IPN (Webhook) Overview

Learn how you can use Instant Payment Notifications (IPNs) to get real-time information about transaction events

IPNs provide an effective way to keep you up-to-date on all transaction events in real time. Transaction events include actions like authorizations, payments, refunds and more.

Whenever one of these events occurs, the IPN provides you with basic details about the event, such as the price, product, shipping address details, payment method, and shopper information.

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IPNs and Webhooks

Some payment processors use the term Webhooks when referring to notifications. Webhooks and IPNs are essentially equivalent.

What IPNs are used for

Here are some ways you might use IPNs:

  • Make sure your accounting records are updated when a payment is made
  • Take action when a chargeback is processed
  • Send a subscription reminder email to a customer when their subscription is due for renewal
  • Update your customer database when a subscription is processed

How and when BlueSnap sends IPNs

IPNs are automatically transmitted via an HTTPS POST request to a unique URL on your site's server, which you define. IPNs are triggered by an event such as an authorization, payment acceptance, or refund confirmation and are sent as soon as the event is complete.

How to enable IPNs

To enable IPNs, you must set up a server and URL on your side and then configure IPNs in your BlueSnap account. Refer to Setting up IPNs.

Available IPN Types

BlueSnap provides IPNs to all merchants for various event types, such as a charge, authorization only, an offline order or failed credit card charge. Refer to All IPNs Name Reference for a complete list of available IPNs and detailed information about each one.

Note: The IPN name is sent in the transactionType parameter.

Example IPN

An IPN is a long string of text with fields and attributes that contain information about the transaction. For example:

