WP Affiliate and PayPal button – sales not recorded (issue with return URL)

[ale4matic]

I am using WP Affiliate without eStore and I cannot get sales and commissions recorded.

I followed the method 1 (PDT) because I have buy buttons that use a link, no way to use the HTML button and I did everything is instructed but the sale doesn’t get recorded.

I have a issue that I don’t understand, however. (maybe there is the problem).

I have a salespage with 2 buttons that sell 2 different products via 2 different Paypal “Buy now” buttons. The products have different “download” pages (it’s more complex because they are two different membership, but it’s the same as a download page).

So I cannot have a SINGLE return URL and in fact I have 2 different return URLs for the 2 different buttons.

In fact, the return URL listed in the Paypal setup page for website preference is different from each one of the return URLs in the buttons.

So I have a return URL in button and a return URL (wrong) in the Paypal setup. But I need 2 different return URL (linked to the buttons).

So, with this setup, how can I make the WP Affiliate plugin work?

This is my only chance because eStore doesn’t work for my setup and I cannot use an HTML button.

Marco

[admin]

Hi Marco, When you create a PayPal button, you can specify a return URL for each of those buttons and the plugin will work with that.

Please post links to the page where you have the PayPal buttons and their respective return URLs so I can check them out.

Most of the time this kind of issue happens when the user does what is explained in the following post:

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/can-i-use-the-wp-affiliate-platform-plugin-on-a-standalone-html-page

Or the PDT feature wasn’t configured correctly. Is paypal returning you to the thank you page of the button with some data in the URL?

[ale4matic]

Link with the Paypal buttons (as links):

[http://brandfacile.it/new-2013/]

Return URLs

[www.brandfacile.it/corso/professional/reg/step-1]

[www.brandfacile.it/corso/step-1]

The PDT feature sends me to the above Return URLs.

Those are different from the Return URL I have as default in the PDT configuration page in Paypal.

I am using WordPress, not putting the plugin in a standalone html page.

Marco

[admin]

okay good. I spot one little issue there. In one URL you are not using the “www”. In the return ones you are. You should use only one version of the URL on your site. So remove the “www” from the return URLs. The following post has explanation of why it can matter:

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/incorrect-server-setup-related-to-url-rewriting-cause-and-effect

Next, Can you please enabled the debug option in the affiliate plugin (go to the settings menu of this plugin to do that). Then do a test affiliate transaction so I can review the debug data.

When you land on the thank you page after a payment, do you see the URL containing some data like the following?

[brandfacile.it/corso/step-1?tx=XYZ134343&amt=etc.]

[ale4matic]

1) I checked, the return URLs already have no “www”.

Copied directly from Paypal “Edit button”:

[http://brandfacile.it/corso/step-1/]

2) Debug enabled and test transaction done.

I set up a test page and a test affiliate and a test product (1 euro).

I erroneously made the test button as shopping cart in place of buy now button, hope this doesn’t spoil the test (I always use buy now buttons).

3) Here is the “thank you” page URL after the test purchase:

[http://brandfacile.it/corso/step-1/?tx=37S180444D605233M&st=Completed&amt=1%2e00&cc=EUR&cm=&item_number=]

[admin]

Okay found the issue. You have installed multiple copies of WordPress on your domain under different folders.

Basically, your paypal button is in one WordPress install and the return URLs are on a DIFFERENT wordpress install.

Please read the following post fully that will help you fix your setup:

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/wp-multisite-install-and-plugin-behavior

Create your return URL on the same WordPress install as your landing page (where you have the paypal button and the affiliate plugin installed).

[ale4matic]

First of all, compliments for nailing down the problem. However, I don’t know how to solve it, because the solution you give me doesn’t work in my setup.

I have the site where I have the salesletter and the WP Affiliate plugin that has 2 different buttons and sends to two different sites for the product.

Basically what you are telling me is that I should have a single WordPress for everything: salesletter, 2 different products (membership) and WP Affiliate.

It is a totally different setup from what I have now and it involves even a different plugin to manage the membership (I used a simple plugin that doesn’t provide levels, so I just made two sites).

Do you see any workaround that doesn’t require me to do all these changes?

Marco

[admin]

Hi Marco, yes a proper setup is to use one WordPress install. You can have as many products, landing pages, thank you pages as you want on that ONE wordpress install.

You really shouldn’t create a messed up setup just because you are using a membership plugin that doesn’t have level (try to use one that encourages good setup). The reason I say it is because when you have create multiple WordPress install, you will continue to run into various little issues because of the fact that WordPress plugins do not work cross installs.

Anyway, I am confident that one of the following options should work for you. Read all the posts and let me know if you think it will work for you:

Selling Across Different Domains

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/creating-pass-thru-affiilate-links-for-external-site

[ale4matic]

I FIXED IT.

I reasoned: what the WP Affiliate plugin needs? That the Thank You page is on the same WP blog as the plugin and the salesletter.

I had two Thank You pages on two separate WP blogs (one for each Paypal button) and so the loop wasn’t closed. The plugin couldn’t record the sale.

So I created two Thank You pages (one for each Paypal button) IN THE SAME WP blog as the plugin and the salesletter.

The Thank You pages are empty and have a redir to the “previous” Thank You pages on the separate blogs (again, one for each Paypal button). They only duty is to make the plugin happy and close the purchase loop.

And it works.

I understand that having a single blog for everything is easier, but this would have required to deal with a different membership sofware (the one I use I know it inside out) and change everything. This solution seems elegant and works.

What do you think?

Marco

[admin]

Hi Marco, The setup you have now is good.

[Author]

Posts