PayPal's button generator can create a lot of basic buttons. Unfortunately to go beyond those basics requires programing and a understanding of the special button features. These features are outlined in the users guide, but 194 pages of technical specfications may not be what you are prepared to spend hours understanding.

Where do I go from here?

• I'm new at this, so how can you help me - Getting Started.
• I'm stuck and need some quick help.
• I need more extensive advice and consulting.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need general PayPal technical support.
• Are there full featured Shopping Cart Solutions using WPS?

Instant Payment Notification (IPN) is designed to asynchronously notifiy your payment system as to the disposition of the payment process. This notification is independent of where your user navigates after the payment has been complete. PayPal sends this notification to the URL you specifiy either in your account settings or by the "notifiy_url" setting sent as part of your button form post.

Where do I go from here?

• I'm new at this, so how can you help me - Getting Started.
• I'm stuck and need some quick help.
• I need more extensive advice and consulting.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need IPN technical support.
• Free IPN scripts

There are a number of full featured shopping carts that support Website Payments Standard. If you have more than two or three products it would be recommended that you consider this option. These carts offer a lot of features and managment tools that do not exist in the PayPal "virtual" cart.

Where do I go from here?

• I have one or two products and want a small cart that stays on my website.
• Tell me more about the features and different types of full feartured shopping carts available.
• I'm on a budget, are there free open-source carts I can review?
• Do you have feature lists and comparisons?
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a detailed estimate of cost.
• I need general PayPal technical support.

Many start with a quick PayPal button which works great. You add features and your buttons get more and more complicated. At some point you quickly realize that there are limitations on the user experience and the complexity is becoming an annoyance to your customers and difficult for you to manage. Your customers get lost and confused or you don't get settings updated fast enough, so you loose sales!

You have read about the Pro version and it sounds like the answer, but there seems to be something very different about the Pro version that you can't quite get a handle on. We developed an article to help you understand the differences and better determine if this is a solution you can afford.

Comparision of Website Payments Standard and Pro

Where do I go from here?

• I have one or two products and want a small cart that stays on my website.
• I'm new at this, so how can you help me - Getting Started.
• I'm stuck and need some quick help.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball part estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need general PayPal technical support.

The simplest way to use Websites Payment Pro is as part of a full featured shopping cart. There are both open source (free for the basics) and commercial offerings. Your biggest hurdles are: 1) Deciding on what features you need and what cart offers those features, 2) How do you install one of these carts, and 3) Learning all the features of the cart and getting PayPal configured properly.

SonicWebTech has services that will help you to whatever degree you require.

Where do I go from here?

• Tell me more about the features and different types of shopping carts available.
• I'm on a budget, are there free open-source carts I can review?
• Do you have feature lists and comparisons?
• I need someone to install a cart at my hosting service.
• I installed a cart on my website, but now I'm lost. Can you help me?.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball part estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need general technical support.

You only have a few products to sell and a full featured cart seems like overkill. At the same time PayPal buttons leave the wrong impression on your customers or do not allow you the flexibility you need for shipping or product options. You want a more integrated and professional sells experience.

SonicWebTech has developed a MicroCart that you can either customize yourself or have customized into a very integrated solution. Pricing starts at $24.95.

Where do I go from here?

• Tell me more about the features of the MicroCart.
• Do you have a manual and install documentation?
• What are the requirement for me to do this myself?
• Is there a demo I can look at?
• What is the pricing options, and are there installation options?.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need an estimate of cost.

You may have tried or looked at Website Payments Standard buttons for either donations or subscriptions but found that you need more options or a more professional look.

SonicWebTech has developed both Donations and Subscriptions modules that you can either customize yourself or have customized into a very integrated solution. Pricing starts at $24.95.

Where do I go from here?

• Tell me more about the Donations module.
  • Tell me more about the features.
  • Do you have a manual and install documentation?
  • What are the requirement for me to do this myself?
  • Is there a demo I can look at?
  • What is the pricing options, and are there installation options?.

• Tell me more about the Subscriptions module.
  • Tell me more about the features.
  • Do you have a manual and install documentation?
  • What are the requirement for me to do this myself?
  • Is there a demo I can look at?
  • What is the pricing options, and are there installation options?.

• I have a detailed outline of some customizations I need. I would like an estimate of cost.

Whether you are selling a product or a service, you don't want any barriers between your customer and the sales process. One of the major challenges that we hear the most is: trying to create that sales process and somehow do that at a low cost. Generally you will find that this is only possible if you can find a solution: shopping cart service or application, that does EXACTLY what you want. If you find that then you are in luck.

If you have something unique that requires a equally unique process then you have very limited choices:

1. Make compromises and use an ecommerce solution that gets "close" to what you need.
2. See if that ecommerce solution has some "plugins" or "extensions" that get very close to what you need (but still you need to make some compromises.)
3. Build a custom ecommerce solution from either scratch or from some starting point, based on a solution of which you have the source code. Even here, you have some other choices:
   1. Build "some" of what you need to keep the cost down but leave yourself in a possition where you can grow if and when you needs grow. (Cheaper)
   2. Build it all now and hope you understand your future needs. (More costly)

What is critical that you understand up front is that once you say "custom" you move into a world where it can get very expensive FAST. Only by making compromises and limiting yourself to a "Phase one" approach can you manage your costs.

Where do I go from here?

• I would like a quick reality check!
• I need some expert advice so I can understand what this will take.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need on going technical advice.

The advantage of having your own merchant account through a more traditional banking relationship is that your transactions are governed by state and federal banking regulations. The transfer of funds to your bank is direct and occurs in a predictable timeline.

The disadvantage is that this extra service and safety will cost you a bit more. The amount will vary between Merchant Account providers, so this is where you need to shop around. Often you can get the best rates through your business banking relationships.

PayPal PayFlow products are designed to work with any Internet Merchant Account (IMA). It is generally a very formal process where you need your eCommerce site setup and ready so that the IMA provider can verify your website and that you are following their requirements.

PayFlow Link - This solution allows you to avoid having and SSL certificate and is easier to comply with most IMA providers PCI certifications. All credit card information is kept on the PayPal servers and you do not have to deal with the securith issues (PCI) related to that sensitive data. This solution is generally the most cost effective to implement.

PayFlow Pro - This solution is very much like Websites Payment Pro in that it uses an API and is therefore more integrated into your ecommerce solution. You will need an SSL certificate and the PCI requirements can be more involved. This solution generally involves more programming and therefore can become more expensive. Some third party shopping cart support PayFlow Pro, but it is not very common.

Where do I go from here?

• I have some quick questions!
• I need some expert advice so I can understand what this will take.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need on going technical advice and/or programming.

You have an idea for that next BIG THING and need some technical advice as to what it will take.

One place to start is a local business group where you can bounce your idea off of other business people and get free feedback. You may though need to keep the idea carefully guarded. This is where we come in.

We have consulting packages that protect your idea (Non-discloser) and provide you with expert advice on the technical issues.

Where do I go from here?

• I would like to schedule a free 15 minute phone conference!
• I need some extensive expert advice so I can understand what this will take.
• I know what I need to do, but need someone to do the programing.
• I know a little of what I want to do, I need a ball park estimate of cost.
• I have a detailed outline of what I want to do, I need a more detailed estimate of cost.
• I need on going technical advice and/or programming.