Newsletter registration

[CJH]

I have sent a newsletter and some emails from the customer registrations have bounced, including at least one because the customer has died. I must change their newsletter status to remove this, aside from anything else as a requirement under GDPR. I am using Prestashop 1.7.7.0.

I can look up the newsletter status in the customer list - it has either a green tick or red cross. I can change these, either way. But, it does not alter the newsletter registration status for that customer - in the customer account, it is still present in whatever the original form it was left by the customer. Example: red cross in list of customers; in the customer full details, still green and registered (and generating a new newsletter list it is still present). Clearing cache does not solve this.

I tried the free module for 'log in as customer', which allows me to untick the registration, but not to save the setting (it demands the password, which of course I do not have).

I suspect a bug in the software, but how can I solve this to remove the customer newsletter registration - without which I cannot send another newsletter. Any ideas?

[PrestaHeroes USA]

I recommend moving 'bare bone' ps newsletter support to 3rd party like mailchimp for example.  I don't really recommend a module in ps that generates emails etc, they just do not have the features and stability of 3rd party email content manager.

technically, if not able top use native ps work as you suspect nor want 3rd party:

• open issue on prestashop github
• post in job section, there you can get shart affordable tech person, good to have in back pocket for future
• you can go into customer record via mysql and change setting....

also rebrand 'newsletter', 'Sign up special offers' or similar...also there is not rule they have to opt in....this can be assumed at registration....

[CJH]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have deliberately moved away from Mailchimp and started using the paid module produced by Crezzur, though not without difficulties I admit. But, it is working. I have already made sales based on yesterday's newsletter, but have to solve the issue of unsubscribing. The newsletter has an inbuilt 'unsubscribe' and that works ... but where I have to do so myself, which is a requirement under GDPR (that anyone can request that I do this), I have no viable route.

I've been put off reporting on github for an instance like this. Essentially, I can observe that I have a red X in the customer list, but green subscribed in the account for the customer, and I cannot alter this. There is no error message to report. I've tried to report similar things before, but told I must fill in the correct format of report. Then when I try, I have an email saying there is not enough detail to replicate this and the report is cancelled. This latest seems the same: I can observe a problem, but no error message, so it seems not worth trying to make a report to github.

The only solution I have found for changing the newsletter subscription is to change the password, then use the 'login as customer' module and use the password to allow me to save the change. Of course, the customer must now use a password reset but it is better than me potentially breaking the law by sending a newsletter illegally. I'm surprised that the newsletter registration doesn't have a field to change inside the customer record in BO (other than when looking at the big list).

I do thank you immensely for your feedback and suggestions. It's very much appreciated, and thank you for your time.

[PrestaHeroes USA]

the mysql is easiest non-technical  solution, phpmyadmin makes it pretty easy to change config when native does not.   also shop managers can spend an immense amount of time dithering with some detail like this so make sure to develop relationship with a freelancer you trust and call on so you can spend time on selling.  I only used mailchimp as example, I like other platforms that mailchimp is trying to catch up with.

[CJH]

Thanks, and I understand the principle ... even if not how to do this. Mysql and working inside the database directly are things I have stayed away from as somewhat beyond my skills. And I couldn't go to a freelance every time I need to change a newsletter registration ... But again, thanks for taking the time to reply

[Prestachamps]

Hi, 

It's not needed to overcomplicate things : 

https://addons.prestashop.com/en/customer-service/7280-super-user-log-in-as-customer.html (the above module will allow you to change the subscription status- test the demo) 

However according to what you described, the process you need to do has several steps : 

1. you need to change the clients newsletter registration status, without changing the email. I presume the newsletter system you use, has an API based change trigger, which means, in case you alter the Email address, it won't change the status of the customer from subscribed to non-subscribed. 

2. Once this is done, you'll need to anonymize the data's according to the GDPR as you can't delete vital financial information's, like sales(not for 5 years at least)

I'm just emphasizing that before you solve your newsletter issue, make sure you thought the procedure over properly 

I hope I helped, 

LEo 

PS: (I have a bit of experience in GDPR and Mailchimp as well  )

 

[CJH]

Thanks for your time, also. It does feel like overkill though, in the sense that changing the status in the customer listing from a tick to across ought to actually change the status in the account in BO (only it doesn't). If there was a checkbox in the BO account for newsletter registration, it would be simple to change it there (it really feels like Prestashop needs to add that facility). Nothing requires a change of email address or password or deleting other information, just changing this status in a simple manner. I'm only changing the password to permit me to reach a point where I can alter the newsletter registration - I shouldn't have to do that and it would be better if I didn't.

[PrestaHeroes USA]

18 hours ago, CJH said:

Thanks for your time, also. It does feel like overkill though, in the sense that changing the status in the customer listing from a tick to across ought to actually change the status in the account in BO (only it doesn't). If there was a checkbox in the BO account for newsletter registration, it would be simple to change it there (it really feels like Prestashop needs to add that facility). Nothing requires a change of email address or password or deleting other information, just changing this status in a simple manner. I'm only changing the password to permit me to reach a point where I can alter the newsletter registration - I shouldn't have to do that and it would be better if I didn't.

ps has module features to improve basic feature, that is the business model, everyone has to eat.  So see migration from ps native feature to module feature.  When we see something that 'looks' like ps we know it needs upgrade feature...that should answer question of why base features are 'basic'.  I don't know if you have bug or not, as mentioned github...but you are spending a lot of time not growing your business, so yes you over killing it loooool

[CJH]

Thanks. I don't think I am spending lots of time not growing the business. I'm spending the time I need to make things legal and have done that. I'm not really spending time on this at all now; I still wonder if this is a Prestaship thing or just my system, so I don't spend more time until someone tells me that their installation works while mine does not. I'm not overkilling anything at all ... if the existing native modules do not allow me to stay on the legal side of GDPR, something must be wrong.