PayPal Express Checkout - 2013 Integration Guide

Express Checkout

Integration Overview

DEVELOPER DOCUMENTATION

Document edition:

v. 08/16/13

Contents

Getting Started with PayPal .................................................................................... 3

What is Express Checkout? .................................................................................. 3

How Express Checkout Works .............................................................................. 3

Designing an Optimal Checkout Flow .................................................................... 5

Integration Use Cases ............................................................................................ 9

Obtaining an Express Checkout Button and PayPal Mark .......................................... 9

Use case 1: A Sale transaction ........................................................................... 10

Use case 2: Auth / Capture ............................................................................... 14

Use Case 3: Refunds / Voids .............................................................................. 15

Managing Response Codes ................................................................................ 16

Testing Your Integration ................................................................................... 16

Going Live With Your Express Checkout Integration .............................................. 17

Sample Code ...................................................................................................... 17

Which interface am I using? .............................................................................. 17

Express Checkout Sample Code ......................................................................... 18

Documentation ................................................................................................... 18

Online references (in English) ............................................................................ 18

Copyright © 2012-2013 PayPal. All rights reserved.

Express Checkout ~ Integration Overview

Getting Started with PayPal

This guide provides you with the basic information and best practices guidelines you will
need to integrate Express Checkout on your website. It is intended for you, the merchant,
to help you create an online shopping experience that can increase sales and customer
loyalty by building a checkout process that is fast, easy and intuitive.

For comprehensive integration information, see the Express Checkout Integration Guide.

What is Express Checkout?

Express Checkout provides a seamless checkout experience via an API-based integration for
buyers who want to use their PayPal accounts or Credit Cards (even without logging into a
PayPal account). Buyers select their payment methods and shipping information on PayPal,
then return to your website to finalize their purchases. Express Checkout allows your buyers
to complete transactions in very few steps. It eliminates one of the major causes of
checkout abandonment by giving buyers all the transaction details at once, including order
details, shipping options and tax totals. Use Express Checkout to complement your existing
payment solutions and to do the following:

 Accept payments from buyers using credit cards or from any PayPal account.
 Reduce checkout abandonment by eliminating the need for customers to

reenter personal information, including shipping, billing and payment
information.

 Keep customers on your site after they complete their transactions.

How Express Checkout Works

Buyers use Express Checkout to pay you on PayPal's secure site and return to your site to
complete the transaction. When buyers complete their purchases, your website makes an
API call (unseen by the customer) to PayPal to request payment. The payment transaction
is initiated and PayPal sends buyers email receipts for the payments.

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Express Checkout ~ Integration Overview

Express Checkout API Calls Backend Flow

The following diagram shows the Express Checkout API operations that are called during a
typical payment transaction. For integration details, see Use case 1: A Sale transaction.

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Express Checkout ~ Integration Overview

Designing an Optimal Checkout Flow

PayPal has identified specific elements which can help you optimize the checkout experience
and get the most out of using Express Checkout. These elements were identified through
years of A/B testing, industry research and qualitative studies with merchants and buyers.
Implementing these guidelines can:

 Result in higher sales conversions.
 Create an online shopping experience that can increase sales and customer loyalty.
 Build a checkout process that is fast, easy and intuitive.

The following easy steps can help you optimize your checkout flow and increase conversion
by improving your buyer experience.

1. Show what payment options you offer on your Home and Product Details

pages. Buyers start thinking about how they will pay for their purchases before they
see the final payment page. Placing payment messaging early and often allows
buyers to make that payment choice quicker, which can increase the likelihood of a
purchase.

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Express Checkout ~ Integration Overview

2. Add a PayPal Express Checkout Shortcut to the Shopping cart page to the

right or left, top or bottom of your checkout button.

The Checkout with PayPal button should:

 Always be clickable.
 Be placed right below or next to your own cart's checkout button.
 Appear before your website collects any billing or shipping details, and before

any other payment.

 Be aligned vertically or horizontally with your own checkout button.
 Include a What is PayPal? link.

When the buyer clicks the PayPal button:

 Call the SetExpressCheckout API operation to initiate the transaction. See

Setting Up the Express Checkout Transaction for integration details.

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