How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party?

mixedherbs · 02-16-2013, 06:40 AM

I know that there is an API function to split a single 'Buy Now' button payment, but I do not want to use that method. I want to make two distinct payments for a downloadable software product with two separate PayPal buttons thus:
1) A 'Subscribe Now' button that pays me, the programmer, an initial amount followed by a monthly subscription to my PayPal account. (I already know the PayPal code to do this.)
2) A second 'Buy Now' button that pays the licensee, whoever that may be, to his PayPal account.

I know that I can ask the licensee to create his own PayPal button and give me its 'Hosted Button ID', which I can then use in my code, but this is too error-prone. I want to program the second 'Buy Now' button to send the payment directly to the licensee's PayPal account by using ONLY the licensee's PayPal account email address.

How do I code the second 'Buy Now' button to do this, please?

David V · 02-16-2013, 02:27 PM

You need a hidden field to specify the email address instead of a hosted ID.

Code:

<input type="hidden" name="business" value="your-email@address.com">

This would be a real basic button and not all the hidden fields are required.

Code:

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="The Item Name">
<input type="hidden" name="item_number" value="001">
<input type="hidden" name="amount" value="1.00">
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
<input type="hidden" name="business" value="your-email@address.com">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynow_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!">
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1">
</form>

And of course you can have your own fancy button by swapping the button field with this

Code:

<input type="image" src="http://thebuttonurl.com/thebutton.jpg" border="0" name="submit" alt="Your Alt Tage">

.....

Kirk Ward · 02-16-2013, 08:26 PM

Contact PayPal about their "Chained Payments."

I believe that will do what you want.

dwoods · 02-18-2013, 06:23 AM

David V's solution is exactly what l was going to recommend.

mixedherbs · 02-19-2013, 05:26 AM

Yes. The "business" parameter is exactly what I need. So simple! Thank you all very much.

02-16-2013, 06:40 AM	#1
mixedherbs Warrior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: , , United Kingdom. Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party? I know that there is an API function to split a single 'Buy Now' button payment, but I do not want to use that method. I want to make two distinct payments for a downloadable software product with two separate PayPal buttons thus: 1) A 'Subscribe Now' button that pays me, the programmer, an initial amount followed by a monthly subscription to my PayPal account. (I already know the PayPal code to do this.) 2) A second 'Buy Now' button that pays the licensee, whoever that may be, to his PayPal account. I know that I can ask the licensee to create his own PayPal button and give me its 'Hosted Button ID', which I can then use in my code, but this is too error-prone. I want to program the second 'Buy Now' button to send the payment directly to the licensee's PayPal account by using ONLY the licensee's PayPal account email address. How do I code the second 'Buy Now' button to do this, please?

02-16-2013, 02:27 PM	#2
David V WordPress Developer War Room Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: NH, FL, & Wherever I May Roam Posts: 447 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 39 Thanked 157 Times in 120 Posts Social Networking	Re: How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party? You need a hidden field to specify the email address instead of a hosted ID. Code: <input type="hidden" name="business" value="your-email@address.com"> This would be a real basic button and not all the hidden fields are required. Code: <form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"> <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick"> <input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="The Item Name"> <input type="hidden" name="item_number" value="001"> <input type="hidden" name="amount" value="1.00"> <input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD"> <input type="hidden" name="business" value="your-email@address.com"> <input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynow_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!"> <img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1"> </form> And of course you can have your own fancy button by swapping the button field with this Code: <input type="image" src="http://thebuttonurl.com/thebutton.jpg" border="0" name="submit" alt="Your Alt Tage"> .....
	→ "WordPress Plugin Creation How-To Guide" (FREE w/optin) ← ★★ WPCodeKing.com - "Quality not quantity". ★★ Plugin Creation Blueprint Officially Launches 06-26-13! Read About It... if (!question_exist ('are_you_for_hire'); echo '<"99% Not For Hire">'; Last edited by David V; 02-16-2013 at 02:36 PM. Reason: Add line

02-16-2013, 08:26 PM	#3
Kirk Ward Grouchy Old Geezer War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellijay, GA, USA. (Talk about being in the woods!) Posts: 1,436 Thanks: 279 Thanked 59 Times in 47 Posts Social Networking	Re: How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party? Contact PayPal about their "Chained Payments." I believe that will do what you want.
	"We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice." Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)

02-18-2013, 06:23 AM	#4
dwoods HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 140 Thanks: 8 Thanked 35 Times in 31 Posts Contact Info	Re: How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party? David V's solution is exactly what l was going to recommend.
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02-19-2013, 05:26 AM	#5
mixedherbs Warrior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: , , United Kingdom. Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: How to code a PayPal button to send a payment to a third party? Yes. The "business" parameter is exactly what I need. So simple! Thank you all very much.