Bounced emails - Now what? Suggestions appreciated...

[Reesy]

<?php
  // Display all header alerts via messageStack:
  if ($messageStack->size('header') > 0) {
    echo $messageStack->output('header');
  }
  if (isset($_GET['error_message']) && zen_not_null($_GET['error_message'])) {
  echo htmlspecialchars(urldecode($_GET['error_message']));
  }
  if (isset($_GET['info_message']) && zen_not_null($_GET['info_message'])) {
   echo htmlspecialchars($_GET['info_message']);
} else {

}
?>

Thinking there might be a simple if statement that can be added here, that might be useful.

[DrByte]

Zen Cart doesn't contain an Email Verification step for customers because, as you see, it creates an additional barrier to checkout, which just creates friction during the checkout process: more barriers = fewer sales. An exception might be if the store is also a "membership" site into which they login daily to access content.
But I can see that because of your localized situation you have a different reason for needing it.

But ... I don't think email verification is the "best" solution.
Certainly you could do some sort of verification ... whether that be just a simple lookup whether the email address matches some patterns, or an external verification service, or a real-time test of the email account on the same screen where they enter it (kinda like an address-verification ajax widget might do). And if necessary then also build some sort of "click this link to confirm you received this email" send+response tracking and display messageStack alert telling them they need to do something.

However ...

Seems to me the more important issue is communicating the bank details to the customer.
Perhaps that needs to be enhanced with a popup they need to click to be certain of the details.

Better yet, if (actually, whether or not) everyone is shopping from a phone, use SMS instead of email.
Or at least use SMS to tell them they need to whitelist your domain and how to do it.
Or both.

Zen Cart has lots of notifier hooks during the checkout process where you can intercept and take action as necessary: verifying data, sending SMSs, etc. To add popups you'll first need to identify what needs to "trigger" the popup, and then of course display it and take action based on what they do with it.

[DrByte]

<?php
  // Display all header alerts via messageStack:
  if ($messageStack->size('header') > 0) {
    echo $messageStack->output('header');
  }
  if (isset($_GET['error_message']) && zen_not_null($_GET['error_message'])) {
  echo htmlspecialchars(urldecode($_GET['error_message']));
  }
  if (isset($_GET['info_message']) && zen_not_null($_GET['info_message'])) {
   echo htmlspecialchars($_GET['info_message']);
} else {

}
?>

Thinking there might be a simple if statement that can be added here, that might be useful.

Sure: the "header" messagestack array output is triggered on every page, so your custom "checker" can set a "header" alert. Note: by default the "header" alerts appear pretty high up on the page, depending on your template.

[Reesy]

Payment by bank transfer/wire/whatever you want to call it is still somewhat popular in most countries of the world depending on order value. Your not really going to buy wholesale items for thousands and pay by PayPal/credit card so no, I wouldn't say it's a localised issue.
Most modules of this type display the info on screen which is quickly closed as the customer expects an email with the same details...
No email... No payment (obviously).
Most customers sit there waiting for a week before they contact saying... Your site's broken etc.

I think a combination of a message in their account and a big red bar across the screen (most likely not seen until they log back in again...if they do come back), is probably the best logic.

[Reesy]

There's also the case where the customer insists that it's gpail.com etc, makes a typo, but is consistent with it, meaning they can continually log in and shop etc, just never receive any email (unintentionally), seen that one a few times too. You correct it and they are amazed they get order confirmation emails, order updates, tracking etc etc lol.

[Reesy]

Btw, DrByte thanks for the SMS recommendation that's a non starter too. Default SMS setting is set to reject all but those registered in your phone memory these days...
SMS spam in Japan is probably 10 times more of a bigger problem than regular email spam... Or it certainly seems like it!

[DrByte]

By "localized" I meant: this "must register the email addresses in your phone" seems localized to your country.

Certainly, bank transfer is quite universal (less so in North America, as other means are used there).

Perhaps you need to pop up a persistent dialog that holds them in mid-checkout until they confirm that they've received the email you're sending. Use ajax requests to send/check/etc.

I would think that if this "problem" of "must register emails/SMS-numbers in phone before receiving" is country-wide like you say, then it would be fairly common knowledge.
So maybe your response should be more around educating them. Yes, in mid-checkout. Hold them on the page (after the order is saved) with a big "WAIT" box that not only shows the Bank Transfer details they need, but also "Click here only AFTER you've sent the bank transfer", or "WAIT: email to your phone isn't working: please write down the bank details now." and make it hard for them to click and close the dialog.
Educating people may be the only real option you have, since you have no other way of communicating with them ... and that's their own fault: all you can do is naggingly inform them.

[mc12345678]

By the way, the individual I was thinking of was gernot. He did a lot of work last year on language packs and has been working to make payment modules and other things more "Japanese friendly". He's been through a number of applications and provided feedback as well as it seems done some independent development/revision. Might want to reach out to him about this.

[Reesy]

By the way, the individual I was thinking of was gernot. He did a lot of work last year on language packs and has been working to make payment modules and other things more "Japanese friendly". He's been through a number of applications and provided feedback as well as it seems done some independent development/revision. Might want to reach out to him about this.

Thanks, I found he has a site selling wine, and offers bank transfer.... thanks for the info

[Reesy]

By "localized" I meant: this "must register the email addresses in your phone" seems localized to your country.

Certainly, bank transfer is quite universal (less so in North America, as other means are used there).

Perhaps you need to pop up a persistent dialog that holds them in mid-checkout until they confirm that they've received the email you're sending. Use ajax requests to send/check/etc.

I would think that if this "problem" of "must register emails/SMS-numbers in phone before receiving" is country-wide like you say, then it would be fairly common knowledge.
So maybe your response should be more around educating them. Yes, in mid-checkout. Hold them on the page (after the order is saved) with a big "WAIT" box that not only shows the Bank Transfer details they need, but also "Click here only AFTER you've sent the bank transfer", or "WAIT: email to your phone isn't working: please write down the bank details now." and make it hard for them to click and close the dialog.
Educating people may be the only real option you have, since you have no other way of communicating with them ... and that's their own fault: all you can do is naggingly inform them.

Only issues with this is...
1) People are not usually logging into internet banking to make the payment, most are walking into a branch, maybe today, or in a few days to make the payment. Pulling an email up and using the details from that.
2) It also assumes that everyone isnt going to receive the email.
Yes its a country wide problem, but the actual knowledge that this register first issue exists is almost zero.
Generally the technology in Japan is great, the knowledge of how to use that technology, Id rank as probably among the lowest in the world.

The way Amazon, and Yahoo (probably the biggest ecommerce vendors in Japan), is to force confirming your email, and also hiding their phone number to make it very difficult to just call them.

Hiding contact details isnt a good idea, neither is forcing confirmation of email (which they wont get in the first place anyway).

I have started porting a message contrib that gives the option to send messages that are stored under my account from osc, it would be great to combine it with the message stack, lets see how I get on.