How to embed “paypal web payment standard” in the product page?

[jessela]

Hi all,
I'm trying to use "paypal web payment standard" in my site, but when I copy the paypal button code and paste in the product description and save, the code automatically changed.
This first line code <form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> is changed to <form method="post">
Does anyone know how to go around this problem?

Thanks everyone in advance!

[beachy]

Hi Jessela,

I am a bit confused as to why you want to integrate paypal web payment standard like that into your site. Virtuemart comes complete with its own shopping cart which can then be directly linked with PayPal as a payment processor.

If you were to do it that way you would not have copy the paypal button code which is a very slow process and does not look professional.

[jessela]

thanks for reply beachy,
the reason i want paypal standard button is, that way customers can make payment without creating paypal account, that's what paypal said.
with vm paypal payment, customers need to create paypal account to pay, am i having wrong idea?

thanks
jessela

[beachy]

It does not matter how you use PayPal whatever option will require you to have a PayPal account. PayPal accounts are free to setup so there is not reason not to! PayPal makes their money by charging you a small percentage on each transaction.

I would definately advise against trying to use paypal buttons and instead use the virtuemart cart and checkout proceedure and link across to paypal to take payment.

You will probably find the Virtuemart manual a really good starting block for designing your site.

[jessela]

Hi beachy,

Your point makes sense, maybe i'm worrying to much about a petty thing.

Thank you very much for your help, i really appreciate it.

Jessela

[Buster]

It does not matter how you use PayPal whatever option will require you to have a PayPal account.

I'm pretty sure that's not true... see https://merchant.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?&cmd=_render-content&content_ID=merchant/wp_standard

As far as I'm aware, you have the option of logging in to your PayPal account, or entering your credit card details directly.

thanks for reply beachy,
the reason i want paypal standard button is, that way customers can make payment without creating paypal account, that's what paypal said.
with vm paypal payment, customers need to create paypal account to pay, am i having wrong idea?

thanks
jessela

Is this what PayPal told you? That you must have a PayPal account to pay from a Virtuemart site?

Very confusing!

[beachy]

It does not matter how you use PayPal whatever option will require you to have a PayPal account.

I'm pretty sure that's not true... see https://merchant.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?&cmd=_render-content&content_ID=merchant/wp_standard

Hi Buster I think we are discussing two different things!

The owner of the website can not accept PayPal payments without having a PayPal account.

On the other hand you are correct in saying that customers do not need a PayPal account to send payments.

This is not however dependant on using the PayPal Web Payment Standard.

A site can use any method to link to PayPal and the customer will always be given the option to pay by credit card without signing up!

My opinion is that if you going to all of the fuss of creating a VM site you do not want to hardcode PayPal buttons in for each  product that you stock. You lose all of the functionality and benefits of a VM site.

[mvelcic]

I am experiencing the same problem, I am trying to add a PayPal Buy Now button to a couple products.  I am using VM as an online catalogue, and it works great, love it.  Here is my store, Category A has 10 products, for one of these products I would like to add a PayPal Buy Now button to the full product description.  Category B is an online catalogue only for all products, but Category C has two products where I would like to add a PayPal Buy Now button. Is there a way to add the form code from PayPal into the full product description? 

Thanks to anyone that has gotten this type store using VM to work for them and can provide information on how they did it!!!

[beachy]

As I have said before I dont agree with this method of installation but I dont see why it cant be done by going into the product administration form for that product and then selecting HTML and pasting the HTML in there.

I honestly believe you would be much better using virtuemarts cart and Paypal as a payment processor. You may not think you need it now but what about when your site grows?

[mvelcic]

Thank you for your reply.  Two things...
First, adding the paypal code in the product administration doesn't work.
Second, I may be designing this online store incorrectly.

Ok, the first point, the paypal code works on a plain html page, www.firstservetennis.ca/paypal.html but when I add it to the full product description in the product administration, the same paypal code does not work. Do you know how I can get this to work, what I am doing wrong? http://www.firstservetennis.ca/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_new.tpl&product_id=6&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=15

Your second point, thank you for your comments, I would love to hear if there is a better way to use VM for this online store. 

This site sells tennis lessons, some of the lessons require registration with First Serve Tennis so I could use a VM 'Add to Cart button, and then link to PayPal for the payment for these lessons.  But some lessons that are in the same category, require the registrant to call the local community and arrange registration and payment with them, so I do not want a Add to Cart button for these lessons.  Both types are in the same category, ie the same age group.

Is there a way to have an "Add to Cart' button for some products but not others, where both products are in the same category?

Or, please let me know how you would design this online store.  I am happy to rebuild it if someone can suggest a better way.

[mvelcic]

Me again, I just wanted to add that in Global I changed the editor to 'No Editor' prior to adding in the PayPal code into the product description.

When I save the product, and then view the source online, this code gets stripped out of the PayPal form tag.....

action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"

Does VM strip the code?

[beachy]

Right having looked at your site this is how I would design your site:

• Remove the direct PayPal buttons and instead use the virtuemart cart for the lessons which can be bought online. By doing this you can then use the PayPal payment processor (normally setup by default) to process payments for the lessons. It will also give you all the other benefits that virtuemart has rather than linking straight to PayPal
• For the lessons that you want people to ring up and book for. You need to set up the product in exactly the sameway but put zero stock against these products/lessons. Make sure Virtuemart is setup to only allow sales when stock exists. Now if you go to your site where a product is out of stock rather than displaying an add to cart option it will come up with a statement like temporarily out of stock. You can then customise this message through the virtuemart language files to say Please Call to Book on

Hopefully this will give you all of the functionality that you need!

[mvelcic]

Thank you, that sounds perfect, will let you know when I have it done.  Thank you for your clear instructions and taking the time to help me out with this.
Much Appreciated!!!!

[mvelcic]

It almost works,but I am unable to figure this out.  Please go to.... http://www.firstservetennis.ca/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=15

John Costello, Lake Sundance and St. Sebastian are correct with Add to Cart.
Lake Bonavista, Rosedale and Varsity are correct with Notify Me! Which I will customize as you suggested.

Parkland and Rosedale should not have the cart, but also does not have the Notify Me! button.

I can't figure out why, also I would prefer to have them work like the Parkland and Rosedale products but don't know how to do it.  Hope you can help me out. 
Thank you.

[mvelcic]

Have been  working on this trying to get this figured out and as a result the page has changed.  So if you check out the page, my previous post won't make sense. So, heres the updated question.... Why is Rosedale different from Parkland?
All products on this page are in the same category http://www.firstservetennis.ca/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=15&vmcchk=1&Itemid=15.

John Costello, Lake Sundance and St. Sebastian are correct with Add to Cart.  Rosedale is correct as per your instructions, and I can customize the Notify Me! button.   But Parkland and Lake Bonavista products, are set up the same as Rosedale but don't have the Notify Me! button. and I don't know what I am doing that causes them to be different, ie. missing the Notify Me button.

I can build an html page with screen shots and provide the url or provide login to the backend, because I can't see what I am doing that is different between the two products, Rosedale and Parkland.

TIA