Add PayPal Express as a secondary/alternate payment method

PayPal Express is an alternative payment method that lets your customers check out in just a few steps using PayPal's checkout process. Customers click Check out with PayPal, log in to their PayPal account, and confirm pre-populated shipping and payment details on a PayPal-hosted page. They then return to your website to complete the rest of the checkout. Adding it gives customers a fast, familiar way to pay, and the payment is recorded against the order in DecoNetwork just like your other payment methods.

In This Article

• Prerequisites
• Why use PayPal Express?
• Step 1: Add PayPal Express as an alternative payment method
• Step 2: Configure the PayPal Express settings
• Best Practices
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why use PayPal Express?

PayPal Express shortens checkout for customers who already have a PayPal account. Because they confirm their details on PayPal's pre-populated page, there is less to type and fewer chances for mistakes in the shipping address or payment details. That supports a faster path from cart to paid order.

The settings you choose here affect your checkout and order workflow in the following ways:

• Limits, Location, and Availability decide which customers, countries, and stores see PayPal Express at checkout.
• Use Unique Invoice Number decides whether more than one PayPal Express payment can be taken against the same DecoNetwork order, such as a deposit followed by a balance payment.
• Payments are recorded against the order, so you can see and manage them from the order in the same way as your other payment methods.

Step 1: Add PayPal Express as an alternative payment method

1. Log into your DecoNetwork Website.

2. Browse to Admin → Settings → Payment Methods.

   

   Open Payment Methods from the Settings menu.

   The main work area shows your selected payment gateway in the top panel, your configured alternative payment methods in the next panel, then available credit cards, and your configured manual payment methods in the bottom panel.

3. Scroll down to the Alternative Payment Methods section.

   

   The Alternative Payment Methods section of the Payment Methods page.

4. Click Add under the PayPal Express logo.

   

   Click Add under the PayPal Express logo.

Outcome: The PayPal Express payment gateway settings are displayed in the main work area, ready for you to configure.

Step 2: Configure the PayPal Express settings

Work through the settings below, then click Save when you are done. These settings control how PayPal Express appears and behaves at checkout.

General

• Paypal Account: the email address you used to register for your PayPal account.
• Use Unique Invoice Number: lets you choose whether invoice numbers are unique for each PayPal Express transaction. Unique invoice numbers allow multiple PayPal Express transactions for the same DecoNetwork order. If Yes is selected, a suffix is added to the invoice number for later payments made to an order that still has a balance.

Rename

The Rename area lets you override the default payment method name and description. Tick the Override default checkbox and enter a new name and description in the matching text boxes.

Limits

The Limits settings let you set the minimum and maximum order amounts this payment method can be used for.

Location

The Location settings let you limit the countries where the payment method is available. The Available for all countries checkbox is ticked by default. Untick it to display the country checkboxes, then untick the countries where you do not want the payment method to be available.

Availability

The Availability settings let you choose the stores or groups of stores where the payment method can be used.

• Availability: choose whether the payment method is available for orders placed through the web store and for orders placed in Business Hub.
  • Active for Web enables the method in web stores.
  • Active for Business Hub enables the method in Business Hub.
• Global: sets the default availability of the payment method.
  • This is available in all stores by default: makes the payment method available in the storefront and in Business Hub for all stores.
  • This is not in any store by default: hides the payment method from the storefront and from Business Hub for all stores.
• Store Group: decides which stores can use the payment method based on their group. You can see which groups have access set and edit them, or click Add Rule to create a group-based rule that includes or excludes the group.

• Store: sets availability by explicitly allowing or denying specific stores.

  

  Store rules for the payment method. (D) after a store name means the store has been deleted.

Outcome: Once you click Save, PayPal Express is available at checkout wherever your Limits, Location, and Availability settings allow it. Customers outside those settings do not see the option.

Best Practices

• Set Use Unique Invoice Number to Yes if you ever take more than one payment on an order, such as deposits, balance payments, or add-ons.
• Use Rename to give the method a name customers recognize, such as PayPal.
• Use Limits and Location to keep PayPal Express to the order amounts and countries you want to accept.
• Place a small test order after any change to your PayPal permissions or payment method settings.

Troubleshooting

PayPal Express does not appear at checkout

• Cause: The method is not enabled for that store, country, or order amount.
• Solution: Check Active for Web in Availability, the Store Group and Store rules, the Location settings, and the Limits for the order total.

Payment fails or the customer returns without a confirmed order

• Cause: DecoNetwork has not been granted the required API permissions in PayPal, or the PayPal account email is incorrect.
• Solution: Confirm the DecoNetwork API permissions are in place in your PayPal account, and check the Paypal Account email in the General settings.

A second payment on the same order is rejected

• Cause: Use Unique Invoice Number is set to No, so PayPal sees the same invoice number twice.
• Solution: Set Use Unique Invoice Number to Yes and save.

FAQs

What does the customer see at checkout?

Customers click Check out with PayPal and log in to their PayPal account. They confirm pre-populated shipping and payment details on a PayPal-hosted page, then return to your website to finish the checkout.

Can I take more than one PayPal Express payment on the same order?

Yes, if Use Unique Invoice Number is set to Yes. A suffix is added to the invoice number for each later payment on an order that still has a balance.

Can I limit PayPal Express to certain stores or countries?

Yes. Use Location to limit countries and Availability to choose which stores, store groups, and channels (web store or Business Hub) can use it.

Can I change the name customers see?

Yes. Use Rename, tick Override default, and enter the name and description you want.

Additional Resources

• Payment Methods
• Add PayPal as a secondary/alternate payment method
• Enable External Payment Gateway Integrations