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We have just installed a Wordpress Blog and Shopping Cart and we are making final adjustments.
My problem is at the 'checkout' stage, as it is set up at the moment I feel we are asking the customer for too much information. This can be adjusted.
Surely after going through the 'checkout' stage the customer is guided to Paypal and they will send us payment and delivery details with the email order confirmation.
My fear is that if you ask for too much repeat information the customer is simply going to shop elsewhere!?
What information should I collect at checkout and how much information will Paypal send with the order confirmation email.
I would be grateful for your help.
Regards
Phil
__________________
I don't suffer with insanity...I love every minute of it!
Paypal will send you name/address/email. Maybe telephone, maybe not, depends on the customer.
Not sure what else you would need, assuming wordpress sends all order info to paypal, so you may want to have your cart go directly to the paypal page if that is an option.
Paypal will send you name/address/email. Maybe telephone, maybe not, depends on the customer.
Not sure what else you would need, assuming wordpress sends all order info to paypal, so you may want to have your cart go directly to the paypal page if that is an option.
Thanks for your reply Joe,
I have already reduced the information required on the checkout page down to just an email.
I guess all I need ultimately is to know I have been paid and an address to send the order.
I have left the requirement for an email as it looks like Wordpress automatically sends out an order confirmation email after the checkout stage.
Phil
__________________
I don't suffer with insanity...I love every minute of it!
You're probably right about asking the customer for too much info. Ask yourself: Would I do this? If not, change it.
Sorry I can't provide any info on specific integration with paypal and your shopping cart - but I'm pretty sure Google Checkout may solve the problem you're having.
it depends on which shopping cart you are using.. With oscommerce and zen cart (i usethem only because i know them) you can change what is required to checkout at your shopping cart. Maybe you can make it so that the customer ONLY needs to give you their email and a password to creat an account in your shopping cart, and leave the rest in paypal.. That is the ideal way because unless you have SSL, people will feel more inclined to tell "paypal" their info rather than you (they dont realize it goes to the same place)
By doing this, you keep the customer as a customer and they have an account for the next time they checkout, but you dont require TWO sign ups.. OR you can do it the other way around.. Find out if with paypal, you can pass the shipping/account information from your site to theirs.. There are modules that do this depending on your shopping cart software.
Tell me what shopping cart you are using and maybe a link so i can see it and i might be able to help you
it depends on which shopping cart you are using.. With oscommerce and zen cart (i usethem only because i know them) you can change what is required to checkout at your shopping cart. Maybe you can make it so that the customer ONLY needs to give you their email and a password to creat an account in your shopping cart, and leave the rest in paypal.. That is the ideal way because unless you have SSL, people will feel more inclined to tell "paypal" their info rather than you (they dont realize it goes to the same place)
By doing this, you keep the customer as a customer and they have an account for the next time they checkout, but you dont require TWO sign ups.. OR you can do it the other way around.. Find out if with paypal, you can pass the shipping/account information from your site to theirs.. There are modules that do this depending on your shopping cart software.
Tell me what shopping cart you are using and maybe a link so i can see it and i might be able to help you
Thank you, this is who we are using: WordPress e-Commerce Plugin a WordPress Shopping Cart Plugin by Instinct
I believe they are a third party offering a shopping cart solution for Wordpress.
I have read, and I think it was on these forums, that customers don't like 'signing up' for an account on a website i'm sure it was something to do with a large percentage of you customers will buy on impulse.
From what I understand thus far the minimum requirement on checkout is for a customer email address (this is to send a system generated order confirmation email to your customer) this is what I currently have it set at.
I think it's good practice to send this email as it reassures your customer BUT I think Paypal will send this email anyway!
ok.. The thing is, because you are using PayPal, you are going to HAVE to do that. its the reason why there are merchant accounts in the world, and the reason why almost all successfull e-commerce stores use a merchant account PLUS paypal.
My suggestion to you, and I'm not trying to be rude but.. Open your pockets a little and get your website done to the best of your ability.
If you really are concerned about turnover rate, and people leaving a cart because they have to jump through hoops (which you are right, they do) then you should cough up the change and get a paypal PRO account, or some other merchant account.
it is really the only way, because your website NEEDS to ask for email because your website needs to use email addresses to create an account and send out the sucess of purchase email (which paypal does not officially do)
And paypal needs that info because they need to verify the account and person purchasing.
You should never rely on paypal to send an email simply because
1. you should always handle all aspects of your customers purchases yourself because this way you can be SURE that things happen the way you want them to
2. It looks unprofessional to not get a confirmation from the merchant in which you purchased from.
Thank you.
For now i'm just happy having an online prescence, we have been without one for a while.
At the moment spare funds are simply not available to throw at this, thus far it has cost us NOTHING and I am delighted with what we have achieved. Fair to say a few further 'tweaks' will make the website even better.
From the tiny acorn the mighty oak did grow!
Phil
__________________
I don't suffer with insanity...I love every minute of it!
Thank you.
For now i'm just happy having an online prescence, we have been without one for a while.
At the moment spare funds are simply not available to throw at this, thus far it has cost us NOTHING and I am delighted with what we have achieved. Fair to say a few further 'tweaks' will make the website even better.
From the tiny acorn the mighty oak did grow!
Wordpress. Your kind help please. 
