Hey Guys,

For years now I have noticed customers getting an error on the thanks.asp page. I have setup custom error handling so that I get emailed any time an error happens. This particular error is:


Typically I just ignore these errors because research has shown that they're simply triggered when a customer revisits the thanks.asp page, but a thought occurred to me today that I wanted to share with you guys. Why are customers revisiting the thanks.asp page? My guess is that because it's the last page they were on after ordering, they simply bookmarked it.

These error notifications I get send me the querystring data as well. A typical example is like this:


So here is my question. Instead of this simply being an annoying liability, can we not code this into an opportunity? Can we put in some code that checks to see if the order is ALREADY completed, and if so perhaps redirect to the orderstatus page with relevant data for the customer? Anything would be better than the customer getting a 500 error when then come back to the site.

- Graham Slaughter

Hi Graham

I think it will be customers bookmarking the thanks page, I actually did the same recently but on an account logout page of a site I was buying from - went back and the page showed an error so I think it's a common thing to bookmark the last page you see on a site.

I'm not sure about the feasibility of showing another page if the customer returns but please put it in the Suggestions forum or I can move this post if you like.

Andy

Please feel free to review / rate our software

You're welcome to move the post over there. It seems like a fairly common issue based on the number of these errors I see. It isn't really a huge issue, but it would likely be nice for the customer to get something meaningful instead of an error.

When you visit my thanks page, you get

quote:

---

Sorry, there seemed to be an error !

If you need any help with your purchase, then please be sure to contact us.

<<< Stay and Keep Shopping

---

Do you not get that?
Because I am sure that could be changed and styled.

Hi Dave,

You would NOT get that if you were passing querystring data. Simply accessing the page at the URL doesn't pass any querystring data.

- Graham Slaughter

Yes, it would depend on the payment provider and how they post back to the thanks page.

Andy

Please feel free to review / rate our software

Hi Graham, I see.
I'll have to test that on my store.
I do have a custom error page, so maybe that's why it hasn't hit me.

I do agree that it would be nice it this was native, but I know just enough .asp to be dangerous and I think I have an idea how this could work.
Right on the thanks.asp page (makes it update proof) you could check for the querystring (specifically and order id) and then see what the current status of that order ID is.
If it's in any status other than new or authorized, then do some stuff (such as redirect or throw a friendly message).
If you need help with it let me know and maybe I can work it out for you.

I agree it probably wouldn't be hard to take the order number and check to see if it's already authorized.

It probably is a simple fix, but I find that changes to the cart.asp and thanks.asp are better left to Vince so that I dont have to put the change back in every time I update. I tend to forget I made changes and lose the benefit when I update the ECT cart otherwise.

I have a custom error page as well, that's why I know the error is happening as my custom error page sends me an email. The problem is that if people are seeing the custom error page INSTEAD of something useful ... well I'd like to fix that!

Hi Graham, you can fix this in thanks.asp and it will not get overwritten by updates. No changes to the ect files.
I am pretty sure.

I've finally got to the bottom of this problem after consultation with Graham, and what it came down to was when the thanks page was being revisited the order would fail as it was an old, completed order. But in this particular case an attempt was still made to create the Google analytics info but with an order ID of zero and which would then select all the uncompleted cart items and create an enormous string and which in turn would cause a timeout. I'm sorry for the problems here but thanks to Graham for helping me recreate it and find the solution.
I've updated your site with the fix, Graham, and I'll get the fix into the updater as soon as it's been through testing.

Vince

Click Here for Shopping Cart Software
Click Here to sign up for our newsletter
Click Here for the latest updater

And the changes are now in the updater, in the incthanks.asp / php page.

Vince

Click Here for Shopping Cart Software
Click Here to sign up for our newsletter
Click Here for the latest updater

That is fantastic! Thanks for the help Vince!

- Graham Slaughter