questions about downloads and coupons

[LavenderMeadows]

If I am understanding correctly, I can use the express checkout buttons and my customers can pay at my site and download from there as well...my question is how does the downloading work, are they directed to a link or does that information go into the setup and the download is automatic?  Secondly, is it possible and if so how do I offer coupons or promotional codes for discounts to some customers?  thanks !!

[snowshoe]

The answer to both your questions will take some work on your end.  For digital downloads, you will want to use PayPal's IPN feature.  Just having "auto return" enabled and using the "return" variable is not secure meaning that the URL for the download can be shared.  See this info for getting started with IPN:

https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_US/developer/docs/pdf/ipnguide.pdf

Also check out this site for a boiler plate IPN script:

http://www.angelleye.com/download-angell-eye-paypal-ipn-template/

As for offering coupons and/or discounts.  PayPal has a series of "discount" variables and with a little scripting, you can create coupons.  You can also create coupons and/discounts without using the "discount" variables.  There's no built in features within your PayPal account that allows you to offer these features so you have resort to other methods normally by doing all the work or calculations on your web page or site first, then sending the results to PayPal for checkout.

See this example, it uses some scripting behind the scenes:

http://ccaples.com/index.php/basic-scripts/examples-i/coupon-codes

And this example as it uses the "discount" variables:

http://ccaples.com/index.php/basic-scripts/examples-i/coupons-using-paypal-s-discount-variables

Here's a link to additional info for lots of other things:

https://www.paypalobjects.com/webstatic/en_US/developer/docs/pdf/pp_websitepaymentsstandard_integrat...

[LavenderMeadow]

This is the same person who created the original post, but for whatever reason the forum system lost my info or whatever and made me create another username, hopefully this will not happen again.

well I downloaded the angel eye thing, but there are absolutely no instructions for how to use or set it up...I am completely lost on how to proceed....I can't afford to hire someone to do this for me, I am 55 and setting this up for my 76 yr old father to sell his ebooks on his website that I built for him...and while I know how to code html, I have no clue about programming languages...but I follow directions well, so if there is anyone out there willing to teach a grandma some new tricks, I would be eternally grateful....this is what I need to do....set up buy now buttons on my dad's products page for each of his 3 ebooks....I don't want to use a shopping cart, been there tried that, they all want me to intergrate the site into the cart and I worked too freaking hard on creating a totally fluid layout to mess it up by doing that, and besides I don't think he should need a cart for 3 digital download products...so anyway, I want to create the buy now buttons where they can pay on his site, download from his site, and the capability to create promo codes and/or coupons to offer certain customers a discounted price....like I said, if there is a kind soul out there who would be willing to walk me through setting up one of them, I can take it from there...learn really fast...but desparately need the help...thanks !!

[snowshoe]

I would suggest going with a 3rd party service like this one:  http://www.e-junkie.com/

All of the programming work is already done.

[LavenderMeadow]

I would really rather not have a third party involved, that's just more money on top of the paypal fees....I guess I am asking too much for someone to take the time to teach me how to do it or just write a step by step for me...but thanks anyway