Double-Order, One Charge (a bug in the PayPal IPN - Website Payments Standard?)

[stevesh]

It didn't used to, but it does now.

[ilikemike]

It didn't used to, but it does now.

Perfect. Thanks so much.

BTW, "I suspect a switch to Paypal Express would possibly fix it" doesn't really encourage me to switch to PayPal Express.... but I will definitely try PayPal Express now that it allows customers who don't have a PayPal account to purchase with their credit card. Also, the prospect of an increase in conversion rate sounds promising (with the downside of possible increase in buyer's remorse).

[stevesh]

"Every once in a while, I receive an order as "two orders""

makes it difficult to offer more definitive advice, particularly with a problem I can't test a solution for. Switching to the much more stable Paypal Express seemed the most logical first thing to try.

[ilikemike]

makes it difficult to offer more definitive advice, particularly with a problem I can't test a solution for.

I agree as that's exactly what I wrote in the 3rd paragraph in my original post.

Switching to the much more stable Paypal Express seemed the most logical first thing to try.

Is it more stable because it has been tested by more people?

Theoretically, this problem could occur in Paypal Express as well, so it seems to me that the best way to test a solution is to let it be used for a long enough time (greater than 6 months) by as many people as possible. If no such problem is reported back, then we know it doesn't exist there. Unfortunately, I don't know a non-statistical test for a statistical problem like this, but if someone has an idea, this would be great.

[Tech-E]

I just experienced the same problem with a double order and single payment with PayPal. I've been using Zen Cart and PayPal for three years and this is the first time I've seen this problem. It looks like a PayPal problem with a double confirmation that created two orders.

What does it take to switch to PayPal Express?

Do I have to change anything with my PayPal account?

[ilikemike]

What does it take to switch to PayPal Express?

In the Zen-Cart Admin console you just need to enable PayPal Express and enter the codes provided by PayPal. It's really simple, no coding required or add-on install. It took me less than 5 minutes.

Do I have to change anything with my PayPal account?

There is nothing to change in your PayPal account -- if you already have a Business Verified account with PayPal. All you have to do is get the API Access codes from PayPal:

http://www.zen-cart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=15

Hope this helps.

[Tech-E]

Thanks.

Are you guys absolutely sure that PayPal Express allows a customer to use a credit card without setting up a PayPal account? I have not been able to verify that on the PayPal site and when I submitted the question to PayPal, I got an ambiguous response that did not answer my question.

With Express Checkout, your customers don't have to re-enter information
already stored on their PayPal account. After approving use of PayPal,
your customers return to your site to complete and finalize their
purchase. This provides your customers a secure and convenient payment
flow.

This looks like a canned response.

About 60% of my customers who use PayPal do not set up an account. I can't use Express if a customer needs to sign up for a PayPal account.