SonicWebTech

Overview of PayPal Website Payments Standard and Pro

Website Payments Standard and Pro are both extensive eCommerce solutions that cover a wide range of features. The Pro product is comparable to other Internet merchant solutions like Authorize.net or Innovative Merchant Solutions, and others, therefore the same issues would apply. This article it primarily targeted to the Web Designer, Developer or business owner that is considering using PayPal in an eCommerce solution. It is assumed that you have reviewed the PayPal documentation, and though it addresses the "how" on so many issues, it does leave out or is silent on a number of important questions that you need to know to best understand the best solution for you needs.

What is the difference between Website Payments Standard and Website Payments Pro?

We are frequently ask for assistance in moving from Website Payments Standard (WPS) to Websites Payment Pro (WPP). Generally the cost of doing this can be quite expensive and there is understandable "sticker shock".

Tips and Strategies - Developing CSS/WebStandards Compliant Websites, Part 1

Over the last few years it has been interesting to see how many NEW websites are not W3C compliant. I have come to believe that the core of this problem is that few companies in the web development community care much about Web Standards. This is part one of a series to share some tips and strategies that might make building standards based websites less of a challenge.

Parts of an E-Commerce Website

Just like a basic informational or marketing website, an e-commerce website has several parts that need to come together to make it work. In this article, we focus just on the physical parts of an e-commerce website. These parts alone will give you a functioning website, not necessarily a successful one. For that, you need to add marketing and business strategy components.

Problems with PHP mail()

On some servers the mail() function does not seem to work or works intermittently. Following are some diagnostic tips and solutions that we have found useful on a Linux webserver.

How do I change the name on a donation response?

People who donate get a message:

This transaction will appear on your bill as "XXXXXXXX".

The XXXXXXX is what to change, because it's showing up as your personal name.

Generally this is because you have a personal or premier account. You need to upgrade to a business account so that your business name will appear instead.

Web Tools the SonicSpider Way!

Welcome to Sonic Web Technologies! This article is an overview/roadmap for the development of our web tool products. We feel we have a different approach to web tools in that our focus is on business functionality and not just "cool" gadgets that lose their appeal and soon become annoying.

SonicWebTech Community Process Program

The Web Developer Affiliate Program is still in beta. Following are a number of ideas and areas that we want to address. You feedback and participation is needed..

How do I setup custom shipping options or calculatons? (WPS)

You PayPal shopping cart can be configured for domestic or international shipping methods with these options:

Total order amount (flat rate or percent rate)
Total order weight (lbs or kg)
Total item quantity (flat rate)

Custom shipping calculations can also be configured for your website. Here's how:

Go to the PayPal website and log in to your account.
Click the "Profile" link at the top of the page.
Click the "Set Up Shipping Calculations" link.
Select either "Domestic" or "International Shipping Methods," and then click "Start."
Follow the instructions on each page to set up shipping charges.

If you need additional shipping calculations, again go to your profile, click the Shipping Calculations link, click "Add Another Shipping Method," and follow the instructions.

My customers only see the 'Login to PayPal'. How do I make payment by Credit Card available? (WPS)

There are a number if settings that affect the Credit Card Option:

(Note: Your generated Button Code does not require no special coding. It's related to how your Account is setup.)

Account must be either Premier or Business.
PayPal Account Optional is turned on - this enables non PP Members to pay by Credit Card
The email address you use to log into your PayPal Account must be verified.
The same email address should be used in your HTML Button Code.
Bank account registered and verified/tested - so you can transfer funds
Credit card registered - (optional)

To turn on the PayPal Account Optional feature, do the following:

Login to your PayPal Account,
Select "Edit Profile", under "Selling Preferences"
Select "Website Payment Preferences"
Scroll down to "PayPal Account Optional".

There are also other reasons the Credit Card Option may not be available.

You are using Express Checkout. Express Checkout requires a PayPal Account
The country you reside in. Not all countries have all the PayPal features available.
The country your customers reside in. Not all countries have all PayPal features available.
The IP address of your hosted site is on a blocked list.

If you have checked all of the above: You have your PayPal Account setup properly and non of the other possibilties seem to apply, but, you still don't see the Credit Card Option or only see a small link to the Credit Card Option.

The PayPal payment screens are designed to be displayed in a specific way based on the cookies and/or your PayPal Account configuration.

Cookies are used to track where your customer is in the sales process, and whether that customer is new or returning. The PayPal cart will retain certain info about your customer and therefore the screen that is displayed may not be the screen you expect them to see. If they are a new customer visiting PayPal for the first time, the Credit Card Option will be clearly displayed.

If this is their second or third visit to PayPal and their previous cookie has not expired, Paypal now views you as a returning customer. They will get a screen with a small link to the Credid Card Option. Although this is not as obvious to the customer as you might like, the Credit Card Option is still available. Generally the cookie that holds the cart info will retain that info for 21 days. The only way it will change is if they remove the items selected from the cart or delete the cookie.

You may be seeing this problem because your are testing your web pages, creating new code or making changes, etc... To fix this, simply delete your web browser's cookies, then close your web browser, reopen it and try the web pages again. When you view the PayPal Screens, you will now get the screen with the Credit Card Option because PayPal views you as a new visitor.