Paypal Checkout vs. Paypal Digital Goods Checkout?

[admin-GF]

I noticed on Paypal's site you now support "Paypal Digital Goods" checkout. The first difference I could see is that check out process is different from the usual Paypal demo I tried on the e-junkie site.



Question is, how do I, or can I, test this option? I have an existing (trial) account that is specific to Paypal.

[E-junkie_Guru]

This help page explains how to get set up with PayPal for Digital Goods:

http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/paypal-for-digital-goods.htm



Once you have Step 1 completed, just email us to get your account activated for the Digital Goods checkout.



PediaSleep already has it activated, so you can see it in action on this page for example, if you add an item to your cart and click the PayPal checkout button:

http://www.pediasleep.com/sounds/oceansurf.html

[admin-GF]

Thanks for the example I can see the difference between the checkout process and I am interested implementing the Digital Goods option.



I followed Step 1, but it doesn't reference anything on existing Paypal customers that already have a Premier Account. Its assuming you don't have a Paypal account, or you don't have a verified business Premier account. I have since found by searching the Paypal site that you can switch between "Digital Goods Checkout (Express)" and "Paypal Web Payments Standard" within your account once you add Digital Goods Checkout (Express) as an option. I had added the option, and now can switch between both.



The problem is, (maybe a Paypal specific related question)



How does this effect my existing Paypal account that is accepting existing Web Standard payments and Subscription (recurring) that are currently on my Web site once I switch over to "Digital Goods Checkout (Express)" option in Paypal?



and, for e-junkie,



How does this effect my e-junkie setup? Can I use the old buttons in conjunction with the new Digital Goods Checkout buttons? (assuming it is new code)

[E-junkie_Guru]

Our PayPal for Digital Goods instructions presume that you are only selling Digital Goods and only using E-junkie to sell them. We would recommend contacting PayPal support to ask how switching your account to use Digital Goods Checkout might affect your other Subscription buttons and any non-digital items you might be selling. My tentative understanding currently is that any payments not exclusively for digital products would revert to use a normal Website Payments Standard checkout, but I may be mistaken; in fact, I'd welcome any information clarifying that matter you may receive from PayPal.

[admin-GF]

Thanks I will see what Paypal say. I know that this is a fairly new feature that Paypal has implemented, so information is scarce and they seem to change their Web site daily.



Since I understand you have you manually switch my e-junkie account to "Paypal Digital Goods" support , I assume once you do that, e-junkie will only work with the Paypal digital goods checkout since all the code it generates will be specific to the Paypal Digital Goods API?



So, effectively, all sales via the e-junkie shopping cart go through Paypal Digital Goods Express Checkout (as the pediasleep checkout) once you switch the account over?

[admin-GF]

I called Paypal. the person I spoke with said that if I switch to "Paypal Digital Goods" using my existing account, my transaction fees are increased - from 2.9% to 5% plus 5 cents per transaction, instead of the regular 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction.



I can continue to use both types of methods to accept payments using both checkouts, but the transactions charges will be the same for both. So, if only 10% of your sales are using the digital goods checkout, all of the sales are charged at the higher transaction rate. Makes no sense to me.



I never got around to asking other questions such as IPN compatibility because the increase for ALL my transactions isn't worth the switch over for me. I can get 24/7 telephone staff on a toll free 1-800 line, plus online credit card ordering and CD delivery options for about the same transaction fees.

[E-junkie_Guru]

Hm, you may have been misinformed. PayPal's own site states they would automatically charge the Micropayments rate (5% plus 5 cents per transaction) for order totals up to $12, or the standard rate (2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction) for orders over $12 (and even lower fees for monthly sales volume over $3000) -- see their Pricing tab here for details:

https://www.paypal.com/digitalgoods

[admin-GF]

As you can see, I can't get a straight answer direct from Paypal (and this is not the first time for me). I'll call again tomorrow and see what different answers I get. I might have to call 5 or 6 times, and sort the truth from the fiction.

[rkeiser]

EJ Guru.... PayPal doesn't automatically charge one rate for under $12 and another for over $12. It applies the same rate for every transaction through a specified PayPal account. Therefore, if you want the two different rates: standard and micro, you have to create two separate PayPal accounts.



eJunkie allows you to automatically direct purchases under $12 to the specified PayPal account with the Micropayment rate.



Also, once you have converted an account to a Micropayment account, and if you want to convert back, it takes around one week. Therefore, be absolutely sure that you want an account on micropayment rate, because every transaction over $12 will end up costing you more in fees.



Hope this clarifies the situation. Ejunkie... you may want to include this information in your FAQs about PayPal micropayments, if it already isn't.

[admin-GF]

This is how it was explained to me by the Paypal rep on the phone, but I was told that once you switch, you're using Micropayments rates and are charged 5%+ 5 cents . You have no choice because Paypal doesn't have the ability to charge separate rates on the same account. The micropayments options makes sense for those who get payments under $12.00, but not for me.



The Paypal link that EJGuru posted above seems to claim that you can use either Micropayments rates or the regular rates. This is what is confusing.



Can you have a Digital Goods Express Checkout WITHOUT the micropayments option? I was told no.

[E-junkie_Guru]

Bear in mind we're talking specifically about the PayPal for Digital Goods checkout flow here; this is distinct from the usual PayPal Micropayments setup, which does normally work as 'ralphielikesbunnysuits' described above.



On the PayPal for Digital Goods page on their site, under the Pricing tab, it confirms what PayPal's reps have been informing us since we agreed to cooperate with them on this new service:

https://www.paypal.com/digitalgoods - Pricing tabPayPal is committed to giving you the best pricing for both your micropayments and larger transactions. Your fee rate will automatically adapt based on the size of the transaction. Signing up for micropayment pricing is easy too – you'll be prompted to apply as you go through the set up process.



For each transaction we'll charge you either standard pricing, or micropayments pricing – whichever is the lower rate.

Since the Digital Goods checkout flow is a fairly new service just getting off the ground with PayPal, I'm not surprised that all their regular support agents may not be fully informed about it yet. I would recommend using the specific contact number or email link provided on that particular PayPal for Digital Goods page -- if you do call, be sure you're talking to an agent who's fully familiar with "the new PayPal for Digital Goods checkout flow".

[zak711]

Hi Guys,



Just checked out the pediasleep site and until the PP integration fell over (thought you should know...) it is EXACTLY what I am trying to do on my test site www.snorer.com/wp



Bit I am stumbling on is how to get it to shade out the main page and call the PP page in a lightbox...



I'm a newbie round here so please be nice if this is posted somewhere really obvious elsewhere... (apologies if it is!)



Good weekend



Zak

[E-junkie_Monster]

Hi Zak,



Have you already upgraded to PayPal Digital Goods? That is the specific service of theirs which is necessary to keep the checkout page in a lightbox as opposed to opening in a new window.

[zak711]

Hiya.



That makes sense! I am trying to run I think before I can walk (new account with PP) and still going thru the validation process.



OK I will TRY to be patient and activate it their end when validated. Not good at patient!



Cheers



Zak