How To Setup PayPal on Woocommerce – Complete Guide
WooCommerce PayPal checkout makes it easy for you, as a business owner, to receive payments from your customers, regardless of their location. If you run an eCommerce store, you need a means of accepting money from customers. While there are many options you could choose from, Paypal is often one of the top choices. Why? Most online shoppers use PayPal and have become used to the PayPal payment process. On your end, receiving payments through this platform is a seamless and secure process. In this article, you will learn about the Woocommerce PayPal setup. But first, we will need to create a PayPal sandbox.
Content:
- How to Create PayPal Sandbox Account
- Installing Paypal for WooCommerce
- Set Up PayPal for WooCommerce
- How to Generate Identity Token
How to create a PayPal Sandbox Account
Before deploying a PayPal payment gateway to your Woocommerce site, it’s needful to first test it to be sure everything works fine. Thankfully PayPal has an option for this: PayPal sandbox. So, in this tutorial, we shall create a sandbox account. We’ll be using it along the way.
Head over to PayPal’s developer section. On the far right corner, click Log into Dashboard
Upon click, you would be prompted to sign in (if you already have an account) or sign up. In this instance, we will be signing up.
Next, select an account category: Personal or Business. Personal PayPal accounts are for those who just want to send and receive money. Since you would be doing business transactions, choose a business account.
Put in your email (personal or business email), set a password, and provide a descrip/tion of your business.
Once you are done, submit your entry. The next screen you would see is this:
To link PayPal to your bank account, get a debit card for your business, etc. click Continue to Payment Setup. You can do that later, but for now, let’s integrate PayPal with WooCommerce.
Installing PayPal for WooCommerce
If you don’t have WooCommerce up and running on your WordPress website, go ahead and install WooCommerce and activate it now. This is done in the same way as every other plugin is installed and activated.
With WooCommerce installed and activated, navigate to WooCommerce >> Settings
Next, click Payments.
Note: If you are using older versions of WooCommerce, you would see Checkout in place of Payments.
Scroll down to PayPal Standard, enable it by toggling the button to the left (usually disabled by default).
Next click Set Up. The next screen you would see is this:
Yes! we have successfully installed and activated Woocommerce. Also, we have enabled PayPal. Let’s dive deeper into the WooCommerce PayPal setup.
WooCommerce PayPal Setup
In the Title section, put in the headline you would want customers to see on landing on your PayPal checkout page. A good title would be something like this: “Pay with PayPal”.
As for the description, put in the text that would be below the headline. Remember the email you used for opening your business account? Put it in the “PayPal email” section.
Since we are still in the testing phase, check Enable PayPal Sandbox. Also, check Enable logging to capture all PayPal events on your site. Now let’s set up PayPal.
If you prefer to receive alerts in an email different from the PayPal email, put it in the Receiver email.
PayPal identity token offers a secure means to verify payment from customers without using PayPal native’s IPN (Instant Payment Notification). Also, with the identity token, you can keep track of all transactions, either ongoing or completed.
How to generate Identity Token
To generate Identity Token, log into your PayPal business account and click on the settings icon.
Next, on the left side of the page, under the Products and Services section, click Website Payments.
After that, click update website preferences.
Next, turn on Auto return.
Finally, turn on Payment data transfer, put the URL to your “Thank you page”, and save. You will see your identity token displayed on the screen. Copy and paste this in the “Paypal identity token” input box in your Paypal plugin setup page.
Finishing up The Setup
In the Invoice prefix section, type in your preferred prefix for your invoices. Using unique invoice prefixes is particularly needful if you are running more than one online store. A unique prefix could be something like this: “Business Shop”. Put in your business name in place of “Business”.
If you check the Shipping details checkbox, shipping details would be sent to your PayPal address, not billing address.
To prevent the address from being changed, check the Address override.
As for Payment action, you have two options: capture or authorize. If you chose to capture, payments from customers would be processed immediately without the need for verification. If you go for authorizing, payments will first have to be verified before being processed. As you may have guessed, the authorize option is heavily time-consuming.
The rest (Page style and Image URL) are optional.
To process refunds, you will have to set up your API credentials. Head over to PayPal’s website to learn how to generate API credentials.
When you have your API details, input them and click Save changes.
To ensure the WooCommerce PayPal setup is working properly, we need to run a test purchase. This is where PayPal’s sandbox becomes handy.
How to Run a Test Purchase with PayPal Sandbox Account
First, ensure that Sandbox is enabled in the WooCommerce Setting (WooCommerce >> Settings>> Payments). Save changes.
If you haven’t created a developer account (same as sandbox account) yet, follow the steps in the first section of this article to do so. Now log into the developer account you just created, go to the ‘Sandbox’ section on the developer menu (on the left), and click Accounts. Next, click Create Account.
What you would see next is this:
The country you chose doesn’t really matter. Select a Personal Buyer account. Type in an email (this is the email you would be using for the test purchase). For this tutorial, we shall be using “fixrunner50@gmail.com”. Put in a password. You can fill in or leave out first and the last name.
In the payment section, type in any balance of your choice, select PayPal as Payment Card. Then click Create Account.
In your Sandbox dashboard, you should see the newly created account.
