4 ms·

FastSpring Risk Screening

34 points by kruuuder 3y ago

davedx 3y ago
I don't know why anyone would rely on a payment processor that seems incapable of taking credit card payments for their own service. As in this case it's being used as a backup provider, you're not likely to know how well they'll handle processing if your primary provider has issues. Given that this happened, I would question the wisdom of remaining with them?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- tonyedgecombe 3y ago
  Over the 22 years I was selling software online I went through four different payment processors (swreg, regnow, blue snap and avangate). In the end I decided they are all a bit shit in their own way. Changing again is a lot of pain for some slightly different problems.
- newaccount74 3y ago
  I recently switched from FastSpring to MyCommerce, but they turned out to be crappy in a similar way. While their store seems more reliable, they are really expensive because they charge a hidden 5% fee on all foreign currencies (they charged 8-10%, then I complained and they dropped it to 5%). That's on top of their regular fees. At least I didn't switch to WireCard (I had an offer from them, it sounded pretty good but their API seemed a bit half assed, so I was sceptical, then the scandal blew up, fortunately before I got set up with them). Paddle seemed pretty sleazy, and switching to a UK company during Brexit also seemed like a bad idea. Anyway, these vendors are all a bit crappy, but they are probably still cheaper / easier than doing it all yourself...
  - alex_suzuki 3y ago
    Paddle has its seat in London but they also have a US company registration. Revenue from my US customers goes through Paddle in US. It has been working well for me so far, except for very long response times from their seller‘s support.
mkup 3y ago
I've switched away from FastSpring in 2021, when they outsourced their payouts to Hyperwallet (for me this change meant double currency exchange USD -> EUR -> USD with associated double exchange fees). It looks like FastSpring rolled further downhill since then. This reminds me of Plimus/Bluesnap collapse: when this kind of company runs of cash, its tends to establish various funny fees before finally flipping up.
handity 3y ago
After ten years using fastspring with no issues and decent sales volume, I received the same email. I categorically refuse to KYC by uploading a picture of my passport and allowing some algorithm to scan my face, and being asked to pay for the privilege is especially insulting. I allows my account to terminate. It remains to be seen whether they will keep my last two weeks of revenue also. I switched to Stripe for billing, where apparently I do not need to undergo such KYC. I expect that won't last forever, and don't know how long I can go on hopping services without uploading a passport photo. Modern KYC is an insanely invasive process carried out through insane methods, and I wish I saw it getting more pushback. Online ID verification should be done through zero knowledge proofs, if at all.
- handity 3y ago
  I'm happy to report that my last two weeks have been paid out.
- traceroute66 3y ago
  Its not clear the point you are making here. If you are saying "I should not undergo KYC", then I'm afraid that boat sailed a long time ago. Be realistic. It is a necessary burden for both the customer and the provider. If you are saying "don't scan my face", then sadly you also have to be realistic because sadly $bad_guys have made "liveness" tests a necessity. Zero knowledge proofs might (eventually) be an option for the document-upload side, but is unlikely to ever be a solution to the "liveness" side.
  - trevyn 3y ago
    The point being made is that no, the boat has not sailed. It is not necessary. Your version of reality is one of submission. You cannot comply your way out of tyranny.
    - orf 3y ago
      Similarly, you cannot wish yourself out of reality.
internet2000 3y ago
Avoiding this kind of thing is part of why you're paying 30% to Apple / Google / Steam, etc.
- newaccount74 3y ago
  For small developers Apple charges only 15%. If you add up all the hidden fees from FastSpring (eg. intransparent currency exchange fees) then I'm not sure it's much cheaper than Apple. So if you are an indie, and just starting out, and you are looking for the most cost effective solution, then the App Store is actually a good deal. Only when you get to the 30% fee is when it pays off to look for other resellers....
  - lapcat 3y ago
    The main issue with the App Store isn't Apple's cut, it's all of the other rules and restrictions. A lot of Mac software can't even be sold in the Mac App Store because of sandboxing and other technical limitations. Then there are also the absurd, arbitrary business model limitations in the App Store. And of course, app review can reject you at any time for any reason or no good reason.
King000 3y ago
We will not pay and we switch away. Forget them.
maxshm 3y ago
Also got such email from FastSpring. I dislike this $150 payment requirement from them!
Randolfwer 3y ago
[flagged]

34 points by kruuuder 3y ago

I don't know why anyone would rely on a payment processor that seems incapable of taking credit card payments for their own service. As in this case it's being used as a backup provider, you're not likely to know how well they'll handle processing if your primary provider has issues. Given that this happened, I would question the wisdom of remaining with them?

