Recurring billing variable amount without storing credit card information
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7289459
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I have implemented few payment websites using PayPal Standard, PayPal Website Pro, PayPal Express and Authorize.Net.
Now I'm implementing a website which requires recurring billing. My only problem is variable amount, since I do not store credit card information, and amount is not fixed in each cycle.
Can we use either PayPal or Authorize.Net for my project? If not, could you please recommend any reliable payment gateway ($US for payment, and gateway located in US please) for that matter?
Solution 4
I found a solution. PayPal calls ProcessReferencePayment.
At first, I need to charge the credit card using DoDirectPayment, and store the successful transaction number.
After that, I just call DoReferenceTransaction along with OrderTotal and ReferenceID (the previous transaction number).
DoReferenceTransactionRequestDetailsType
DoReferenceTransactionReq
OTHER TIPS
You can use a service like Authorize.Net's Customer Information Manager (CIM) to store the credit card and billing information for you and then you create your own scheduling engine that charges against the payment method you have stored for them using CIM. CIM also allows you to make off-cycle payments at any time as well.
Well the variable amount to bill shouldn't be a problem if you can put together whatever formula would be used in code. However if you aren't storing the actual credit card info (and I can understand why), then I don't see how you'd be able to charge the customer every month. Normally you need a credit card or bank information to do a direct transfer.
If you absolutely cannot store the information, then the only thing I can imagine is putting together an automated calculation and notification system that can send the customer an email with a link that brings them to a form so they can enter the information as simply as possible. Otherwise you'll need to save their credit card info somewhere secure and simply bill them every month, which isn't uncommon.
Have you looked into PayPal's IPN variables?
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/acc/ipn-subscriptions-outside
Typically you have to cancel then reapprove a new subscription... but perhaps you can use the variables some how to do that programmatically.
