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Why is my customer getting an error message during checkout?

[The title of this thread has been edited from the original: Customer getting error message when trying to pay: Email Already Registered. How can I help them?]

 

Customer getting error message when trying to pay: Email Already Registered. How can I help them?

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Re: Customers Can't Checkout Because Email is already registered

We're sorry to hear about the issues coming up as a result of these error messages. I’ve bubbled this feedback up by sharing this thread with our engineers. We'll be back with an update when we have one to share. Thanks for your patience, all.

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Sorry to see trouble has brought you to the Seller Community - let's dig in here, @lonelymonk.

 

Are your customers opting to save their information again, when they've already saved it previously? There is a check box during checkout - if they select this option by clicking to check the box when the've already set up Square Pay, they will see that error.

 

Valentina
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The only thing that has worked so far for us is deleting the customer.  They have to do their order over. no way to save it.

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Hi this error seems to come up on the basket and doesn't allow checkout. I had a customer have this earlier and said when he entered his email address it said the user is already registered? He had his wife use her email to make the order and it went through but I am worried people cannot make repeat orders because of this.

 

Thanks

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Admin

I'm sorry to hear this happened @BidBayCoffee. It sounds like your customer ordered from your site before and saved their information at checkout. If it happens again you could ask your customer to clear their browsing history - ask them to look for a 'Help' section and search for 'History' or 'clear cache'. Or your customers could try ordering from a different web browser e.g. if they use Firefox they could try Chrome and vice versa.

 

If the issue persists or you've been able to reproduce it please do contact our support team so we can investigate further. 

️ Helen
Seller Community Manager

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So, a few months ago we checked the box that allowed customers to save information on the checkout page on our website to make it easier for them checkout. Which seemed like a good idea despite the increased transaction fee. However, most users use auto-fill in their browser rendering the "save information" feature useless.. this is causing more problems than it is saving time. The “Save information” feature is a mess..

The "verification code" that checks to make sure it's the customer is tripping up so many of our customers that they are getting fed up and decide not to checkout using our website. It’s sending a 6-digit code text message that customers assume is their order number. Maybe change the phrasing to Authentication Code? Either way we as sellers should be able to disable this feature. Especially when it’s tied to a higher transaction fee.

Furthermore when I called support, they informed me that we can’t “uncheck” the box of allow customers to save information. WHAT? They told me “they would have to choose to not save information anymore” How many steps are you expecting people to do? Not only would they have to figure out that the system is broken, but would have to know the fix is to opt-out; how do you expect we relay that information to each and every person at checkout??

Well... on behalf of my customers I would like to opt out of the “save information at checkout” feature. This has been a huge issue and makes me want to look at alternatives to square.

In closing: 

Spoiler
Allow sellers to turn off saving information at checkout. Especially when it is tied to a higher transaction cost to the sellers.

 

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Super Seller

@ABGbake Hey ABG, I wanted to jump in on this as we encountered some confusion with this feature when we first rolled out our online ordering website.  The fee for the online store is not the same as saved card on file.  The standard rate for online store transactions is 2.9% + 30¢.  This doesn't matter if the person saves a card to their profile or not.  What triggers the code is the entry of the e-mail address.  What we did was add in the pickup instructions that the customer must complete the transaction in order for the order to be processed.

 

Customers sometimes think they have completed their order once they enter the code and don't scroll down and hit submit ( Square has improved the checkout flow).  We just add the make sure to hit submit to the pickup instructions as a way to prompt those guests.  This is how I present it to guests and I think you are getting the same thing (If guests weren't complaining you would have no idea what was happening).

 

Script:  I am sorry you were having trouble with your order.  We have moved to square online so we can take payments contactless and you can pick up your order in the fastest way!  The new system allows you to save your information online so your card information is very secure.  When you put in your e-mail square will text you a code and once you put in that code all you have to do is scroll down and hit submit.  You don't have to store your credit card information on your phone and you don't have to enter it each time.  It is by far the fastest way to complete an online order and you don't have to download another app on your phone and no one can even place an online order without your phone!

 

Of course you don't have to save your information for faster checkout.

 

I will even pull out my phone and demonstrate how to do the order.  This creates a great opportunity to provide some 1 on 1 interaction with the customer.

