Store Suddenly Stopped Sending Me Customer Invoice Copies By E-Mail

[fabienne]

I have been running ZenCart 1.5.1 with PayPal Express Checkout for a long time. I had it set up to receive a copy of the PayPal sales notice and the ZenCart copy of the [New Order] Order Confirmation No. XXXXXXX via e-mail.Yesterday the ZenCart stopped sending me the New Order notice. I went to the admin area and checked all of the e-mail options and they all looked AOK. I have not been fiddling with that part of the cart. I don't see any other obvious error in the admin area. What could be causing this? I just made a test purchase and I am still only getting the PayPal sales notice. Has there been some change via Zencart? I am using Stamps.com and they are getting notice of the orders fine from PayPal. I would really like to fix this even though I am getting the PayPal notices. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

One other question. I tried for a very long time to get Stamps.com to run from ZenCart, even worked with the tech support guys at Stamps and to no avail. I had to run Stamps through PayPal to make it work (which means I don't get the order numbers or other info I would get if it were running though ZenCart). I suspect my problem is that I have two sets of passwords and IDs protecting my site (I have been hacked in the past and so I did put in the Access password on it and that has helped). Do you think that is the problem which prevents me from putting on stamps.com? I didn't think to ask them.

[RixStix]

Can't really say anything about your first issue.

Re: Stamps.com. They were always problematic (at least for me)

Try the ShipStation plugin

http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1324

Info at shipstation.com

It is a much easier install and has never, ever been problematic with zencart interface. Your Stamps.com account can be used with ShipStation for postage in addition to Express1. Each offer different rates for different services. Express1 is less expensive than Stamps.com for all flatrate boxes. If you use Fedex, UPS or DHL, ShipStation handles that too. Stamps.com actually bought ShipStation a few months ago.

FYI, setup a zencart admin account only for shipping. Use that account and associated password for ShipStation. Assuming the 2nd password level is cPanel passwording your zencart admin folder. ShipStation will work around that.

[DrByte]

Has there been some change via Zencart?

No. Only YOU have access to your website software. Well, you and your hosting company, and anyone who figures out your cpanel or FTP login credentials.

But the folks at zen-cart.com have NO access at all. There are no built-in back-doors of any sort.

But maybe your hosting company changed something on the server?
Or maybe you installed a plugin or made modifications that have affected normal execution, and are causing PHP errors. Those errors will be logged on your server. Since v1.5.1 they're stored in the /logs/ folder, as explained here: http://www.zen-cart.com/content.php?124-blank-page

[fabienne]

Hi Dr. Byte. No, I don't think that the folks from ZenCart are out to get me. Honest. I don't think they have access to my cart and thereby my brain and have the power to make me into their slave for world domination. But I have gotten a surprise at times from ZenCart if I don't keep on top of what is happening (i.e. when there are updates to the USPS module and my customers can't access the First Class option and have to choose FedEx, and they start howling). Yes, that is the Post Office doing it, not ZenCart, but I still feel the need to come in this forum and make sure that everything is AOK (and I am grateful for the forum and all the help I have gotten over the years). So I was wondering if there was some "thing" which ZenCart had updated which had that effect.

Sounds like I need to go look at that log, which is a great invention. I have been updating my site and putting up a new one (with the help of someone who is an expert in ZenCart maintaining and installing). I will be looking at the log and talking to him.

I wanted to say that I have been using ZenCart for coming on 9 years now and don't want to change. I have gotten to know ZenCart fairly well and have been able to fix a lot of problems myself, I enjoy the great flexibility of it which allows me to be creative and give my clients what they want in a well designed way. I did look into other solutions, and as one of my tee shirts says: they were OK but they were quite expensive*. Bottom line, I have seen nothing better and if you are willing to put in thinking time and learning a bit of PHP and HTML and Photoshop then you pretty much have the world as your oyster. I'm not a master ZenCart wrangler, that isn't my job (I'm a manufacturer and retailer) but ZenCart is real friendly and real good at what it does. I recommend it to anyone who wants to start their own store and has any programming talent whatsoever. Hey, I'm a satisfied customer. Thanks!

*That's not much of a deal.

[fabienne]

FYI- the orders stopped appearing at order number 11376 but just started up again at 11382. The general thinking is that it was a host issue. Back to business.

[DrByte]

Glad it's working again!