Refund not working

When I attempt to refund an order using the Zen Cart orders Edit page, I receive no response. My store is new, and I have never been able to do a refund via the Zen Cart interface.

Here's what happens: I check the "confirm" box, then I click "Do Full Refund". My URL bar changes from "action=edit" to "action=doRefund", then the edit page reloads (back to "action=edit") and the edit page looks exactly as it did before. I receive no error message, there is no log file indicating any error, and no reflection of any refund in Zen Cart or in Paypal. This exact same thing happens if I try the partial refund. I'm fairly certain my API info is correct because I am able to capture the payment using Zen Cart and it is reflected in Paypal. I have no plugins or add ons installed, although I did have "Edit Orders" installed but ended up uninstalling it, in case it was causing the refund issue.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Here's my Paypal Express Checkout settings:

Enable this Payment Module
True

Sort order of display.
0

Payment Zone
--none--

Express Checkout Shortcut Button
Off

Set Order Status
Processing [2]

Set Unpaid Order Status
Pending [1]

Set Refund Order Status
Pending [1]

Express Checkout: Require Confirmed Address
No

Express Checkout: Select Cheapest Shipping Automatically
Yes

Express Checkout: Skip Payment Page
Yes

Express Checkout: Automatic Account Creation
Yes

Payment Action
Auth Only

Transaction Currency
Only USD

Store (Brand) Name at PayPal
Naturally Native Nursery

Allow eCheck?
Any

PayPal Page Style
Primary

API Signature -- Username

API Signature -- Password

API Signature -- Signature Code

PayPal Mode
PayPal

Live or Sandbox
live

Debug Mode
Log and Email

Using MySQL 5.5.32-log and PHP 5.2.17

Even though your PHP version meets the minimum server requirements, the RECOMMENDED server capabilities are calling for PHP 5.3.5 or higher.

If you can do so, try to set your PHP version to 5.3.5 or higher.

In case you don't get the desired result you may want to compare your file system with a stock ZC file set - using Beyond Compare or WinMerge. See if you can find any differences. To speed this up you may skip your language files and concentrate first on your includes/modules/payment folder and of course your admin files.

Also, is your installation an upgrade or a fresh installation?

Cheers / Frank

Frank -

Thanks for your suggestions. My host upgraded me to PHP 5.3.13. They won't go higher unless I pay them extra. Still no luck on the refund after upgrading.

I compared my payment module folder with a ZC stock fileset. No difference except that my paypal folder has log files in it. I'm guessing this shouldn't be an issue?

I also compared my admin folder with a stock admin folder. I attached a screenshot showing the differences in blue. Left side: my ZC files, right side: stock files. Any thoughts?

And to answer your question, my ZC install was a fresh installation.

Thanks!

• Ben

The file YOUR_ADMIN/includes/classes/plugin.php is not part of the stock fileset, neither is the language file with the same name. You may want to back up these 2 files to a separate folder on your HD and then delete them from the server.

Frank

Frank -

Thanks again for your suggestions. I deleted those plugin files from the server as you suggested, but I'm still having no luck with the refund. I also did a full comparison of my store with the stock store and still I wasn't able to find any differences that would explain the issue.

Do you know if there is a way I might be able run some sort of diagnostic to see exactly WHAT is happening when my edit page resets after I try to issue a refund?

And I'm certainly open to any other ideas.

Thank you!

• Ben

bmurphy:

Frank -

Thanks again for your suggestions. I deleted those plugin files from the server as you suggested, but I'm still having no luck with the refund. I also did a full comparison of my store with the stock store and still I wasn't able to find any differences that would explain the issue.

Do you know if there is a way I might be able run some sort of diagnostic to see exactly WHAT is happening when my edit page resets after I try to issue a refund?

And I'm certainly open to any other ideas.

Thank you!

• Ben

Hmmm.... I can't think of anything else. Did you try to uninstall then re-install this payment module?

So I discovered that if I switch the Paypal Express "Payment Action" setting to "Final Sale", the refund works! It just won't work when it's set to "Auth Only" mode. Unfortunately, I really need to be able to authorize orders before I capture funds. I tried reinstalling the module and still no luck with the refund in Auth Only mode.

