PayPal Checkout is the new payment solution supported by PayPal and aims to replace all PayPal legacy solutions.
Simplified checkout and payment using PayPal payment buttons
PayPal payment buttons can displayed on product pages and in the login area of the VirtueMart checkout page. This is an option and can be configured in the the PayPal checkout payment method.
Shoppers are able to login to their existing PayPal account using these PayPal payment buttons, this approach simplifies the checkout process as it reduces the need for the shopper to manually complete address details already held by PayPal.
On a successful PayPal account login, PayPal returns the customer address information for that account and VirtueMart uses this information to update the VirtueMart cart address fields.
It is possible that the completion of the address details results in different shipping rates being available. Should the cart total price change ( Possibly due to a Shipping rate and cost change) this new cart total is passed for processing to PayPal at the time of order confirmation.
To complete the order the shopper simply reviews the cart contents and costs and confirms the order using the VirtueMart button.
VirtueMart then sends to PayPal for final payment processing.
Extended checkout without PayPal buttons
For shop owners that do not wish to display the PayPal buttons or use the auto address fill approach, it is possible to configure the PayPal checkout payment method and provide customers with a similar payment process flow to that of the previous PayPal standard checkout.
Customers will continue to manually update VirtueMart cart address fields.
PayPal processing will occur after VirtueMart order confirmation.
Configuring VirtueMart to use your PayPal merchant account with PayPal Checkout.
Add a new payment method.
You will need to have a PayPal merchant account to be able to use PayPal checkout. If you do not already have one, you can setup a PayPal merchant account as part of VirtueMart PayPal checkout setup (below).
Add a new payment method in VirtueMart.
Payment Name can be whatever, it will be overwritten by the selected component to ensure the right name according to the registered Trademarks.
Select the Payment Method - "VM Payment - PayPal Checkout"
Use the save button on top and after success, go to the second tab "Configuration".
Connecting to a PayPal merchant account
Use the blue merchant onboarding button.
Create a new account or login to your PayPal account and agree to connect the payment method with the iStraxx company plugin (iStraxx is the name of the company we use to create Virtuemart plugins and confirms with PayPal that you are using a PayPal approved plugin). If the process does not work, ensure that you disabled any popup blockers. In special the ones set in your browser. We had the case, that it worked for sandbox, but not for the live data and of course we always saw a popup, despite the set popup blocker!
We just use this process to help you and automate the process of creating an "App" at PayPal and to return the merchant id, the client id, the secret id of the app and store it for you, directly. The system does its work in the background. Some ecommerce systems or plugins may use this process to take an extra fee or similar, but we do not do this.
If you see that the page reloaded and the fields are filled, you can close the popup. You should see something similar to below. Pay attention to the messages appearing at the top of the page.
Storing the PayPal payment method may change some of your selected options
The payment name is alway adjusted to the selected PayPal component.
This is to ensure that you present the right name for the payment.
If your selected component does not work with your PayPal account the VirtueMart payment method will be automatically set to unpublished, this is done to prevent offering a shopper a none valid PayPal funding method based on your configured PayPal merchant account/region.
Furthermore it updates all other VirtueMart payment methods which work with the plugin "PayPal checkout". Therefore, if you create a new PayPal checkout method and select another product, you will not need to enter the data again. If you store the new payment, it is taken from the already existing methods. You must not do the merchant onboarding operation again (described earlier).
Configuring the PayPal component
Component: Select the PayPal funding options to use. Some of the funding options need to be activated by PayPal for your PayPal merchant account. You can do this in your PayPal merchant account or ask the support. If you store the settings, you should get a message if your selected funding option is not supported by your account. Grey options indicate that your PayPal account does not support the component.
Disabled Fundings: Disable unwanted funding methods
OR
Enabled Fundings: Specify funding methods you wish to offer
Intent (Advanced Creditcard only):
- Capture: The funds are captured immediately while the buyer is present on your site (the default)
- Authorize: The funds are authorized immediately and then reauthorized or captured later (by action of the shopowner)
Shipping preference: Decides if PayPal expects a shipment, by cart weight works very well, if your products maintain correct weight entries. Use address means to set always a shipment address.
With Breakdown: Sends the items and the total value to PayPal. Each of the VirtueMart cart line items are separated into the elments by discount, net, tax.
Show on button: Where to display the PayPal checkout button:
- No - do not display any buttons ( "old" PayPal style).
- Cart only - show in the cart payment options area.
- Anywhere - show on the product details and in the cart payment options area.
Show on cart login: show a PayPal checkout button in the login area of the cart.
Button Styles:
The parameters for the button styles are self explanatory.