PayPal Has Helped Increase Conversion Rates and Reduce Customer Complaints for Small Business
From Navy Veteran to Small Business Owner
Navy veteran and small business owner Nick Falletta started his career in sales, travelling the world selling cash registers and credit card machines before the dream he and his wife, Linda, shared of running their own small business became a reality.
Early in their careers, Nick and Linda, who worked in advertising, realized that building sustainable wealth was difficult when working for someone else. This realization fueled their desire to one day run their own business. While shopping at a mall, they befriended a couple selling weathervanes. Years later, the couple decided to retire and sell their business. Seeing this as an opportunity to finally own and operate their own company, Nick and Linda purchased it.
Pioneers in the Online Weathervane Industry
While Nick continued his sales job, the couple spent their weekends loading their truck with weathervanes and custom brass products to sell at flea markets. Although profitable, the work was time-consuming and physically demanding. In the 1990s, with the rise of the internet, Nick realized he could transition the business entirely online. They named their company The Weathervane Shoppe, purchased the domain www.weathervane.com, and became the first business to sell weathervanes online.
When Linda developed a neurological disorder and had to step away from work permanently, Nick decided to continue running the business on his own—managing everything from customer service and marketing to sales and operations.
“As a small business owner juggling many aspects of the business, PayPal has been an invaluable tool for me,” Nick shares, adding, “PayPal has helped me do everything from boosting sales to reducing customer service calls.“
Diverse Customers Need Diverse Solutions
Nick’s business serves various customers—from individual consumers to contractors and architects—each with different needs. PayPal’s diverse solutions for small businesses have helped Nick accommodate all types of customers.
“Many of my customers don’t want to share their credit card information over the phone, so PayPal Invoicing has been helpful for them. Others prefer to pay over the phone instead of directly on our website, and PayPal Virtual Terminal has been a great solution for those cases.”
Nick’s business also uses PayPal Complete Payments to process credit and debit card transactions on its website, offering customers multiple payment options.
Higher Conversions with a Seamless Checkout Process – Even for Guest Buyers
With his business, Nick noticed that many visitors to his website were new customers rather than returning ones. To improve the checkout experience and shorten the payment process, Nick implemented PayPal Fastlane.
“When I first heard about Fastlane, I enabled it immediately. It was a no-brainer for me. The faster customers complete checkout, the higher the chances of a successful transaction,“ Nick explains.
“Before activating Fastlane, I received calls from customers every few days about the checkout process. Now, those calls have disappeared,“ he says. “This is great because I’m also the customer service representative as a small business owner!”
Nick continues, “The fact that PayPal offers a full suite of solutions for small businesses is incredibly valuable. While we currently use several of PayPal’s solutions—from Invoicing to Fastlane—I love knowing that if I ever need additional solutions, like financing, PayPal has working capital options available.”
Bringing PayPal to His Nonprofit Community
When not working, Nick is a competitive pickleball player and an active member of a local league, which operates as a nonprofit organization. His positive experience with PayPal’s small business solutions encouraged the nonprofit league to integrate PayPal for member payments and registrations.
Success in Small Business Starts with the Right Mindset
As a long-time small business owner, Nick shares valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:
Think carefully before starting a business. Running your own business is more complicated than you might expect.
Be prepared for unexpected challenges. You’ll face obstacles you never imagined, so adaptability and having a backup plan are essential.
Ensure financial stability. Just because you have a great product doesn’t mean you’ll make money immediately.
“Finally, your business will become your life, so choose something you love,“ Nick advises. “For example, when I go on vacation, my laptop always comes with me—business never stops. Whether on a Caribbean cruise or competing in the USA Pickleball Championships, I’m still taking customer calls and running my business.”
Additionally, Hac Ecommerce offers a range of comprehensive services designed to support and empower businesses operating in the POD (Print on Demand) industry. These services include fulfillment solutions, payment account rentals, and design cloning, all of which are tailored to meet the unique needs of entrepreneurs in this niche.