Has anyone viewing this been able to successfully make a refund using Zen Cart, while Paypal Express is set to Auth Only mode? (ZC v. 1.5.1)

Do not know about PayPal specifically, but can comment on how AUTH ONLY usually works (such as in Authorize.net).

Auth means "no funds have been charged. We have placed a hold for X.XX on the account to verify funds will be available.".

Capture / Final means "we have charged the account for X.XX and placed the funds in your account.".

So no need to issue a "refund" when in AUTH only, just "capture" the desired end amount (if less than the authorized amount).Or if you prefer, one can capture the full amount and then issue a refund as well...

Someone more knowledgable on PayPal can hopefully shed more light on the subject (specific to PayPal).

Thank you for the info. I think I should have been more clear in my question and in my issue. I am aware of the difference between AUTH ONLY and FINAL CAPTURE modes. Here's my issue: When using AUTH ONLY mode (in Paypal Express Checkout), I am able to successfully authorize and capture the payment using Zen Cart, but I cannot issue a refund using Zen Cart AFTER I have captured the payment. So, I guess I have 2 questions:

1. Has anyone been able to successfully issue a refund using the ZC interface, using the Paypal Express Checkout module in AUTH ONLY mode, after they have already captured payment? I just want to verify that this is an individual problem and not a ZC bug.

2. lhungil: Have you ever been able to successfully issue a refund (using the ZC interface) with the Authorize.net module in AUTH ONLY mode?

Thanks.

Do you know if there is a way I might be able run some sort of diagnostic to see exactly WHAT is happening when my edit page resets after I try to issue a refund?
Your PayPal settings that you posted above show that you've set the Debug actions to "Log and Email". Express Checkout's debug logging is fairly extensive and the associated log files should contain some clues as to what PayPal "doesn't like".

lat9:

Your PayPal settings that you posted above show that you've set the Debug actions to "Log and Email". Express Checkout's debug logging is fairly extensive and the associated log files should contain some clues as to what PayPal "doesn't like".

Thanks for the suggestion. I do receive the email logs for the entire transaction process through the capture - but I receive no email logs when I attempt to issue a refund. It's as if nothing happens at all and the page just reloads - I've tried it in several browsers.

On a side note, I also attempted to use the "Void Authorization" function post-capture, and this also failed - no email logs - it just reloads the edit page too.

Here comes a stupid question, but I have to ask ... did you click the "Confirm" checkbox next to the "Do Full Refund" button?

lat9:

Here comes a stupid question, but I have to ask ... did you click the "Confirm" checkbox next to the "Do Full Refund" button?

It doesn't hurt to ask... Yes, I've been clicking the confirm checkbox before pressing "do full refund".

lhungil has explained it in post #8. In AUTH ONLY mode no monies have changed hands, therefore no refund can be issued. I would think (but I am no sure) that an AUTH ONLY transaction can be voided.

On the other hand, if FINAL SALE is selected then funds have actually changed hands - in which case a refund is possible.

frank18:

lhungil has explained it in post #8. In AUTH ONLY mode no monies have changed hands, therefore no refund can be issued. I would think (but I am no sure) that an AUTH ONLY transaction can be voided.

On the other hand, if FINAL SALE is selected then funds have actually changed hands - in which case a refund is possible.

It's my understanding that in using Paypal Express there are two steps:

1. Buyer pays through paypal and the payment is automatically authorized as long as the card goes through
2. Payment is "captured" meaning the amount transfers from the buyer to seller - after this, payment is complete

•##In FINAL SALE mode, these two steps happen automatically when the buyer pays using paypal
• In AUTH ONLY mode, these two steps happen separately: the buyer is first authorized, then the seller manually captures payment using Zen cart (payment is completed)

I am trying to issue a refund after I capture the payment, which means the money has changed hands (the payment has already been completed pre-refund). It should be the same in AUTH ONLY mode as FINAL SALE once the payment has been completed.

I know that it is technically possible to do a refund after capturing payment because I can log into Paypal and issue the refund manually. I just can't do it using Zen Cart admin. And unfortunately, if I do the refund using Paypal it is not reflected in the Zen Cart admin.