PayPal standard versus express. How successful?

OK I know about the practicalities and implementation of both PayPal Standard and PayPal Express, but I'm still stalled as which one to actually go with on my new site??

Are there any shop owners out there that have actually switched between the two variants? If so which did you find the most successful to use.

Before someone pipes up about the alternatives, I have no issues with PayPal and really don't want any monthly fees.

Thanks.

I don't currently use either, but I will be using Express on an upcoming site. From what I read here in the forums, it seems to work better with Zencart, and I understand (in the US, anyway, and I haven't checked to be sure) that customers no longer need to create a Paypal account to use Express.

All of the live sites that I've checked out in the showcase recently, that have a PayPal Express button, haven't required me to open an account with PayPal. I don't know if that's because I'm based in Europe, or whether it is a global thing now?

Another change I have noticed with Express, is that it used to throw up a warning message if it returned you to a site without SSL, it doesn't appear to do that either now. Despite the recommendations, I find very few sites that have SSL in place, so perhaps PayPal have identified that and modified their own site systems?

I chosed the Standard PayPal because it allows customers the option of using their credit card even if they do not have a PayPal account.
As far as security, when customers click on PayPal to pay, it takes them to the secured PayPal website, so you do not need to have SSL certificate. When the customers are done, there is a button on PayPal to click to return to your website.
I think this is the best choice for beginners who do not want shell out a lot money up front. They only charge by the transaction. It does have its limitation [both Paypals] in that you have to figure out all the expenses to charge the customer up front including shipping whereas if you chose PayPro [Authorize.net, etc.], you can hold off charging until say you know exact shipping costs are going to be. They charge a monthly fee. One of my main shipping challenges is having to ship multiple locations (ZC can handle this) and also add the complication of expedited shipping---which right now Zen cart was not designed to handle but Paypro or Authorize net would be a solution for it.

I forgot to mention that if you use Authorize net or Paypro, I believe you do need the SSL certificate and most people recommended getting your own certificate as opposed to sharing with your webhosting company. They charge extra money for SSL.

I'd take jeono's comments with a grain of salt ...

jeono:

I chosed the Standard PayPal because it allows customers the option of using their credit card even if they do not have a PayPal account.So does Express Checkout.
jeono:

As far as security, when customers click on PayPal to pay, it takes them to the secured PayPal website, so you do not need to have SSL certificate.You SHOULD also consider protecting your customers' private data with SSL anyway. It's not only credit-card/payment info that benefits from a SSL certificate.
jeono:

I think this is the best choice for beginners who do not want shell out a lot money up front. They only charge by the transaction.Correct.
jeono:

It does have its limitation [both Paypals] in that you have to figure out all the expenses to charge the customer up front including shipping whereas if you chose PayPro [Authorize.net, etc.], you can hold off charging until say you know exact shipping costs are going to be.Actually, you can do that with PayPal too.
jeono:

and also add the complication of expedited shipping---which right now Zen cart was not designed to handleUm, Zen Cart can handle many different shipping options, including expedited shipping if you've configured your store to offer it as an option to the customer.
jeono:

if you use Authorize net or Paypro, I believe you do need the SSL certificate and most people recommended getting your own certificate as opposed to sharing with your webhosting company. They charge extra money for SSL.
An SSL certificate is not expensive, and the tiny increase in hosting costs is related to the need for a dedicated IP address. Both are extremely minor costs compared to the benefits offered, as well as in the overall budget.

I've been looking at the issue from a customers perspective.

With PayPal Standard, they leave your site after giving all needed details and go to PayPal with the **exact **cost of everything, including shipping etc.

With PayPal Express, they log into PayPal to obtain a 'token' without knowing at that stage, what they will be charged. Incidentally although Firefox is ok, having checked further, IE6 still throws up a warning flag if returning from PayPal Express to a non SSL site?

Although I put my hands up and state that I don't have SSL on my sites, I limit the data I capture to just name and address. I know some people will look down on that, but seeing as much of that data is also transmitted by email, in the order confirmation from the site, as well as in the payment confirmations from many payment processors, it does somewhat negate some of the security issues?

