Fix a serious flaw in the order template

[Chris74]

Hi I need help to fix a problem with the workflow of the order process that is a serious problem.

I'm happy to pay for a developer to do this work for me.

Here's the problem...

On the latest version of the six template, (comparison order form) VAT is calculated before checkout, but the VAT calculation is optional and is open to abuse by the customer. In fact, it's an invitation to the customer to commit VAT fraud, either on purpose or accidentally. The "estimate taxes" option is a small tab next to the tab where you can add a discount code. Here are the problems...

1. Most customers won't even see this, or bother to use it. This will set the VAT rate incorrectly.

2. Entering the country and state are optional at this stage in the order process, but this is the point where VAT is calculated, so it's vital that this info be collected here.

3. The customer can change their country at the next stage in the process, after they have "estimated taxes", but changing the country at this stage doesn't change the VAT rate  - so they can easily influence the price. The form invites them to choose any country they like for the tax rate, or not to bother, then set their country correctly so as to avoid suspicion. This will result in deliberate avoidance of the correct VAT and people paying the wrong amount just because they didn't notice the tab, or didn't understand  it.

WHMCS seems to think that paying the correct VAT rate should be optional, and that collecting accurate info from the customer during the order process is not important. Calculating the correct taxes is important, it's not an afterthought.

What needs to be done?

I have two possible suggestions... It would be preferable for the VAT to be calculated at the final stage, just like every other shopping cart system. Doing this would require the summary box on the right not to include the VAT calculation until checkout, so if this is not too difficult to do, an additional stage needs to be added into the process. Here's my first suggestion which is my preferred solution...

1. Remove the "Estimate Taxes" tab.
2. Remove the VAT calculation from the summary box until the final stage, so a sub total is only shown until they submit their address info.
3. Separate the final checkout process into two stages, entering and submitting info, then finally choosing a payment type and getting a correct summary - so that once the customer has entered their details, they have to submit  and go to choose payment options, which will be on a final checkout page.

To elaborate on point three, what I mean is that you have to submit the country and state before tax can be calculated - so moving the payment options to a final stage allows you to submit that data  - and allows for the summary box to contain the VAT calculation at the last stage. Then the final page will just contain the payment options and the final summary box, terms and conditions checkbox. essentially, you're chopping the checkout in half and shoving the last section onto a new final step. This removes the need for a specific "estimate taxes" option, which is a stupid idea anyway.

My second suggestion for a quick fix would be to keep the workflow the way it is currently, but....

1. Remove the "Estimate Taxes" tab and instead add a section below for the customer to provide their country and state, so it is more prominent on the page. It must be mandatory with validation to stop them continuing unless that info has been entered.
2. When the customer enters their full address details later, they must not be able to change the country or state at this stage. Sure they can go back to the previous stage and change it, but they shouldn't be allowed to enter conflicting details.

It is a fundamentally basic requirement that VAT is calculated on orders, but the way this currently works is just open to so much accidental or deliberate abuse. If I'd known it worked this way I wouldn't have upgraded to version 7. Now that I  have, I need a fix for this problem as soon as possible -so if you can take this on, or you have any questions please let me know. Many thanks.