I am a vendor for an event management package that handles on-line registration, but has never supported on-line payments, which more and more possible purchasers are needing. The developer of the software will be of limited help to me in doing what I want to accomplish, so I'm turning here for help.
I know enough to have put together my company's simple Web site (some HTML/Dreamweaver, but no php, etc.), but I know zip about e-commerce and am having a hard time absorbing what I read.
What I need to create is a way of storing registration information (registration type, fees, sessions to be attended, travel and accommodation details, etc., etc.) while the registrant is taken out to a payment gateway (I guess that's what it is) for payment, then, after payment is complete, have the server send a formatted email to the office for processing by the software into the database. The Web form to enter the information and format send the formatted email are part of the existing software.
As I see it, instead of the Submit button sending the email, though, it needs to store the information while the registrant is taken on a trip outside for payment processing, then send the email only after payment is completed.
I don't expect a full and complete answer here, but if someone can give me some hints about the general process that's needed and where to go for more details, it will help a lot.
David
brady.k posted this at 02:58—28th July 2007.
He has: 1,383 posts
Joined: Feb 2002
You are going to be looking at one of many options:
a) setting up your own database (could be flat-file like a .txt file, although not recommended... or the more highly used MySQL relation dB), and recording the data inside
b) setting up an email auth system that sends encrypted information about the user's payment to the company to be stored (but not advisable)
c) using an integration method of PayPal or Google Checkout... aka their shopping cart/processing method not only is quick and effective, but also keeps very good records of payment processing (including details on what the payment was for, etc)
I would suggest MySQL or PayPal/Google Checkout. The other options are pretty.... well, stupid.
Kyle Brady, President, Intuitive Industries LLC.
http://www.int-ind.com
[EMAIL=brady.k@gmail.com]brady.k@gmail.com[/EMAIL] - [EMAIL=brady.kyle@int-ind.com]brady.kyle@int-ind.com[/EMAIL]
afallach posted this at 04:07—28th July 2007.
They have: 3 posts
Joined: Jul 2007
Thanks, Brady. I'm looking at PayPal as probably the best way to start, but hoping I can get the functionality into my registration page in a way that is configurable to my customers' own ways of doing business, since they're the ones that have to be satisfied.
Assuming I use PayPal, don't I still have to cache the data (or the email that the registration page is ready to send) while the payment proceeds. How is that done?
brady.k posted this at 04:18—28th July 2007.
He has: 1,383 posts
Joined: Feb 2002
I don't know specifically for PayPal, but typically you just post the form's contents to some URL that they specify, but you have to name all the fields correctly.
That is assuming, of course, that you're not doing anything fancy or using XML or anything.
Kyle Brady, President, Intuitive Industries LLC.
http://www.int-ind.com
[EMAIL=brady.k@gmail.com]brady.k@gmail.com[/EMAIL] - [EMAIL=brady.kyle@int-ind.com]brady.kyle@int-ind.com[/EMAIL]
afallach posted this at 13:37—28th July 2007.
They have: 3 posts
Joined: Jul 2007
I don't think I was clear.
Assuming I can get everything to PayPal (or the equivalent) according to their specifications, how is the registration information from the page stored during the interval that payment processing is taking place, so that it can be emailed to the user after the payment is authorized?