How Can I Use Paypal Express Checkout to Shop?

Millions of people from more than 193 countries and regions around the world use PayPal. That's why many retail websites including Arttowngifts and Online Fashion Shopping offer what is known as PayPal Express Checkout. This payment method makes it convenient for customers to checkout without having to enter their credit card information for every online store they frequent.

1.  Create a PayPal Account.

To use PayPal Express Checkout, you will need a PayPal account.

2.  Go Shopping Online.

Now that you have a PayPal account, you are ready to go shopping! Visit your favorite website such as Arttowngifts.com, browse and add desired items to your Shopping Cart.

3.  Open Shopping Cart, 

     Select Checkout with Paypal Button.

• Once you are finished shopping, open your Shopping Cart.
• Review Your Cart for accuracy and completeness.
• Click the yellow Checkout with PayPal Button.

Checkout Page

Some sites allow you to make the Paypal Selection on the Checkout Page.

4. Sign Into Paypal, Make Your Payment Selection.

After clicking the Checkout with PayPal Button a new small screen will popup so you can sign into your PayPal account. Once you have signed-in the same popup window will present you with payment selections which include:

• Pay with funds from your PayPal Balance.
• Pay with a credit or debit card on file with PayPal.
• Add a new credit or debit card.
• Pay with PayPal Credit which is an extended payment program.

5.  Enter Ship Address,
     Select Ship Method,
     Add Gift Message.

After selecting your payment method, you will be returned to the Checkout Page of the website on which you were shopping. At this point,you can not continue to make changes to the items in your shopping cart, add additional products or go outside of the Checkout page without causing difficulty. In other words, you need to stay put! 

Enter Desired Shipping Address.
Your billing address should have been automatically completed by PayPal. If you are shipping to yourself simply select, Copy Billing to Shipping. If you want to ship to a different shipping address, then fill in these details. Note: Some people lock their shipping address in their PayPal account. If you have made this selection within your PayPal account, the shipping address will revert to the locked address on record in your PayPal account.

Choose Shipping Method.
Make your Shipping Method selection such as UPS Ground, UPS 2 Day, or UPS Next Day.

Add Gift Message and Review Your Order.
Add your Gift Message and conduct a Final Review of your order.

6.  Click Place Order.

Finish your order by clicking Place Order which will complete the transaction. Order and shipping tracking emails will be sent to your PayPal email address on file.

7.  PayPal Express Checkout Option Is Also Available on Checkout Page

Some Websites Allow Selection of PayPal Express Checkout or PayPal Credit on the checkout page. The steps you need to follow are the same if you make the selection while checking out.

Are their any Drawbacks to using PayPal Express Checkout?
While we have discussed the many benefits of using Paypal Express Checkout there are some limitations to using it as your checkout method. Here are just a few:

Must use email address PayPal has on file.

Sometimes we have customers who send us communication using another email address. They expect that we will use their new email address. Unfortunately the original email address is locked by PayPal. Once an order is received merchants can not make changes in the email address, the billing address or shipping addresses.

Shipping address changes are difficult.

If a customer has a locked shipping address in their PayPal account and then enter a different ship-to address in the shopping site order record during checkout, PayPal will revert back to the locked ship-to address in your PayPal record. So you think, no big deal, just change to correct address! If the customer catches the discrepancy, they can request that we make a correction to the shipping address in our order records.

Unfortunately, this is something that we can not do because the PayPal technology locks the Order Details. So if you make a change to the shipping address, shipping labels and tracking emails has to be handled and created manually. While most sites can and will do make this manual change, as you might imagine it slows the process down and dramatically increases the chances that an error might be made.

"Many shipping errors result from a
PayPal locked shipping address."

Even more serious in other cases, customers place their order assuming the shipping address they entered was received by the merchant. Then they forget to check their order confirmation email. The gift is delivered to the locked ship-to address provided by PayPal instead of the one the customer thought they provided. Once the package is delivered, the merchant then receives calls regarding a delivery to the wrong location. This occurrence is a big error in terms of the time, hassle and additional costs required by both parties to correct.

PayPal contact information may be outdated. 

Customers may have PayPal account information that is outdated so the customer phone number and email addresses are no longer accurate or reviewed. So if there is an order related question the retail merchant cannot call or reach the customer to get the issue resolved. So if you plan to use PayPal Express Checkout, please make sure to keep your PayPal account details current.


PayPal Express Checkout Makes Shopping on Multiple Websites A Breeze
Even with a few drawbacks, shopping and checking out with PayPal Express Checkout remains convenient. With PayPal Express Checkout, customers can complete purchases in just a few steps. With their billing and shipping addresses along with payment details stored in their PayPal account, shoppers can conclude transactions quickly since they do not have to re-enter this information each time they shop.

PayPal Express Checkout also gives your shoppers a simplified checkout experience and lets them use their PayPal balance, bank account, or credit card to pay without sharing or entering any sensitive information on a retail website. Further, if there is an issue with your order, PayPal provides a method for rectifying the matter between the merchant and the customer. As you can see Paypal Express Checkout provides customer both convenience and security.

For retailers, it makes it easy to carry out business worldwide with your online store, wholesale site or business to business portal. Smaller companies can avoid the need for a traditional credit card merchant account since customers can still use their credit cards through their PayPal account.

About The Authors 

Rachel Stinson has always had a knack for writing, food, fashion, and places. Blogging has combined all four for her with an added bonus of enthusiastic audiences. She expertly analyzes real estate, restaurants, and online fashion stores with respect to pricing and people involved and can express her opinions in an unhesitating, engaging manner for a variety of topics. 

Thea B Few, a retired print publishing executive, writes about subjects of interest to online shoppers. She is working on launching a new affiliate based website, SignShanty.com.