Commerce Platform

[upgradebot]

https://developer.paypal.com/docs/commerce-platform/

It would be nice if there was more information on how to actually sign up to use this?  I followed the steps but the API doesn't let me use it.  I need an account manager?  How do I get one?  Where are the links to actually move forward with using this API?  If this is a limited release product, how can we apply to use it?  Very low effort on whoever created that doc page.

[angelleye]

It's in the FAQ.

https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/how-do-i-register-my-marketplace-ts2133

[upgradebot]

Yea, this doesn't address the question I asked.  This article assumes that someone is already using the marketplace (formerly paypal for partners).  So again I ask, do I need to still be a partner?  Do I need an account manager?  Do I need to apply for the marketplace API for it to work in a live environment?

It shouldn't be this hard to get an answer to want to send business to paypal.  No wonder STRIPE is gaining market-share by the day. 

[rachitm]

Hi @upgradebot 

Were you able to figure out a solution? Even I can't seem to understand how to go about it 😞

[filipporonco]

Probably, as you can start the process creating a new application in the sandbox environment (developers area), the vetting process and the account manager pops up after you make the first steps. But this is just an iphotesis because me, like you, have the same doubts. I've written to the paypal marketplace staff weeks ago asking for some techical and commercial stuff and about the vetting process and rules but today I still had any answer.

Moreover, there's another big issue around the marketplace activation whenever you get the cahcne to be in: they say that you can't open a paypal for commerce (or paypal partner) application with your existing paypal business account because everything that is working now on other applications (for example, nvp/soap legacy applications, as we have one now on adaptive API), will result in a broken service. They precisely ask you to open a brand new paypal business account (so, I suppose, a brand new limited account where you'll have to do all those annoying stuff as connecting bank account, limit removals, etc).

The first thing I asked myself was: and what about the same business name / email? Will not this raise up a technical or an administrative issue? Wasn't ever been prohibited to open more than one business account for the same identical business?

Another is: what about all our old, one by one limit removed, beloved merchants on the legacy API ?
Would be possible to switch all of them to the new environment in a snap or should we ask them to reopen a new paypal business account from scratch?!

This and a lot more questions in my mind around this still on the go new product.
Still not so clear documentation on these points from our point of view.

[angelleye]

@filipporonco 

To create the PayPal account specific to your app, you'll need to use separate email addresses from any other PayPal account, of course.  Yes, you'll also need to go through the procedures of linking bank account(s) and credit card(s), verifying emails, etc.  It really won't take you all that long to get done.

Whether or not you can easily migrate people into your new integration depends on what exactly you're dong.  Are you working with Channel Initiated Billing Agreements, for example?  Are you setting up Permissions so that you can make API calls on behalf of your merchants?  If either of things are true, the new account would be a new "channel", and would also have nothing to do with any previous billing agreement on another account. 

So in this case, the merchant would need to go through your onboarding procedure again to connect to your new app, but they would not need to create a new PayPal account of their own.

As for getting signed up, the documentation basically states that you need to create your sandbox app, and then give the Client ID of this app to your PayPal account manager.  Do you have one?

[filipporonco]

Hi @angelleye ,

To create the PayPal account specific to your app, you'll need to use separate email addresses from any other PayPal account, of course.  Yes, you'll also need to go through the procedures of linking bank account(s) and credit card(s), verifying emails, etc.  It really won't take you all that long to get done.

True.
I don't know if you can do it with the same business name but maybe the important thing is just the e-mail.

Whether or not you can easily migrate people into your new integration depends on what exactly you're dong.  Are you working with Channel Initiated Billing Agreements, for example?  Are you setting up Permissions so that you can make API calls on behalf of your merchants?  If either of things are true, the new account would be a new "channel", and would also have nothing to do with any previous billing agreement on another account. 

At the moment we just use preapprovals and chained payments to pay all of our merchants and we've never had to ask for any permissions from them (we had permission from paypal at the beginning of our venture for using preapprovals and chained), the adaptive api just work this way, you let a buyer paying a merchant that is not you and taking a little fee for you as a secondary receiver (owner application), but you know it better than me.

So in this case, the merchant would need to go through your onboarding procedure again to connect to your new app, but they would not need to create a new PayPal account of their own.

At the moment the only thing we do is to follow the onboarding of the new merchant on paypal with their brand new accounts where we SEND (never take) moneys and splitting a little fee to our application through chained payments. This has always worked fine from 2013 till today and I think that should be smooth if all of our merchant just have a business account to connect all of them to our new application on the paypal for commerce (or for marketplace, can't figure out what is the actual name :)).

As for getting signed up, the documentation basically states that you need to create your sandbox app, and then give the Client ID of this app to your PayPal account manager.  Do you have one?

Seen the documentation, the doubt the user who opened this question had is the same we have: we don't really have an account manager yet, we have a person in paypal (Dublin) who gives us a hand for each new merchant we get on our platform to have them a complete removal of limits before they reach the 2500 euros limit that is vital for us because in our environment they can get even large amount of money in few minutes after we light up their shops in our platforms (we serve buying groups). Don't think this could be considered an account manager, or it could? 🙂

Going to ask him 🙂

Cheers, Fil

[angelleye]

Account managers are typically dedicated contacts for you, and would be assigned once you reach a specific payment volume level.

[1400degrees]

Angelleye,

You need volume to get a partner manager - but you need a partner manager to set up the system to get volume???

We have been a partner for weeks  (received email confirming).

We have built an ecommerce platform and want to make PayPal the sole provider for our customers  (they will create a PayPal account, or link their own)- we are trying to integrate to the PayPal Commerce Platform.  We need a Partner Manager - we have requested one many times with no results.  When dev tries to use the API in our sandbox, we get 'Unauthorized' notice.

I've submitted numerous requests for help 

I also notice that I am unable to see any products in the product section.  I am unable to see any info in the resources section (short of the headings). Why?

Any advice for me?

While PayPal was my first choice - we had no idea they would be so unresponsive and put my company at risk (PayPal is the bottle neck to release our product) We will soon give up on PayPal and work with another vendor - and all our users will need an account there.

Jeff

[upgradebot]

I have submitted over 50 emails to PayPal about this over the past year and not a single one has been answered.  I have used the partner contact form, 7 different email addresses and used several different businesses that each have over half a million dollars in volume.  NOT A SINGLE RESPONSE FROM PAYPAL.  

I have created the new account for development but I am certainly not going to waste money on developing for the commerce API if paypal can't even answer an email.  I have done over 20,000 transactions this year with the business platform I want to use the commerce platform with... All with STRIPE.  I am a verified STRIPE partner and their reps answer within SECONDS.  

I swear, PayPal thinks because they are so big that they are untouchable and can't be bothered responding to businesses?  Because of their unwillingness to answer my emails, I have given STRIPE millions of dollars in volume.  Sounds pretty stupid on PayPal's part to not allow people to use the commerce API.  I am just ONE business owner and it seems like I am not the only one they are ignoring... Imagine how much revenue and income PayPal is giving to STRIPE and their competitors by having such terrible customer service.

Hopefully one of these days someone will answer my email / application for the commerce platform... Although it's been over a year and no answer to 50+ email so chances are, they want their competitors to keep growing. 

@1400degrees @filipporonco I have not even received an email about getting approved as a partner. Any idea on what I am doing wrong?  @angelleye