# What is the best way to add PayPal or Google Checkout to my website?



## MaxHouston (Feb 27, 2009)

Hello Everyone, 
 
I am computer illiterate , and I need some help. I am getting ready to get a webhost and canned website package deal for my business, however I am really confused over how do I add a shopping cart and a *PayPal* or *Google Checkout* option to my website, in order to accept credit card payments? Though I have checked out several companies that offer shopping carts and various merchant accounts as part of their webhosting and canned website package deals, however having the shopping cart and credit card payments options can range from expensive to also going through a great deal of trouble to meet the requirements to try to get a regular merchant account in order to be allowed to accept credit cards (without any guarantee that I will get a merchant account after jumping through all of the hoops). Since I only expect to have about $1,000 in sales per month, it seems that* PayPal* (standard) and *Google Checkout* would be cheaper, plus without the need to complete a lot of paperwork to try to qualify for a regular merchant account.

So my first question is, can I add a *PayPal *or *Google Checkout* shopping cart and credit card payment option to a canned website or would I be restricted to use only the shopping carts and credit card payment services provided by my webhost and their canned website?

Also, since I am computer illiterate, in the event that I can add a *PayPal *or *Google Checkout* shopping cart and credit card payment option to a canned website, is adding the shopping cart and pay buttons something I can easily do on my own, or should I just get a professional to add my shopping cart and pay buttons to my canned website?

Now with that being said, I feel pretty confident that I can create my website via a canned website, yet I have no clue as to how I would add a shopping cart or pay buttons to the website.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Max


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## amanxman (Mar 28, 2006)

Hey,

I think firstly, just to ensure you're heading in the right direction...

Paypal and Google Checkout are not shopping carts. They are payment gateways.

Like this:

In the supermarket, you have a trolley. It lets you put things it in. And remembers what you have. This is in the internet world a *shopping cart*,

THEN you take it to the till to pay. You give them your payment details. This is in the internal world a* payment gateway*; paypal or google checkout..

So if you only have a payment gateway, you can basically only take payment for one item at a time. Which is fine if that's how your website operates, but if you're looking for a shop where people buy multiple items, you need to look at a shopping cart. Millions around - i like romancart (romancart.com) - integrates well with paypal and google checkout. Your website talks to the shopping cart to add products, then when someone is ready to checkout, they use the shopping cart to talk to the payment gateway. The payment gateway processes the money.



Paypal / Google Checkout can be integrated as a payment gateway really easily into any website - no host or prebuilt website should limit the ability to add it, it doesn't require any specific applications etc...

It can be done yourself, as Paypal/Google Checkout and the shopping cart will provide all the required manuals etc to integrate it, but it's hard to say whether you'll be able to do it yourself or not... if you have a basic understanding of html, you should be good to follow paypal/google/shopping cart manual and get it installed successfully.

From experience, Romancart as the shopping cart and PayPal as the gateway are pretty easy to install...

Hope that helps... somehow...


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## MaxHouston (Feb 27, 2009)

Hello there *Amanxman*, 
 
*WOW!!!* I can't begin to thank you enough for the boatload of information that you just presented to me. :up:

I certainly appreciate all the time and effort that you put into your reply, it is greatly appreciated. What a great wealth of useful information. It is very educational.

I will check out the romancart.com website in more detail, however it looks very user friendly from what I have seen thus far. Thank you for your suggestion of using it. In my case, I think people would only be buying one item at a time, however there is a chance they might buy more than one item at a time, thus is why I did want to have a shopping cart . . . just in case.

Since you have confidence in little old computer illiterate me, I think I will go on and create my canned website, and then try my luck at adding a shopping cart and PayPal or Google Checkout options to the website. If it gets too complicated for me, then I will just get a professional to add them. Yet I did want to have some idea what I might be in for if I tried to do this on my own. Yet upon reading your reply, I think I better have a back up plan just in case I fall on my face while doing this project. LOL!!!

Thanks a *MILLION Amanxman*!!! :up:

Max


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## amanxman (Mar 28, 2006)

Hey,

No worries...

If you have trouble installing the paypal/romancart code into your site, just post a thread here... it's not alot of work to get it going so I'm sure someone here will help, without the need to open your wallet... but try yourself first 

Good luck


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