In the checkout page, how to default select and load a payment method?

Question

In the final magento checkout page, at the payment method part, I have two options, SagePay and PayPal.

Neither are selected, but I would like the SagePay option preselected by default, and therefore load automatically without the customer having to select anything.

Answer 1

If you are using Onepage Checkout you can edit app/code/core/Mage/Checkout/Block/Onepage/Payment/Methods.php -> public function getSelectedMethodCode() and to change:

return false;

with:

return parent::getSelectedMethodCode(); //if you like to select the first payment method

or:

return 'code_of_the_payment'; //the code of the payment that you like, I don't know what is for SagePay

It's recommended to create a module that rewrites this class or at least copy the file in app/code/local and edit the copy.

Answer 2

Easiest solution is goto methods.phtml at app>design/frontent/yourpackage/your template/template/checkout/onepage/payment/

AND find

<input id="p_method_<?php echo $_code ?>" value="<?php echo $_code ?>" type="radio" name="payment[method]" checked="checked" class="radio" /></span>
        <?php $oneMethod = $_code; ?>

and here you need put your logic.

<?php if($_code=='yourpayemntcode'): ?> checked="checked"   <?php endif;?>

Answer 3

You can set sorting order for payment (and shipping) methods in the admin backend. Under Configuration > Payment Methods you can select each available method and set the sort order to a lower number.