How To Test Paypal Payment Shopify

People are currently reading this guide.

Alright, let's dive deep into testing your PayPal payment integration on Shopify! It's crucial to ensure everything runs smoothly before you start processing real customer transactions. This comprehensive guide will walk you through various methods, so you can be confident in your setup.

Step 1: Setting the Stage for Testing - Let's Get Started!

Before we even think about clicking any buttons, let's make sure we have the necessary tools and understanding in place. Have you already connected your PayPal account to your Shopify store? If not, that's the very first thing you'll need to do within your Shopify admin under Settings > Payments. Once that's sorted, we can move on to the exciting part!

Step 2: Utilizing Shopify's Bogus Gateway - The Easiest First Step

Shopify provides a fantastic tool called the Bogus Gateway specifically for testing payment workflows without involving real money. This is your go-to for initial checks.

Sub-heading: Enabling the Bogus Gateway

  1. Navigate to Settings in your Shopify admin.
  2. Click on Payments.
  3. In the Payment providers section, click on Choose a provider.
  4. Scroll down or search for "Bogus Gateway" and select it.
  5. Click Activate Bogus Gateway.

Sub-heading: Simulating PayPal Transactions

Now that the Bogus Gateway is active, you can go through your store's checkout process as a customer would.

  1. Go to your Shopify storefront.
  2. Add a product to your cart.
  3. Proceed to checkout.
  4. Fill in your contact information and shipping details. You can use any valid-looking information here.
  5. When you reach the payment method selection, you should see the option you've configured (likely "PayPal Express Checkout" if you've integrated PayPal). Select it.
  6. Click "Complete order" or the equivalent button. Since you're using the Bogus Gateway, no actual payment will be processed.
  7. Crucially, check your Shopify admin under Orders. You should see a new order listed. Click on it.
  8. Examine the order details. You should see that the payment status is marked as "Paid" or "Authorized" (depending on your PayPal settings). This confirms that the checkout process with PayPal is functioning correctly within Shopify's simulated environment.

Sub-heading: Testing Different Transaction Outcomes

The beauty of the Bogus Gateway is that it allows you to simulate various payment scenarios using specific credit card numbers. While it doesn't directly replicate all PayPal-specific outcomes, it's great for testing the basic order flow. Here are a few common test card numbers you can use in the "Credit card number" field during checkout:

  • Successful Transaction: Any valid-looking number will usually work for a successful transaction.
  • Declined Transaction: Use 1 for the credit card number.
  • Error: Use 2 for the credit card number.

By using these, you can see how your Shopify store handles successful payments, declined payments, and errors in the checkout process. Make sure your store displays appropriate messages to the customer in each scenario.

Step 3: Utilizing PayPal Sandbox Accounts - For More Realistic Testing

While the Bogus Gateway is excellent for basic flow, the PayPal Sandbox provides a much more realistic testing environment that closely mimics the live PayPal system. This is where you can truly test the intricacies of your PayPal integration.

Sub-heading: Creating PayPal Sandbox Accounts

  1. Go to the PayPal Developer website: https://developer.paypal.com/
  2. Log in with your regular PayPal account credentials. If you don't have one, you'll need to create one.
  3. Navigate to Sandbox > Accounts.
  4. You'll likely see some pre-generated test accounts. If not, or if you want to create new ones, click Create Account.
  5. You'll need two types of accounts:
    • Buyer Account: This will simulate your customers making payments. Choose "Personal" as the account type.
    • Seller Account: This should be linked to your Shopify store's PayPal integration. Choose "Business" as the account type.
  6. Fill in the required details for each account. You can use dummy information. Make sure to note down the email addresses and passwords for both your buyer and seller sandbox accounts.

Sub-heading: Linking Your Sandbox Seller Account to Shopify

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
  2. If you have the Bogus Gateway active, you'll need to deactivate it first. Click Edit next to "Bogus Gateway" and then Deactivate.
  3. In the PayPal section, click Manage (or Connect PayPal if you haven't connected a live account yet).
  4. Look for an option related to "Sandbox mode" or "Test mode". Enable this option.
  5. You will likely be prompted to enter your PayPal credentials. Use the email address of your PayPal sandbox business (seller) account that you created earlier.
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your sandbox seller account to Shopify.

Sub-heading: Conducting Test Purchases with Your Sandbox Buyer Account

  1. Go to your Shopify storefront in a new browser or incognito window (to avoid being logged in as the store owner).
  2. Add a product to your cart and proceed to checkout.
  3. When you reach the payment method, select the PayPal option.
  4. You will be redirected to a PayPal login page. Log in using the email address and password of your PayPal sandbox buyer account.
  5. Complete the payment process as a customer would.
  6. Now, check both your Shopify admin (under Orders) and your PayPal sandbox seller account (by logging in on the PayPal Developer website under Sandbox > Accounts, and clicking "View/Edit Account" for your seller account, then "Notifications" or "Transaction History"). You should see the test transaction reflected in both places.
  7. Try different scenarios within the PayPal sandbox, such as:
    • Canceling a payment during the PayPal flow.
    • Using different funding sources within your sandbox buyer account (if you've added them).
    • Simulating refunds from your Shopify admin (and then checking if they appear in your PayPal sandbox seller account).

