Request A Quote

Session Timeouts

We’re currently fixing a set of issues with a shopping cart created through a different developer for a local client. They did a pretty good job but forgot about session timeouts. A lot of developers gloss over this aspect of their ecommerce site and unfortunately customers pay the price. Sessions are what is created to essentially track you when you first log on to a ecommerce site. This isn’t the bad kind of tracking, this is used for things like keeping items in your cart, logging in and account navigation.

W3C defines them as “A PHP session variable is used to store information about, or change settings for a user session. Session variables hold information about one single user, and are available to all pages in one application.”

By default sessions usually only last 24 minutes (1440 seconds) in PHP websites, or end when the browser is closed. This is fine for many websites and applications, often desired, but not generally a good idea for ecommerce websites. Why? because why would you want to have to put everything back into your shopping cart if you’ve been inactive for 30 minutes. If you close your browser and come back to shop the next day at the same website, you want your items to still be in there, waiting for you, right?

This is a huge potential non-starter for many folks. Even if they use your website once or twice it may promote them to look elsewhere if your website is annoying or making them have to do additional tasks. Luckily session timeouts are easily rectified in a number of ways which usually depend on your server setup. You can set timeouts on-page, in a php.ini file or through server setting if provided by the host. The point is, if you have a shopping cart, make sure your customers aren’t being aggravated by short session timeouts. It’s important.

More Web Design Blog Content

What does AI say about SEO

Let’s find out! Use relevant keywords: Start by researching and identifying the keywords and phrases that your target audience is likely to use when searching for information related to your business. Incorporate these keywords into your website’s content, including page titles, headers, and meta descriptions. Improve your website’s

Javascript called by PHP

Interesting little snippet. What is going on here? Livewire gives you the low down.    if($num_rowvs == 0){ echo ‘<script>// <![CDATA[ alert(“This is an alert message. I’m alerting you that you are totally awesome!”); // ]]></script>’; }   First, we’re creating a simple if statement in PHP.  Not entirely

Using Meta Tags In Images

Because search engines mainly rely on the text linked with an image to comprehend its content, using meta tags on images is crucial for SEO. Search engines may more precisely index photos when they are properly tagged, which can increase a website’s visibility and ranking on search engine

The Importance of a Professional Website for Gainesville Businesses

Gainesville is a vibrant community known for its strong local economy, driven by a mix of education, healthcare, and a growing number of small businesses. As a business owner in this dynamic environment, establishing a solid online presence is no longer optional—it’s essential. One of the most critical

contractor website design

Why Contractors Need Professional Website Design to Stay Competitive

In today’s digital-first world, a contractor’s website is more than just an online presence—it’s a powerful tool to attract, engage, and convert potential clients. Whether you’re a general contractor, plumber, electrician, or specialize in any other trade, having a well-designed website can set you apart from competitors and

What You Should be Asking

When hiring a developer, many people don’t know what questions they should be asking – if they knew, then they’d probably be doing the work themselves, right? First and foremost – ask for examples of previous projects. The surefire way to weed out the novices is to look

  • EMAIL: web@livewiregeeks.com
Facebook Linkedin Google-plus