Authorize.net SIM - CC reject goes to page with no CSS applied

I am testing transactions via SIM.

Yes, I know that AIM is superior to SIM.

When I run in production mode and enter a non-valid CC number in the Authorize.net Payment Form - actually it is one of the CC test numbers given for when the Authorize.net SIM module is set to 'test' mode - the card is rejected. As it should be.

What then happens is I get sent back to page 2 of 3 in the checkout process (Payment Information). This page is stripped of all CSS styling. The URI is 'https://secure.authorize.net/gateway/transact.dll'. I checked out the page source and everything is there as far as CSS links to external stylesheets.

I have searched high and low to find if someone else has had this issue, before posting here in this forum. I can't find anything to give me a clue about this.

Could this be something I have to set in the Authorize.net account settings (Transaction Response Settings)? I tried setting "Relay Response" to the checkout-process page (http://myURL.com/store/index.php?main_page=checkout_process) but this did not seem to do anything with regards to this particular transaction. None of the other options in the account settings seemed to be helpful with regards to this problem, and I examined each one of them to be sure I understood their functions.

Or is this a 'feature' of using SIM? I configured Zen Cart for a client last year using SIM and I do not recall having this issue with declined cards, where I got sent to a page which appeared to be part of the store but stripped of all CSS styling.

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions...

That's definitely not normal behavior.

As for the exact cause, it's likely something to do with how you've got SSL set up or something. Or maybe you've put the wrong URL in? Maybe one with www. and one without?

Maybe you should look at your other site that you've configured with it working and compare the two sites to see what you've done differently?

yes, I will give that a try. Good suggestion. I tried this repeatedly to make sure that it wasn't just an oddball case of the external stylesheets not completely loading, as occasionally happens.

Knowing this is not 'normal' even with SIM helps some. If I have to, I'll contact Authorize.net support... for what it is worth...

You'd save a whole lot of time and trouble using AIM instead.

OK, fine. You've goaded me into explaining myself.

In order to use AIM, I need to purchase an SSL.

If I am going to purchase an SSL, I am not going to do it with my current webhost.

So in order to run AIM (1 step forward), I need to buy an SSL (1 step backward), which requires me to do my homework as far as selecting a new webhost, likely from among the approved ZC hosts (2 steps backward).

So in order to move 1 step forward, I have to take two steps backwards.

I don't have time for that now. I already have a LOT of time - unpaid time - sunk into setting up the store, customizing ZC, and populating it with items for sale. Not to mention applying for a virtual terminal account which turned out to be more trouble than I was led to believe at first.

I have other projects which will actually earn me money for completing them, whereas this store I am working on is for myself and is a long-run project which likely is not going to make me much (if any) money in the near term.

Right now, my priority is to just have the store running so that I can accept credit cards via Authorize.net. Later on I can come back and evaluate webhosts, so that I can buy the SSL, so that I can run AIM.