraud or
chargebacks).
We pay your business upfront – well before the end of the customer repayment cycle – and in
doing so help improve your cash flow.
We use this scale and reach to deliver on our main priorities – providing value to you, our retail partners,
and linking your businesses with customers across the globe.
We’re confident that our business model will hold us and our partners in good stead now and into the
future.
My reply:
Yes I used afterpay for my business before and I am already set up with integration but I had to remove
it as a payment method because Shopify started adding 2% extra to fee bringing it to 8% in total. As a
business trying to compete with amazon where Chinese FBA sellers are bypassing tax obligations to
compete with local businesses we need to keep margins low to be competitive and pay tax as well as
import fees etc, this leaves almost nothing left and add to this afterpay that NOW even Ali****
offers, it's not possible. I can't understand how this is even fair to my business trying to do everything
right and I can't even offer afterpay to my customers anymore if I want to make a profit....
hopefully if enough people complain
either Shopify or your team will do something to bring fees to a amount more manageable 8% is not fair and reasonable at all!
