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Troubleshooting Guide

This comprehensive guide covers common issues, diagnostic procedures, and solutions for the Live Carts for WooCommerce plugin.

Table of Contents​

Quick Diagnostic Checklist​

Before diving into specific issues, run through this quick checklist:

Prerequisites Verification​

  • WordPress version 6.2+ installed
  • PHP version 7.0+ (8.0+ recommended)
  • WooCommerce plugin activated and functioning
  • Plugin properly activated without errors
  • Database tables created successfully
  • WordPress cron functionality enabled

Common Issues and Solutions​

Installation and Activation Issues​

Plugin Won't Activate​

Symptoms:

  • Plugin activation fails with error message
  • WordPress displays "Plugin could not be activated" notice
  • PHP fatal errors in logs

Solutions:

  1. Version Compatibility:

    • Update WordPress to 6.2+
    • Update PHP to 7.0+ (8.0+ recommended)
    • Ensure WooCommerce is installed and activated

  2. Memory Issues:

    // Add to wp-config.php
    define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');

  3. Plugin Conflicts:

    • Deactivate other plugins temporarily
    • Activate Live Carts plugin
    • Reactivate other plugins one by one to identify conflicts

Cart Tracking Issues​

Solutions:

  1. Session Issues:

    • Verify WordPress/WooCommerce sessions are working
    • Check for session-blocking plugins or themes
    • Test with default WordPress theme

  2. Hook Conflicts:

    • Temporarily disable other WooCommerce extensions
    • Test with minimal plugin configuration
    • Check for theme conflicts with WooCommerce hooks

Cart Status Not Updating​

Symptoms:

  • All carts remain "active" indefinitely
  • No abandoned or archived carts
  • Cron jobs not running

Solutions:

  • Confirm WP-Cron is enabled
  • Check scheduled events
  • Low-traffic sites
    • WP-Cron triggers on front-end/admin requests. If your site has low traffic, events may not fire on time.

Pro Version Specific Issues​

Activation Problems​

Symptoms:

  • Pro features not appearing in admin interface
  • "Activation required" messages
  • Updates not working

Solutions:

  1. Re-enter order number:

    • Navigate to BerryPress → Live Carts → Activation
    • Clear existing order number
    • Re-enter valid order number and email

  2. Check Base Plugin Version:

    • Ensure free plugin is version 1.2.0 or higher
    • Update free plugin if necessary before activating Pro features

Recovery Emails Not Sending (Coming Soon)​

Coming Soon

This feature is currently in development and will be available in an upcoming release.

Symptoms:

  • Emails set to Active but not being delivered
  • No emails in customer inboxes
  • Carts meeting time threshold but no emails sent

Solutions:

  1. Verify Email Configuration:

    • Check email status is "Active" (not Draft)
    • Confirm "Send After" time has passed since cart last seen
    • Verify discount percentage is valid (0-100)

  2. Check WordPress Cron:

    • Install WP Crontrol plugin to verify cron is working
    • Look for phplugins_livecarts_check_recovery_emails event
    • Run manually to test: Tools → Cron Events → Run Now

  3. Test Email Delivery:

    • Verify server can send emails
    • Install WP Mail SMTP plugin for reliable delivery
    • Check spam/junk folders
    • Test with different email address

  4. Verify Cart Eligibility:

    • Cart must be in "active" or "abandoned" status
    • Cart last_seen must match email time threshold
    • Email must not have been previously sent to that cart
    • Check database table wp_phplugins_recovery_emails_sent

  5. Debug Mode:

    • Enable debug mode in BerryPress → Live Carts → Settings
    • Check plugin directory for debug log file
    • Look for recovery email related entries

Shortcodes Not Replacing in Emails (Coming Soon)​

Symptoms:

  • Email shows [first_name] instead of actual name
  • [cart_contents] appears as text instead of product list
  • Other shortcodes not being replaced

Solutions:

  1. Verify Syntax:

    • Use exact format: [shortcode] (not {shortcode} or {{shortcode}})
    • Check for extra spaces: [first_name] not [ first_name ]
    • Ensure lowercase

  2. Save and Republish:

    • Edit the recovery email
    • Make a small change
    • Click "Save Recovery Email"
    • Verify status is "Active"

  3. Test with Simple Email:

    • Create new test email with just: Hi [first_name]
    • Set to 5 minutes, Active
    • Test with real abandoned cart

Coupons Not Generating (Coming Soon)​

Symptoms:

  • [coupon] shortcode is empty in received emails
  • No coupons appearing in WooCommerce → Coupons
  • Discount not applying at checkout

Solutions:

  1. Verify Discount Setting:

    • Edit recovery email
    • Check "Discount Percentage" is > 0
    • Save changes

  2. Check WooCommerce:

    • Test creating manual coupon in WooCommerce → Coupons
    • Check for coupon-related plugin conflicts

Advanced Filters Not Working​

Symptoms:

  • "Show Filters" button not appearing
  • Filter options don't affect cart list
  • Selected filters reset on page load

Solutions:

  1. Verify Pro Activation:

    • Navigate to BerryPress → Live Carts → Activation
    • Confirm valid order number entered
    • Check for activation success message

  2. Check JavaScript:

    • Open browser console (F12)
    • Look for JavaScript errors
    • Disable other plugins temporarily to identify conflicts

Frequently Asked Questions​

How do I upgrade my license?​

  1. My Account → Subscriptions
  2. Click "Upgrade or Downgrade"
  3. Select new plan and pay prorated difference

See: License Upgrades Guide

Where is the menu item?​

Since version 1.2.2:

  • Navigate to BerryPress → Live Carts (moved from WooCommerce menu)
  • All functionality remains the same, just new location

Can I disable revision tracking?​

Pro Version Only:

  • Navigate to BerryPress → Live Carts → Settings
  • Uncheck "Enable cart revisions"
  • Saves database space if history not needed
  • Only affects new changes (existing revisions remain)

How do I exclude staff carts from tracking?​

Pro Version Only:

  1. Navigate to BerryPress → Live Carts → Settings
  2. Scroll to "Do not track carts for users with role"
  3. Check roles to exclude (e.g., Administrator, Shop Manager)
  4. Save settings
  5. Future carts from those roles won't be tracked

How do I test recovery emails without waiting? (Coming Soon)​

Coming Soon

This feature is currently in development and will be available in an upcoming release.

Testing Steps:

  1. Create recovery email with "5 minutes" send time
  2. Set status to "Active"
  3. Add product to cart as logged-in user
  4. Leave cart (close browser)
  5. Install WP Crontrol plugin
  6. Go to Tools → Cron Events
  7. Find phplugins_livecarts_check_recovery_emails
  8. Click "Run Now"
  9. Check email inbox

What happened to my data after 1.2.0 update?​

Version 1.2.0 Migration:

  • Cart data storage structure changed to improve performance
  • All existing cart data automatically migrated
  • No data loss - carts, contents, history preserved
  • New tables: wp_phplugins_cart_contents and wp_phplugins_cart_contents_items
  • Old data retained for compatibility but new structure used going forward

Support​

Free Version: WordPress Support Forum

Pro Version: Open Ticket

Include:

  • WordPress, WooCommerce, PHP versions
  • Error messages/logs
  • Steps to reproduce

See also: Developer Reference