Keeping form data forever

Customer Convienence vs privacy issue

[lgn1]

The way my site is design, the customer loses the form data on the back button. Google Analytics shows plenty of customer returning to the product pages using the back button during the checkout process, and I want to keep the checkout process as simple as possible.

Rather than using javascript, I was thinking of storing the customer form data (name, address, phone #) in a database, so the data is retrieved automatically (if it exists) based on the user session ID.

The customer could even bookmark their pages, and return and have the form data still prefilled out.

One thing I don't want to add, is a registration process, it just gets in the way of useability.

Now the privacy issue, technically somebody could start randommly typing uri's with session ID's and eventually get somebodies else mailing address.

My session ids are very long, and the chance of this is about 1 in a million. I figure this is an acceptable risk, as the private information (name,address, phone number) is not considered high risk data.

Any comments.

[Hippocrates]

If you're using sessionID's then you'd only be able to retrieve their data within the same session - is that what you want?
Do you want to be able to remember their data for the next time they come back to your site? Then it's gotta be by way of a database, but that would also require having them identify themselves in some way when they come back.

If you don't want people to be able to type in sessionID's in the URL, then don't pass the ID in the URL.
If you're using ASP you can always get the sessionID with
response.write session.sessionID and it won't show in the URL.

[jecasc]

You could store the IP address too and check if IP adress and session ID / Cookie match.

But you should definetly not store the information in the database forever but only for a couple of hours.

If I came to your site and the data was still filled in after one or two hours I would find that convinient. However if I came back two days later and still find the forms filled out I would get mad and propably write you some nasty email.

And you should keep in mind that many people use computers in internet cafes, universities and other public places. The information could then be retrieved by checking the browser history.

[lgn1]

Checking on the IP address is a good idea. I do have a clear form button on my form page also.

As far as Internet Cafe's, Universities, and such, people are warned to clear the cache and such, so if they don't clear the cache or clear the form (with the handy clear form button), its their own fault.

Besides, we are talking about quasi-private information to begin with, so unless the person is in the Witness protection program or an abuse spouse I don't see why they would be worried, about publicly available information anyways.

[jecasc]

I think the problem is more about some moron placing an order with the private information he finds.