 

TL:DR  I do understand the frustration that some customers may have, but this can be a positive way to build loyalty with a customer with a little education.  The online checkout process is faster with square than anywhere....you don't have to remember a password or set up an account or download an app!  It is a win-win.

Donnie
Multi-Unit Manager
Order Up Cafe/Tombras Cafe/Riverview Cafe/City County Cafe
Roddy Vending Company, Inc.
www.OrderUpCafe.com

Using Square since July, 2017
Square Super Seller
Square Beta Team

"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Z.Z.
Do you want to have great restaurant menus that are easy to edit and don't cost a fortune? I use MustHaveMenus and you can too!
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I appreciate your response @Donnie-M. Why would there be a confirmation text when you put in an email? It feels like a redundant process. If they don't put in a phone number do they receive an email instead of a text? It seems like this has overcomplicated what could be a simple checkout system. I would rather be able to take out the confirmation code altogether. Instead as a seller we have an option of pumping a boilerplate script to customers and having to apologize for the inconvenience of squares system. I suppose we also have the option of changing processors? I want to be clear about the options we have to choose from here..

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Super Seller

@ABGbake I think you may have misunderstood the system and the way the online checkout works.  I would suggest setting up a 100% off coupon code that only you know and doing some test orders and trying it out. 

 

Normal checkout flow for a new customer is enter e-mail, name, and phone number (they do get order confirmation texts AFTER they place their order)  If you choose to mark orders as IN-PROGRESS and complete they will get an additional text and e-mail. They then confirm pickup time, then they get the payment entry with a credit card.  The final step to submit the order gives them the option to OPT IN for part 2.  It is not preselected unless the CUSTOMER CHOOSES.  See Below:

 

2020-12-03 (1).jpg

 

If the customer opts in for the FASTER CHECKOUT when they enter their email they will get the following :

 

2020-12-03.jpgScreenshot_20201203-142721_Message+.jpg

 

When the customer inputs the verification code they don't have to fill in any more information only confirm pickup and hit submit.  But this is completely driven by the customer and is not required!

 

Customers are required to enter a phone number and e-mail address on pickup orders and this is industry standard.  I hope this helps clarify, if I am missing something I would be glad to walk you through anything else.  I have found that 1 or 2 customers who don't get the system are louder than the other 100 that do get it.  I am running on average of 60-100 online orders every single day.

Donnie
Multi-Unit Manager
Order Up Cafe/Tombras Cafe/Riverview Cafe/City County Cafe
Roddy Vending Company, Inc.
www.OrderUpCafe.com

Using Square since July, 2017
Square Super Seller
Square Beta Team

"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Z.Z.
Do you want to have great restaurant menus that are easy to edit and don't cost a fortune? I use MustHaveMenus and you can too!
MustHaveMenus
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@Donnie-M I would rather disable the verification text option than to try and mitigate its confusion and add 2-3 more steps to a simple checkout process. Texts when orders are placed, or when an order is marked ready is not the problem here. The issue is having to put in a confirmation number that adds extra steps for people.. imagine trying to tell your grandma about the verification code process. The older generation has had the most difficulty with this. So when an already online-sceptical customer can't get it to work they are not super enthusiastic to try again, even with explanation or guidance. What is the reason if the cost is the same for saved information and not saved information? If the transaction costs are the same to the seller then it's a moot point? They added extra steps for the fun of it? Help me if I'm missing something here.


Also - saving information isn't needed or used when browsers usually remember cards and autofill for majority of users, chrome, firefox etc.. I would like the option to not have it there, currently we are forced to give that option to the customer which has complicated matters worse.

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Super Seller

Thank you for explaining your thoughts more on this.  I think I have 2 things that will help you.

 

@ABGbake On the verification code text...that only happens if the customer chooses to save information for faster checkout.  It is completely optional and new customers do not even get that option.  There is no verification text unless you opt in.  The checkout process does not require saving information or the verification process. 

 

Under your weebly online dashboard ---->settings ---->checkout ----- (top right) Advanced settings

 

You can disable phone number requirements, opting in for e-mails, disable text messages, and a couple others.  

 

"Phone numbers are always required for pickup and delivery, but you can allow customers to opt out of providing a phone number for other fulfillment methods by checking this box"

 

I am not sure what your exact business model is, I assume maybe a bakery.

