How to Use Paypal as Merchant

1. Register for a Paypal business account, if you haven't already done so. This is different from a personal account or premier account, which are used to make purchases or sell products under your personal name. In contrast, a business account is used to make and receive transactions under a business or corporate name. You can have both a personal and a business account, but each one must have a different email address, bank account and credit card associated with it. You can also upgrade an existing premier account to a business account, if you choose.
2. Expect to wait a few days for the verification process to be completed if you are new to Paypal. When you create a new account, or upgrade an existing account with new email, bank and credit card information, Paypal makes a small payment to the account to verify its validity, which typically takes three to five business days.
3. Decide whether Paypal Website Payments Standard or Paypal Website Payments Pro is right for you. Website Payments Standard allows your customers to shop for and purchase multiple items using a shopping cart on your website, then make a single payment using the Paypal site. Website Payments Pro gives your customers the option to shop and pay on your website using the Paypal gateway running in the background, or to continue to the Paypal website to use their personal account to make the purchase. The Pro service involves a small transaction fee, which is based on a percentage of the total purchase. Whichever service you choose, you'll need to complete the appropriate application and wait for approval before proceeding.
4. Consider using the Payflow Payment Gateway if you currently accept credit card payments online. This service securely links your existing online store with your merchant account and your payment-processing network. There are two levels to this service: Payflow Link is a basic level that lets your customers make transactions through custom pages hosted on Paypal's servers, while Payflow Pro enables the entire transaction to take place on your website.