Google Checkout and Download Attributes

Unfortunately Google checkout can not charge shipping on products with a download attribute.

Lets say I have a CD for sale that has an attribute to download the cd as a mp3. Google checkout will not charge shipping when the customer selects the physical version (non-download).

Other than that, everything works fine.

Zen Cart 1.3.8a
Google Checkout 1.4.7

Does anyone else have this problem?

FluffyTheCat:

Other than that, everything works fine.
Did you actually manage to make Google Checkout return a download link?

I had no problems integrating the GCO addon module in Zen Cart, but as far as returning successfully to the Zen Cart Checkout Success page, GCO doesn't seem to know how to do that.

In my search for a solution I found a thread that describes exactly this problem:

https://www.zen-cart.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60615

But that thread is from March 2007 and we are now in May 2009. Perhaps a solution has been found and you managed to implement it?

:smile:

Yes I was able to make Google Checkout work fine for download items. Thats no problem. Didn't have to do anything special, just follow install instructions and everything worked except for the fact that if a physical item has a download option as an attribute, Google Chekout will not charge shipping for the physical product.
:lamo:

FluffyTheCat:

Yes I was able to make Google Checkout work fine for download items. Thats no problem
Wow! This is the first time for me to read explicit confirmation that download items work with Google Chekout. This is very encouraging - Thank you very much for your reply.

FluffyTheCat:

Didn't have to do anything special, just follow install instructions and everything worked
What did you put on "Continue shopping URL" field (via Admin > Modules > Payment > GoogleCheckout)?

The add-on's default is the string "checkout_success" - but it seems to be problematic. Did you have to change that? If so, what did you place there?

FluffyTheCat:

everything worked except for the fact that if a physical item has a download option as an attribute, Google Checkout will not charge shipping for the physical product.
:lamo:
A possible workaround could be listing two products with the same name (and a "CD" vs. "DL" prefix) - one physical, one downloadable. Did you try that?

Thanks again for your reply and I would appreciate any tip you can share on the way to making this work for me.

I got it to work! :clap: :clap: :clap:

Short answer: I set ".htaccess Basic Authentication Mode" to False.

Longer explanation: One of the settings in Admin > Modules > Payment > GoogleCheckout is ".htaccess Basic Authentication Mode". It reads:

.htaccess Basic Authentication Mode
Your site Site in installed with PHP over CGI?
This configuration will disable PHP Basic Authentication that is NOT compatible with CGI used in the responsehandler.php to validate Google Checkout messages.
If setted True you MUST configure your .htaccess files here.
Am I the only one finding this confusing?

First, I had to answer the first question: "Your site Site in installed with PHP over CGI?"

I checked with my web host and my site is indeed installed with "PHP over CGI". So, I set the option to True.

Then, I followed the instructions: "If setted True you MUST configure your .htaccess files here."

But this turned out to be a mistake. What I should have done instead was simply set this option (".htaccess Basic Authentication Mode") to False.

I still have no idea how setting this option to False agrees with GCO's directive "Your site Site in installed with PHP over CGI?", given the fact the answer to this question (for my website) is True.

But hey - it works. I can't argue with results. :D

Congrats!

Back when this mod was being developed some, BUT NOT ALL, people were having problems when their host had PHP over CGI.

The intent of that option was to set it to true, ONLY IF the mod did not work with it set to the default of False. It is essentially a last resort option to set to true.

I agree that it is confusing as it is presented.

yea... this module took some time getting it to "work". The .htaccess mode is the key. I still cant use it if it cant calculate shipping for items with a downloadable attribute.

FluffyTheCat:

I still cant use it if it cant calculate shipping for items with a downloadable attribute.

Can you workaround that by listing two products with the same name (and a "CD" vs. "DL" prefix) - one physical, one downloadable?

If you can't, what is the reason?

Yes, I can go back to doing that. I just don't like it. I worry about causing duplicate content by doing that and it may be confusing to the shoppers.