There has never been a better time to have a keen interest in commerce. The Web has truly accelerated globalization and connected us all through a common network. Information can now be shared at mind-boggling rates, and entrepreneurs everywhere can truly reach a global audience if they’re clever (and sometimes lucky) enough to supply the market with what it demands. However, this is old news. Back in the mid-1990s, not long after the Internet officially birthed the Web, buyers and sellers could already transact through eBay, and PayPal soon arrived as the de facto way for money to change hands with the least amount of friction. Fast forward a decade or so, and a lot of exciting things have happened. eBay acquired PayPal back in 2002, and while PayPal continues to be the preferred way to exchange money on eBay, it has since evolved into a powerful platform that offers a vast number of API-based products that allow you to monetize your ideas as seamlessly as possible. If you’re interested in tapping into these tremendous possibilities, this book is for you. As an “Up and Running” title, it doesn’t provide complete or exhaustive documentation on all of PayPal’s products or even provide very specific direction on handling some of the most common idiosyncrasies that you might encounter. However, it does aim to present some of the most popular products in fully integrated realistic scenarios with sample project code that you can study and adapt for your particular needs. As the title suggests, this book is designed to get you up and running; it is not a definitive guide.

If your web application’s success depends on how quickly and easily users can make transactions, PayPal APIs provide effective solutions you can’t afford to overlook. This concise book takes you hands-on through several options to help you determine the best choice for your situation, whether you’re collecting money via websites or mobile apps for products and services, donations, or anything else.

In each chapter, you’ll work with a different PayPal API by integrating it into the book’s sample application, using Python and the Google App Engine framework. This expanded edition introduces two new options: Express Checkout for Digital Goods and Instant Payment Notifications, complete with sample project code. By the end of this book, you’ll understand how to take full advantage of PayPal and its powerful features.

• Learn PayPal API basics, and get an introduction to Google App Engine
• Explore the Express Checkout option, and understand what distinguishes it from other generic workflows
• Tailor Express Checkout for electronic documents, videos, and other “in app” digital purchases
• Apply the Adaptive Payments option for transactions that involve multiple recipients
• Embed the payment process into your site with no mention of PayPal, using Website Payments Pro
• Use the Instant Payment Notifications you receive as triggers to take follow-up action