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Do anyone have similar experience?

I would like to know the difference between the notify_url and return in Paypal integration. As my understanding, Paypal will pass the transaction detail to notify_url for further action, but what if I set both notify_url and return in the form, how do I completing the notify_url and the call the return from php script?

Best regards,

Kelvin.

Kelvin
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  • Read this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13415964/paypal-notify-url-and-return-url-recieving-variables-without-ipn-using-php – oliakaoil Jul 08 '14 at 17:01
  • notify url is for IPN and return url is the where the buyer will return after completing payment – David Nguyen Jul 08 '14 at 17:08

1 Answers1

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The Return URL is where PayPal sends the buyer after they've completed everything on the PayPal pages.

In the case of Payments Standard that would typically happen after the payment is completed, and then the return URL may be used in conjunction with PDT (Payment Data Transfer) to pass data to the return URL so that you may display it for the buyer as a thank you / receipt page. With API calls the ReturnURL redirection from PayPal generally happens prior to the payment being completed.

Notify URL is used with IPN (Instant Payment Notification) which is very similar to PDT except that IPN notifications are sent as a "silent POST" to your listener script on your server. These notifications will be sent in real-time with all transactions on your PayPal account so you can automate procedures for things like payments, refunds, disputes, cleared e-checks, etc.

Drew Angell
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    So if I use both Return and Notify_URL, which one will be called if both of them are called after completion of payment? I found most people use Notify_URL to get the IPN and update the database at backend, when I can do the update at backend, then I can show the thank you page after the update, why I still need the Return? Please advise. – Kelvin Jul 09 '14 at 01:31
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    Well, both would be called. That's actually a mistake people make...setting up both to do database inserts, for example, and then winding up with duplicate records in your system. I typically make my return URL a very simple receipt page or thank you page and if more details are necessary to provide the buyer I deliver that from with my IPN solution along with the database updates and anything else I need to do. – Drew Angell Jul 09 '14 at 04:05
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    Do you mean it is the best practice to call Notify_URL for database insert and Return for showing thank you page or invert? – Kelvin Jul 09 '14 at 04:17
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    It really just depends on your use-case. The return is what the buyer is going to finish with on their screen, so whatever you want that to look like or do you can set that up accordingly. Notify (IPN) will happen completely separate from checkout and won't be seen the buyer at all (other than may receiving an email notification that your IPN solution may send, for example) – Drew Angell Jul 09 '14 at 04:29
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    Ok, Thanks Andrew Angell. – Kelvin Jul 12 '14 at 17:19