PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

Hi there

Your PayPal Instant Payments notification is how PayPal let’s WooCommerce know an order has been paid for.

You must enable IPN in your PayPal dashboard for it to work, and the steps are laid out in a guide on the WooCommerce website here.

If you’ve followed these steps, and you’re still getting an error, enable debugging on your PayPal payment gateway (it’s a checkbox in the manage screen of your PayPal payment gateway under WooCommerce > Settings > Payments).

Then please contact us at WooCommerce.com > My Account > Support. You may need to create an account before you can access that page.

Please include a link to this forum thread, so that we can keep track of what’s already been done.

We will be able to help you further there, since logs at times can contain sensitive information.

Hello, thanks for your reply. so far I have had Off IPN in paypal account and I have not had any problems.

According to your answer, now I have to activate the IPN in the paypal account, if I activate what link should I put there? I also have debug logs on and now for a few days I have noticed that payments are being completed successfully but a part of the data below is missing (maybe they were IPN).

https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/paypal-standard/#paypal-ipn-url

I have noticed that payments are being completed successfully

Without the IPN enabled, it is possible that payments are being completed via the PDT. That said, this method is unreliable because it relies on human interaction with your site. If that human completes the payment at PayPal and then closes their browser, the Payment Data Token is not transported back to your site via their browser.

The IPN does not rely on the customer to return back to the site and as such is more reliable.

It is not advisable to have both the IPN and PDT methods enabled simulatanesouly. You can disable the PDT by blanking out the value in the PayPal identity token field.

Hello thank you for your reply. Payment data transfer I have OFF in paypal account as well as IPN. I do not know what is happening. Should I add this URL to the IPN in paypal https://example.com/?wc-api=WC_Gateway_Paypal and test if this problem is resolved?

Thank you

Hi there

Yes, please go ahead and enable IPN, and remember to change the example.com part of https://example.com/?wc-api=WC_Gateway_Paypal to the domain of your website.

Then testing it with debug enabled is a great idea.

Hello, I activated Ipn on paypal and put the link you sent me above (replacing the example with my domain) after that I made a live purchase on the website and in debug the following info is displayed, the purchase is complete as successful (I removed the sensitive information by replacing it with Example)

