Two PP "Buy-Now" buttons on one web page, wrong info shows up

[exonumia]

I have a web page with two Buy-Button options for different books and different amounts.  This information is hard-coded in HTML, based on the PP HTML generator (info below).  Sometimes (not always), a selection by clicking the "Buy-Button", gives the new PP buy page (https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow& ///etc.) with the WRONG item.

Some years ago I had the same problem, but I do not recall the fix.  Any suggestions?

The HTML code is (with my email changed to XXX.com):

                    <TD WIDTH="69%"><INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="cmd" SIZE="-1" VALUE="_xclick"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="business" SIZE="-1" VALUE="hartzog@X X X.com">
                        <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="item_name" SIZE="-1" VALUE="3 Brunk books on COUNTERMARKED COINS & FREE BONUS"> <INPUT
                        TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="amount" SIZE="-1" VALUE="194.99"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="shipping" SIZE="-1" VALUE="5.00">
                        <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="buyer_credit_promo_code" SIZE="-1"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="buyer_credit_product_category"
                        SIZE="-1"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="buyer_credit_shipping_method" SIZE="-1"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="buyer_credit_user_address_change"
                        SIZE="-1"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="no_shipping" SIZE="-1" VALUE="0"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="no_note" SIZE="-1"
                        VALUE="1"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="currency_code" SIZE="-1" VALUE="USD"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="lc" SIZE="-1"
                        VALUE="US"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="bn" SIZE="-1" VALUE="PP-BuyNowBF"> <INPUT TYPE="IMAGE" NAME="submit" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynowCC_LG.gif"
                        ALIGN="BOTTOM" BORDER="0"> <IMG src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" WIDTH="1" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM"
                        BORDER="0"></TD>

[sharpiemarker]

Did you create this button via a third party PayPal button generator? Or directly with PayPal's button generator?

I can't see any issue with the button that would load the wrong info because the item info is embedded into the code.  I can see the book description in the code.  The only reason for the wrong item to show up in checkout is if you put the incorrect Buy button code next to the wrong item description text that appears to the visitor on your webpage.

[exonumia]

Thanks for responding.

This info was created many years ago via the PP button generator.  I did not know there were third-party generators. 

As this was created so long ago, it is possible the coding has changed.

I've tried this in Firefox and in IE, equally without success.  Both are returning the same, higher price for both options.  The web page is www.exo  numia.com/fs/cm.htm (note the space inserted, to avoid spider indexing).  The strange thing is that I have recently gotten paid for an order, at the lower price, via this web page.

Suggestions welcome!

Rich

[sharpiemarker · Accepted solution]

Hi, you're welcome.  Yes, there are third party PP button generators, for PP shopping carts too.  

I took a look at your page and I see what you did wrong.  I think you used the same code for both items. You need to create another button or update your pricing for the first button to total $199.00 right in the html code of your webpage using Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac OS) because I get $209.00 as the total and the text of your page indicated that the 3 books + bonus (unsigned) is $199.00.

I also recommend to update the item descriptions as well:

The first button, the item description should be, "Special Pkg: 3 Brunk books on COUNTERMARKED COINS & FREE BONUS BOOK" and change the price to $199.00.

The second button description should be "Special Upgrade: 3 Brunk books on COUNTERMARKED COINS & FREE BONUS BOOK - Autographed".  The price is correct for that button so no change needed on that.

The more thorough the description is, the better.

I also suggest to go back into your PP account to update those buttons to the current code.  You can switch to encrypted buttons so the pricing/item descriptions can't be manipulated through the url field in browsers.  It's shorter code too as it uses a merchant ID number instead of showing your email address and the item description/pricing will be given an ID number.

If you haven't got a merchant ID, you can get one via your seller prefs settings or you should see the Merchant ID right when you click the link below and log in.  Then go to My Seller Tools to Manage your PP buttons.

The PP button generator will generate the encrypted button when you select to use Mrchant ID preference under Merchant Account ID section in the course of updating your button.

https://www.paypal.com/webapps/customerprofile/summary.view

Hope this helps!

[exonumia]

THANKS much for your suggestions.

However, I have triple checked my HTML code and I already have the differentiated codes for each book, along with the different descriptions and prices.  I've re-uploaded the entire web page code, and checked again, and the $199.99 book still shows up as $209.99.  I can upload to this message the actual HTML code.

The really strange thing is that this has worked just fine in the recent past, with an order via this page at $199 coming in a month or so ago.

I seem to recall I had this problem years ago, and it was due to a missing flag/tag/statement, outside the actual PP code.

Rich

[sharpiemarker]

---

@exonumia wrote:

THANKS much for your suggestions.

However, I have triple checked my HTML code and I already have the differentiated codes for each book, along with the different descriptions and prices.  I've re-uploaded the entire web page code, and checked again, and the $199.99 book still shows up as $209.99.  I can upload to this message the actual HTML code.

The really strange thing is that this has worked just fine in the recent past, with an order via this page at $199 coming in a month or so ago.

I seem to recall I had this problem years ago, and it was due to a missing flag/tag/statement, outside the actual PP code.

Rich

---

No need to paste the code here.  I can go to page and use 'view source'.  I think the issue might be that your code is missing the <form></form> tags. 

I really suggest that you recreate the buttons again in PayPal.  Are you sure you created these button codes with PayPal because they shouldn't look the way they do when it's generated at PayPal or you made them with some other instructions.  If so, the code is are extremely out dated or outmoded.

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="SMPYDZCFVEWBQ">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynowCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!">
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1">
</form>

The above is how code for an encrypted sample buy it now button should look like. All the item description and prices data are saved to hosted_button_id value code. I think it best that you recreate the buttons again directly at PayPal through your seller prefs.

PayPal's buttons are now encrypted by default so indeed the code has changed.

I checked your buttons on my iPad (mobile) and on my desktop and it does the same thing.  So, yes, you may want to do your buttons over.

[exonumia]

Ok, thanks for the update.  I've used this code successfully for some years.  But, as you can see from my (now outdated) web site, I haven't updated it in ages.  Things change, I understand.

I will work on revising the code.

Do I understand correctly, that now one must be a Business PP to get to the code generator?

Rich

[sharpiemarker]

What is your account type now? Personal, Premier?  You can generate buttons with Premier or Business accounts.  Here is FAQs on what can be done with various account types: https://www.paypal.com/selfhelp/topic/ACCOUNT_TYPES_US