Buyers on etsy pay directly into your paypal account. and paypal takes their fee directly out of this account. Etsy only uses paypal. You can have this account tied to your checking account or credit card. You can transfer out money from paypal to your bank anytime on line but it takes several days to get to your bank account. You can also transfere money INTO your paypal account but that to takes several days to get into you PP account but of course it comes immediately out of your bank account or CC. Paypal sends you a email stating that money has been deposited into your account so this is one way that you knbow that you have had a sale.