invoiceCountry=US&invoiceZipCode=&invoiceFirstName=Joe&invoiceFaxNumber=&invoiceState=OR&invoiceAddress2=&invoiceEmail=emil.ray%40bluesnap.com&invoiceLastName=Shopper&invoiceAddress1=&invoiceCompany=&invoiceCity=&invoiceExtension=&invoiceMobilePhone=&invoiceWorkPhone=&invoiceTitle=&lastName=Shopper&country=US&zipCode=&extension=&address2=&city=&address1=&homePhone=&title=&accountId=20626979&firstName=Joe&mobilePhone=&faxNumber=&company=&workPhone=&state=OR&email=emil.ray%40bluesnap.com&username=1447774446472887319554743963741&shippingCity=&shippingLastName=Shopper&shippingCountry=US&shippingZipCode=&shippingMethod=&shippingFirstName=Joe&shippingState=OR&shippingAddress2=&shippingAddress1=&overridePrice=0.00&invoiceAmount=30.00&language=ENGLISH&creditCardType=VISA&invoiceAmountUSD=30.00&templateId=91&productName=My+Awesome+Game&creditCardExpDate=1%2F2016&contractOwner=500801&referenceNumber=1011310133&contractName=Nintendo+Version&currency=USD&invoiceInfoURL=https%3A%2F%2Fsandbox.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Forder_locator_info.jsp%3FrefId%3DDB24C79E3E449AB09A1936EF6F020625%26acd%3D80FD091BA5366B75&remoteAddress=50.207.189.243&contractChargePrice=30.00&quantity=1&productId=404141&invoiceChargeCurrency=USD&cardSubType=CREDIT&invoiceChargeAmount=30.00&referrer=&contractPrice=30.00&creditCardLastFourDigits=1111&testMode=N&contractId=2269035&addCD=N&untilDate=11%2F17%2F2015+07%3A34+AM&paymentMethod=CC&paymentType=CC&invoiceLocalAmount=30.00&invoiceURL=https%3A%2F%2Fsandbox.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Fshow_invoice.jsp%3Fref%3DDB24C79E3E449AB09A1936EF6F020625&shopperOrderUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsandbox.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Forder_locator_info.jsp%3FrefId%3DDB24C79E3E449AB09A1936EF6F020625%26acd%3D80FD091BA5366B75&originalRequestUrl=&contractLocalPrice=30.00&shopperAdminUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fsandbox.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Forder_locator_info.jsp%3FrefId%3DDB24C79E3E449AB09A1936EF6F020625%26acd%3D80FD091BA5366B75&invoiceLocalCurrency=USD&recurringDisclaimer=N&targetBalance=BLUESNAP_ACCOUNT&promoteContractsNum=0&EDWPeriod=&EDWSurcharge=&EDWAmountUSD=&EDWContractId=&EDWSurchargeUSD=&EDWAmount=&vatId=&taxAmountUSD=0.00&taxRate=&taxChargeAmount=0.00&authKey=&transactionType=CHARGE&bluesnapNode=99&plimusNode=99&couponCode=&licenseKey=Licensing+information+will+be+sent+to+you+shortly.&cvvSent=Y&avsSent=N&cvvResponse=Not+processed+&avsResponse=Issuer+unavailable+or+AVS+not+supported+%28US+Issuer%29+&transactionDate=11%2F17%2F2015+07%3A34+AM
lastName=Doe&country=US&zipCode=30328&extension=52&address2=&city=Atlanta&address1=760+MT+VERNON+HIGHWAY+NE+%2CATLANTA+GA+30328&homePhone=&title=&accountId=19589706&firstName=Jhone&mobilePhone=&faxNumber=&company=&workPhone=0523584124&state=AL&email=jhonedoe%40gmail.com&username=1471869314641&invoiceCountry=US&invoiceZipCode=30328&invoiceFirstName=Shaul+Cohen+OR+Alon&invoiceFaxNumber=&invoiceState=AL&invoiceAddress2=&invoiceEmail=jhonedoe%40gmail.com&invoiceLastName=Yosef&invoiceAddress1=760+MT+VERNON+HIGHWAY+NE+%2CATLANTA+GA+30328&invoiceCompany=&invoiceCity=Atlanta&invoiceExtension=52&invoiceMobilePhone=&invoiceWorkPhone=0523584124&invoiceTitle=&shippingCity=Atlanta&shippingLastName=Yosef&shippingCountry=US&shippingZipCode=30328&shippingMethod=&shippingFirstName=Jhone&shippingState=AL&shippingAddress2=&shippingAddress1=760+MT+VERNON+HIGHWAY+NE+%2CATLANTA+GA+30328&invoiceAmount=2.00&language=ENGLISH&creditCardType=VISA&cardSubType=DEBIT&cardCategory=PEONY&invoiceAmountUSD=2.00&productName=testProduct&paymentType=&creditCardExpDate=&contractOwner=399928&referenceNumber=38528358&contractName=Subscription+contract+2&currency=USD&cancelReason=test&invoiceInfoURL=https%3A%2F%2Fshoppers.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Forder_locator_info.jsp%3FrefId%3DEBBE554ECE528D63%26acd%3DEBEDCB01BBF0320D&remoteAddress=0%3A0%3A0%3A0%3A0%3A0%3A0%3A1&quantity=1&productId=310592&invoiceChargeCurrency=USD&invoiceChargeAmount=2.00&originalRefNum=38528358&transactionType=CANCELLATION&referrer=&creditCardLastFourDigits=&testMode=N&contractId=2186556&paymentMethod=&subscriptionId=39546714&addCD=N&untilDate=08%2F29%2F2016+06%3A06+AM&authKey=4df72f8c802a6caf5b0e3e4439cfb891&targetBalance=BLUESNAP_ACCOUNT&taxAmountUSD=0.00&taxRate=&taxChargeAmount=0.00&vatId=&Color=Green&cancelledContractId=2186556&shippingMethod=&shopperOrderUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fshoppers.bluesnap.com%2Fjsp%2Forder_locator_info.jsp%3FrefId%3DEBBE554ECE528D63%26acd%3DEBEDCB01BBF0320D&templateId=2&licenseKey=&promoteContractsNum=0&bluesnapNode=1&plimusNode=1&couponCode=&transactionDate=08%2F22%2F2016+04%3A10+PM&merchantTransactionId=&vendorId=11111&vendorName=vendor+name+test