Sub-heading: Testing IPN (Instant Payment Notification)

IPN is a crucial feature that allows PayPal to communicate transaction status updates to your Shopify store. While the sandbox environment generally handles this automatically, it's good to be aware of it. When you complete a sandbox payment, Shopify should receive an IPN message from PayPal confirming the payment. This is what updates the order status in your Shopify admin. If you encounter issues with order statuses not updating correctly during sandbox testing, it might indicate a potential problem with IPN communication in a live environment.

Step 4: Performing a Real Transaction (with Caution!) - The Final Verification

While sandbox testing is invaluable, a small, real transaction can sometimes reveal subtle issues that don't appear in the sandbox.

Sub-heading: Setting Up a Low-Value Test Product

  1. Create a new product in your Shopify store with a very low price (e.g., $0.01 or the equivalent in your currency). Make it clear in the product name that this is for testing purposes.
  2. Ensure this product is visible on your storefront.

Sub-heading: Conducting the Real Transaction

  1. Go to your storefront and purchase the low-value test product using a real PayPal account.
  2. Immediately after the purchase, log in to both your Shopify admin and your live PayPal account.
  3. Verify that the order appears correctly in Shopify with the correct payment status.
  4. Confirm that the transaction is visible in your live PayPal account.
  5. Once you've confirmed everything is working, immediately refund the test transaction through your Shopify admin or your PayPal account. This minimizes any real financial impact.
  6. Delete or hide the test product from your store.

Important Note: Only perform a real transaction once you are reasonably confident based on your Bogus Gateway and sandbox testing.

Step 5: Thoroughly Reviewing Your Settings - Double-Checking is Key

After testing, take a moment to review your PayPal settings in Shopify to ensure everything is configured as you intend for your live store. Pay attention to:

  • Payment Capture Settings: Are you set to automatically capture payments or authorize them and capture later?
  • Currency Settings: Do they align between your Shopify store and your PayPal account?
  • Alternative Payment Methods: If you've enabled other PayPal options (like PayPal Credit), ensure they are displaying correctly during checkout.

How to... Frequently Asked Questions

How to enable PayPal Sandbox mode in Shopify?

Go to Settings > Payments, deactivate the Bogus Gateway if active, then under the PayPal section, click Manage and look for a "Sandbox mode" or "Test mode" option to enable.

How to create a PayPal Sandbox buyer account?

Go to the PayPal Developer website (https://developer.paypal.com/), log in, navigate to Sandbox > Accounts, and click Create Account. Choose "Personal" as the account type.

How to link my PayPal Sandbox seller account to Shopify?

In your Shopify admin (Settings > Payments > PayPal > Manage), ensure Sandbox mode is enabled, and then enter the email address of your PayPal Sandbox business account.

How to simulate a failed PayPal payment in the Sandbox?

During the checkout process using your Sandbox buyer account, if you have funding sources linked, you might be able to select one that would result in a simulated failure. Alternatively, focus on testing Shopify's handling of declined transactions using the Bogus Gateway (credit card number '1').

How to check if IPN is working in the PayPal Sandbox?

Monitor your Shopify order statuses when completing sandbox payments. If the order status updates to "Paid" relatively quickly after the PayPal transaction, IPN is likely functioning correctly.

How to process a real test payment on Shopify with PayPal?

Create a low-value test product, purchase it using a real PayPal account, and then immediately refund the transaction after verifying it appears correctly in both Shopify and your live PayPal account.

How to troubleshoot PayPal connection issues in Shopify?

Double-check that you've entered the correct PayPal email address in your Shopify settings, ensure your PayPal account is in good standing, and verify that the currency settings match between Shopify and PayPal. If using Sandbox, make sure Sandbox mode is enabled.

How to test PayPal Express Checkout on Shopify?

During checkout, the customer should see a "PayPal" button. Selecting this should redirect them to PayPal to log in and authorize the payment before returning to Shopify to complete the order. Test this flow in both the Bogus Gateway and Sandbox environments.

How to issue a test refund for a PayPal transaction in Shopify?

Within your Shopify admin, go to the order details and click the "Refund" button. Follow the prompts to initiate the refund. Then, check your PayPal account (Sandbox or live, depending on your testing environment) to confirm the refund was processed.

How to ensure my Shopify store handles PayPal errors gracefully?

Use the Bogus Gateway to simulate errors (credit card number '2') and observe if your Shopify store displays user-friendly error messages during the checkout process.

Testing your PayPal integration thoroughly is an investment that will save you headaches down the line. By following these steps and utilizing both Shopify's Bogus Gateway and the PayPal Sandbox, you can be confident in providing a smooth and reliable payment experience for your customers! Good luck!

0054240807091247334
How To Test Paypal Payment Shopify

You have our undying gratitude for your visit!