Advanced Features Guide

Implementing Parallel Payments
Best Practices for Online Travel Agencies Implementing Parallel Payments
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72 April 2012 Express Checkout Advanced Features Guide
payment2.ItemTotal = new BasicAmountType();
payment2.ItemTotal.currencyID = CurrencyCodeType.USD;
payment2.ItemTotal.Value = item_total2.ToString();
payment2.TaxTotal = new BasicAmountType();
payment2.TaxTotal.currencyID = CurrencyCodeType.USD;
payment2.TaxTotal.Value = tax_total2.ToString();
decimal order_total2 = decimal.Add(decimal.Add(tax_total2, item_total2),
decimal.Parse(payment2.ShippingTotal.Value));
payment2.OrderTotal = new BasicAmountType();
payment2.OrderTotal.currencyID = CurrencyCodeType.USD;
payment2.OrderTotal.Value = order_total2.ToString();
//add the merchants to the array
PaymentDetailsArray.SetValue(payment2, 1);
//bind the merchants to the request
SetECReq.SetExpressCheckoutRequest.SetExpressCheckoutRequestDetails.Payment
Details = PaymentDetailsArray;
Best Practices for Online Travel Agencies Implementing Parallel
Payments
PayPal provides special recommendations to online travel agencies implementing parallel
payments to help the buyer complete the payment flow.
Best practices address ways that you as an online travel agency designer can meet the needs of
the merchants hosted on your marketplace. The following are examples of special needs of
these merchants:
 Merchants providing travel services must offer different styles of payment.
 Merchants offering a service with reservations would want the buyer to know about the
cancellation policy and fees.
Styles of Payment
Merchants hosted by online travel agencies might be using one or more of the following styles
of payment:
 Prepaid – Prepaid payments are paid in full at the time of checkout. This style is typical of
most online purchases.
 Deposit – A deposit is paid before a service is rendered. Usually it is a flat rate equal to a
small percentage of the total, such as a $50.00 deposit on a cruise. The balance is paid
offline at some point before the cruise or other service takes place.
 Postpaid – A postpaid expense is not paid until after the service is rendered. Hotel stays,
for example, are typically paid at the time of checkout.
Express Checkout displays to the buyer a total amount for all goods or services. For a good
buyer experience, you can pass additional information about a deposit or postpaid expense