PayPal Java NVP API GetExpressCheckoutDetails - Missing Data

Question

I'm calling the PayPal sandbox with a 'express checkout' process from a java web application. The first call ('SetExpressCheckout') succeeds and I receive a Token as expected.

The second call ('GetExpressCheckoutDetails') succeeds as well in regard to getting an ACK=Success answer. But there is all the payer information data like FIRSTNAME, LASTNAME or SHIPTOCITY missing.

Here's the URL I'm calling with parameters:

https://api-3t.sandbox.paypal.com/nvp?TOKEN=__MY_TOKEN__&VERSION=106.0&SIGNATURE=__MY_SIGNATURE__&METHOD=GetExpressCheckoutDetails&PWD=__MY_PASSWORD__&USER=__MY_USERNAME__

Here's the response's body I get:

TOKEN=__MY_TOKEN__&CHECKOUTSTATUS=PaymentActionNotInitiated&TIMESTAMP=2013%2d09%2d11T20%3a56%3a36Z&CORRELATIONID=bb3916c14aa78&ACK=Success&VERSION=106%2e0&BUILD=7645184&CURRENCYCODE=USD&AMT=12%2e00&SHIPPINGAMT=0%2e00&HANDLINGAMT=0%2e00&TAXAMT=0%2e00&INSURANCEAMT=0%2e00&SHIPDISCAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CURRENCYCODE=USD&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT=12%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPPINGAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_HANDLINGAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPDISCAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEOPTIONOFFERED=false&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ADDRESSNORMALIZATIONSTATUS=None&PAYMENTREQUESTINFO_0_ERRORCODE=0

If I put the same request URL into Firefox I receive the response I would expect:

TOKEN=__MY_TOKEN__&CHECKOUTSTATUS=PaymentActionNotInitiated&TIMESTAMP=2013%2d09%2d11T20%3a37%3a31Z&CORRELATIONID=7804316ba643d&ACK=Success&VERSION=106%2e0&BUILD=7645184&EMAIL=mne%2dcustomer2%40m%2dn%2de%2ede&PAYERID=QRZ57KR8PHVF4&PAYERSTATUS=verified&FIRSTNAME=Frank&LASTNAME=Forest&COUNTRYCODE=US&SHIPTONAME=Frank%20Forest&SHIPTOSTREET=1%20Main%20St&SHIPTOCITY=San%20Jose&SHIPTOSTATE=CA&SHIPTOZIP=95131&SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE=US&SHIPTOCOUNTRYNAME=United%20States&ADDRESSSTATUS=Confirmed&CURRENCYCODE=USD&AMT=15%2e00&SHIPPINGAMT=0%2e00&HANDLINGAMT=0%2e00&TAXAMT=0%2e00&INSURANCEAMT=0%2e00&SHIPDISCAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CURRENCYCODE=USD&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT=15%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPPINGAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_HANDLINGAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPDISCAMT=0%2e00&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEOPTIONOFFERED=false&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTONAME=Frank%20Forest&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET=1%20Main%20St&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCITY=San%20Jose&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTATE=CA&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOZIP=95131&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE=US&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYNAME=United%20States&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ADDRESSSTATUS=Confirmed&PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ADDRESSNORMALIZATIONSTATUS=None&PAYMENTREQUESTINFO_0_ERRORCODE=0

This expected answer contains PAYERID, FIRSTNAME, LASTNAME, SHIPTOSTREET, SHIPTOCITY etc.

I tried calling the PayPal sandbox from java using

• Apache HttpClient GET request
• Apache HttpClient POST request
• javax.net.ssl.HttpsURLConnection
• java.net.URLConnection

I tried running the webapp in JBoss 7.1.1 on mac OS X and JBoss 7.2.0 on win8.

I also tried putting the port number in the URL explicitly (https://api-3t.sandbox.paypal.com:443)

The result is always the same. The payer information (name, address) is missing when I call it from java.

Has anyone got an idea what is wrong?

UPDATE: Calling the PayPal sandbox from Eclipse (Apache HttpClient GET request) returns the correct response. So I assume this might have something to do with JBoss AS.

Answer 1

After you call SetExpressCheckout, you have to redirect the buyer to PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_express-checkout&token=__MY_TOKEN__) and have them log in and approve the payment. After they've done that and returned to your website, then call GetExpressCheckoutDetails to retrieve their information.