approval status for individual customers

[paul3648]

Is there a way to set the approval status for individual customers without changing the global "Configuration - Customer Details" status options?

The customer edit box has a drop-down menu (Customers - Customers - Edit) has options such as "Approved" - "Pending Approval..." and "Banned", but it seems the "pending approval" options do not work without the global "Configuration - Customer Details" status options being set to something other than "0".

Reasoning: some customers are bad - chargebacks etc. Rather than banning them outright, I'd like to keep their accounts as is but not allow them to buy.

If I ban them outright, they might just create another account.

But if I change the global "Configuration - Customer Details" status options, this affects customers who are not logged in, and I'd like to display all prices and keep the "add to cart" buttons functional for anyone who is just browsing.

[stevesh]

Sorry, but why wouldn't a 'customer' who was active, but not allowed to buy, just create another account if he really wanted to pretend to do business with you ?

[paul3648]

Who knows what goes through people's heads? They might try to contact me - "why can't I buy?"

I had a guy who had cancelled his credit card payment after receiving his order, claiming he didn't make the order, then just today he tries a new order with a stolen credit card.

If the payment had gone through, at least we have already flagged this account as a cheater and have more control over the sitaution than if he creates a new account.