If you're referring to the option to pay using a credit card and not have a PayPal Account, this is an optional feature which must be enabled by the merchant. Below is how this option works:
Note, if you have already logged into your PayPal Account and for whatever reason, you can't use your credit card, then you would need to contact customer support direct for assistance.
Things to know Payments Standard's Credit Card Option or PayPal Account Optional as referred to in the User Guides:
First, your Item Button Code require no special coding. It's related to how your Account is setup.
* Account must be either Premier or Business. Personal Accounts do not have this option.
* PayPal Account Optional is turned on - this enables non PayPal Members to pay by Credit Card.
* The email address you use to log into your PayPal Account must be verified.
* The "business" variable value in your button code must be a verified email address or your Business ID.
* Bank Account linked and verified - so you can withdraw or transfer funds.
* Credit Card linked and verified.
To enable the PayPal Account Optional feature:
Go to your Account Profile.
Select: My Selling Tools
Under: Selling Online
Locate: Website Preferences
Click on: Update
Locate: PayPal Account Optional
Click: On
Click: Save
When the "account optional" feature is turned on, customers don't need a PayPal account. They use an alternate checkout and have the option to sign up for a PayPal account afterward. Customers with PayPal accounts still log in to their PayPal accounts to check out.
This feature is available for Buy Now buttons, Donations, shopping carts and invoices.
Please note that if both the "auto return" and "account optional" features are turned on, customers who don't log in to PayPal can choose to go back to your website after checkout, but are not returned automatically.
Next, there are specific reasons the Credit Card Option may not be available to your customers.
* You are using Express Checkout. Express Checkout requires a PayPal Account
* You are using the wrong email address or an unverified email address.
* The country you reside in. Not all countries have all the PayPal features available.
* The country your customers reside in. Not all countries have all PayPal features available.
* The IP address of your hosted site is on a blocked list.
Last, you have your PayPal Account setup properly but, still don't see the Credit Card Option or only see a small link to the Credit Card Option.
It's all about the cookies. The PayPal Screens are designed to be displayed in a specific way and what you see is based on the cookies and/or your PayPal Account configuration.
PayPal relies on the use of cookies to track what's in your cart and retain other info about you and therefore the screen that is displayed may not be the screen you expect to see. If you are a new customer visiting PayPal for the first time, the Credit Card Option will be clearly displayed.
If this is your second or third visit to PayPal and your previous cookie has not expired, PayPal now views you as a returning customer. You will get a screen with a small link to the Credit Card Option. Although this is not as obvious to the customer, the Credit Card Option is still available. For example, the cookie that holds the cart info will retain that info for up to 21 days. The only way it will change is if you remove the items selected from the cart or delete the cookie.
If you are testing your web pages, creating new code or making changes, etc., simply delete your web browser's cookies, temp files and history, then close your web browser, reopen it and try your web pages again. When you view the PayPal Screens, you will now get the screen with the Credit Card Option because PayPal views you as a new visitor.
Other reasons for deleting cookies. Let's say you changed your business email address or business graphic logo. If you don't delete the cookies, temp files and history before you test, you will still see the old information.
Additional Notes:
PayPal accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express debit and credit cards.
Card types that are currently not compatible with PayPal Merchant Services are: Procurement and private label credit cards (such as a department store credit card). Debit cards requiring a numeric password and pin-pad for entry.
And One Last Item:
With PayPal's Payments Standard, PayPal advertises that you do not have to have a PayPal Account to make a purchase. This statement is quite true however, there is one small bit of very important information that is not mentioned in any of the available documentation.
Example Scenario:
You have returning customers or have clients that pay you for services or rent on a regular basis. After your customer or client pays you 3 to 4 times using the same credit card, PayPal will interrupt the transactions and require the customer or client to open a PayPal Account or ask the customer or client to use a totally different credit card. Although the customer or client's credit card is good, they will be unable to complete the transaction until they either open a PayPal Account or use a another credit card.
PayPal's mission it to sign up new business or accounts and by tracking the number of times a credit card is used is one method designed to help accomplish that goal. Opening a PayPal Account may be OK with some of your customers or clients but, perhaps not all. Just something to be aware of.
Payments Standard is great concept because you pay only for the services you use but, there are some limitations as this is one of them.
For folks who really just want their customers or clients to pay with a credit card with no limitations as described above, then the product to use is Payments Pro. Pro is different as it does have a monthly fee, plus transaction fees and there are specific PCI security requirements to consider.
