Go directly to payment gateway after signup

[ScarabWeb]

I've had a couple of customers who have signed up, but never completed the payment.
After you've signed up, you get this page with a payment button, but it seems that some people forget it or simply don't see it or know that they have to click on it to complete the payment.

Because of this, the information of the account is stored (not created though, as we wait until payment has been made), but no payment occurs, so nothing else happens anymore.

I believe it would be better if the customer is transferred right away to the correct payment gateway after signing up, so that there can't be any confusion.

[mnm]

Yeah I have tought about this as well, but then I could not come up with a solution on how to handle multiple payments/subscription (such as when you order a hostin package and a domain name - if you pay hosting package monthly and domain name yearly then it can not be done via a sinlge subscription)

There are few ways that I have thought of:

1. Send email to customer with URL to pay and created subscription/s (in the body of the email mentioning that if payment has been made already this can be ignored)
2. If hosting + any addons + domains are for the same lenght of time (for example yearly) then create single subscription and take customer to URL directly

I can not think of anything else. Maybe Matt can step in and let us know what is possible and what is not.

[ScarabWeb]

Well, maybe it could just be made as an extra "step" in the signup process?
Just to make the payment link a bit more clear instead of having the button there at the bottom.
I have a feeling some people just don't see it there.

[ScarabWeb]

Well, I've had a few more signups with that same problem since. Every time it appears that the customer either didn't see the button or didn't know that he had to click it in order to complete the order/setup process.

This means that we have to manually create a Paypal subscription, wait until it's paid, then manually add the subscription ID and set up the customer's site.

So I really do think it is something which needs to be addressed.

[Matt]

Hi,

The point you make is a good one. It is possible for customers to not pay at checkout. However, I do not think they would not pay because they are unaware they have to click the buttons - it is made fairly clear by saying "Click on the button below to create a subscription to pay for your hosting package at a cost of ..." If they aren't paying, I would think it is more that they don't want to rather than not being aware they have to. However, I'm open to suggestions on how the checkout could be improved to prevent customers from not paying.

Here's a thought: I'm thinking maybe if the system could be modified to instead of charging domains on subscriptions, instead use invoices. So at checkout, the first domain payment would be included as an extra in the first payment of hosting then there would just need to be one payment made by PayPal so it could be set to forward automatically to PayPal. Then each time the domain comes close to renewal an invoice would be sent for the domain. This would be fine for PayPal as the domain could be set to PayPal Invoices. However, I'd also have to implement StormPay Invoices and this wouldn't work with 2CheckOut.

What do you think?

Matt

[ScarabWeb]

That sounds like a good idea yes. It doesn't really matter how it's done, as long as the payment is part of the steps in order to complete the order.

Like I said before, perhaps it could be made as an extra "step" or something like that.

[Matt]

Ok, I'll see what I can do for the next release.

Matt

[mnm]

This is my idea:

1. At the top of the ordering page add a tool bar which shows the steps needed to complete the order process and where the user is (for this it will be 5. Make payment or something like that).
and
2. Get rid of the Finish button and (if possible) as soon as customer clicks the pay now button reload the page and only have the finish button on that page then.

This way customers knows exactly how many steps they have to do in order to finish the buying process and,also, without the finish button on the end page they have nothing else to click on.
If ordering domains as well as hosting, make the finish button appear only after they click on the second buy now button.

Just an idea. Not sure if can be implemented or how hard it mght be.

[Matt]

Yes, I understand what you mean mnm and I think I know of a way to get WHMCS to do it so I will go ahead and try that. Thanks for the suggestion!

[ScarabWeb]

I'm not sure, but I think some customers get confused because of the two buttons which are there after the initial signup.
There's a "Paypal" button (or other when you have a different gateway selected) and a "Finish" button.
I know it specifically states there that you need to complete the payment in order to set up the account, but you know how people are, they probably just click the finish button and think that's it. Could this button perhaps be left out? What is the purpose of it, by the way? No more actions are done when clicking it, are they?

[bAsH]

I think it was a good idea to put a button "PAY NOW!!" :D

[Adam]

I like the idea of having an email sent out with the PayPal URL in it...

Also, maybe you can have like a flashing red text when they log into the account saying "We have not recived your payment!" or somthing then show them to a page explaing what they bought and a paypal link to pay.