How many customers have you lost due to no 'golden padlock'.

[herefordmaps]

Hello,

Just recently we have had several customers e-mailing or phoning us saying that they would have ordered from us if our payment page had had a 'golden padlock' in the bottom right hand corner.

Has anyone else had similar problems because of the Java Applet system and it's lack of padlock? We're considering changing to the shared SSL system; could anyone tell me how the service etc was on changeover?

Thanks,

HMC

[christopherpm]

I guess this would depend on whether you are gathering CC details yourself, or whether you use a PSP.

I use a PSP, and Actinic passed control over to them for payment - this occurs on a Secure site so I don't have to worry about having my own SSL Cert.

[pinbrook]

the general consensus is that you can lose up to 10%.

This is based on people reporting an increase in sales by this number when changing from no padlock to SSL

[ljd]

We just use Actinic's Java security system because, my boss says, some customers may order stock we don't have... In the book publishing industry, books are often back ordered, but we don't want the bank taking the money until we ship the book.

[herefordmaps]

but the Actinic Shared SSL doesn't link to a PSP does it? It just sends the information down to actinic like the Java applet.

[otiz]

Padlock

I had this poblem, now i use actinic shared ssl £100 a year and worth every penny! A_++++++

[george]

I've recently changed from actinics java applet to shared ssl pages. I did have a few customers comment on the lack of padlock in the past, but the ones who got in touch gave their details over the phone. I think it was mostly folk with windows xp with cookies disabled (default setting I think). I don't know how many orders that were not completed because of the applet method. There are a few order numbers that were left unsubmitted but this could be due to various reasons.

Given the choice again I would say that the secure pages is the best method. After all, computer/internet magazines tell the newbies to look out for the secure padlock...

I think I lose some orders due to adding the shipping charges manually, people being a bit wary of not knowing the total amount before submitting. I'm a bit against the guy who orders 2 videos and two books getting his postage charge subsidised by the guy who orders ten badges (ie: with a standard charge). Still working on this problem. Sorry for going off-topic!

[Tim Weaver]

Shipping Charges

George

I think you may be in breach of the eCommerce directive that became law at the end of last year. If memory serves me correctly, this requires that the full price that an online customer will be charged must be visible prior to the order being committed.

Could you not setup postage by total weight to get around your problem?

[george]

I have toyed with that as well, not happy with it. Doing each order individually works best at the moment although I would be happier if the postage could be done before the submit button is hit. I have inserted text regarding the postage charge in the ordering process.


True story. I ordered two (unusual) football shirts from a UK website in December. I got charged £4.50 for postage and got told they would be posted that day or the next at the latest. My card got charged within an hour of my order being placed. They arrived in nine days, posted five days after the order being placed. Arrived in a plain brown paper envelope, actual postage cost £1.37. No invoice, no card payment slip, just the shirts.

I don't like standard postage charges.

[herefordmaps]

we've had lots of problems with this. Some problem with actinic means that anything with VAT (we sell mainly maps and books, 0-rated VAT) get's an extra tax on the postage.

We also have a problem in that we have multiple postage rates for different products. We can't get Actinic to charge postage correctly for, say, A flat map and a book. Over the phone we'd charge the rate for 1 book (£2.94) plus the rate for a second map (£0.50) - there's a cat in hell's chance of getting Actinic to work that out.

We have a disclaimer on our terms page with details of the postage, and our postage page also states that if the customer isn't sure of the postage rate, we can work it out in the shop.

[pinbrook]

George- If you apply accurate weights to all products why can't you get an accurate shipping cost online?

Re SSL - this works in a similar way to the java module - you download orders and put through your own machine when you want.

It is only PSPs like worldpay etc where the credit card is processed immediately. Worldpay also lets you defer to up to 5 days.