07-05-2021 @ 20:33:23 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_request: remote request to https://api-3t.paypal.com/nvp with params: Array
(
    [LOGOIMG] => https://example.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/-Logo-190x60.png
    [HDRIMG] => 
    [PAGESTYLE] => 
    [BRANDNAME] => Example
    [RETURNURL] => https://example.co/checkout/?woo-paypal-return=true
    [CANCELURL] => https://example.co/cart/?woo-paypal-cancel=true
    [ADDROVERRIDE] => 1
    [LANDINGPAGE] => Billing
    [SOLUTIONTYPE] => Sole
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_PAYMENTACTION] => sale
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ALLOWEDPAYMENTMETHOD] => InstantPaymentOnly
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_HANDLINGAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CUSTOM] => 
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INVNUM] => 
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT] => 1
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ITEMAMT] => 1
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPPINGAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPDISCAMT] => 0
    [NOSHIPPING] => 0
    [EMAIL] => [email protected]
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTONAME] => Example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET2] => 
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCITY] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTATE] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOZIP] => 100
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE] => EX
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOPHONENUM] => 0000000
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NAME0] => Test
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_DESC0] => 
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_QTY0] => 1
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT0] => 1
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NUMBER0] => 
    [METHOD] => SetExpressCheckout
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [USER] => example api
    [PWD] => example pswd
    [SIGNATURE] => example sig
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:33:24 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_process_response: acknowleged response body: Array
(
    [TOKEN] => EC-example
    [TIMESTAMP] => 2021-07-05T20:33:24Z
    [CORRELATIONID] => 232d75c76accd
    [ACK] => Success
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [BUILD] => 55779668
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:34 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_request: remote request to https://api-3t.paypal.com/nvp with params: Array
(
    [METHOD] => GetExpressCheckoutDetails
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [TOKEN] => EC-example
    [USER] => example api
    [PWD] => example pwd
    [SIGNATURE] => example sig
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:35 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_process_response: acknowleged response body: Array
(
    [TOKEN] => EC-example
    [BILLINGAGREEMENTACCEPTEDSTATUS] => 0
    [CHECKOUTSTATUS] => PaymentActionNotInitiated
    [TIMESTAMP] => 2021-07-05T20:34:35Z
    [CORRELATIONID] => 6938967badbd9
    [ACK] => Success
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [BUILD] => 55779668
    [EMAIL] => [email protected]
    [PAYERID] => Y6W5RKV5FAR42
    [PAYERSTATUS] => unverified
    [FIRSTNAME] => Arjan
    [LASTNAME] => Halili
    [COUNTRYCODE] => ex
    [SHIPTONAME] => example
    [SHIPTOSTREET] => Tirana
    [SHIPTOCITY] => exampld
    [SHIPTOSTATE] => Tirana
    [SHIPTOZIP] => example
    [SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE] => Ex
    [SHIPTOPHONENUM] => example
    [SHIPTOCOUNTRYNAME] => example
    [ADDRESSSTATUS] => Confirmed
    [CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [AMT] => 1.00
    [ITEMAMT] => 1.00
    [SHIPPINGAMT] => 0.00
    [HANDLINGAMT] => 0.00
    [TAXAMT] => 0.00
    [NOTIFYURL] => https://www.example.co/?wc-api=WC_Gateway_Paypal
    [INSURANCEAMT] => 0.00
    [SHIPDISCAMT] => 0.00
    [INSURANCEOPTIONOFFERED] => false
    [L_NAME0] => Test
    [L_QTY0] => 1
    [L_TAXAMT0] => 0.00
    [L_AMT0] => 1.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT] => 1.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ITEMAMT] => 1.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPPINGAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_HANDLINGAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NOTIFYURL] => https://www.example.co/?wc-api=WC_Gateway_Paypal
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPDISCAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SELLERPAYPALACCOUNTID] => [email protected]
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEOPTIONOFFERED] => false
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTONAME] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCITY] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTATE] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOZIP] => 100
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE] => ex
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOPHONENUM] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYNAME] => Example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ADDRESSSTATUS] => Confirmed
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NAME0] => Test
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_QTY0] => 1
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT0] => 0.00
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT0] => 1.00
    [PAYMENTREQUESTINFO_0_ERRORCODE] => 0
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:35 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_request: remote request to https://api-3t.paypal.com/nvp with params: Array
(
    [TOKEN] => EC-example
    [PAYERID] => Y6W5RKV5FAR42
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT] => 1
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_ITEMAMT] => 1
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPPINGAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_TAXAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPDISCAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INSURANCEAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_HANDLINGAMT] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NOTIFYURL] => https://example.co/wc-api/WC_Gateway_PPEC/
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_PAYMENTACTION] => sale
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_INVNUM] => WC-3271
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_CUSTOM] => {"order_id":3271,"order_number":"3271","order_key":"wc_order_SCmOPsdQi2Fj7"}
    [NOSHIPPING] => 0
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTONAME] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTREET2] => 
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCITY] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOSTATE] => example
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOZIP] => 100
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE] => ex
    [PAYMENTREQUEST_0_SHIPTOPHONENUM] => example
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NAME0] => Test
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_DESC0] => 
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_QTY0] => 1
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_AMT0] => 1
    [L_PAYMENTREQUEST_0_NUMBER0] => 
    [METHOD] => DoExpressCheckoutPayment
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [BUTTONSOURCE] => WooThemes_EC
    [USER] => example.gmail.com api
    [PWD] => example pwd
    [SIGNATURE] => example sig
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:37 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_process_response: acknowleged response body: Array
(
    [TOKEN] => EC-0LV79914DW991192Y
    [SUCCESSPAGEREDIRECTREQUESTED] => false
    [TIMESTAMP] => 2021-07-05T20:34:37Z
    [CORRELATIONID] => 6eb1eb3146077
    [ACK] => Success
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [BUILD] => 55779668
    [INSURANCEOPTIONSELECTED] => false
    [SHIPPINGOPTIONISDEFAULT] => false
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_TRANSACTIONID] => 8YB91135XA7183046
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_RECEIPTID] => 1473025257229198
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_TRANSACTIONTYPE] => cart
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_PAYMENTTYPE] => instant
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_ORDERTIME] => 2021-07-05T20:34:36Z
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_AMT] => 1.00
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_FEEAMT] => 0.38
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_TAXAMT] => 0.00
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_PAYMENTSTATUS] => Completed
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_PENDINGREASON] => None
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_REASONCODE] => None
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_PROTECTIONELIGIBILITY] => Ineligible
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_PROTECTIONELIGIBILITYTYPE] => None
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_SELLERPAYPALACCOUNTID] => [email protected]
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_SECUREMERCHANTACCOUNTID] => example
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_ERRORCODE] => 0
    [PAYMENTINFO_0_ACK] => Success
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:37 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_request: remote request to https://api-3t.paypal.com/nvp with params: Array
(
    [TRANSACTIONID] => 8YB91135XA7183046
    [METHOD] => GetTransactionDetails
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [USER] => example.gmail.com api
    [PWD] => example pwd
    [SIGNATURE] => example sig
)