 

Done properly, saving your information and using the verification code is faster and less steps than a traditional checkout.  If you want to PM me your website, I will check it out myself and be glad to connect and offer any advice to help you and your customers out.  I have had tons of things I wish were different in square, but I try not to lose sight of all the great things that are here.  I just like to focus on what I can do versus what I can't do.  And I am cheap! so I like the affordability and flexibility square offers.  So what I can do here is offer any help I can for you as I have been blessed to be helped before by sellers before me.  If nothing else, hopefully a better understanding is there.

Donnie
Multi-Unit Manager
Order Up Cafe/Tombras Cafe/Riverview Cafe/City County Cafe
Roddy Vending Company, Inc.
www.OrderUpCafe.com

Using Square since July, 2017
Square Super Seller
Square Beta Team

"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Z.Z.
Do you want to have great restaurant menus that are easy to edit and don't cost a fortune? I use MustHaveMenus and you can too!
MustHaveMenus
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Thank you for your help, I'd like to see what a square representative has to chime in on this.

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@Donnie-M I believe you are incorrect on how this functions. I've been able to reproduce this, and it trips my customers up all the time. I'm 100% sure I've lost sales due to this. It does NOT only send the verification text when the customer selects the check box to save information for faster checkout. What happens, instead, is that once the customer does that the first time, the NEXT time they check out, as soon as they enter their email address or phone number, it auto-sends the verification code to them. Once they enter the verification code, they WILL get this error when they try to finish the checkout. So either the check box to save info for faster checkout is checked by default, OR the browser (or Square cookie) is remembering their information and forcing them to do the verification, which then causes the error. The only way I've been able to fix this is when I'm lucky enough to have a customer call me to complain, then I have to send them a link to "Opt out of Square Pay", which in and of itself is a 4 step process for the customer. 

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I know this has been mentioned before but I could not find the thread. 

 

A growing issue we've been having is with regulars who have saved payment data and are now unable to order online - they receive a text message from square and enter the code, they are told they are verified but then when they try and place an order it simply refreshes the screen. 

 

People are then convinced they have placed the order and are upset by this, especially when these are pre-order items. We have had at least five occurrences recently. 

 

I don't know if this is an issue with people changing their means of payment or another issue, but there is simply no clear feedback provided to them and we were unable to resolve it even when a customer showed up and tried to place an order on the spot. (obviously we didn't want to pry too much into their phone settings)

 

 

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My customers run into the same problem.  They go on the website to place an order, and if they saved their information for a faster checkout, they get a message "email or phone number already registered".  It is suppose to help the customer get the order done quicker, but they end up sending me a message and never place the order.  Today, I read on another thread to go into the customer's account and delete their phone number or email (whatever message they are receiving)  and it worked!  But, we should not have to continue to do this.  As a busy business owner, I do not have time to be answering emails constantly for this and going into accounts and deleting information.  It is just another bug this website has ~ it has a few more that I will not get into here. It is very frustrating and hope there will be a solution to this problem!

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Admin

Hey @orik and @MicheleP - I'm wondering if this thread will help clear up any confusion among your customers. But if the screen continues to load after your customers input their info and nothing happens, that may be a different issue that you'd want to contact our Support team about.

Bea_
Beta Community Manager, Square
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I have the make phone number optional box unchecked because I have a loyalty program and the customers will not get their points if they do not enter their phone number.  They enter their phone number and can't get to the checkout screen, if they have saved information.  This makes no sense. It also happens when they enter their email address, if they saved it.  The support team needs to add a box to have the customer save information for faster checkout as an option or just fix the issue!

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I'm not sure how the thread is supposed to be helpful. It just confirms that this is confusing to customers and as far as I can see offers the option of replacing confusion with a more cumbersome checkout process. Am I missing something?

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Repeat customer cannot order from store - error message states "phone is already registered" and she is prevented from moving past the error message.  Can anyone help me to help her?

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Square Community Moderator

Heya @mentrc and welcome to the Community.

 

I moved your post to an existing thread where this has already been answered/addressed.

 

Check out the thread for more details!

Ashley C
Community Moderator, Square
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So the solution is... ?

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I went back on the screen and entered only the email address.  Removed the address information and it then it asked to send a code.  I entered the code and it loaded my information and allowed me to place an order.

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I have a customer trying to make a purchase through my website but when she gets to checkout it says email address is already registered and will not allow her to continue to complete the purchase. Any ideas?

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