After using PayPal for years, why did I switch to the BlockATM payment gateway?

Every morning, when I open my website's backend and check my orders, I'm reminded of a frustrating morning three years ago. I'm 35, and I've been running my own website selling pet feeders for six years. That day, my coffee went cold as I stared at the "Account Temporarily Frozen" notification popping up in PayPal's backend. A large batch of smart feeders had just arrived at the warehouse, awaiting payment from suppliers for last week's European and American orders.

I initially chose PayPal simply to save time. When I first launched the website in 2017, it was the only payment method used by most foreigners buying pet supplies. Back then, orders were few, only about ten a month. While the fees weren't low, they weren't significant per order. I figured getting paid was enough. Once, a client in New York bought a feeder with a camera, and the payment showed up in my account shortly after I paid. I gushed to my wife about how convenient this tool was.

But starting in 2020, troubles began to creep in. When the pandemic hit that year, pet supply sales suddenly took off, and orders surged, but so did problems. Once, a UK buyer complained about not receiving the goods, and PayPal refunded the money without a word, even though the courier clearly showed receipt. Even more frustrating was withdrawing cash. Every time I checked the exchange rate, I felt a sharp pain; it was always lower than normal. Once, I was in a hurry to pay the factory, and I had to exchange more just to make up the difference.

What really made me decide to switch was Black Friday 2021. Orders exploded that day, and many customers paid with PayPal. When I calculated the costs in the middle of the night, I saw a significant processing fee, which was quite disheartening. Even worse, several orders were marked as "transaction abnormalities" and frozen. One amount was frozen for almost a month and a half. By the time it was released, the new feeder I was supposed to be restocking was out of stock. I watched my business falter.

It was a longtime customer who suggested I switch to the BlockATM encrypted payment gateway. He runs a pet shop in Los Angeles. He placed an order with me in 2022 and wanted to pay with USDT. I was quite hesitant at first, wondering if cryptocurrency was reliable. He sent me a BlockATM payment link, and I set up my wallet address. Shortly after he paid, I received the corresponding USDC in my wallet. It was much easier than I expected.

I've been using it for almost two years now, and the biggest feeling is peace of mind. The transaction fee is fixed, which saves a lot compared to PayPal, and it adds up over time. More importantly, the funds arrive quickly. I no longer have to constantly check PayPal for freeze notifications, which makes me sleep much more peaceful at night.

Last week, a German customer said he didn't know how to pay with cryptocurrency. I sent him a BlockATM tutorial video, and after he paid, he emailed me to say, "It's much faster than the way I usually pay for canned cat food."

I started this independent website selling pet feeders because I wanted to build a solid business. When choosing a payment method, consider three key factors: secure payment, reasonable costs, and user convenience. BlockATM excels in all three areas, which is why I switched from PayPal after using it for so many year