Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

[baytonemus]

I've just enabled state-based sales tax. It took me awhile to figure out that, though they were being tabulated, neither the shipping charges nor the sales tax were being displayed prior to payment authorization. They appear correctly on the invoice.

Is this customary in a checkout sequence? From OCST my customers proceed to OSEL. At that point, at least the sales tax could be displayed based on customer information (but isn't). Then, a shipping selection is made. It would be nice if the page would reload automatically after making that selection and show the shipping costs and new total. As it is, customers make a payment selection and continue on to OPAY. From there they authorize payment and only AFTER it has been approved and the invoice page loads do they finally see the actual total. I guess I personally wouldn't like this as a customer.

What are my options? Could I copy the Order Contents code from the Invoice page over to OPAY? I noticed that the relevant code on these pages differs in that the Invoice array includes _order:charges_ while OSEL includes _basket:charges_.

Any input appreciated. Thanks.

JAY

[klassic]

Re: Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

I don't think it is supposed to work that way. The tax and shipping amount should show up on the OPAY page. It should have the total they are being charged. At least it shows in our store, and I have not done anything special to get it to show up.

I believe the reason that it does not display the tax before you choose your shipping method is you have the option to charge tax on the shipping costs as well.

Is the tax and shipping not showing up at all, or is it showing the wrong value.

[baytonemus]

Re: Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

Thanks for your reply.

I don't think it is supposed to work that way. The tax and shipping amount should show up on the OPAY page. It should have the total they are being charged. At least it shows in our store, and I have not done anything special to get it to show up.

You're right. I went back and recalled the original version of OPAY and it looks like both customer and basket were deleted along the way. I don't remember doing this although but I obviously did. I just added those items back in and everything is just as it should be.

Duh.

I believe the reason that it does not display the tax before you choose your shipping method is you have the option to charge tax on the shipping costs as well.

True, but I believe that would have already been determined (based on ship-to state) by the time you load OSEL.

Thanks again.

[klassic]

Re: Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

But you are choosing your shipping method on the OSEL screen. How would it know how much tax to charge on the shipping if it doesn't know the shipping cost? I can choose shipping A for $10 or option B for $20 or option C for $50.

[wcw]

Re: Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

You can't calculate tax until the shipping is calculated because it may be taxable. Hence, no tax until the OPAY screen.

[baytonemus]

Re: Displaying tax and shipping before authorizing payment?

Yes, I guess that's right. I was thinking of my own situation where I'm not charging tax on shipping. Under that scenario the calculation could conceivably be done earlier.