How This Book Is Organized

Each hack has been designed to show you how to complete a specific task, streamline a common practice, or overcome a PayPal limitation. Some hacks point to obscure features on the web site, while others present code to solve problems or unlock hidden features.

The 100 hacks in this book are distributed into eight chapters:

Chapter 1, Account Management

Use the hacks in this chapter to set up a PayPal account and keep it in good standing. If you're new to PayPal, make sure to verify your account [Hack #2] and confirm your address [Hack #3] .

Chapter 2, Making Payments

PayPal's all about sending payments. This chapter covers the basics of buying with PayPal and protecting yourself when you do.

Chapter 3, Selling with PayPal

The real fun of PayPal starts when you begin accepting payments. Upgrade to a Business or Premier account and then hook up your PayPal account with your eBay auctions or eCommerce web site and watch the money roll in. Make sure you take steps to protect yourself from buyer fraud [Hack #24] and chargebacks [Hack #25] .

Chapter 4, Payment Buttons

Integrate PayPal with your web site and begin accepting PayPal payments for goods and services in minutes. Although adding the most basic PayPal Buy Now button [Hack #28] to your site involves little more than copying and pasting a simple HTML form onto a web page, there are dozens of ways to extend and customize your online storefront and fine-tune your customer's purchase experience.

Chapter 5, Storefronts and Shopping Carts

Take payment buttons a step further and allow customers to purchase multiple items in a single transaction. PayPal provides everything you need to set up a simple shopping cart interface with your web site; just add a few buttons [Hack #45] to your pages to get started.

Chapter 6, Managing Subscriptions

Accept recurring payments from other PayPal members and provide paid access to online content and other membership-based products.

Chapter 7, IPN & PDT

Automate your business by setting up PayPal to notify your server whenever you receive a payment, allowing you to automatically record all transactions into a local database, offer instant fulfillment of digital goods, and provide instant access to online content.

Chapter 8, The PayPal Web Services API

Leave the PayPal web site behind and build applications and web sites using the PayPal Web Services API as a development platform.