PayPal Account Optional not returning

I have searched extensively and have found no answers to this. If there is a thread already please direct me to it.

I am using PayPal Payments Standard on 1.3.8a. This was all working fine up until a few weeks ago. I thought it was just a temporary fluke with PP.

Buyers using a PP account I have no problems. Buyers without a PP account I am only getting email notification from PP. I have made no changes to PP settings anywhere. I have been to PP several times and verified all the settings against the ones in admin.

The only changes that I have made recently is taking off SSU.

www.thecablestation.com
Hosting - Bluehost

micmed:

Buyers without a PP account I am only getting email notification from PP. I have made no changes to PP settings anywhere.
That is normal. At the end of the purchase screens at the PayPal site, the customer is presented with a question: do you want to create a PayPal account so you can do future purchases faster, etc? If the customer chooses yes or no, then the order will be completed. If they dont' choose an answer to the question but just close their browser instead, your store will never hear about the order.
This is because PayPal's servers wait until the customer makes a choice before PayPal's server talks to your server to tell you about the order.

You have 3 options:
a) call up PayPal and convince them that what they've been doing for years doesn't make sense
b) don't use Account Optional
c) use Express Checkout instead

I suppose you could try adding some instructional text before the customer goes off to PayPal's site, telling them they'll need to click to return back to your store ;)

arrrgggghhh!!!!

Thanks for the reply.

arrrgggghhh!!!!

Thanks for the reply.

DrByte:

That is normal. At the end of the purchase screens at the PayPal site, the customer is presented with a question: do you want to create a PayPal account so you can do future purchases faster, etc? If the customer chooses yes or no, then the order will be completed. If they dont' choose an answer to the question but just close their browser instead, your store will never hear about the order.
This is because PayPal's servers wait until the customer makes a choice before PayPal's server talks to your server to tell you about the order.

I'm not sure if PayPal has changed its process or I'm missing something.

I've tested several times as a non-PP member and gave my credit card number on PP site. After clicking the "Pay Now" button, the next screen gave the following information:

Receipt ID
Merchant Contact Information
Yellow button indicating Return to "url of my store"
Save Your Information (Email printed and password window)
Light blue "Create PayPal Account" button.

They didn't asks whether I wanted to created a PP account.
For test purposes, I closed the browser on that page without doing anything, and I received an email from PayPal that payment was received. My store also sent emails to the customer account and owner account with the details of order (price, quantity, shipping).

It seems that things are pretty much in order despite the customer not returning to my store after making a payment as a non-PP member. My questions are,

1. I read micmed's posting and the problem he/she is having. Am I not having the same problem because PayPal has changed its process, or am I not understanding something here?

2. What is the difference between customer returning to my store and not returning?

finally,

3. There is a "Payment Data Transfer" option on my PayPal setting. Could someone direct me to a thread that explains what it is and how I should set it?

Thanks a bunch,

Susan

susan767:

...
They didn't asks whether I wanted to created a PP account.
For test purposes, I closed the browser on that page without doing anything, and I received an email from PayPal that payment was received. My store also sent emails to the customer account and owner account with the details of order (price, quantity, shipping).

It seems that things are pretty much in order despite the customer not returning to my store after making a payment as a non-PP member.

...

3. There is a "Payment Data Transfer" option on my PayPal setting. Could someone direct me to a thread that explains what it is and how I should set it?

3. If payments are working properly ... then I recommend you don't change anything.
   I'm not sure why you're even considering changing anything.

DrByte:

3. If payments are working properly ... then I recommend you don't change anything.
   I'm not sure why you're even considering changing anything.

Oh, I'm not considering changing anything.
I just wanted to better understand the basic process so I don't get any surprises when real customers visit and make purchases.

I don't want my store to be working for a few days/weeks and suddenly stop accepting payments or providing me with proper data for whatever reason.

Thanks,

Susan