We have recently updated the user interface for our WordPress plugin store. We have also updated the customer experience with the Easy Digital Downloads, the plugin we’re using to sell our own products.
To ensure a smooth, secure, and reliable payment experience, we’ve conducted extensive internal testing. Here, I’ll share our insights on essential test scenarios and cases, giving you a glimpse into our tech stack and processes.
Table of Contents
- 1. Post-Payment Component Check
- 2. Handling Payment Gateway Responsiveness
- 3. Session Timeout Handling
- 4. Backend Posts Verification
- 5. Handling Failed Payment Processes
- 6. Credit Card Data Storage
- 7. Error Page and Security Page Check
- 8. Pop-Up Blocker Handling
- 9. Buffer Page Verification
- 10. Confirmation Page and Success Code
- 11. Transaction Processing Time
- 12. Return to Application
- 13. Format and Messages
- 14. Authorization Receipt Requirement
- 15. Transaction Notification
- 16. Amount and Currency Format
- 17. Payment Option Selectability
- 18. Payment Option Functionality
- 19. Default Debit/Credit Card Option
- 20. Debit Card Option Dropdown
1. Post-Payment Component Check
After customers successfully complete a payment, we need to ensure that all necessary components are retrieved and updated. This includes generating digital product licenses or delivering downloadable plugins. Easy Digital Downloads plays a critical role here, ensuring that customer data and product access are correctly processed, enhancing customer satisfaction.
2. Handling Payment Gateway Responsiveness
While the tech stack we rely on is robust, we’ve tested scenarios where the payment gateway temporarily stops responding. Through a combination of WordPress’s error handling capabilities and Easy Digital Downloads’ fail-safes, we’ve ensured that any disruptions are managed effectively.
The system should provide users with informative error messages and prevent any unauthorized transactions during such instances.
3. Session Timeout Handling
In a dynamic online store, user sessions can sometimes expire during the payment process. WordPress, with its session management features, ensures that our customers are prompted to re-authenticate or start a new session, preventing data loss and unauthorized payments.
4. Backend Posts Verification
Behind the scenes, we rely on WordPress to manage critical backend processes. It’s here that data is posted, logged, and updated on the server. With Easy Digital Downloads, the integration is seamless, ensuring that the backend operations during the payment process are smooth and reliable.
5. Handling Failed Payment Processes
Payment failures can happen for various reasons, and we’ve tested our WordPress plugin store’s response to such situations. It’s crucial that customers are promptly informed about the issue, and that Easy Digital Downloads ensures that no further steps are taken until the payment issue is resolved.
6. Credit Card Data Storage
Security is a top priority, and I’ve made sure that no sensitive credit card details are ever stored in our database. This is in full compliance with industry standards, and it gives our customers peace of mind when making payments through Stripe or PayPal.
7. Error Page and Security Page Check
WordPress offers us the flexibility to design error and security pages that are user-friendly and informative. These pages help maintain a secure environment and guide customers through any issues they might encounter during the payment process.
8. Pop-Up Blocker Handling
Pop-up blockers can sometimes disrupt the payment process. With Easy Digital Downloads, we’ve ensured that the payment process can proceed smoothly, whether a user has a pop-up blocker enabled or disabled. This helps avoid frustration and cart abandonment.
9. Buffer Page Verification
Between WordPress and the payment gateway, buffer or intermediary pages play an important role. These pages, managed by Easy Digital Downloads, ensure the smooth transition of data and maintain the integrity of the transaction flow.
10. Confirmation Page and Success Code
Upon successful payment, a confirmation page is essential for providing customers with order details and a sense of accomplishment. Easy Digital Downloads ensures that a success code is sent to our application, and a confirmation page is displayed as expected.
11. Transaction Processing Time
We’ve communicated clearly with our customers about the expected processing times. While Easy Digital Downloads processes transactions efficiently, it’s important to manage customer expectations regarding when payments will be finalized.
12. Return to Application
After a successful transaction, it’s crucial that the payment gateway returns customers to our website. Easy Digital Downloads takes care of this, ensuring a seamless user experience.
13. Format and Messages
The format of messages and payment details during the successful payment process is something we’ve fine-tuned. We want our customers to receive clear, consistent, and error-free messages at every step.
14. Authorization Receipt Requirement
To prevent shipping before payment confirmation, we’ve made sure that no products (plugins or themes) are dispatched unless we’ve received an authorization receipt from the payment gateway.
15. Transaction Notification
We’re proactive in keeping track of transactions by notifying ourselves via email for every transaction. We take the extra step to encrypt the content of these emails to maintain the security of transaction details.
16. Amount and Currency Format
We’ve aligned the format of the payment amount with the chosen currency format. This attention to detail, combined with WordPress’s currency handling features, ensures a seamless checkout process.
17. Payment Option Selectability
In our WordPress plugin store, we’ve tested each payment option rigorously to guarantee that customers can easily select the one that suits them best.
18. Payment Option Functionality
We’ve ensured that each listed payment option opens the respective payment method, be it Stripe or PayPal, as specified. This guarantees a smooth and hassle-free checkout process.
19. Default Debit/Credit Card Option
We’ve set the default debit/credit card option, ensuring a convenient and efficient payment experience for our customers.
20. Debit Card Option Dropdown
For debit cards, we’ve made sure that a card selection dropdown menu is available and functions seamlessly, thanks to Easy Digital Downloads’ integrated payment handling features.
In conclusion, thorough testing of these scenarios has allowed us to provide a reliable, secure, and efficient payment gateway experience for our customers in our WordPress plugin store.
Image credit: Flickr. “Bakery” by figishe2 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
