Should I use *only* Paypal Express checkout?

[Lisk]

Hi - I installed the patches a while ago. :) I guess I was asking more from a customer's point of view, are there downsides? They can use their credit card and echecks and all that with paypal express, right?

I guess I'm confused about why both options exist in the zen cart installation. Is it because you have to have a business account to use paypal express?

[kobra]

IPN has been included for a time - PPE is relatively new and still transfers the customer to PP but the detail of the order is itemized and looks better fron the customer point.

PayPalProFlow is the best but I am not sure that it is fully stable/works at this time...customer never leaves you site with this one - but there is a monthly minimum charge

[MysticHarbor]

Hi - I installed the patches a while ago. :) I guess I was asking more from a customer's point of view, are there downsides? They can use their credit card and echecks and all that with paypal express, right?

I guess I'm confused about why both options exist in the zen cart installation. Is it because you have to have a business account to use paypal express?

I believe the main benefit of the IPN option is that the customers can use a credit card without having a PayPal account. A link appears on the left hand side of the checkout page that states this. Express Checkout can be used by customers that have an existing PayPal account (or they will have to sign up for one to use the Express Checkout option).
I use IPN only at this point.
Good Luck!

[DrByte]

I believe the main benefit of the IPN option is that the customers can use a credit card without having a PayPal account. A link appears on the left hand side of the checkout page that states this. Express Checkout can be used by customers that have an existing PayPal account (or they will have to sign up for one to use the Express Checkout option).
I use IPN only at this point.

To clarify:
If you use PayPal IPN, your customers will be able to pay by credit card without a paypal account.
If you use Express Checkout, your customers will need to make or use a PayPal account. PayPal wants to get customers to create accounts.
If you want to process credit cards without customers creating accounts, you'll need a different service.

[MysticHarbor]

Thanks Dr.
I thought customers were only allowed to use an existing PayPal balance in express checkout. Thanks for clarifying!

[MysticHarbor]

Thanks Dr.
I thought customers were only allowed to use an existing PayPal balance in express checkout. Thanks for clarifying!

As a matter of fact, I'm going to try rolling with Express and see how it works out. Thanks again Dr!

[lemuria]

Hi, I have a question about this:

To clarify:
If you use PayPal IPN, your customers will be able to pay by credit card without a paypal account.
If you use Express Checkout, your customers will need to make or use a PayPal account. PayPal wants to get customers to create accounts.
If you want to process credit cards without customers creating accounts, you'll need a different service.

Is this no longer accurate? I cleared my Paypal cookies and checked on a site using Express Checkout, and I do see the credit card form on the Paypal site.

Also, other threads seem to say that the opposite is true - that customers don't need a Paypal account to check out:
http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showpo...09&postcount=5

It seems like customers really don't need an account. Is that the final word?

Thanks!

[MysticHarbor]

I'm using express checkout now on my site. When taken to the paypal login page, the text on the left hand side says: "Pay with Credit Card or Log In". It has all the fields to manually enter credit card info.
There is a link that allows the user to save their info with paypal (create an account). However, it is not necessary.
When I first starting using Zen, I could have sworn that IPN was the only way to fly to accept orders from non paypal members, and so I never used Express Checkout. Maybe paypal changed this recently.
Long story short: Looks like Express Checkout is an option even for non PayPal members.

[DrByte]

Express Checkout can be used by customers that have an existing PayPal account (or they will have to sign up for one to use the Express Checkout option).

I thought customers were only allowed to use an existing PayPal balance in express checkout.

In fact, you are correct.
Sorry, I mis-stated what I was thinking.

[akalsha]

To clarify:
If you use PayPal IPN, your customers will be able to pay by credit card without a paypal account.
If you use Express Checkout, your customers will need to make or use a PayPal account. PayPal wants to get customers to create accounts.
If you want to process credit cards without customers creating accounts, you'll need a different service.

Why does it say customers don't need to sign up for a Paypal account when using express checkout on this page:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=15 ?