PayPal ExpressCheckout (Payflow): Invalid vendor accountError Code: 26

Question

This is driving me crazy! I can't get the PayPal express (Payflow?) api to work....

paypal sandbox tells me:

Test Account: [email protected]

API Username: AAAA.B_CCCCCCCCCC_biz_api1.XXXXX.com

API Password: DDDDDDDDDD

Signature: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

in the paypayfunctions.php i wrote:

$API_User="[email protected]";

$API_Password="DDDDDDDDDD";

$API_Vendor="[email protected]";

$API_Partner="PayPal";

...

And when I test the service, all i get is "SetExpressCheckoutDetails API call failed. Error Message: Invalid vendor accountError Code: 26"

The PayPal documentation and examples are terribly complex, all I want to do is having a simple button that links to paypal to start the payment of XXX euro's to account YYYY....

Can anyone help me?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Express Checkout and Payflow are two separate PayPal services. Your sandbox credentials (which include a signature) are for Express Checkout. The script asks for a partner, which is specific to Payflow.

1. What do you want to use? Express Checkout or Payflow? See the paragraphs below for more information on the two.
2. Are you sure the script is for Express Checkout?
3. Is the script connecting to the sandbox or live API? The Express Checkout sandbox API is located at https://api-3t.sandbox.paypal.com/nvp.

Express Checkout is primarily used for payments using a PayPal account. You can set up a sandbox environment at developer.paypal.com. Within the sandbox you can create test accounts, at sandbox.paypal.com. See the PayPal API Reference for more details.

Payflow is a payment gateway that allows you to pay using a credit card or checks, among others. PayPal accounts are not supported by Payflow. You can sign up for an account, which can be used for testing and real payments after you upgrade the account. See the User's Guide for Payflow Link (PDF) for more details.