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osCommerce

The e-commerce.

Core PayPal Support


pbreit

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We like osCommerce and get a lot of inquiries about PayPal support in osCommerce. Likewise, there appears to be a lot of discussion regarding PayPal at the osC boards. We would like to offer our assistance in any way we can to ensure that osCommerce and PayPal users have the best support possible.

 

One current issue is that there are currently at least 3 widely used PayPal modules: built in to osC 2.2, PayPal IPN and PayPal_Shopping_IPN. I think that PayPal is popular enough that it makes a lot of sense to include one really good module in the core distribution.

 

Here are some of the things I think should be implemented:

 

High level requirements:

+ easy to activate PayPal and provide merchant ID (email address)

+ good integration into OSC checkout

+ pass name, address, country, email information to PayPal so shopper doesn't have to re-enter

+ OSC auto-magically specifies the return, cancel and notify URLs

+ exclusive usage of PayPal Instant Payment Notification to receive payment details and update OSC database

+ shopper returns to "Thank You" page after paying

+ proper handling of echeck payments which begin in a Pending state

 

Nice to haves:

+ multi-currency

+ pass image to PayPal for co-branding

+ adapt for digital goods

+ adapt for eBay Manager contribution

+ other?

 

We are very anxious to assist so please let us know how we can do so. Thank you.

 

pb (at) p*yp*l (dot) com

Patrick Breitenbach

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I was one of the developers involved in the original PayPal IPN contribution, and I'd be interested in contributing further if need be.

 

Quick question, though.

 

Is it completly out of the question that PayPal will ever allow us to process payments without re-directing our customers through the PayPal website? Personally, I think that would make things a heck of a lot less complicated.

Edited by wizardsandwars

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NOTE: As of Oct 2006, I'm not as active in this forum as I used to be, but I still work with osC quite a bit.

If you have a question about any of my posts here, your best bet is to contact me though either Email or PM in my profile, and I'll be happy to help.

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We are very anxious to assist so please let us know how we can do so. Thank you.

I guess a couple of million euro's to help with development is out of the question ;)

 

The paypal IPN system is a good step forward but it still needs to be made easier for the customer to pay using the paypal system.

 

Do you have any upcomming changes to the paypal system in the works which improves this?

Mark Evans

osCommerce Monkey & Lead Guitarist for "Sparky + the Monkeys" (Album on sale in all good record shops)

 

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Software is like sex: It's better when it's free. (Linus Torvalds)

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I can't say it's out of the question but we have no current plans to do so and I'm not even sure how it could work. It's a bit like "Verified by Visa". That it's a hosted interface is extremely critical.

 

Sparky, we enhance the system fairly regularly. Let us know what improvements you think would make it easier. Thanks.

Patrick Breitenbach

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Sparky, we enhance the system fairly regularly. Let us know what improvements you think would make it easier. Thanks.

I think your auto return feature is also a nice addition. I saw in one of your posts that it wasnt recommended to use that but use IPN. The thing I hate about IPN is that as the post back to your site isnt garuanteed to be carried out immediatley you need to add certain hacks into the system incase it takes a while....

 

Something along the combined IPN and auto return and no need to create an account functionality would be good.

Mark Evans

osCommerce Monkey & Lead Guitarist for "Sparky + the Monkeys" (Album on sale in all good record shops)

 

---------------------------------------

Software is like sex: It's better when it's free. (Linus Torvalds)

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About a month ago we got rid of the sign up requirement if the merchant is US. We hope to extend this to non-US merchants shortly.

 

IPN is the most reliable way for PayPal to transmit payment details to osC. I think we've achieved a 99% rate of delivering IPNs in 3 seconds or less so that shouldn't be an issue. Auto-Return is not necessary and seems to have led to a number of issues with one of the contributions.

 

I think a lot of osC/PayPal issues would go away if IPN were implented in the core distribution.

Patrick Breitenbach

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I think the changes in paypal have been great and I have been using one of the IPN contribs for about a year. But the one thing that seems to still be a problem is when shoppers get to the paypal section the think they have to sign up even though the button is there.

I watch customers go back and forth from my site to paypal back to my site back to paypal and in some cases leave which of course isn't a good thing. If it was more obvious that a paypal account is not needed to make a payment it would be a big help.

Just my 2.5 cents.

:D

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One current issue is that there are currently at least 3 widely used PayPal modules: built in to osC 2.2, PayPal IPN and PayPal_Shopping_IPN.

So out of the few contributions available for paypal....wihich one is the best and most recommended? What are the differences?

 

Thanks,

-Chris

Chris Sullivan

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I think a lot of osC/PayPal issues would go away if IPN were implented in the core distribution.

The only thing I have against putting the IPN contribution in the core code is the number of changes needed to be made just to handle that single payment system. I havent taken a look in a while but I will download the contrib later this week and will see if there is a smoother way to integrate it into the core code.

Mark Evans

osCommerce Monkey & Lead Guitarist for "Sparky + the Monkeys" (Album on sale in all good record shops)

 

---------------------------------------

Software is like sex: It's better when it's free. (Linus Torvalds)

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Hi Chris

 

I havent had chance to take a look at the IPN system yet.

 

I will do so during the week...

Mark Evans

osCommerce Monkey & Lead Guitarist for "Sparky + the Monkeys" (Album on sale in all good record shops)

 

---------------------------------------

Software is like sex: It's better when it's free. (Linus Torvalds)

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Thanks a bunch. I installed the PayPal IPN v.1.7....and it works pretty well, but there are some bugs....haven't really looked at any of them myself either though.

 

Thanks again,

-Chris

Chris Sullivan

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Hi All

 

I have made a small update to the standard module.

 

You can see the thread here

 

http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=85596

 

I am still looking into IPN.

Mark Evans

osCommerce Monkey & Lead Guitarist for "Sparky + the Monkeys" (Album on sale in all good record shops)

 

---------------------------------------

Software is like sex: It's better when it's free. (Linus Torvalds)

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