paypal REST API transaction approved - paypal

Question

I making an integration with paypal. I'm using REST API for java. Currently, I have a problem with pending payments. When I look up a payment (https://api.paypal.com/v1/payments/payment/{paymentId}) to sandbox environment to check the payment status the responses are different.
When I approved payment as a seller the payment is in status
approved
and sale is in status
completed
example response:
{
"id": "PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"create_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:53Z",
"update_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:55Z",
"state": "approved",
"intent": "sale",
"payer": {
"payment_method": "credit_card",
"funding_instruments": [
{
"credit_card": {
"type": "mastercard",
"number": "xxxxxxxxxxxx5559",
"expire_month": "2",
"expire_year": "2018",
"first_name": "Betsy",
"last_name": "Buyer"
}
}
]
},
"transactions": [
{
"amount": {
"total": "7.47",
"currency": "USD",
"details": {
"subtotal": "7.47"
}
},
"description": "This is the payment transaction description.",
"related_resources": [
{
"sale": {
"id": "36C38912MN9658832",
"create_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:53Z",
"update_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:55Z",
"state": "completed",
"amount": {
"total": "7.47",
"currency": "USD"
},
"parent_payment": "PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"links": [
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/sale/36C38912MN9658832",
"rel": "self",
"method": "GET"
},
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/sale/36C38912MN9658832/refund",
"rel": "refund",
"method": "POST"
},
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/payment/PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"rel": "parent_payment",
"method": "GET"
}
]
}
}
]
}
],
"links": [
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/payment/PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"rel": "self",
"method": "GET"
}
]
}
and sometimes payment is
pending
and the sale status in
completed
example respose:
{
"id": "PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"create_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:53Z",
"update_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:55Z",
"state": "pending",
"intent": "sale",
"payer": {
"payment_method": "credit_card",
"funding_instruments": [
{
"credit_card": {
"type": "mastercard",
"number": "xxxxxxxxxxxx5559",
"expire_month": "2",
"expire_year": "2018",
"first_name": "Betsy",
"last_name": "Buyer"
}
}
]
},
"transactions": [
{
"amount": {
"total": "7.47",
"currency": "USD",
"details": {
"subtotal": "7.47"
}
},
"description": "This is the payment transaction description.",
"related_resources": [
{
"sale": {
"id": "36C38912MN9658832",
"create_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:53Z",
"update_time": "2013-02-19T22:01:55Z",
"state": "completed",
"amount": {
"total": "7.47",
"currency": "USD"
},
"parent_payment": "PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"links": [
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/sale/36C38912MN9658832",
"rel": "self",
"method": "GET"
},
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/sale/36C38912MN9658832/refund",
"rel": "refund",
"method": "POST"
},
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/payment/PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"rel": "parent_payment",
"method": "GET"
}
]
}
}
]
}
],
"links": [
{
"href": "https://api.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/payments/payment/PAY-5YK922393D847794YKER7MUI",
"rel": "self",
"method": "GET"
}
]
}
Similarly, Sanbox works when I reject the transaction. Once the payment status is failed and sale status is reversed and another time is pending and reserved.
My question is when can be 100% sure about the transaction is completed or failed?
Should I check the payment status or the sale status?
Maybe this this problem is related only with sandbox not with production.
PS. This code is only the sample, do NOT analyze it.

Answer 1

You should ensure that that even if the state of the sale shows completed, the payment has been approved. Even after the sale status shows completed, there might be something related to the specific buyer's account which keeps the payment in a pending state. You should ensure that payment has been approved before shipping your product.