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
tonyedgecombe 3y ago
Over the 22 years I was selling software online I went through four different payment processors (swreg, regnow, blue snap and avangate). In the end I decided they are all a bit shit in their own way. Changing again is a lot of pain for some slightly different problems.
newaccount74 3y ago
I recently switched from FastSpring to MyCommerce, but they turned out to be crappy in a similar way. While their store seems more reliable, they are really expensive because they charge a hidden 5% fee on all foreign currencies (they charged 8-10%, then I complained and they dropped it to 5%). That's on top of their regular fees. At least I didn't switch to WireCard (I had an offer from them, it sounded pretty good but their API seemed a bit half assed, so I was sceptical, then the scandal blew up, fortunately before I got set up with them). Paddle seemed pretty sleazy, and switching to a UK company during Brexit also seemed like a bad idea. Anyway, these vendors are all a bit crappy, but they are probably still cheaper / easier than doing it all yourself...
- alex_suzuki 3y ago
  Paddle has its seat in London but they also have a US company registration. Revenue from my US customers goes through Paddle in US. It has been working well for me so far, except for very long response times from their seller‘s support.

mkup 3y ago

I've switched away from FastSpring in 2021, when they outsourced their payouts to Hyperwallet (for me this change meant double currency exchange USD -> EUR -> USD with associated double exchange fees). It looks like FastSpring rolled further downhill since then. This reminds me of Plimus/Bluesnap collapse: when this kind of company runs of cash, its tends to establish various funny fees before finally flipping up.

handity 3y ago

After ten years using fastspring with no issues and decent sales volume, I received the same email. I categorically refuse to KYC by uploading a picture of my passport and allowing some algorithm to scan my face, and being asked to pay for the privilege is especially insulting. I allows my account to terminate. It remains to be seen whether they will keep my last two weeks of revenue also. I switched to Stripe for billing, where apparently I do not need to undergo such KYC. I expect that won't last forever, and don't know how long I can go on hopping services without uploading a passport photo. Modern KYC is an insanely invasive process carried out through insane methods, and I wish I saw it getting more pushback. Online ID verification should be done through zero knowledge proofs, if at all.

handity 3y ago
I'm happy to report that my last two weeks have been paid out.
traceroute66 3y ago
Its not clear the point you are making here. If you are saying "I should not undergo KYC", then I'm afraid that boat sailed a long time ago. Be realistic. It is a necessary burden for both the customer and the provider. If you are saying "don't scan my face", then sadly you also have to be realistic because sadly $bad_guys have made "liveness" tests a necessity. Zero knowledge proofs might (eventually) be an option for the document-upload side, but is unlikely to ever be a solution to the "liveness" side.
- trevyn 3y ago
  The point being made is that no, the boat has not sailed. It is not necessary. Your version of reality is one of submission. You cannot comply your way out of tyranny.
  - orf 3y ago
    Similarly, you cannot wish yourself out of reality.

internet2000 3y ago

Avoiding this kind of thing is part of why you're paying 30% to Apple / Google / Steam, etc.

newaccount74 3y ago
For small developers Apple charges only 15%. If you add up all the hidden fees from FastSpring (eg. intransparent currency exchange fees) then I'm not sure it's much cheaper than Apple. So if you are an indie, and just starting out, and you are looking for the most cost effective solution, then the App Store is actually a good deal. Only when you get to the 30% fee is when it pays off to look for other resellers....
- lapcat 3y ago
  The main issue with the App Store isn't Apple's cut, it's all of the other rules and restrictions. A lot of Mac software can't even be sold in the Mac App Store because of sandboxing and other technical limitations. Then there are also the absurd, arbitrary business model limitations in the App Store. And of course, app review can reject you at any time for any reason or no good reason.

King000 3y ago

We will not pay and we switch away. Forget them.

maxshm 3y ago

Also got such email from FastSpring. I dislike this $150 payment requirement from them!

Randolfwer 3y ago

[flagged]