Redirect PayPal

[CarbonTerry]

I thought that I had figured it out...but no
I want my customer to be directed to a particular page after payment.
I am not having any luck with this. I created buttons from my PP website with the redirect URL included.
Still no luck.

[VodaHost]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Are u using BlueVoda as your cart? If not you will have to designate the "payment successful URL" in your PayPal control panel.

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Yes, I am using PP button thru the BV web builder. I have entered the after Payment success URL. After payment I do not get sent to the page for customers to set up their username/password.

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

That's the issue, Terry - you are "coding" through the BV interface, and why you need to code and configure directly on the Paypal website Control Panel instead! You will copy the code shown on the PayPal page and paste it into a BV HTML Box to render a properly coded button and function.
*You should always Save the code on a separate document/file with notations what it refers to for easy future access as a permanent archive, usually directly pasting it after creation on the PayPal site, and then copying from your document to paste into the BV HTML Box. Creating good habits like this will save you a lot of effort in the long run!

You should be creating buttons and everything else directly in your PayPal Account Admin Panel on the PayPal website.
The BV interface does not do the job well, other than to insert onto your page the button images, IMO, and worse, people assume just because the BV interface gives them a button that their account is properly set up when it may not even exist at all. It is always best to configure and manage "first-person" with whatever tool or service you are using ....

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Thanks V,
I am using my PP "Merchant Services" to create custom buttons. I am setting the "page" to forward to my customers.
It's just not working. After payment The PP "thank you page appears but the customer is not forwarded.
Now I am getting a 400 Bad Request page when tyring to use PP. I have cleared DNS and cookies. After a few times accessing PP the "400" starts again (using FF).

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

PayPal offers you 2 choices only: 1. delivers customers after transaction to a customized "Success" (or 'order acknowlegment') page, or; 2. back to a single page on your website, at your specification (generally back to the page they originated from -- which invariably causes confusion for many as they try to keep track of their pages).

It will not deliver to multiple pages (the first being an acknowledgment page) and THEN a second page without you first either providing the customer the ability to "hard-navigate" to the next page themselves via a link you provide on the page, or, to a page that has a delayed intro+forwarding script upon it that automatically re-directs to a third page.

In any case, you need to embrace the linear movement between pages and accept the limitations of the PayPal processing protocols to pick up the slack if you wish to resolve your logic by having created the pages in the manner required if you want them to function as envisioned.

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Thanks V,
I am using my PP "Merchant Services" to create custom buttons. I am setting the "page" to forward to my customers.
It's just not working.

Really?? I swore you said otherwise:

Yes, I am using PP button thru the BV web builder.

Make up my mind -- I get confused easily it seems ....

Nevertheless, my explanation of the sequence, limitations, and methods you must work within are there for you to embrace rather than bang your head against. (It really is not supposed to be this difficult)


Maybe it is simply a difference in terminology .... when you say "forward" what exactly do you mean? Do you mean PayPal "send" a copy of the completed transaction doc page to the customer? PayPal already automatically emails a transaction record upon completion of every purchase.

Do you mean "forward" the customer to a page (deliver via navigation) on your website? That is the single URL entry you make when configuring the PayPal landing page ... it will provide a link for the customer to "return" to the site on whatever page you specify. Even if you have a protected page, since the PayPal functions happen on a 3rd site location in a new browser Tab while the customer is still logged in, there should be no difficulty for the customer to either "close the browser Tab" to have the active session page to be "on top" when they no longer need the PayPal page open.

IF, however, you want PayPal to not only return the customer to a specific "Success" page you have customized per transaction (for example) and that page is in a Protected Area of your site, then this is not going to be possible. It would have to be in a public area and still be somewhat "private" since there is no other mention of this particular URL other than as a referral from PayPal (and this page's URL would definitely be one to include as "nofollow" in your robots.txt file).

Lastly, it is impossible to re-direct to a third page (one after your "Success" page) by PayPal or anyone else OTHER than to make your "Success" page itself one that is intended to be only temporarily displayed - one that can be read in 10 seconds or so and to make that page a type of "intro" page which has a simple script added to Page HTML to re-direct to another page after a delay of a set time .... kind of like a Flash "Intro" to some websites: they play for 15-30 seconds, and then deliver to the "index" page. Know what I am talking about?? In this manner, the function of being "forwarded" or "delivered" to an additional page remains a function of that page, not dependent on navigation by User or an outside "referrer" ....

This is why I think using the terminology in a universal manner is crucial at times to any real intelligent reply and cognizant progress.

Again .... my original reply yet stands, albeit more "explained" in this post. Hope this helps to clear things up a bit!

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Sorry for the confusion...thanks for the help....
I am creating my "Buy Now" button thru the PP Merchant Services. I use the option in "Step 3" : "Take customers to this URL when they finish checkout."
I add the URL but upon completion of the PP payment....nothing...just the PP page.
The URL that I want to go to is in a directory that has a password protected page but not the URL specified.
I have tried to send to a page outside of the designated directory in the public_html without success.

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

There is no way to "Preview" the process without actually making a purchase, and if I remember correctly, the URL is displayed on the PayPal page as a link rather than be an automatic navigation process .....

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Thanks V,
I am making very small purchases to test the process. As you say there is a link to take the customer to the page to create the username/password.
Possibly I am misunderstanding PP's terminology "Take customers to this URL when they finish checkout" quoted directly from PP?

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Not able to look over your shoulder, I am sure it is just something simple being missed ....

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Not able to look over your shoulder, I am sure it is just something simple being missed ....

Here ya' go...

http://speedcap.net/img/91b440073b383ef818e967b48b037e99/6feec173.png

[CarbonTerry]

Re: Redirect PayPal

waaaaaaaay down deep in PP there is an option for "Auto Return ON"
Working now......

[Vasili]

Re: Redirect PayPal

Nine times out of ten ...

I am sure it is just something simple being missed ....

Good Going!