LebGeeks

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#1 September 13 2022

DNA
Member

Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

hello everyone, i searched a bit on here but most threads are bit old didn't find a definitive answer
so i am in the process of making an online store, i have a major issue that is being in lebanon...

what i need is a way to receive payments from customers and then use the money to buy stock i am having difficulty as all major websites refuse to deal with lebanon.

does anyone know a way? 2checkout seems to support Lebanon, Payoneer do too but without a virtual card there is no way to pay for the goods with the same money i receive from customers, i am trying to keep the money outside lebanon i don't need them here or have to deal with local banks

if someone with experience can help would be great thank you all!

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#2 September 13 2022

nuclearcat
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

If you will tell payment gateway that you are incorporated (you have SAL/SARL registered i hope?) in Lebanon, but have bank account abroad - you will be lucky if they wont ban you instantly. No normal payment gateway will deal with someone who have such "schemes" that looks like money laundry.
Honestly it is incredibly difficult to do anything from Lebanon, as you need:
1)Proper bank account to receive international transfers ("fresh account" in local bank)
2)Properly registered SAL/SARL, they might go to extent to provide proof of paid taxes (as again they dont want to deal with money laundry)
3)All paperwork properly done, for import/export, if you are getting stuff from abroad, this is one big hell in Lebanon.
4)Payment gateway who will accept to deal with Lebanese company and send wire transfers to Lebanon
(I did that with my Lebanese partner for IT consulting before 2019 and i am glad we passed that mess. But consulting way easier than trading.)

You can try to incorporate in other countries (like Georgia, Estonia, etc), get bank account there, but if anybody will send complaint you are actually working in Lebanon, your account will be closed and money will be frozen, but it all depends on nature of your trading.

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#3 September 14 2022

DNA
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

nuclearcat wrote:

If you will tell payment gateway that you are incorporated (you have SAL/SARL registered i hope?) in Lebanon, but have bank account abroad - you will be lucky if they wont ban you instantly. No normal payment gateway will deal with someone who have such "schemes" that looks like money laundry.
Honestly it is incredibly difficult to do anything from Lebanon, as you need:
1)Proper bank account to receive international transfers ("fresh account" in local bank)
2)Properly registered SAL/SARL, they might go to extent to provide proof of paid taxes (as again they dont want to deal with money laundry)
3)All paperwork properly done, for import/export, if you are getting stuff from abroad, this is one big hell in Lebanon.
4)Payment gateway who will accept to deal with Lebanese company and send wire transfers to Lebanon
(I did that with my Lebanese partner for IT consulting before 2019 and i am glad we passed that mess. But consulting way easier than trading.)

You can try to incorporate in other countries (like Georgia, Estonia, etc), get bank account there, but if anybody will send complaint you are actually working in Lebanon, your account will be closed and money will be frozen, but it all depends on nature of your trading.

Thank you for the advice, but I think you went too far it's not like what you think
It is just as simple as a PayPal account if it was supported, I am not looking for any huge stock and large money flow just couple products for a brand, shipping and production will be handled by different entity, I just need a way to move money from customers to the supplier without having to transfer back and forth from Lebanon with all the surprises that might arise from the banks. any PayPal alternative will solve the issue, Skrill was good until they didn't support lebanon anymore...
again thx for any help

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#4 September 17 2022

mikasa
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

man people still falling for this dropshipping shit, who's the guru who is teaching you now in 2022, im pretty sure they are hyping dropshipping using tiktok organic traffic now right? are you daydreaming about a lambo infront of ur house next month? hahah. So you can open a uk company remotly from here, for a $25, and then open stripe and maybe business payal account, it is a hit or miss, calculate your risks wisely, dont let them prey on you

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#5 September 17 2022

DNA
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

mikasa wrote:

man people still falling for this dropshipping shit, who's the guru who is teaching you now in 2022, im pretty sure they are hyping dropshipping using tiktok organic traffic now right? are you daydreaming about a lambo infront of ur house next month? hahah. So you can open a uk company remotly from here, for a $25, and then open stripe and maybe business payal account, it is a hit or miss, calculate your risks wisely, dont let them prey on you

Your post is worthless tbh you assumed it's dropshipping when it is not. most companies have  different manufacturers for their products and moves money from their customers to them. By your logic all of them are droppshippers lol.

Do u even know who am i developing the website for or which brand that is or what products are they making and how much traffic they already have? i am trying to avoid lebanese banks if legally possible that's all she wrote.

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#6 September 18 2022

nuclearcat
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

mikasa - there is a lot of business without dropshipping.
For example my Lebanese friends learned how to design electronics and i know at least one of them order small quantities of his designs and sell. And when quantity is really small, it is hard to justify registering company, but tbh without company it is illegal, might fire in foot later and very unpredictable business (as customs without proper commercial procedures classify them as personal shipments and put random taxes).
Some people order parts, use their know-how and assemble final products from them.
And many other things.

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#7 September 18 2022

mikasa
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

DNA wrote:

Your post is worthless tbh you assumed it's dropshipping when it is not. most companies have  different manufacturers for their products and moves money from their customers to them. By your logic all of them are droppshippers lol.

Do u even know who am i developing the website for or which brand that is or what products are they making and how much traffic they already have? i am trying to avoid lebanese banks if legally possible that's all she wrote.

ahhhh you got me, idk but thats exactly waht a dropshipper looks like, asking for a payment gateway , get paid first, then use the money to buy stock,3PL,  nothing wrong with my assumption i think.

and if you thought my recommendation is worthless it is up to you because i know for a fact a lot hide this info which is (uk company from 1stformation > tide account > bank account > paypal account)

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#8 September 18 2022

mikasa
Member

Re: Accepting payments for online store in Lebanon

nuclearcat wrote:

mikasa - there is a lot of business without dropshipping.
For example my Lebanese friends learned how to design electronics and i know at least one of them order small quantities of his designs and sell. And when quantity is really small, it is hard to justify registering company, but tbh without company it is illegal, might fire in foot later and very unpredictable business (as customs without proper commercial procedures classify them as personal shipments and put random taxes).
Some people order parts, use their know-how and assemble final products from them.
And many other things.

thank you for clearing it up, i understand that but ill always fk/bully the dropshippers haha

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