Now we’ve created a test buyer account to help us test our PayPal setup.
Testing our Buyer Account
Head over to your online store and make a purchase. As usual, add a product to the cart and proceed to checkout.
On the checkout page, fill in your normal billing details. Scroll down and click Proceed to PayPal. Just before the proceed button, you should see a dialog box telling you Sandbox is enabled.
Upon clicking the proceed button, you would be redirected to the sandbox account. Log in with the sandbox buyer email and password you had earlier created.
On the next page, accept terms and conditions. Finally, click Pay Now
That’s it! To be sure the order went through, log into your website, go to WooCommerce >> Orders. You should see the order you just processed.
Now we have tested and verified that our WooCommerce/PayPal setup is working properly, we can now disable PayPal Sandbox. By so doing real users will be able to purchase from your store.
WooCommerce Paypal Checkout
WooCommerce PayPal checkout is a plugin that allows you to accept payments via PayPal on your checkout pages. To add it to your store, navigate to Plugins >> Add New. Then search for “WooCommerce PayPal Checkout”.
Finally, install and activate the plugin. With WooCommerce PayPal checkout activated on your store, receiving payments from your customers via PayPal will become easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up PayPal in my WooCommerce store?
To set up PayPal in your WooCommerce store, you need to follow these steps:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments.
- Look for the PayPal payment method, and click on the “Set up” button next to it.
- Fill in your PayPal email address and other required details, then save your changes.
What are the benefits of using PayPal for my WooCommerce store?
Some benefits of using PayPal for your WooCommerce store include:
- Widespread acceptance: PayPal is accepted in more than 200 countries and supports multiple currencies.
- Security: PayPal offers a secure platform for online transactions, reducing the risk of fraud.
- Easy refunds: Issuing refunds is simple through the PayPal platform.
Is there a cost associated with using PayPal for WooCommerce?
Yes, PayPal charges transaction fees for using their payment gateway. These fees vary depending on your location, currency, and other factors. For more information, visit PayPal’s fee structure page: https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/merchant-fees
Can I customize the PayPal checkout experience for my customers?
Yes, you can customize the PayPal checkout experience by enabling or disabling the following options in your WooCommerce settings:
- PayPal Identity Token: Allows you to receive payment confirmations.
- Invoice Prefix: Set a custom prefix for your invoice numbers.
- Shipping details: Choose whether to send shipping details to PayPal.
Do I need an SSL certificate for my WooCommerce store if I use PayPal?
While PayPal handles payment processing securely, it is still recommended to have an SSL certificate for your WooCommerce store. An SSL certificate ensures that your customers feel confident and safe when browsing and making purchases on your website. It also helps improve your website’s SEO ranking and complies with PCI DSS requirements for online stores.
Can I use PayPal with multiple currencies on my WooCommerce store?
Yes, PayPal supports multiple currencies, allowing you to accept payments from customers around the world. To enable multiple currencies, you need to install and configure a currency switcher plugin for WooCommerce. Once set up, customers can choose their preferred currency during checkout, and PayPal will handle the currency conversion.
What is the PayPal Sandbox, and how can I use it with WooCommerce?
PayPal Sandbox is a testing environment that allows you to simulate transactions without actually processing real payments. This is useful for testing your WooCommerce store’s checkout process before going live. To use PayPal Sandbox, you need to enable it in your WooCommerce settings by checking the “Enable PayPal Sandbox” box and entering your Sandbox API credentials.
Can I offer PayPal Credit to my customers?
Yes, you can offer PayPal Credit to your customers by enabling the “PayPal Credit” option in your WooCommerce PayPal settings. This feature allows customers to finance their purchases and pay over time. Keep in mind that PayPal Credit is only available to customers in the United States and certain terms and conditions apply.
How do I resolve issues with PayPal transactions in WooCommerce?
If you experience issues with PayPal transactions, you can start by checking WooCommerce order notes and PayPal logs for any errors or additional information. If you still cannot identify the problem, you may need to contact PayPal’s support team for assistance. Ensure that your WooCommerce and PayPal plugin versions are up to date, as this can often resolve compatibility issues.
Can I use PayPal with WooCommerce Subscriptions?
Yes, PayPal can be used with WooCommerce Subscriptions for processing recurring payments. To do this, you need to have the WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin installed and activated on your WordPress site. In the WooCommerce Subscriptions settings, select PayPal as the payment gateway for handling subscription payments.
What is WooCommerce PayPal Checkout and how is it different from the standard PayPal integration?
WooCommerce PayPal Checkout is an official WooCommerce extension designed to provide a streamlined and optimized checkout experience. The primary differences between PayPal Checkout and the standard PayPal integration include:
- A simplified and responsive checkout interface.
- Smart payment buttons that display various payment options, such as PayPal, Venmo, and PayPal Credit, based on the customer’s location and preferences.
- In-context checkout, allowing customers to complete transactions without leaving your site.
To use WooCommerce PayPal Checkout, you need to install and activate the PayPal Checkout plugin and configure its settings.
Conclusion
This is all you need to know about WooCommerce Paypal setup. Hopefully, you can now receive payments on your Woocommerce store. We did our best to make it as simple as possible, but if you missed something do get in touch.
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