07-05-2021 @ 20:34:39 - WC_Gateway_PPEC_Client::_process_response: acknowleged response body: Array
(
    [RECEIVERBUSINESS] => [email protected]
    [RECEIVEREMAIL] => [email protected]
    [RECEIVERID] => example
    [EMAIL] => [email protected]
    [PAYERID] => Y6W5RKV5FAR42
    [PAYERSTATUS] => unverified
    [COUNTRYCODE] => ex
    [SHIPTONAME] => example
    [SHIPTOSTREET] => example
    [SHIPTOCITY] => example
    [SHIPTOSTATE] => example
    [SHIPTOCOUNTRYCODE] => ex
    [SHIPTOCOUNTRYNAME] => ex
    [SHIPTOZIP] => 100
    [ADDRESSOWNER] => PayPal
    [ADDRESSSTATUS] => Confirmed
    [INVNUM] => WC-3271
    [CUSTOM] => {"order_id":3271,"order_number":"3271","order_key":"wc_order_SCmOPsdQi2Fj7"}
    [SALESTAX] => 0.00
    [INSURANCEAMOUNT] => 0.00
    [GIFTRECEIPT] => 0
    [TIMESTAMP] => 2021-07-05T20:34:39Z
    [CORRELATIONID] => 9ce916f9c0675
    [ACK] => Success
    [VERSION] => 120.0
    [BUILD] => 55101542
    [FIRSTNAME] => example
    [LASTNAME] => example
    [TRANSACTIONID] => 8YB91135XA7183046
    [RECEIPTID] => 1473-0252-5722-9198
    [TRANSACTIONTYPE] => cart
    [PAYMENTTYPE] => instant
    [ORDERTIME] => 2021-07-05T20:34:36Z
    [AMT] => 1.00
    [FEEAMT] => 0.38
    [TAXAMT] => 0.00
    [SHIPPINGAMT] => 0.00
    [HANDLINGAMT] => 0.00
    [CURRENCYCODE] => EUR
    [PAYMENTSTATUS] => Completed
    [PENDINGREASON] => None
    [REASONCODE] => None
    [SHIPPINGMETHOD] => Default
    [PROTECTIONELIGIBILITY] => Ineligible
    [PROTECTIONELIGIBILITYTYPE] => None
    [L_NAME0] => Test
    [L_QTY0] => 1
    [L_TAXAMT0] => 0.00
    [L_SHIPPINGAMT0] => 0.00
    [L_HANDLINGAMT0] => 0.00
    [L_CURRENCYCODE0] => EUR
    [L_TAXABLE0] => false
    [L_TAXRATE0] => 0.0
    [L_AMT0] => 1.00
    [INSURANCEOPTIONSELECTED] => 0
    [SHIPPINGOPTIONISDEFAULT] => 0
)

I contacted with PayPal support also, this is the email from them:

Thank you for contacting Merchant Technical Support. I will be happy to answer your questions regarding your IPN.

I can confirm that the IPNs that are being sent to https://example.co/wc-api/WC_Gateway_PPEC/ are failing with an HTTP 500 response from your server. This may be caused by a few different factors. There is also a change that was made to IPN recently, there have been changes made to what IP address that these messages may be coming from. If your IPN listener is setup in such a way to limit communications to IP addresses not in the Access Control List, you may need to make changes to the IPN script to ensure your listener can use the current IP addresses.`

Hi, @arjanh!

In addition to what PayPal support has told you, you may want to refer to this from PayPal’s documentation: Why is my IPN failing with HTTP 500 errors?

Based on that, you can also check with your hosting provider for any information they may have on the errors.

If you’re interested, we also have extensive documentation on debugging IPN errors that you can refer to here: Debugging IPN issues.

Hi, @arjanh! We haven’t heard back from you in a while, so I’m going to mark this thread as resolved. However, we’ll be here if/when you’re ready to continue.