IE8 + Google + OScommerce Problem

[wipers123]

I apologize but I'm not sure of what version of OScommerce we're built on...

 

I'm looking for either the solution to this problem or good tips of other forums that I should be posting this question on. I am not the developer but my developer cannot find the fix so I'm trying to help get ideas.

 

Our system is built using OScommerce (PHP + MySQL database). The problem affects some (not all) IE8 users and does not affect (FireFox, Chrome, etc.). The problem is triggered when users are brought to our site through clicking either our paid Google Ads or if they come in through our links on the Google Products pages (http://www.google.com/products). Our "free" (organic) links when displayed on the regular Google search results pages work fine - the problem only happens when a paid ad is clicked or if they click-through to the Google Products page and then click our links (btw, those same google products links work fine if you click on them under "shopping results" on the regular Google search results page). My guess is that the additional coding Google puts into paid ad links and links on the Google Products page is the first step of the problem.

 

In both scenarios above, the user is delivered to the correct page and everything looks fine BUT when the user performs a search from that page on our system, it delivers the user to our "Login" page (incorrect) rather than simply delivering the search results page (correct). If you click the IE8 back button and re-perform the search on our page, it works correctly and delivers you to the search results page. It's like the back button is clearing out whatever communication between the Google delivery and IE8 originally had. It always works the second time and never works the first time in these scenarios. Needless to say, users that have the problem are furious because we're asking them to create an account before delivering search results...MAJOR problem!! BTW, The search works fine on every one of our pages except when the user comes from Google Ads or Google Products...and keep in mind that not all IE8 users experience this...only some.

 

Example of Google Handling The SAME PAGE Differently & How IE8/OScommerce Handles Them Differently:

(you may or may not be able to duplicate the problem unfortunately depending on your IE8, but maybe you can see something in the coding of the links below that may lead to this problem)

 

 

Clicking On This Link On Regular Google Search Result Works Fine: https://www.wipers123.com/prodinfo-base-2000%20Mercedes_Benz%20ML430-part_no-19_170.html (Delivered on a regular Google Search "trico tech beam blades" - when you click on it and are delivered to our page, you can perform a search and be delivered the correct search results page on our site) So, this google referral works...

 

Clicking On This Link On Google PRODUCTS page Does NOT Work - It Takes You To The Right Page But Our Search Redirects To LOGIN Page Rather Than Search Results Page (Note that this is the same page in both scenarios but Google adds code to the link from the Google Products page): http://www.google.com/product_url?q=https://www.wipers123.com/prodinfo-base-2000%2520Mercedes_Benz%2520ML430-part_no-19_170.html&fr=AAZGYWlw7pDo4RDY9wU_9rDWi90WhiXTA5zNG3ST9LChWVz1PZe49DLpL_3ok1c76JEL5r4vc2Zqa48lP7PQ9U5tFQfHQm50QL_4SDVQ2o8ZRnSwO9NIjssgNvdfAZ7VLwNmOz5kPd21EZGrlaQmX09oznut286EkCQAeZvhqfLckaunzxaW68kAAAAAAAAAAA&ei=JFJgS6HfD-WJlQfXyIyBAQ&sig2=0Sw7cQga90qTgdoZWb_BPg&gl=us&hl=en&sa=title (When you click on this, you are delivered to the correct page but when you scroll down and perform a search, you are delivered to the LOGIN page rather than the search results page. If you click the IE8 back button and then perform the search again, it works fine)

 

Something in the second scenario is combining with IE8 in some cases that tells our system to re-direct to LOGIN rather than simply work correctly. Can anyone help us find this problem? (Sorry to repeat myself, but this also happens to the paid google ads becuase google is adding code on the backside of those links too)

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

IE8 is broken. Have you tried forcing IE7 compatibility?

[wipers123]

IE8 is broken. Have you tried forcing IE7 compatibility?

 

I apologize...I'm a dummy business owner!! LOL Do you mean setting our system to look at IE8 browsers like its IE7? Will I lose IE8 users? Will that cause other problems where IE8 users can't use our system?

[MrPhil]

meta tag to add in <head> section to force any IE8 browser into IE7 mode: http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/topic/347247-tep-image-button-problem-with-internet_explorer/page__gopid__1449869entry1449869

No manual changes needed to browser configuration -- this just turns your visitor's IE8 browser into an IE7 browser while they're on your site. If you look around, I think there are some specific instructions on how to insert this change into your store's code.

 

what version are you running: http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=283185&hl=

[wipers123]

Excellent so far...keep the brainstorming coming!! We will try the above, but I'd love to give them a list of potential troubleshooting/fixes!!

 

Question...when you say "IE8 is broken" is it that IE8 accross the board is broken or do you mean IE8, when interfacing with OScommerce is broken?

[♥mdtaylorlrim]

Excellent so far...keep the brainstorming coming!! We will try the above, but I'd love to give them a list of potential troubleshooting/fixes!!

 

Question...when you say "IE8 is broken" is it that IE8 accross the board is broken or do you mean IE8, when interfacing with OScommerce is broken?

I mean, that while MS develops a product like IE it expects the rest of the world to conform to a standard set by MS instead of IE conforming to industry standards.

 

There is nothing wrong with osC. There is lot's wrong at MS.

[MrPhil]

For many years, Microsoft was heavily criticized for making a browser (the IE family) that did not conform to published industry standards in how it behaved (rendered a page). Much code, including osC, was written to handle IE browsers one way, and non-IE (standards compliant) browsers another. They simply switch back and forth for all IE browsers (or not).

 

With IE8, MS finally listened and produced a fairly standards-compliant browser. Unfortunately, because it's named "IE", many many pages will still feed it code that works properly on IE6 and IE7, but should not be used on a standards-compliant browser. So, ironically, MS had to introduce a mode in IE8 (along with an emulation tag to put in a page) that says "render this page as if it were a broken IE6 or IE7 browser". Damned if you do, and damned if you don't! In that sense, IE8 is broken "across the board". Until page coding practices catch up and differentiate between IE6/7 and IE8, we'll have this problem. Even worse, page authors will continue to write "broken" IE6-style code for all IE browsers, rather than confining it to pre-IE8.

[spooks]

With IE8, MS finally listened and produced a fairly standards-compliant browser.

 

 

If only it was, but un-fortunatly it aint!!, its part way there, but in many cases it still needs the code 'hacks' that had to be used with ealier versions, whats worse is as MS 'think' its now complient they removed support for some of the functions that were added to allow IE to work, so in many cases you have to use the compatibilty mode to get it to behave.

 

I have written code that tried using IE8 as complient, but it simply wont work in too many cases.