Help selecting the right PayPal API calls?

July 30, 2012 3:12 PM

I want to use PayPal to implement two different ways of payment. The API set is confusing enough that I don't know where to start. I need some direction as to which API set to use.

I want to be able to sell a digital product to the general public. This should be the PayPal that people are familiar with. They should be able to make a purchase whether they have a PayPal account or not. I think that this will require the "Express Checkout" or "Express Checkout Pro" API. (It seems that the regular Express Checkout is for those with accounts and the "Pro" will allow those without accounts.)

The second type of transaction needs to pre-approve specific clients and have them agree to having me sell data to them when the data becomes available. It will allow me to debit their PayPal account (credit card or bank) on an as needed basis. It could possibly be daily or weekly; whenever the data is ready to be transmitted. I will (after the clients agree) send them the data, get paid for the transaction, and send an invoice marked as paid. They will be able to cancel their agreement whenever they want.

posted by Drasher to Computers & Internet (2 answers total)

It sounds as though you want both a normal 'buy now' paypal button and a recurring payments and subscription button. With the latter, you will want to set up an in-between page to collect customer details and agreements etc prior to continuing through to the payment screen.
posted by Kerasia at 6:33 AM on August 7, 2012

I have 'solved' the issue by using a "Buy Now" button for one portion and API calls into PayPal Pro for the second portion.

The PayPal development website is undergoing changes and many of the links point nowhere.
posted by Drasher at 12:15 PM on August 30, 2012