Need help with Virtual Merchant module

[matt123]

JCB,

I went through some serious problems to get viaklix module working a few months ago. I don't know if it has been updated or fixed. It required modifying some files. If you look through my posts you should find some info. If you pm me with your email I'll send you my modified copy.

viaklix and virtualmerchant are both operated by Nova by my understanding. I believe they are phasing out viaklix. You can always ask them to switch you to virtual merchant.

[matt123]

Has anyone tested to see if the AMEX processing is working?

[nev]

Todd/rtw819, you wrote at the end of March you were getting a new version of the VM module ready for release, have any ideas on an ETA for that?

The latest version for download is from Dec 2007 and for Zen Cart 1.3.7, does it play nice with version 1.3.8?

I’m would like to switch to a proper cc processing account, and one with rates I can live with uses VM. I hate the Paypal Standard and since I’m in Canada Paypal Pro is not available, so I would desperately like to know how the module is doing.

Thanks
nev

[rtw819]

okay - I'm confused... I went to the download section and found the module for viaklix and noticed the Last Update Nov 28, 2007 - from this thread it appears there have been fixes implemented after that date... !?!?

Can someone tell me where the newest download is?

Hello JCB - there are two different interfaces to the now Elavon (formerly Nova) credit card payment gateway. The older interface (ViaKlix) is being phased out, from what I have heard. The ViaKlix2 enhanced payment gateway module I posted in the download section is, as far as I know, fully functional as-is and is being used in production on many sites, including my own. No updates have been required on the ViaKlix side of things.

Where I believe you may be getting confused is that the new interface (Virtual Merchant) is being discussed here as of recent, and the updates have been required due to functionality changes in the Virtual Merchant interface/product.

If you are truly signed up with ViaKlix, download the module here:
http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?ma...roducts_id=806

Please read the enclosed documentation for setting the module up and let me know if you have any questions after the installation? Please be sure to specfiy the module version (ViaKLIX) so as to eliminate more confusion. :)

Hope this helps,

Todd

[rtw819]

Sorry for the sabbatical, was away on a much needed holiday for a couple of weeks, and have been busy catching up with work both at work and at home. Tons of yard work, need I say more? Life and work has just been busy otherwise. The updated VM 1.3 didn't get posted before I left as I was still testing a few last minute changes. Didn't want to leave a potentially broken release hanging out there before disappearing for a while.

So just having gotten back into the swing of things after vacation, still working with a functional fix for the AMEX/DCC issue. The initial plan is to force transactions to USD and bypass the foreign currency conversion for the short term. Long term, if there is enough desire, I might be persuaded to come up with a more comprehensive solution for dealing with the DCC stuff, but that will take a good bit of time and a lot more testing.

Is anyone having successful transactions with AMEX on Virtual Merchant, or is everything AMEX-wise trying to be converted to/from Euros?? Anyone had any different responses with AMEX and the VM module to date?

Should have a work-around soon.

Thanks for your patience!

Todd

[rtw819]

Todd/rtw819, you wrote at the end of March you were getting a new version of the VM module ready for release, have any ideas on an ETA for that?

Hi Nev,

We are working on some updates to the VM module, but the current version is functional for most. If I might ask, what specifically are you looking for?

While I haven't actually personally tested it on a 1.3.8 installation yet, I haven't seen any reason why it wouldn't work. I believe there have been others that are running with both KLIX and VM on 1.3.8 with no problems.

Are you using VM today? How are you and/or Elavon (Nova) handling the currency exchanges? Is everything done natively in Canadian or US Dollars? Are you using DCC?

While we've not gotten much into non-US currencies to date, there seems to be some desire for it. Is Elavon selling their merchant services outside of the US and/or North America? Anybody know? Trying to gauge the need for further enhancements in that direction.

Sorry, seems I've got more questions than answers at the moment.

[rtw819]

I went through some serious problems to get viaklix module working a few months ago. I don't know if it has been updated or fixed. It required modifying some files. If you look through my posts you should find some info. If you pm me with your email I'll send you my modified copy.

Matt,

As far as I recall there were just some specific display customizations for your cart/environment, and these changes would not be needed for most general users. Did I miss something else? I'd like to know if that is the case?

Thanks,

Todd

[matt123]

rtw819,

I am running 1.3.8 with the VM module. It isn't working with AMEX. Everything is done in US dollar. Not sure about the DCC question??

Anyone else having problems on a 1.3.8 install?

-Matt

[nev]

Todd,

Looking for: a solution for accepting credit cards that will a) not cost me a fortune and b) not go through an external website like Paypal Standard.

Nope not using it today, just working on my application with them under the condition that I can get VM working with Zen.

Elavon is selling its merchant services outside of the US at least in Canada (through Costco) and there is potentially quite a bit of interest in a working VM module for Canada.

Paypal Pro and Google checkout don’t work in Canada. The Paypal Pro Canadian release got pushed back again to, now, maybe end of year.. but they said that in Jan 2007 as well so not doing so good. Lets put it this way, on the Pyapal forum dealing with this issue members have more or less been given a carte-blanche to post the alternate Canadian merchant solutions there instead of just PM-ing them to each other.

Canadian merchants don’t have many options. Less even low cost ones. Beanstream that is in the partners list at Zen cart is the one of a few Canadian merchant providers, and yes it does have a working module which is a plus, and my experience with them on the phone was great.

However when I compare the same amount of $ and transactions and the cost of both the Elavon and Beanstream for a modest amount of sales I expect to have at the beginning it’s almost 1:2 ratio in price. As your sales grow this gap shrinks somewhat but it’s still a gap.

Of all the ones I found Elavon seems to be the best cost wise. The rate is a tad lower then the Paypal Standard. The only significant outlay is the 200$ for VM. The contract is 2 yrs and the cancelation fee is not too bad at 125$, so it won’t kill you if you have to cancel.

So yes I would like to use it. And unless someone in Canada found a better solution that works with one of the built in gateways (in which case I would be very happy to hear about it), it seems like a potentially good Canadian solution.

As for the currency exchange for now the Canadian merchant account works in CAD. The DCC, is by what I’m told at the moment not available in Canada. Not sure if it can work natively in a dual CAD/US $ mode, still looking into that.

Hopefully that answers some of the question you have.

Thanks
nev

[rtw819]

Hello again,

Thanks for the response Nev. I'll look into what might be entailed for extending into Canadian support.

On a slightly separate note, could someone PM me a working AMEX test card number for module testing purposes? It doesn't have to (read shouldn't) be real, just needs to pass the MOD check.

Be back in touch soon,

Todd