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We have an ASP.NET web site containing a product catalogue. We have now been asked to add on shopping cart and payment functionality. However, as this is a trial, it needs to be cost free (as far as reasonable) and there is no SSL certificate installed.

So we've turned to PayPal as a solution, but before we digest the manuals, is this a good approach?

  1. Can a collection of items in a basket (in ASP.NET) be pushed into PayPal's own hosted payment pages? This would be easiest for us as we can easily create the basket and contents within the ASP.NET site
  2. Is there a way (using API or whatever) to 'Add to Basket' without redirecting the shopper to PayPal and then back to our site again?
  3. Is there a better way all round that we've missed?!?

All advice will be up-voted - this a fact-finding journey for us before we start any work.

EvilDr
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    Try looking at this post. [paying for multiple items][1] [1]: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3308898/paying-for-multiple-items-at-once-via-paypal – Nathan Greenway Apr 24 '13 at 11:24

1 Answers1

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there is no SSL certificate installed

You will have to get an SSL certificate to do anything with payment gateways.

Can a collection of items in a basket (in ASP.NET) be pushed into PayPal's own hosted payment pages?

Yes they can.

This would be easiest for us as we can easily create the basket and contents within the ASP.NET site

You'll still need to arrange the data in a PayPal-friendly way.

Is there a way (using API or whatever) to 'Add to Basket' without redirecting the shopper to PayPal and then back to our site again?

Yes there is but this costs more and the integration will be slightly more involved.

Is there a better way all round that we've missed?!?

Depends on what's needed. A simple or semi-professional shop can redirect to PayPal but a large or professional shop should have integrated payment as well as a PayPal option. The integrated payment option doesn't need to be PayPal.

Think about currencies, refunds, cancellations, documentation and customer-service-quality when choosing your payment gateway.

Joe Ratzer
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  • Thanks for that Joe. With regards to your second answer, can you push a basket into PayPal without SSL? For example, convert the basket into, say XML and post it all to a payment page? – EvilDr Apr 25 '13 at 07:15
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    If the site allows users to login, you'll need SSL. If there is no login or user details, and the site only redirects to PayPal then you may not need SSL. – Joe Ratzer Apr 25 '13 at 08:16
  • Okay that's fine. Yeah I appreciate that, and there's no need for logins on the site as 'accounts' are not being created. I don't suppose you can highlight where abouts in the plethora of PayPal documentation it details about posting a basket into their environment please? Just to give me a starting point to work from! Thanks again! – EvilDr Apr 25 '13 at 09:04
  • Even if I had a link it would go out of date, sorry I don't. – Joe Ratzer Apr 25 '13 at 10:34