Miva Merchant 4 (and older) Bugs

[Julie Wilber]

This thread is for pointing out bugs you might have found using Miva Merchant 4 and older versions.

Please include as much information as possible, including if it can be duplicated and under what conditions.

Please note: Miva Merchant 4 and earlier versions are not under active development.

Thanks!

[Siamese-Dream.Com]

Lynk Payment Module and AMEX:

Don't know if it is a Lynk bug, or a Miva Bug, or an American Express bug, but when someone pays by american Express, the Lynk payment gateway does not return any CVV2 value.

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Lynk Payment Module and AMEX:

Don't know if it is a Lynk bug, or a Miva Bug, or an American Express bug, but when someone pays by american Express, the Lynk payment gateway does not return any CVV2 value.

Sounds like maybe a module bug where it was incorrectly set to expect a three digit number while Amex uses 4 on the CVV.

[julie_thompson]

Since you asked for bugs?. this one plagues me sometimes weekly.

When a customer is checking out, after entering their credit card information on the OPAY screen, they get a "Select Failure Error". Even though they never reach the INVC screen, and they are still on the OPAY screen with the ?Select Failure? error noted, the transaction posts as an authorization to Verisign (you can see the auth in Verisign's Manager) but it is not a valid auth as if you try to capture the auth, it will give an error. The hallmark of a Select Failure Verisign error is the "duration" in VPFP Manager shows -1 (note the negative).

Even as of yesterday, I entered an order through my store that received the "select failure" error. Pressing the continue button again allowed the transaction to process. Going into Verisign's Manager yesterday following the 'select failure', two auths were listed, one with the tall-tell -1 and the other valid auth.
And it is not just some of my customer?s cards, while placing orders through my store with my own personal credit card attempting to replicate the error; I have received a Select Failure error and was able to replicate the error with both my AMEX card and my M/C.

Additionally, I know the Select Failure is somewhat common, as I have to void ?-1? auths all the time. One woman about a month or so ago, received 5 select failures in a row (all on the same order) and finally the 6th time she hit the ?continue button? the order made it to the INVC screen. Her credit card company actually called her and asked her if she placed 6 orders, all within seconds of each other (since 6 auths were now on her card, albeit 5 of them not viable auths). Needless to say, she freaked out and called me.

In my effort to try and be thorough with my description, I have tried to capture a ?-1 duration? auth within the Verisign Manager and received an error within the Manager. So I know these are not valid auths, notwithstanding even the credit card companies show it as an auth.

My first Select Failure (that I know of) was in June of 2004! And DotCom Host has investigated this phenomenon with you (MIVA) and with Verisign, and after literally months and months of trying to discern what the cause of the error is, it seems that it may be a transaction code of 13 gets sent back to Miva Merchant's PFP module and the module doesn't know what to do with that transaction code, so it issues a select failure. Whether or not this is actually the root cause, I am not sure.

[Vic - WolfPaw Computers]

Another thread reminded me of this issue, which affects ALL versions of Merchant from v4.13 on.

When importing products from a flat file, Merchant fails to enforce strict validation even when the Domain.d.strictcode value is set to 1.

This is a serious issue as products and or categories imported could contain /, &, = etc which could cause display of those products/categories to generate a fatal error.

[David Pontius]

Since you asked for bugs?. this one plagues me sometimes weekly.

When a customer is checking out, after entering their credit card information on the OPAY screen, they get a "Select Failure Error". Even though they never reach the INVC screen, and they are still on the OPAY screen with the ?Select Failure? error noted, the transaction posts as an authorization to Verisign (you can see the auth in Verisign's Manager) but it is not a valid auth as if you try to capture the auth, it will give an error. The hallmark of a Select Failure Verisign error is the "duration" in VPFP Manager shows -1 (note the negative).

Even as of yesterday, I entered an order through my store that received the "select failure" error. Pressing the continue button again allowed the transaction to process. Going into Verisign's Manager yesterday following the 'select failure', two auths were listed, one with the tall-tell -1 and the other valid auth.
And it is not just some of my customer?s cards, while placing orders through my store with my own personal credit card attempting to replicate the error; I have received a Select Failure error and was able to replicate the error with both my AMEX card and my M/C.

Additionally, I know the Select Failure is somewhat common, as I have to void ?-1? auths all the time. One woman about a month or so ago, received 5 select failures in a row (all on the same order) and finally the 6th time she hit the ?continue button? the order made it to the INVC screen. Her credit card company actually called her and asked her if she placed 6 orders, all within seconds of each other (since 6 auths were now on her card, albeit 5 of them not viable auths). Needless to say, she freaked out and called me.

In my effort to try and be thorough with my description, I have tried to capture a ?-1 duration? auth within the Verisign Manager and received an error within the Manager. So I know these are not valid auths, notwithstanding even the credit card companies show it as an auth.

