Dynamic Image Integration

Important: This integration method is deprecated as of January 1, 2017. PayPal continues to support existing merchants using this method, but please be advised new features and enhancements will not be applied to these integrations. For new integrations, see the PayPal Checkout Integration Guide.

Dynamic images enable PayPal to tailor the Express Checkout button for a campaign or event. This feature is not supported for Mobile Express Checkout.

When you participate in a PayPal campaign or event, PayPal automatically updates the image to reflect the campaign information. When the campaign is over, PayPal restores the default image. You are not responsible for scheduling or making changes to your website application code before, during, or after the campaign. These activities are all handled for you when you set up the dynamic image.

PayPal hosts the PayPal buttons and logo images that you use on your website. Using only hosted buttons and images standardizes their appearance on websites that use PayPal as a payment option, which is convenient for you and gives your buyers confidence that their transaction will be safe and secure.

Dynamic Images

To use dynamic images, you must pass information to PayPal as parameters appended to the image URL. Your unique ID tells PayPal whether or not you are participating in events that require image changes. Other information you pass instructs PayPal on the types of images to return.

If, for example, you are participating in a PayPal campaign that you have signed up for with PayPal, and you have passed the appropriate parameter information to PayPal, PayPal automatically updates the image to reflect the campaign information. When the campaign is over, PayPal restores the default image. You are not responsible for scheduling or making changes to your website application code before, during, or after the campaign. Because you set up the dynamic image, PayPal handles these activities for you.

If you require localized campaign images, you can have the localized button image display for each country in which you participate. Simply assign the correct code for the country to the locale parameter you append to the dynamic image URL. PayPal returns to the default button image associated with each locale when the campaign is not available.

Configuring the Dynamic Image

To set up the dynamic image, provide the name-value pair parameter information in the image URL. You can pass information in the image URL for each available option.

• Set Up the Default Image
• Set Up Image for Dynamic Use
• Change the Locale
• Provide Incentive Eligibility Feedback to Buyer
• Choose the Image

Set Up the Default Image

The following URL points to the default Check out with PayPal image:

https://fpdbs.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image

To test in the sandbox environment, send the image to the following Sandbox URL:

https://fpdbs.sandbox.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image

To make the image dynamic, you need only add parameters to this URL to specify the changes you want displayed.

Set Up Image for Dynamic Use

To set up the image URL for dynamic use, associate the URL with your PayPal Secure Merchant Account ID, or PAL. Use the Secure Merchant Account ID in your Profile or call GetPalDetails (See NVP/SOAP API References - Express Checkout - GetPalDetails).

This is an example call to GetPalDetails request.

Request Parameters

[requiredSecurityParameters]
&METHOD=GetPalDetails

This GetPalDetails response returns the value of PAL and your language and country code (LOCALE).

Response Parameters

 [successResponseFields]
 &PAL=SFJCXFDLNFR5U
 &LOCALE=en_US

1. Append the PAL parameter to the image URL, and set the parameter to the value of your encrypted PayPal merchant account number. https://fpdbs.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image&pal=SFJCXFDLNFR5U
2. You can optionally change the value of LOCALE. See Change the Locale for details.
3. Place the URL with parameter information at the appropriate image locations in your web application. The PAL alerts PayPal to campaigns in which you are participating. PayPal obtains this information from your account and replaces the default image with the appropriate campaign image during the relevant campaign.

Note: If you pass in a PAL value for a merchant account that is not yours, PayPal displays the image for that account. Be sure to pass the PAL value for your account.

Change the Locale

To specify the locale of the image, append the LOCALE parameter set to the code for the appropriate country to the image URL. If a country does not have a localized image or if you do not pass a LOCALE value, the default US image displays. This example displays the image for the Spanish locale: https://fpdbs.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image&pal=SFJCXFDLNFR5U&locale=es_ES

If you are participating in a campaign across multiple countries, you can set the image locale for each country in which you participate. When the campaign is over, PayPal returns the default image associated with the locale.

Provide Incentive Eligibility Feedback to Buyer

Pass the order total amount in the ordertotal parameter so PayPal can determine if the buyer is eligible for an incentive. If, for example, you are participating in a campaign in which buyers are eligible for a 20% discount when their order meets a minimum of $50.00. You can pass that value to PayPal in the ordertotal parameter, as shown here: https://fpdbs.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image&pal=SFJCXFDLNFR5U&ordertotal=50.00

When a buyer's order meets or exceeds $50.00, PayPal displays the incentive image informing the buyer of his/her eligibility for the discount. When a buyer's order is less than $50.00, PayPal displays the default image.

Note: If ordertotal is not passed, PayPal does not display the incentive image even if the buyer is eligible for the incentive.

Choose the Image

To specify the image that you want to display, set the value of buttontype. This example sets buttontype to the PayPal mark image: https://fpdbs.paypal.com/dynamicimageweb?cmd=_dynamic-image&pal=SFJCXFDLNFR5U&buttontype=ecmark

The default value for buttontype is ecshortcut.

Dynamic Image Command Reference

To set up the information that enables dynamic images, add parameters to the dynamic image URL.

Dynamic Image Parameters

Locale Codes and Priorities

A country code is the two-letter code for the country. Language priority is the language associated with the country code, where language_0 is the default priority.