Simple Commerce subscribe link and Internet Explorer
How Do I?
I’m using the Simple Commerce module to create subscriptions. The subscribe button is using {subscribe_now_url}.
There is no problem when using Chrome (Mac or Win), Edge (Win 10). However, with Internet Explorer on Windows 10 (I am unable to test against other versions of Windows), the opened page on PayPal shows: Error Detected: “We were unable to decrypt the certificate id.”
How would I begin to debug this or is it an IE issue?
I believe this error would come about from the link being malformed - however, I have no control how that link is being created.
Especially if you are using encrypted payments, IE might require that you use the buttons instead of the URLs. It has limits on URL length that is probably chopping off part of your request to PayPal, so PayPal isn’t receiving your full data. Please see the note in the docs regarding this link cutoff.
Thanks for clarifying Derek. However, there is no ‘subscribe_now’ button documented. Will a buy_now button work for subscriptions?
Yes the Buy Now button should work for your purposes. Under the hood, the difference between the link and the button is that the button is a form that submits via POST, rather than as a link would via GET.
Side note: Buttons are probably “better”, but can I ask why you are targeting Internet Explorer? MS doesn’t support it, Windows 10 has Edge (and other non-MS browsers even). I don’t think even MS makes sure their sites work on IE?
Again, thanks for the clarification.
I notice, however, that the different approaches give you a different experience on Paypal. (see screenshot) In particular, given the subscription via Paypal is pushing the management for the user back to Paypal, I like that the subscribe_now url goes to a page on Paypal that shows it is a subscription. However, that page seems to be using older styling. On the other hand, only the button/POST option seems to work with Paypal One Touch and the newer styling.
I’m not targetting IE. But of the few people that have signed up, one was using IE. Not sure why they were using IE, but many of my potential customers work in Government…
Sadly this is kind of common with PayPal—half old, half new, without a lot of rhyme or reason. If you prefer the subscription URL experience on the PayPal side, you might try to use JavaScript to have that link submit its parameters via POST instead of allowing the normal click-through. I don’t know if PayPal will work with that, but it should side-step the IE issue of harsh URL length limits.
Last question 😊 Just out of interest, would a POST request for the subscribe URL achieve a different page (like the buy now for GET vs POST does)? If so, should I a feature request in for a subscribe_now_button ?
I honestly don’t know, I don’t even know if it will work, but it’s worth a try. PayPal is a never-ending moving target. :/