Start a PayPal Membership Website with Caribou

PayPal is a simple, global payment gateway and one of many payment gateways supported by Caribou CMS.  With Caribou and PayPal's subscription system, you can process auto-recurring subscription payments and de-activate member accounts when a subscription payment is not made.  In this post, I'll examine why using PayPal for your membership website with Caribou is the easiest way to get your site off the ground.

Why use PayPal?

If you don't already have a merchant account supported by Caribou (LinkPoint, Authorize.net, 2checkout, NetBilling, SagePay, etc.), then PayPal is definitely the easiest way to get your membership website up-and-running.    They offer a simple signup process and allow clients from around the world, unlike many US merchant companies which are US-only.  Furthermore, because payment is made to an email address, you don't have to worry about access keys or passwords.  Other features:

• Fraud protection
• Over 155 million users worldwide
• No setup or monthly fees
• Chargeback protection and dispute mediation
• No approval required

Don't have a PayPal account, yet?  Sign up for one at PayPal.com.

How does PayPal work for membership websites with Caribou?

When someone selects PayPal as their checkout method, they are directed to PayPal to complete their order.  Many users like and prefer this method of payment because it's familiar to them, secure, and fast (they only enter their email and password).  After purchase, they are directed back to your website's thank you page.

When someone purchases a subscription with PayPal on your Caribou-powered website, Caribou tells PayPal to notify Caribou everytime a subscription payment is processed.  When these payments are processed, Caribou extends the subscription length by X number of days (whatever you've configured).  So, if someone cancels their subscription, they don't receive free access to the site.  Furthermore, you get specific order information regarding each subscription payment made.  PayPal, of course, can be used for more than just subscription payments - Caribou will use only single-payments for store purchases or non-expiring subscriptions.

Quite simply, PayPal provides a very tight integration with Caribou CMS.  Next, you'll see how easy it is to setup.

How do I setup PayPal with Caribou?

Once you have downloaded and installed Caribou CMS, you should access your control panel at /admincp/ and, more specifically, the integration centre at Administration > Integrations.  You will install the "paypal_gateway" integration and specify your PayPal email address and configuration.  Now, when people checkout, PayPal is a checkout option and automatically setup to handle your store products and subscription payments.

Ready to start a PayPal membership website?

Learn more about Caribou CMS's features or check out the download and pricing page for ordering information.  If you aren't sure how this all works or have some questions, please contact us by phone or email.

Comments