tracking and PayPal buttons

I

Igor

I am using PayPal for my new website. This means that once someone clicks
on the "buy now" or "add to cart" button, I do not see what happens --
unless a sale is completed or it is taken to the last step and then
canceled. If they add to cart but never sign in at PayPal, I get no data
from PayPal about that.

Any ideas as to how I could at least track if people click "add to cart"?

Here is the basic code they provide:

<form target="paypal" action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr"
method="post">
<p align="right" style="margin-bottom: 0">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_cart"> <input type="hidden"
name="business" value="(e-mail address removed)">
<input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="My Product"> <input
type="hidden" name="item_number" value="LW1">
<input type="hidden" name="amount" value="10.00"> <input type="hidden"
name="return" value="http://www.mysite.com/my_thankyou_pg.htm">
<input type="hidden" name="cancel_return" value="http://www.mysite.com">
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD"><input type="image"
src="../images/button.gif" border="0" name="I6" alt="Use your Visa,
MasterCard, Discover, or Amex card - or PayPal account" align="center"
width="80" height="57">
<input type="hidden" name="add" value="1">
</form>

Could I add something to their button submit code that would write to a txt
file on my server, in background? (I am on a hosted Unix server w/ FP
extensions and no ASP. Me: FP 2000 and Win98SE.) Note that their cart
pops-up in a new (secure) window (if that matters). Thanks.
 
T

Thomas A. Rowe

Even when not using PayPal, if a user doesn't complete the sale the merchant
is not notified via the processors.

You would have to write a custom application that first stored the users
info and order detail to your database, then pass the necessary info to
PayPal or credit card gateway.

--

==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, Forums, WebCircle,
MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
 
I

Igor

Even when not using PayPal, if a user doesn't complete the sale the merchant
is not notified via the processors.

You would have to write a custom application that first stored the users
info and order detail to your database, then pass the necessary info to
PayPal or credit card gateway.

I need to be more clear on this: All I want to know is that _some_
potential customer clicked on the "add to cart" button. While IP address
and time would be great, I do not need to know name, address, etc.

For example, with my external links I actually link to a forwarding page
that in turn connects the user to the external page so I have a log entry
for that.

I want the same with PayPal -- that _someone_ clicked on the "add to cart"
button. The equivalent of a page view stat for the "page" after the "buy
it" page, if that makes sense. Even if it is just so I can add up that "X"
number clicked on it. Is _that_ possible in a simple fashion?
 
T

Thomas A. Rowe

You can not do that with a form, unless you want the user to have to click a
second time to actual make the payment. That means passing the first form
input to a second form page and then have the user click another button to
actually go to PayPal, etc.

Working with a form is not the same as working with a basic hyperlink that
can be re-directed, etc. as any values associated with the submitted form
must also be passed during the re-direct process.

--

==============================================
Thomas A. Rowe (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
WEBMASTER Resources(tm)

FrontPage Resources, Forums, WebCircle,
MS KB Quick Links, etc.
==============================================
 
I

Igor

You can not do that with a form, unless you want the user to have to click a
second time to actual make the payment. That means passing the first form
input to a second form page and then have the user click another button to
actually go to PayPal, etc.

Working with a form is not the same as working with a basic hyperlink that
can be re-directed, etc. as any values associated with the submitted form
must also be passed during the re-direct process.

Thanks.
 

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