Quote:Remember the security flaw on the PayPal web site last month that allowed phishers to obtain the real names of users:
Because of that flaw obviously PayPal changed some things around.
One thing I found out about a week or so ago was this:
I had a user number
that would send a customer directly to a PayPal payment page.
I used a link like this one below in e mails too.
https://www.paypal.com/affil/pal=xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I also used this link (with my number) in my old shopping cart forms as opposed to the e mail
address associated with my PP account. THIS NUMBER WAS ASSIGNED TO ME BY PayPal.
Now when you go to that link you get this:
Quote:You have requested an outdated version of PayPal.
This error often results from the use of bookmarks.
To enter the PayPal website please click on the Welcome tab.
If you are already logged in,
please click on the My Account tab to continue.
So I tried the other link I have that has the e mail address at the end
as opposed to the series of numbers PayPal had assigned to my account.
That one goes to the same dead link page and error message as QUOTED above.
Interesting to me because I NEVER received any notification that
these PP assigned numbers would be fazed out and no longer be working.
I suspect I know why I NEVER received any notice too.
PP is covering their butts on the whole security flaw issue instead of coming clean with it's customers.
As a result I've seen a huge increase in my merchant account processing
of custom orders and even a few ebay auctions I was invoicing for customers to pay.
(Because as many of us my know the PAY NOW Button sent in the e mail ebay
sends our winning bidders does not work either).
When I was sending out my custom invoice e mails I was including links
with options for my customers to pay with a cc via either with PP or Linkpoint
(and traditional methods of course).
My only guess is that some of these people
may of in fact wanted to pay via PayPal,
clicked on the link I provided and
got the same error screen I got.
So they hit the back button and paid via my merchant
account as a result of this outdated link
to my PayPal payment screen that I was not aware of.
Now just imagine the amount of abandoned carts I would have had if my website
was STILL set up with those "outdated" PP links in all my cart forms.
Oh I have had like four abandoned carts in the last few weeks too
(Up by only three or four total for over a six month period)
and now I think I know why.
They were probably ones I sent and these customers were trying to pay via PayPal.
Luckily I've been able to convert two of them so far
into sales as a result of me catching this PP problem.
But when it is all said and done It's OK with me that PP
is getting even less processing $$ from me.
Now I put NO links to offer PayPal in EOA e mails or custom order e mails.
It's true what they say at that "other" website.
PayPal and ebay really do SUCK.
Kim
