MailChimp Newsletter Sidebox

swguy:

To clarify, this is not how it works. I call the API with status pending, which does require an opt-in.
Oh. Sorry for creating any confusion.

OK in light of these last couple of posts, what is the expected behavior for this plugin? What is supposed to happen once the account is created inside the zencart store with the checkbox checked for newsletter?

• is the person going to get a confirmation email from MC? In addition to a welcome email from zencart?

• since the checkbox is unchecked by default, shouldn't that be considered express permission and would not need a double-optin sequence from MC?

I believe this module was coded to err on the side of caution, as some people make changes to the create account page to pre-select the check box for the newsletter, and if this module was coded to pass a different status that would not require the opt-in, then customers that didn't notice would be signed up for a newsletter they might not want, and the store owner upon recieving compliants might come back here to whine about it.

OK i understand. However, considering that some store owners are honest :) is there a way to disable to double-optin IF the checkbox is unchecked by default ?

Based on my quick look at the code

includes/functions/extra_functions/mailchimp_functions.php Line 8

Code:

```

'status' => 'pending'

    change to

    Code:

    ```
'status' => 'subscribed'

From Mailchimp API docs

Subscriber Status

To add a subscriber, you must include the subscriber’s status in your JSON object.

Use subscribed to add an address right away.
Use pending to send a confirmation email.
Use unsubscribed or cleaned to archive unused addresses.

The unsubscribed option is useful if you import addresses from another service. When you add subscribers to the unsubscribed or cleaned status groups, you’ll have a record of the subscriber, and we’ll prevent sends to that address in the future. That’s ideal for inactive or unsubscribed addresses, which can increase spam complaints if they’re accidentally added as subscribed.

CaroleAs:

OK in light of these last couple of posts, what is the expected behavior for this plugin? What is supposed to happen once the account is created inside the zencart store with the checkbox checked for newsletter?

• is the person going to get a confirmation email from MC? In addition to a welcome email from zencart?

• since the checkbox is unchecked by default, shouldn't that be considered express permission and would not need a double opt in sequence from MC?

Yes to the first question, No to the second.

Bear in mind that if you do what you're suggesting, and some mischievous guy signs up someone he doesn't like with an account at your store, all of a sudden you are sending spam to the guy he doesn't like. A few complaints, and poof! you lose your Mailchimp account.

Double opt in protects you.

^^^^ well there is that...

My "how to" is not a recommendation that you do it, I wouldn't do it myself. It is simply "if you're gonna do it, here is how".

swguy:

Yes to the first question, No to the second.

Bear in mind that if you do what you're suggesting, and some mischievous guy signs up someone he doesn't like with an account at your store, all of a sudden you are sending spam to the guy he doesn't like. A few complaints, and poof! you lose your Mailchimp account.

Double opt in protects you.

oh my.... this is a bit paranoid.... and that's coming from a paranoid person....

while i am sure mailchimp has suspended accounts, they are in the business of sending emails (and that's how they make money). if a honest store owner operates a mailchimp account, i'm sure they can prevent their account from getting suspended.

spam rules have done little to prevent my inbox from overflowing with spam. people that send true spam rarely use mailchimp.

as long as you have the unsubscribe link (which is part of all mailchimp emails), i really would not worry about bypassing the double opt-in for customers that sign up on your website.

operate your store like a honest store owner, and personally i would not give this a second thought.

just my 2 cents... which may be a violation of CANN-SPAM laws.... but still my opinion.

finally, just because you are paranoid does not mean people are not out to get you... ;)

Simple question: if i have two lists in MC and each one is associated with a different store, which variable will differ? I assume it would be the ID only, while the U and the URL and the API are the same, correct?

I am testing the mod on a test site, with a test list on the same MC account. When testing the sidebox subscription, after the first "window" i had on MC, when clicking on "return to the site", it returned me to the LIVE site, yet, i have not entered that url anywhere. So where is it getting from?

First question: Please just do the install by following the directions instead of trying to take a short cut. Your assertion might be correct, but there's no point in taking a chance.

Second Question: I think the site is an account wide parameter.

swguy:

First question: Please just do the install by following the directions instead of trying to take a short cut. Your assertion might be correct, but there's no point in taking a chance.

Second Question: I think the site is an account wide parameter.

I am not using shortcut. I just noticed that several variables were identical, so i wanted to make sure i was actually getting the correct variables. In light of your second answer, that explains then why i was redirected to the live site and it is not because of incorrect variables. Thank you.

Next question is what file will format the look of that specific sidebox? I am using a clone of the responsive_classic themplate.

CaroleAs:

Next question is what file will format the look of that specific sidebox? I am using a clone of the responsive_classic themplate.
Sideboxes are controlled by:

• /includes/modules/sideboxes/(optional template folder)/sidebox_name.php -- this is the business logic part
• /includes/templates/your_template/sideboxes/tpl_sidebox_name.php -- this is the template piece, where the visual part is usually contained.

I am still not getting the contact forwarded to MailChimp when they create an account. Looking further, I see that the line I had to add:

if ((int)$newsletter == 1) {
mailchimp_add($email_address);
}

only refers to the email address, but in my MC, for other integration, I have the first name as mandatory. Is it possible that because it only forwards the email address and NOT the first name, that MC simply does not recognize it or accept it?

I would need to add the first name to this, so how would I edit it?

Were you aware I offer a mod installation service?

swguy:

Were you aware I offer a mod installation service?

No, I was not.
Am I asking a lot? I followed the directions to the letter, on the live site, and on two test sites, and it never registers the customer when they create an account. But it works on the sidebox.

The help page lists this as a "Moderate to High Difficulty" mod. If you are working with a developer, you should engage them. If you're not, you can hire me or someone else. But it's really not possible for me to debug failed installs on the forum.

swguy:

The help page lists this as a "Moderate to High Difficulty" mod. If you are working with a developer, you should engage them. If you're not, you can hire me or someone else. But it's really not possible for me to debug failed installs on the forum.

This mod is actually easy to install. Your instructions are clear and concise and I managed to install it correctly a long time ago. It works as it should on the Sidebox side, but not on the account creation side.

Before I consider the necessity of "debugging" (I am not sure if it is really a BUG), is it possible that, if MC requires FNAME as a field to be sent to create a contact, that this field being missing from the info forwarded to it would cause the contact to NOT be created?

I know this happened on another site (not a zencart installation) and making sure that the FNAME was forwarded fixed the issue, so I am basing the question on that first hand experience.

MailChimp integration and instructions have been updated to reflect the changes in the Slim form that MailChimp produces.

Update just posted:
Fixes bug in API integration; adds instructions for changing Zen Cart newsletter page; moves log to logs folder; removes double opt in.

i have installed and configured the plugin, but when a new customers creates a customer account and subscribes to the newsletter it is NOT coming through in mailchimp.
i did update the create_account.php.
what is wrong?