Manually Adding Paid Members

[twodegrees]

We have a number of members that paid by check before we set up the website for our client. They can't buy member only events because there is no PayPal ID. Is there a way to get around this other than running the charge through and then refunding it so you have a PayPal transaction ID?

[Jason Caldwell]

Thanks for your inquiry.
No, that's not necessary. You can just create those accounts manually if you like, and set them to a Member at whatever Membership Level you deem appropriate. When you get to the s2Member transaction details section of their Profile, just leave those fields blank. If you have them, that's great, you can enter them, but they are NOT required to have and remain a Member.

See: Dashboard -> Users -> Add New

[twodegrees]

That isn't the problem, when members are added manually the system does not recognize them to buy member only events without the PayPal detail. People sign up for a yearly membership and then that allows them access to member only events. The people that have been added manually, when they click on an event are taken to the membership signup page or end up at PayPal with the yearly charge ready to submit.

[Jason Caldwell]

Thanks for the follow-up.
When you create their account manually, are you assigning them a Role that grants them access to the same Membership Level as your paying customers? If so, are your paying customers gaining access to other Custom Capabilities perhaps? What do you feel the difference is between manual accounts and those which completed the payment process?

[twodegrees]

Yes, we are granting them the same roles as people that have paid through PayPal. I did some testing and since we moved the site from our developmental account to the client's account everyone can sign up fine through PayPal, but no one can buy an event-whether they have paid through PayPal or been manually added. I am thinking that something didn't get changed by our coders when the site moved. What is the most likely place to look for the problem?
We assign restrictions through page access and specific page and post restrictions. We use specific post/page PayPal buy now buttons for the events. They worked before the move.

[Jason Caldwell]

They can't buy member only events because there is no PayPal ID. Is there a way to get around this other than running the charge through and then refunding it so you have a PayPal transaction ID?

I did some testing and since we moved the site from our developmental account to the client's account everyone can sign up fine through PayPal, but no one can buy an event-whether they have paid through PayPal or been manually added.

Thank you. Is the Page or Post that contains the payment button protected with s2Member's Specific Post/Page Access? Also, can I assume that the domain name changed on this installation recently?

s2Member's Specific Post/Page Access protection works with cookies, not with Membership accounts. Therefore a Post or Page protected with s2Member's Specific Post/Page Access Restrictions, will only be available to customers that are authenticated with a Specific Post/Page Access Link. These can be generated from your Dashboard manually if you like, via: s2Member -> PayPal Buttons -> Specific Post/Page Access Links.

It is also possible to generate them in code if that's necessary. If you can elaborate just a bit further on this for me, I'll see what I can do to help you further. So sorry, I'm just trying to get a handle on the problem and possibly the underlying cause.

[twodegrees]

Yes, the page is containing the payment button is protected by S2Member's Specific Page/Post Access. Yes the domain name changed.

Yes, I generated a link with the Specific Post/Page Access Links, but before the site was moved.

[Jason Caldwell]

Thanks for your reply. So what's probably happening here is ... browser Cookies identifying existing customers that purchased Specific Post/Page Access on your old site, are not being read by the new domain, because browser Cookies are always tied to a specific domain. This is how Cookies work.

Your existing customers should have an email with their Specific Post/Page Access Link from the old site, which would grant them access, but since the domain has changed, those links won't work anymore (unless you are redirecting them via .htaccess or something like that).

I think your only solution in this case is to make the purchase page available to the public, or make it available to anyone that is logged-in as a User/Member of the site. Guarding that purchase page with Specific Post/Page Access may continue to cause problems since your Users/Members from the old site may not be authenticated for access to the new site yet.

Are each of these customers ALSO members of the site? (i.e. with a Username/Password too?).

[twodegrees]

No one has signed up till the site moved. Everyone that has signed up has been since the site has the new url.

[twodegrees]

I created both Post/Page buy now buttons and Post/Page access links, could that be the problem?

[twodegrees]

I have our membership events page protected by page access and then the individual events protected by page access restrictions. Is that a problem? I am going to generate new Buy Now buttons till I hear back from you. They might have gotten messed up when the site got moved.

[twodegrees]

I just coded one new button and when a member clicks on a event they are taken back to the membership signup page-why? I have until the end of today to figure this out or I have to remove the software on the events-not good.

When I am logged in as a admin the button takes me to the correct place-which is the PayPal checkout page. HELP!

[Jason Caldwell]

I just coded one new button and when a member clicks on a event they are taken back to the membership signup page-why? I have until the end of today to figure this out or I have to remove the software on the events-not good.

When I am logged in as a admin the button takes me to the correct place-which is the PayPal checkout page. HELP!

Please submit a screenshot of your s2Member -> Restriction Options please. Let's take a look at what Restrictions are configured on your installation.

In addition, you mentioned being redirected. Upon being redirected, look in your browser address bar. You should find several query string variables there, which are added by s2Member (including _s2member_seeking). These query string variables are called MOP Vars, and they include the exact reason for the redirection. Please post the full URL of the redirection page, including all of these query string variables.

[twodegrees]

Here are the screenshots of Restrictions Options. I looked for the query string and saw nothing. Can't upload second file, pages 356, 359, 362, 365, 368, 370 are the specific pages protected and have Buy Now buttons.

You have our login, can you take a look?

[Jason Caldwell]

I created both Post/Page buy now buttons and Post/Page access links, could that be the problem?

Thanks for the screen shots. I'm not seeing anything here yet to indicate a problem in configuration. You mentioned that you created BOTH Post/Page Buy Now Buttons and Links too. What are you doing with the Links you create?

[twodegrees]

I couldn't wait for the reply. They have a membership drive on, so the Event pages are protected, but the buttons are through PayPal and everything works fine.

[Jason Caldwell]

OK. Thanks for the follow-up.
Yes, I'm sorry for the delayed response. Please let us know if you have any further trouble.

[twodegrees]

I think you have an amazing plugin, but it would be good to have more responsive help, I know you are only one person. I would have bought a license as a developer if phone support or priority email support and logging into our sites was offered for assistance.

[Jason Caldwell]

Thanks for that feedback.

Yes, I agree, and we are working very hard to improve our ability to handle fluctuations in the volume of support tickets. Both Cristian and Raam Dev are Support Reps actively monitoring the forum as well, so if I'm unavailable, you might give them a shout in the case of something urgent.

In addition, we are also looking at ways to improve further, in a variety of ways. Look for changes at s2Member.com to come in the next few days, as a larger step forward in this direction.

We also handle support via websharks-group@googlegroups.com.