Inconsistent checkout screens for Paypal express checkout

Question

We're developing an application that uses Paypal Express Checkout, and we're finding that we get two different landing pages. We're actually finding a problem that seems superficially similar to Can you force PayPal Payments Standard API to show credit card fields first?, but with a few differences:

1. Everything is fine with the sandbox, and we get exactly the appearance (credit card first) we want.

2. On the live site, about 50% of the time we get exactly the appearance (credit card first) we want.

3. Sometimes, we get a more "mobile-like" landing page, with the credit card stuff totally hidden in a "Check out as a guest" button, as shown.

This feels like a failing A/B test to me. We're sending exactly the variables in the question linked above, and as I said, all works fine with the older landing pages. I know there are also cookie issues, but in this case, we're seeing it even when Paypal is not able to identify an account and when cookies are cleared.

Does anybody know if there is anything we can do to work around this?

I can add code if needed, but the problem appears to be more data than logic.

Answer 1

I had the same question after I started to see users coming in from the 'new style' page.

I found the answer here:

Paypal express "order summary" page

I added the "force_sa=true" parameter to my Paypal URL:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_express-checkout&force_sa=true&token=…

The new page is definitely weighted to appear more often on mobile devices. Without the parameter I get the new style page on a iPad after about 5 refreshes, with the parameter I can refresh as much as I like and never see the new page.

Obviously, PayPal will roll out the new page to everyone in the end, but this technique allows us a stop gap while we get ready for it ;-)