How do I deal with PayPal customers who can't direct return

PayPal states:

Note: If you have turned on Auto Return and have chosen to turn on PayPal Account Optional for new users, a new user will not be automatically direc开发者_开发技巧ted back to your website, but will be given the option to return.

But if some of the customers don't get "Auto Returned", how do I handle them programmatically?

Paypal does not guarantee autoreturn especially when Paypal Account - optional setting is on.

The right way to handle the integration is with Instant Payment Notification (IPN) option. Using IPN Paypal will make POSTS to your page notifying you of payment events. The following link explains the IPN process pretty well.

To summarize, you will write code that will trap posts from Paypal and then make sure to update your billing data accordingly.

Also, IPN messages might be slightly delayed.

Create a script (cron or what) that does check for such payments at paypal perodically (e.g. every hour).

Is this what you mean?

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/mer/express_return_summary-outside

If not, you may need to be a little more specific with your question. Like - are you using paypal pro? How are your customers checking out? etc. And now that I read the answer below mine, I wonder if you are even talking about the payment process and not something else.