My first Select Failure (that I know of) was in June of 2004! And DotCom Host has investigated this phenomenon with you (MIVA) and with Verisign, and after literally months and months of trying to discern what the cause of the error is, it seems that it may be a transaction code of 13 gets sent back to Miva Merchant's PFP module and the module doesn't know what to do with that transaction code, so it issues a select failure. Whether or not this is actually the root cause, I am not sure.

I have tried to get this resolved. Basically Verisign blames Miva, Miva blames Verisign. The latest I heard is that Verisign times out connecting to the bank, so Verisign returns an error code, but eventually the bank returns an auth. Is this true? I have no idea. But if anyone ever finds a solution let me know.

David

[julie_thompson]

I don't think it is a timeout issue. The select failure error I received yesterday, while placing an order through my store (for a phone order), appeared in less than a millisecond. There was not a lag at all. Just an instant select failure message.

When I was on a mission in 2004 and even last year, to get this error resolved...... I've since realized that until MIVA updates their PFP module with a fix for this error, there is not much one can do..... anyway, I digress... I learned that apparently Verisign is giving back a code that the PFP module within MIVA does not recognize (mainly the trans code 13).

BTW, totally aside... I just wanted you to know that I purchase my cat food (Wysong) from your store!

[Dyna Jim]

I too get the "Select Failure Error" a lot, I wonder how many customers get it and bail out on orders. I've spoken to David at Hostasaurus, numerous times about it, an he seems as frustrated with it as I am.

Long story short, if I had it to do over again I wouldn't be on Merchant, but since I'm not a coder and my site is already established in google etc I am stuck.

It would be nice to see some of these very old bugs addressed though.

On a side note I did try out paypal payment pro and it was a disaster (Against Davids advice). Even though Paypal (A.K.A. Ebay) purchased Verisign, they use entirely different risk filters for payments. I wanted out of the Verisign/merchant account PITA and Paypal looked appealing.

Money in the same account I use to pay vendors and I don't have to wait? Anyways about 10% of my orders were lost due to their "Risk Filters" not accepting the card for no good reason, so back on PFP I am :(

[apanda]

Select failure is an even bigger problem when customers are using a debit card. The funds get deducted from their account every time they attempt to place the order. So even though the order has not completed, and the card will not be processed, their bank deducts funds for the authorization attempt. This is hard to explain to customers and makes the store look very unprofessional.

[dePuertoRico]

I encountered the same situation and after several e-mails between Authorize.Net, my Merchant Service and Amex, the situation was caused by the fact of Amex not using such verification UNLESS you pay for that additional feature (verify the CID).

So, because Amex already charges a higher service fee than Visa/MC, and because our Amex transactions are just less than 5%, I decided not to pay that additional service.

Hope this helps.

Elaine M. Montgomery

[dePuertoRico]

Lynk Payment Module and AMEX:

Don't know if it is a Lynk bug, or a Miva Bug, or an American Express bug, but when someone pays by american Express, the Lynk payment gateway does not return any CVV2 value.


I encountered the same situation and after several e-mails between Authorize.Net, my Merchant Service and Amex, the situation was caused by the fact of Amex not using such verification UNLESS you pay for that additional feature (verify the CID).

So, because Amex already charges a higher service fee than Visa/MC, and because our Amex transactions are just less than 5%, I decided not to pay that additional service.

Hope this helps.

Elaine M. Montgomery

[dePuertoRico]

I have tried to get this resolved. Basically Verisign blames Miva, Miva blames Verisign. The latest I heard is that Verisign times out connecting to the bank, so Verisign returns an error code, but eventually the bank returns an auth. Is this true? I have no idea. But if anyone ever finds a solution let me know.

David

From 2000-2004, I used Verisign and used to have at least a timeout twice a week. The problem with the timeouts is that the transaction were not recorded in the settlement eventhough the electronic banking system continued.

From 2004-Present, I've been using Authorize.Net and I have never had a timeout or transactions that were not accounted for. Never going back to Verisign. Also, Authroize.Net allows you have full control of the parameters and their search tools are a lot easier than Verisign.

Elaine M. Montgomery

[MikeN75]

Mivite Lite how much do you pay for additional service?

[jsmersh]

Using Mac 10.3.9 Safari 1.3.2, the "Checkout:Shipping/payment selection" page does not load. This seems to be fixed in Safari for MacOS 10.4. I see the problem on our website, www.clickdesignthatfits.com, and confirmed it on another site that uses MivaMerchant, www.angelaadams.com. Ok, I know, small user base, but it so happens my primary computer/browser combo is mac10.3/safari so I can't help but take it personally...:p
It gives a "Posix error".

[Midwest13]

We are also experiencing the same Amex/Payflow errors. Was anyone able to find solution or would upgrading to Miva 5 solve all of our problems? Thanks for any help.