PayPal Express - is it a good idea?

I am just testing PayPal Express with my test 1.3.7 cart. My live cart is still 1.3.6.

I am looking at this and ask myself, is this really a good idea? I find it very intrusive the way PayPal express checkout is presenting itself on my pages.

First of all it is a bright orange button screaming at you. Second, even if I choose to ignore the bright orange button and choose to click my regular checkout button, another prompt and promo slogan for paypal appears.

Maybe this is controllable with the options, I have not played too long with it yet but couldn't help myself to ask the question: Is this really what I want? Advertisement for PayPal? Sure, I like to give to customer choices, but do I want to push PayPal this hard?? Hmm....

I would appreciate some feedback....am I the only one that feels this way? Otherwise, express checkout in general is a great idea. I would love to see a express checkout as a standard feature (non paypal payments).
:blink:

thats the thing with paypal - you dont need to push it hard. Many online shoppers already know about it and won't purchase from a store unless they offer it.. even if they're not paying with paypal for that order. Thats what mass advertising does to people :P

IPN is good until it screws up.. i didn't have it screw up until an order in January. The cart has been running since May.. and has changed servers 3-4 times as well

The thing that bothers me about PayPal Express is that it disrupts the regular checkout process by taking you to Paypal first and then completing the checkout process on my site.

I've been operating for a few years using the regular Paypal IPN so I'm reluctant to switch over to Express because I think it's confusing for my existing customers. - It was confusing for me the first time I tested it :huh:

The orange color doesn't really bother me...

If you are accepting PayPal then the choice is strictly up to you which method you use.

The advantage of the Express checkout is customers are not forced to make an account with you.

The disadvantage is your customers are not making an account with you.

:smile:

Kim, I guess you are right about the account thing. My take is, PayPal is a option I want to offer, but I am not particularly interested to promote them as the preferred payment method. The way the module presents itself, it looks like the must do thing, please sign up for paypal prompts and all. I could do without the ad stuff. Less intrusive would be better. Maybe I figure out a way...or just use the old method of accepting paypal. Just wanted to know what other people think....

I just installed it. Its a GReat idea, but why does it go back into my site to complete checkout. Thats so weird!

well, you would like to have the order actually created for you right,

the zen cart invoice and such.....

Hey Merlin, since you soooooo smart! Know where we can get customized paypal invoices made? I want a pretty one to match my site.

jewelrylady:

Know where we can get customized paypal invoices made? I want a pretty one to match my site.

It's a PayPal receipt, so it's gonna look like PayPal. However, you can create a Page Style in your PayPal Profile settings on the PayPal website, give it a name, and then specify that name in your Zen Cart PayPal module.
The Page Style lets you select color schemes for various parts of the page and a logo to appear at the top of the page.
You can create several page styles if you like, giving them different names. Zen Cart only uses the one you specify in the Zen Cart settings.

Here is the main thing that does not sit well with me.

Scenario:

• I shop around and put items in the shopping cart
• I am now in "Your Shopping Cart Contents" page, ready to check out
• I see the regular check out button and then the new yellow Paypal express button

so far no objection, maybe I would grayscale the button so it looks equal to the regular check out one. Never mind, good so far...

• I decide to go with regular check out

• I get another new screen with paypal and below a button for sign up (if I really want to create an account)!!

here is what I don't get...I would like to see now the regular login/registration page. But no, again the paypal button on a new screen asking if I want to do paypal express check out. Wait a minute....I just decided on the previous screen not to do paypal and wanted to check out in THIS store!?

So we have now an additional step for new customerse that want to check out on my site.

I do appreciate the fact that there is an Paypal Express checkout option, BUT I think it is counter productive making the regular check out process even more difficult.

I believe check out should be straight forward, not redundant and difficult. I can't wait for a one or two step check out for zencart. Then we would have the ultimate selling machine.....

Why can't the selection of check out on the shopping cart page be final?:dontgetit

Because Paypal has the clout to force merchants using it to use it exactly the way Paypal wants?...

Is there a way to grey out the button? I don't mind using Paypal as a choice, but I would like it to be a little less obvious.

Scott

You will need to ask PayPal if that is acceptable.

From what I've read, I don't think they would be to fond of it. I think maybe if you put the word "OR" between the "Go to Checkout button" and the Paypal Express button, you might not have people thinking all you offer is Paypal. If anyone can figure out how to do that, let me know.

...OR you could put lights around the go to checkout button :blush:

You can change the checkout buttons anyway can't you?

Scott

You can change any or all of the buttons that are used by Zen Cart except the PayPal button.

Why is this paypals business how I get them to pay with their service? Can't I use whatever button I choose on MY website? If you say do not just manipulate their button, ok, how about I create one myself?

And yes, you can change the text below the OR easily. Use the developers tool kit and search for the text.

If I am going to use this, I will change the text to something like

Or
Check out securely with a Credit Card on xxxxx.com ......

And I will change the "sign up" button to something like "secure checkout"

I think with the standard text and buttons, we basically give the impression Paypal express checkout is what we want them to (make them) use.

I would like to give a more balanced approach and offer Paypal express as just an additional checkout option, keep it low key and not promote it as my first choice.

Just my thought.....I understand there will be many that will offer this as the only check out option and then it is a great free secure way of checking out.

I wonder if paypal put on demands on the zencart team to design it this way....?

Btw the text after the "Or" can be fount in includes/languages/english/login.php

put it in an override folder after editing.

I would like to put the OR on the Shopping Cart Contents page instead of the login page. I checked under shopping_cart.php but didn't see where I could put it.

Scott

Scott, at the shopping cart page, you do have both options. I think this is pretty clear to the buyer. Ether choose paypal or regular check out.

Wait....just looked at the Shopping Cart layout again and I think if we could align the paypal button to the right, just under the regular check out button, it would be much better to see that one has the two options.

Don't know where to do it, sorry. I will try and find out, but maybe somebody allredy has a idea?

Additional text, like Scott asked, could be added on the same page maybe?

I think if we could align the paypal button to the right, just under the regular check out button

In the stock templates this is the position. If yours is not then have a peek at how it should be lined up by looking at the classic template and CSS.