Protx -- Difference between VSP Server and VSP Form?

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jack_indigo
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Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:25 pm

Protx -- Difference between VSP Server and VSP Form?

Post by jack_indigo »

Um, my UK client has me checking out Protx ecommerce. However, he and I are both stumped on why one would go with VSP Server over VSP Form? The VSP Form seems to have less requirements. Both seem to provide the same functionality? We emailed their tech support and haven't gotten an answer. I've seen a few Protx posts here and wondered if anyone has figured this one out.
jack_indigo
Forum Contributor
Posts: 186
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:25 pm

Re: Protx -- Difference between VSP Server and VSP Form?

Post by jack_indigo »

Here's the difference:

- VSP Server doesn't use hidden form fields as it does the transaction. VSP Form does.

- There is risk with VSP Form because someone could hack a hidden form field. However, here's some points on that:

(a) The way VSP Form works is pretty much how most ecommerce payment systems work, unlike VSP Server.
(b) When you hear about shopping cart integration with various products, they use VSP Form instead of VSP Server. I haven't found one that uses VSP Server yet.
(c) If it weren't secure, it wouldn't be an offering. It's pretty hard to hack the encrypted hidden form fields.
(d) You can set it up to defer payment processing if you want -- providing you with a way to inspect the transaction a little before authorizing it.
(e) Even if you don't defer payment processing, if you're not shipping anything tangible to the client, but offering them a service on your site, you can always just revoke that service, ban their username and perhaps their IP, if you ever find that they hacked Protx. And then you can sick Protx on them for an investigation.

However, I still think that PayPal is a better option because:

- Protx forms are like built in the stoneage. We're talking tables-only with raised 3D padding on cells as if the page was made during the days of Mosaic, Netscape, and IE 1.

- Protx still requires that you go through getting your own merchant provider and hooking that in with them. There's a delay in doing that, too. It takes form submission, waiting on approval, more waiting if you have form errors, etc.

- Protx then requires you to go through their approval process after that, so more waiting, waiting if you have errors on your form, etc.

- With Paypal, you can get started within 24 hours or less.

- PayPal's forms are modern looking.

- There's tons and tons more developer support for PayPal than there are for Protx. When Protx goes down, do you want only one, inefficient support avenue or do you want tons and tons of support options available to you?

- Paypal continues to corner the market on features and benefits.

- Paypal has more cash to go after hackers than Protx has.

- Mostly everyone knows how to get through a PayPal transaction.

- The fees with PayPal aren't so bad. They seem sort of fair, considering what you're getting as a merchant with easy integration.
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