Accepting PayPal Payments on your Website

How to Accept Paypal Payments on Your Website
Introduction
Recently I helped out in creating a simple website for an upcoming re-union. The reunion consists of several events - one of which is semi-formal gathering. This gathering requires reservations of a local ball room and as such the website needs to do more than just inform the guests.
It must also provide a way to accept payments and book them directly. Since PayPal is a popular type of online payment and can also collect all the necessary information, it is ideal for this type of transaction. PayPal provides the capability to link your website directly to the PayPal allowing your patrons to purchase whatever product you setup through PayPal. This eleminitates the need for you to do any real programming or worse hiring some expensive web developement.
Since I accomplished this small feat I've had many requests on how to do this, so I have decided to print the instructions and share them with the world. Those instructions are listed below.

Block 1 - Setting up a PayPal account
1.The first step in using PayPal to accept payments is to visit https://www.paypal.com/.
2. If you don't have an account you will need to create one.
3. Once you create your account you will have to setup a bank account that you use for transactions with PayPal. You will have to do this as early as possible because there is an authentication process that PayPal must check off prior to making transactions with your bank account. The process is something along the lines of them making a small deposit and then you confirming it. This may have changed so please visit PayPal for the latest information.
4. Once you have a PayPal account and you will need to move to the second block of instructions.

Block 2 - Creating the Button to insert to your website.
1. Log in to pay pal2. PayPal has a series of tabs
  • My Account
  • Send Money
  • Request Money
  • Merchant Services
  • Products and Services
  • Community
3. To create the button click on the Merchant Services tab
4. You should see the a label that reads Tools for Existing PayPal Merchants
5. Within that list you will see a "Buy Now Button" - that is the button you will need for your website
6. Click on that selection
7. Follow the steps for creating the button.
Make sure you select all the proper actions as below:
Accept Payment for: Products
Do you want customers to buy multiple products: No Create Buy Button
Item Name: Fill in with the name of your product
Price: $99.99 where you set the actual price of your item instead of 99.99
Customize Button: Don't select any of the checkboxes for that option
Shipping: Enter your shipping amount
Tax Rate: Enter your tax rate
Transaction Notifications: Select your email that way you will be notified of transactions to your email
In step two of the PayPal form (not step 2 in these instructions) don't fill out anything
In step three make sure to fill out the entries for
Take Customers to this URL when they cancel their checkout: provide the link to
your website
Take Customers to this URL when the finish checkout:
provide the link to your website
Finally click the "Create Button" button
8. This will take you to the "You are viewing your button" screen
9. In this page you will have the opportunity to select the code and paste it.
10. I recommend selecting selecting the Email tab instead of the Website code for the following reason The Website code is an entire form providing and not all websites play nicely with this code. The email option can be emailed out to someone or if you know how to create hyperlinks you can simply create a hyperlink in your website and use this as theURL. If you don't know how to create hyperlinks follow the instructions below.
Block 3 Creating a hyperlink

Here is the actual hyperlink I used.

The actual code that I copied from PayPal was:
Go ahead paste that code into your internet browser to see what I mean. It will take you to PayPal and allow you to buy one ticket. You cancel out of course.
They do a much better job than I do in providing instructions for creating a hyperlink.

If you have someone else doing the website work for you you can still make the PayPal link your self and have them insert into your website as link.
Well I hope this helps many of you in selling your products on the web. Even if helps just one of you out I will have accomplished my mission.
If you have any questions comments or feedback I would love to hear it.

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