Looking at the two methods of PayPal side by side, there are plus and minus points to both. For repeat orders, customers just need to enter their site user name and password to log in. At the moment I am tempted to go with PayPal Standard, for no other reason than I like the idea of customers knowing what they are paying when they go to PayPal.

DrByte:

I'd take jeono's comments with a grain of salt ...

So does Express Checkout.
You SHOULD also consider protecting your customers' private data with SSL anyway. It's not only credit-card/payment info that benefits from a SSL certificate.
Correct.
Actually, you can do that with PayPal too.
Um, Zen Cart can handle many different shipping options, including expedited shipping if you've configured your store to offer it as an option to the customer.

An SSL certificate is not expensive, and the tiny increase in hosting costs is related to the need for a dedicated IP address. Both are extremely minor costs compared to the benefits offered, as well as in the overall budget.

Dr. Byte does make a good point.
A dedicated SSL certificate is almost a must these days, however, it does cost about $100 a year on top of your normal webhosting charge plus installation cost (amount is more or less depending on your hosting). One could use the shared SSL certificate that a lot of webhosts offer free. While it is very secure, customers may be alarmed by the pop up warning box stating that the domain does not match the name on the certificate.

Back to the shipping topic: I had another post asking about this question. I thought that adding more Zones may be a way to do it? Given that I already used the Table plus the 3 default Zones in ZC.

How do you add more charges to PayPal after the initial charge if you need to say add more for added shipping cost?

jeono:

A dedicated SSL certificate is almost a must these days, however, it does cost about $100 a year on top of your normal webhosting charge plus installation cost
Not necessarily. They can be had for $10, and free installation on many hosts. YMMV

jeono:

How do you add more charges to PayPal after the initial charge if you need to say add more for added shipping cost?
With Express Checkout, that happens automatically, since shipping is not yet determined when Express Checkout commences -- that's all decided after the customer returns to your site to complete their shipping selections, enter any coupons, etc, and submit their final choices to confirm payment.

DrByte:

Not necessarily. They can be had for $10, and free installation on many hosts. YMMV

I saw those $10 SSL certs but if you read the fine print, you'd have to be hosting with so and so for 3 years etc. Great if you are already hosting with them but not so great if you have to use the ssl cert elsewhere--you get charged. I am speaking from very recent personal experience.

Well, I am talking about the situation where one does not know the true cost of shipping until one gets the order and figures out where it is going and gets the rate from a shipper. This situation would work better with PayPro or Authorize net I believe. If one is using the module in ZC for UPS real time quote, I suppose it could work. It becomes more challenging when an estore decides to have products dropshipped by various suppliers with different shipping methods and rates.

jeono:

It becomes more challenging when an estore decides to have products dropshipped by various suppliers with different shipping methods and rates.
True ... and in those cases it still doesn't matter whether you're using PayPal or anyone else as your provider.

I stick with PayPal because they are a well known name and because of its association with eBay, there are millions of existing account holders worldwide and that has significant benefits for an online business. Google checkout also has credibility as a brand name as let's be honest, who's never heard of Google. :dontgetit

With outfits like authorise.net I'd never even heard of them until recently, so would have had reservations if I'd have encountered that name at the end of a shopping process. That may just be they not well used with European sites though and not a reflection on their credibility.

With regards to the whole SSL thing, if Joe Public can just part with a few dollars, with no financial or criminal background checks, it does perhaps make a mockery of the whole SSL process. In that context a secure site, could really be open to interpretation??

AUTOMOBILIA:

With regards to the whole SSL thing, if Joe Public can just part with a few dollars, with no financial or criminal background checks, it does perhaps make a mockery of the whole SSL process. In that context a secure site, could really be open to interpretation??

Excellent point. All an SSL certificate does is 'guarantee' that the info the customer sends to the website is encrypted. Most say nothing about the integrity of the site owners. It's mostly what's come to be called 'security theater'.

AUTOMOBILIA:

With outfits like authorise.net I'd never even heard of them until recently, so would have had reservations if I'd have encountered that name at the end of a shopping process.
Technically speaking, if you're using the AIM module where the cc details are collected on your website, then you'll never see any involvement by Authorize.net (or other CC gateways for that matter). You'll simply see that the store you're buying from has completed a payment, along with the confirmation receipt, etc.
No indications at all about "authorize.net" as being any organization with which you might not be familiar.