how to pay for a test purchase?

[gentlemoms]

Totally stupid question y'all...
How do you pay for a test purchase?
I have set up a coupon code for 100% off so that I can walk through the checkout process and test the response (or easily update my inventory if someone wants to pay cash in person). But I want to test purchase a gift certificate and my coupon code won't work for that even though I specifically went in and "allowed" gift certificates for my code.
Do I pay on a credit card and then refund the amount??

[Donal]

or just enable the COD module?
paypal and other gateways will give you a "sandbox" code for testing if you need that to

[kobra]

How do you pay for a test purchase?

Do I pay on a credit card and then refund the amount??

You use the method that you are testing

If just normal, enable the check.MO module

If a CC then use a CC

If PayPal then you need a different PP account as you can not buy from yourself

[gentlemoms]

Thanks, both!

[frank18]

....
If PayPal then you need a different PP account as you can not buy from yourself

Yes, you can.

Use a different browser with all cookies cleared. Create an account on your store (pretend to be a customer) with an email address that PayPal does not know about. Make sure you use your real name and address that corresponds to the CC you want to use. Use a CC that is not attached to your PayPal account.

Place some test item in your cart and proceed with checking out via PayPal using the CC as above. Complete the T/A at the PayPal site.

Log out from your 'customer' account then log into admin, find the test order and issue a full refund. Done.

Sandbox is exactly that, a sandbox. You would want to test a real T/A using a real CC and do a real refund as this is a true test run.

I have done my test orders exactly this way with every new store launched.

[kobra]

Yes, you can.
......
Use a CC that is not attached to your PayPal account.

I guess that this tests IPN function....

Still not a PP to PP trans