Decline in PayPal Orders

Isolated incident?

[pageoneresults]

I've been managing a site for a couple of years now that is 100% PayPal driven for ecommerce. We utilize the basic PayPal cart interface (no API stuff). As the site has become more popular, PayPal order activity has increased naturally. We are probably averaging 4-5 orders per day, seven days per week.

Beginning 2007 May 8, Tuesday at about 1900 PST, our PayPal order activity came to a halt. It remained silent for almost 72 hours after which time a few orders trickled in. Since 2007 May 11, order activity is half of what it usually is.

I've been over statistics with a fine tooth comb. I've done A/B comparisons for the same time periods in history. Everything is in order. And, we are up 58% (visitation) during this period over last years.

After almost a week of the agony, I had to post and see if anyone else running a 100% PayPal checkout process has seen any decline. I noticed that PayPal made some GUI changes recently. We've placed multiple test orders and all appears to be fine.

I have to wonder if this is just a fluke or what? We can't remember the last time we went 24 hours without an order. It makes you wonder...

[ectect]

We heard of a couple of very short term glitches on stores when they were changing over to their new interface but nothing like what you have reported there. Maybe just a very bad run of sales?

[yulia]

Is it possible related to increase in shipping cost?

[BananaFish]

Or perhaps it was pre Mother's Day, maybe your happy shoppers where tapped out after they bought for good ole Mom.

[centime]

Is there a particular reason that your sole mode of payment is the thing you're worried about, seeing as you've tested it, and it works,

assuming you traffic is same, bounce rates same, referring sources same, prices same, etc etc

perhaps its one of those statistical fluctuations that remind us all from time to time that this ain't an exact science

Bonne chance

[pageoneresults]

Hmmm, everyone brings up some good points.

Perhaps its one of those statistical fluctuations that remind us all from time to time that this ain't an exact science.

I like that one!

Actually we are back on track right now. There was about a 5 day period where things were lagging but things seem to be swingin' again. ;)