For some reason that I don't understand, one of my customers knowingly uses a fake email address for her Paypal account, so when she checks out with Paypal and completes an order, the 'fake' email is where her order confirmation email is sent and therefore doesn't get delivered. (Maybe she thinks it makes her Paypal more secure.) I sell digital download products and she needs the email with her download link.

First I just want to confirm that my understanding is correct that when my customer checks out with Paypal, the order pulls their email address from Paypal for that order? I did a test order and that appears to be what happens, but I just want confirmation that I'm not missing something.

She wants to argue with me that I shouldn't use the fake email, but with more than 8000 customers I can't remember to correct her email whenever she orders and resend her confirmation email.

Is there any work around to this?

Hi Sharonchinn, this is certainly an odd one.
First, there are numerous Paypal options offered in the cart.
Paypal express, I believe does indeed use the details from Paypal to populate the order, so perhaps that's what you are using.

It's odd that someone could maintain a paypal account with a fake email address as they will occasionally need to communication with a user, including verification of email addresses used. Maybe there is something I'm missing in this picture, but it's certainly an odd case.

In the end, it seems there is not much that can be done if the customer insists on using a fake email address.
Actually, I'm afraid, regardless of the payment service used, customers can still enter a non-valid email address on an order.

Assuming you are using Paypal express, you could change to Paypal standard, and that has them entering the email address at your store, and that is separate from them making the payment at paypal and no paypal info is used to populate your site.

Thanks,
David

Yes, I use Paypal Express and Payflow Pro.

It's got me baffled about the email address too. I don't know want to change from Paypal Express just for her. I only wanted to double check that I wasn't missing how the system worked.

Thanks for getting back to me.

No worries. If it were me, and the customer insisted on using a fake email, I would insist they get their receipt from the order status page, rather than you having to edit the order each time.
I like to show customers how to help themselves. Particularly when forcing the store owner to fix things for them. "Teach a man to fish" philosophy.

They can use their order ID (shown on the thanks page) and their fake email address to get on the order status page to get a copy of their receipt if needed. Of course they can also just print at the order status page.

David

You would think so! And yes, I do work at the "teaching a woman to fish" philosophy. I have a niche business and my customers are primarily women in their 50s-80s. Some customers are very receptive to helping themselves, and others resist at every turn.

Sorry to genderize my response with that old saying there.
I've known plenty of females who were great fisherwomen.

Thanks,
avid

just joking - I changed it because 99% of my customers are women.