Credit Card Processing API

You can setup a paypal IPN where the users do NOT have to join paypla or create an account. When they click on the buynow or checkout option you have they go to the paypal page and they have the option of using their credit card. All you need to do is edit the paypal button and change the option that says use 'Optimised Checkout'

I use PayPal for many of my clients - no PayPal account is required; they can just use a credit card.  There is no difference in fees.  The requirement for a PayPal account only appears on the seller side, not the buyer side.  IIRC, there was a requirement a long time ago, but it has been this way for several years.

Regarding this: "which API's are currently good to use that don't require you to sign up to the company that is providing the API?" - all I can say is that if you want to use an API -- ANY API -- you can expect to sign up.  That includes Google, Yahoo, PayPal and any other web service.  It is standard practice.

You probably want to learn a little more about how PayPal works before you start handling money through it - there are legal and tax implications.  A good place to start might be here:
http://lmgtfy.com?q=paypal+developer+documentation

Best regards, ~Ray

Alright, so I read up on Paypal and Authorize.net and you have to set up a merchant account with them to be able to accept payments which is fine, but you have to use the API's to be able to use their "Express Checkout" and "Website Payments Pro" features.

So if I want I can create a custom page that fits the style of my other pages that the customers never have to leave my site to even make the order....this is what the Paypal API does, correct?

elvin66, I didnt see the "Optimised Checkout" button when trying to make new buttons in Paypal. If I can figure out how to generate payment buttons through paypal without needing the customer to sign in (without using API), it would help.

Im going to read up and try to implement my the Paypal API through 'Sandbox' on another page that I will create to look like my site, but if you can figure out how to use paypal to do it, that would be great.

I'm still not sure how you would envision receiving a payment from a customer without having them "sign in" in some way - even if the only "sign in" was to present a credit card to a point-of-sale terminal.  Payments without sign-ins are called "cash" (has a nice ring to it)!  There are "buy now" buttons that make the purchase as quick and easy as you can imagine.  Or you can delve into the PayPal Developer's Man Pages and learn more about establishing the merchant accounts.  IIRC, there is a monthly fee associated with these, but they give you more seamless integration - for example you can take credit cards over the phone or with a scanner at your place of business.

I think you'll find that the PayPal API will require an SSL certificate.  This can cost hundreds of dollars.  Not an impediment to a real business, but if you're sensitive to upfront loads and recurring monthly fees you might find that the Buy Now buttons are a good way to test the concept.  Just a thought, ~Ray

tyepoe:

Your information is not correct.  You can setup payments to Authorize.net's payment processing gateway through your own web page.  You never have to leave your website.  it's called their Advanced Integration Method (AIM) interface.

Ray's right about requiring an SSL certificate.  They can be had from $75 to $200 per year.

AielloJ

One other note - an afterthought on my part, but it should not be for you - if you take credit card information into your web site you will have to comply with some very stringent privacy laws.  That's the main advantage of using a 3rd party processor.  Best of luck with your project, ~Ray

Most electronic payment gateways (like Quantum, LinkPoint / First Data Global Gateway / YourPay, Authorize.net / Cybersource, Payflow (owned by Paypal) will give you a free store ID to test the credit card numbers.

You might see if your customer wants a merchant account - if he is in the United States, he can get one for about $10.00 plus discount rates / transaction fees.  Find out what provider he is thinking about using, and then see what that provider is compatible with.

Paypal has an option for some merchants to process the transactions on your secure website.  I think they have what they call a sandbox, www.paypaldev.org can be helpful.

I remember reading that Paypal takes a ceratin percentage of profits if your using the merchant acccounts. Ray, do I have need a SSL Certificate if im going to be using API's? like i said, I thought paypal would just take a small percentage from the sales, but no other real payment is needed for the merchant account, or am I wrong. I set up a premium account, and it doesnt even say if they are going to bill you for that account, Does the premium Merchant Account cost anything monthly?

I ran accross another snag, to test your API's(using sandbox), you need a API permissions and credentialsI. a certificate is generated and must be uploaded to the server in order for them to work. Not only that, but the tutorials are in ASP, I only know PHP. follow this link -> https://admin.na3.acrobat.com/_a751955096/p48321668/ <- none of this made any sense, now all I know is that I need to implement more code just to get a connection established.

 I downloaded the PayPal PHP SDK and could easily implement these examples into my own site, but im not sure how to go about adding credentials / certificate information with php. Also, im not sure if I have to pay monthly for this paypal merchant account, and if I need other certificates such as the SSL certificate <- the API's are directed to Paypal, so no SSL or other certificates are needed...right(fingers-crossed)??


you all have been really helpful, but the more I investigate, the more complex its getting to set up API's

thanks Ray, you've been a lot of help. To run Website Payments Pro with a Business account is $30 monthly and I don't know if the site I created will even generate that a month! How can I have a free account (merchant account) on paypal that doesnt require the customer to sign into paypal to purchase?

if you go to www.kerwinfitness.com/isosport/purchase.html you will see the site im developing for isosport. if you press any one of the "purchase" buttons its takes you to paypal's shopping cart. I would like to keep this the same, but when you click "proceed to checkout" it should give you the form, not ask you to sign in! is this possible, or is this only possible under a business account?

for my above-mentioned comment; merchant accounts are free while business accounts that run Website Payments Pro are $30 monthly

When you say, "it should give you the form, not ask you to sign in!" - I am not following what you want here.  PayPal is a "black box" at this point, and we are using its shopping cart - it is not under our control.  That is why you may want a shopping cart of your own.  The PayPal developers documentation lists the carts that work with PayPal.  IIRC some are open-source and free.  HTH, ~Ray

so basically if I wanted to use the paypal generated buttons, I would have to accept the fact that the users will need to log-in or sign up to paypal before the purchase. Otherwuse look more into the API's , correct??!

I think you're on firm ground there.  But I would look at the shopping carts before I looked at the API - that will probably be a simpler implementation.

thanks